For decades the Muppets have been entertaining audiences all over the world. More expressive than most puppets, the Muppets connect with audiences on a deeper level than many similar creations. Combined with talented muppet performers and fun character concepts, it’s no wonder that the Muppets have entertained widely varying audiences for so long. In this episode we take a deep dive into the Muppet concept. We talk about our favorite Muppet characters. We discuss our favorite Muppet scenes. We also get into the reasons why people still enjoy the Muppets. We end by debating where we see the Muppet concept going in the future.
Due to time constraints there is no five-minute controversy this week.
This week Beth; Eric; Tom; Miranda; and newcomer, Steve, join the cast.
Like what you heard? Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/42cast. You can also find us on X as @42cast, Instagram/Threads as 42cast, or Blue Sky as 42cast.bsky.social. We can also be found on Youtube or rss.com where you can find links to all of the various podcast providers where we can be found. Please, leave us a review. Have a question for the Ultimate Answer? E-mail us at [email protected]. Want to be part of the discussion, join our Discord Server where you can talk about any form of geekiness, opine on the episodes, or participate in our general silliness.


The Obi-Wan Kenobi series started as a plan for a movie following the titular character. Over time that morphed into a plan to do a limited series on Disney+. In this episode the cast discusses the series. They talk about how the series fleshes out not only the character of Obi-Wan Kenobi but also Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Owen and Beru Lars. They also discuss the timeframe of the series and how it uses elements of the prequels to elevate the prior material above it’s quality when it stood alone. They also get into the new characters and whether the online controversies have any merit. They close off by opining on the future of Obi-Wan Kenobi as a character in the franchise.
The announcement of The Book of Boba Fett excited a lot of people. Continuing the story of the character from the Mandalorian, the set up implied that the titular character would assume the role of a crime boss, running his operations from the outpost of Tatooine. In actuality the show turned a sharp corner, depicting the former bounty hunter as a virtuous but naïve warrior trying to change Tatooine into an egalitarian society. In this episode we discuss Boba’s role as Prince of the Deep Dune Sea. We talk about whether we felt that the plot worked as well as discussing Boba and his supporting cast’s character. Along the way we’ll talk about references to other series and whether or not they were dealt with well. We also get into the Mandalorian Trojan Horse episodes and whether they distracted from Boba’s story. We end things by debating what we would do with a second season of this series.
From Respeecher to Deep Fakes, we hear about it all the time. The technology continues to develop, so that studios can recreate the faces and voices of actors that have passed or aged out of certain roles. In this episode we discuss the implications of this technology. We talk about what it could mean for acting as a profession, the ramifications to live-action franchises, and whether it’s something that audiences really require. We also opine on the pros and cons of recreating a particular actor in a role or recasting.
The Legendary Forces crew is back. This time they discuss the film that started it all, Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)! They consider how this movie must have seemed to people who saw it at the time. They talk about the plot and cast and characters. They ask the age old question of who exactly is the main character of this flick. They discuss spurious romances. They also talk about the effect of Peter Cushing on the cast. Along the way they’ll opine on how Han Solo is like a cat, strange story structures, courageous princesses, and how important it is to see the original, despecialized version of the movie.
Before Disney announced approximately 312 new Star Wars series that would debut at some point on Disney+, they gave us The Mandalorian. The Mandalorian ticked all of our boxes in season 1, providing compelling drama in fun innovative ways that only Star Wars can. In this season they built on the formula bringing back fan-favorites from the first season, characters from across the Star Wars universe, and providing new locations and situations. In this episode we examine season 2 and assess if the series heading in the right direction. We also talk about the potential with the Book of Bobba Fett spinoff as well as what we think will happen in The Mandalorian season 3.
After 42 years (naturally) the Star Wars saga finally came to an end with Episode 9, The Rise of Skywalker. In this episode we talk about The Rise of Skywalker as a conclusion to the Star Wars Saga. We discuss whether Skywalker Saga or Palpatine saga is a more fitting name. We discuss the narrative shifts between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. We also debate the Reylo relationship and how the film ends. 
Last Jedi hit movie theaters two years ago, and the reaction was unprecedented. It made its bank as expected, but the controversies both in and out of universe raged in a way that no single movie has ever provoked. With The Rise of Skywalker premiering this year, we decided that it was time to pull out our review of The Last Jedi. We discuss many of the issues and concerns that people have about the movie and give our own opinions. We also talk about the further development of “The Skywalker saga”, speculate on some of the mysteries, and say what we’d like to see in the final installment.