Has there ever been a more glorious blemish on a franchise than 1978’s Star Wars Holiday Special? While the world was still in the grips of Star Wars mania, CBS aired a legendarily insane 90-minute tie-in show — one so completely bonkers that George Lucas spent decades doing everything in his power to make sure it never saw an official home-video release. His fear was understandable: The Holiday Special featured such off-brand spectacles as a performance by Jefferson Starship and a bit where Bea Arthur talks to a giant space-rat. But guess what, folks: Lucas isn’t in charge of Star Wars anymore. So, in honor of The Force Awakens’s new direction for the Star Wars franchise — and in honor of the impending holiday season — we proudly present our imagining of Star Wars: The Holiday Special Awakens.
Oh, and hey, you should watch our other Vulture Remixes, like the one where Miss Piggy sings Rihanna or the one where Batman v Superman happens in 1949! They may not have anything to do with holidays, but they’re all special.