A Disturbance in the Force: How the Star Wars Holiday Special Happened (2023)

In 1977, “Star Wars” became a cultural phenomenon that single-handedly revitalized a stagnant film industry, and forever changed how films were sold, made, and marketed. Movies would never be the same again. A year later, neither would television. In 1978, CBS aired the two-hour “Star Wars Holiday Special” during the week of Thanksgiving. The broadcast was watched by 13 million people. It never re-aired and is considered one of the worst shows to ever air on TV. While some fans of the franchise are aware of this dark secret, this bizarre television event still remains relatively unknown among the general public. This documentary answers the question: how and why did the “Holiday Special” get made?