Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu and What’s Making Us Happy

Summary

Pop Culture Happy Hour — “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu and What’s Making Us Happy”
NPR, May 22, 2026

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Main Theme & Overview

This episode dives into the big-screen debut of “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” evaluating whether the move from Disney+ TV to a theatrical feature is justified and exploring the film’s pleasures and shortcomings. Hosts Glenn Weldon, joined by guest critics Jordan Morris and Chris Klimek, break down the movie’s strengths, the franchise’s current state, and the enduring popularity of its core characters. They conclude the episode with their recurring segment: “What’s Making Us Happy This Week,” spotlighting personal pop culture recommendations.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Is This the Way to the Movies?

[00:26–03:53]

• The film transitions from the small screen, featuring Pedro Pascal’s laconic Mandalorian and the ever-endearing Grogu on a new mission: rescuing Jabba the Hutt’s son, Rata.
• “It feels like a long episode of that TV show… and there’s part of me that’s like, hey, cool… But also, I think there’s a sense of like, what are we doing here? Why is this not just three episodes of a TV show?” — Jordan Morris [02:30]
• The movie strings together seven or eight action scenes with minimal connective tissue, prioritizing fun but without narrative weight.

2. Franchise Right-Sizing and the Lucas Legacy

[03:53–05:29]

• Chris Klimek remarks on this installment as a “right sizing of Star Wars,” likening it more to George Lucas’s original homage to serial adventure, but now executed by reliably competent, if uninspired, stewards like Favreau and Filoni.
• “There’s no sense of specialness. There’s no sense of struggle. And there’s a sense that… this is just kind of, you know, the latest thing coming off the production line.” — Chris Klimek [04:57]
• Weldon and guests agree the film meets, but does not exceed, expectations—big, slick, but lacking novelty or ambition.

3. Audience Reception & Theatrical Justification

[05:29–07:15]

• Even among diehard fans in a packed screening, the film’s biggest “moments” are crowdpleasers for those in-the-know (e.g., Dave Filoni’s cameo).
• Weldon asks: “Aren’t these people… going to the theater looking for something that merits theatricality, some big… lore dump or character reveal?” [06:27]
• Instead, the movie simply affirms what devotees already know; it doesn’t shake up the status quo.

4. Substance versus Style

[07:15–08:22]

• The accessibility of the Mandalorian story—minimal “homework,” universal appeal to casual fans and families—remains a strength.
• Morris describes the film as a hit for “the basic dad and 8-year-olds of the world,” but for deeper fans: “You do just wish there was something more to chew on.” [08:03]

5. Action Overload and Set Piece Saturation

[08:22–09:10]

• Weldon critiques the film’s “numbing amount of action set pieces,” noting their sameness blurs excitement: “This is, oops, all set pieces.”
• “In any Star Wars film, you can pick out one cool bit. And because there are so many quote unquote cool bits, they’re all blending together.” — Glenn Weldon [08:41]

6. Notable Casting and Character Choices

[08:51–11:05]

• Sigourney Weaver appears, but is underused—“I’ve never seen Sigourney Weaver look more bored than she does… which kind of feels like some Dave Filoni in midjourney is like, put Ripley in a Star Wars uniform.” — Chris Klimek [09:13]
• Jeremy Allen White voices Rata the Hutt, whose English-speaking, hipster persona stands out as odd and comical: “He sounds like… the husband of a friend you get stuck talking to at a party…” — Jordan Morris [10:16]

7. Practical Effects vs. CGI

[11:05–13:26]

• Both critics bemoan the overreliance on CGI, especially with the Hutts, wishing for more practical puppetry that made Jabba iconic.
• “Can we try and integrate some more practical stuff? … the fact that this is such a Hutt-based story and we don’t have a single practical Hutt is a real bummer.” — Jordan Morris [12:45]
• Practical elements, like the Grogu puppet and Anzellan mechanics, are praised for their charm and received big laughs in theaters.

8. The Big Business Question

[13:26–13:52]

• The panel wonders if audiences will go out to see something similar to what’s available at home, voicing skepticism about the movie’s potential theatrical draw.
• “If folks do not come out to the theater because they could stay at home and watch not just essentially this, they could watch this.” — Glenn Weldon [13:26]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s basically seven or eight action scenes strung together with a little bit of dialogue and a little bit of story.” — Jordan Morris [02:43]
• “I did enjoy it, but I’ve almost forgotten it already.” — Chris Klimek [04:57]
• “Baby Yoda does cute things. Mando says this is the way… That is the brief, that is the mission statement here.” — Glenn Weldon [06:37]
• “Can we mix it up? Can we have it be CGI in some shots and a big old cool puppet in other shots? … More puppets, please.” — Jordan Morris [12:55]
• “There’s just Star Wars. The blockbusters they begat were once special by virtue of their scarcity… now it’s just coming off the production line.” — Chris Klimek [04:57]
• Highlighted Filoni cameo and the crowd’s exuberant response: “People cheered for Dave Filoni in his classic cowboy hat.” — Glenn Weldon [06:09, 12:20]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:26–03:53 — General impressions on the film’s episodic structure and accessibility
• 03:53–05:29 — Franchise reflections and creative management
• 06:27–07:15 — The question of whether the film delivers theatrical moments
• 08:22–09:10 — Overabundance of action sequences
• 08:51–11:05 — Sigourney Weaver & Jeremy Allen White/Hutt casting
• 11:05–13:26 — Practical vs. CGI handling of characters
• 13:26–13:52 — Will moviegoing audiences turn up?

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“What’s Making Us Happy This Week”

[15:30–20:26]

Jordan Morris

• Recommendation: Bury Me Already (It’s Nice Down Here) by Julia Wertz
• A graphic novel/comics memoir about pregnancy and parenthood—hilarious, honest, dealing with both the gross, funny parts and deep emotional beats.
• “Maybe you feel a little silly saying masterpiece. I think this is a masterpiece.” — Jordan Morris [17:01]

Chris Klimek

• Recommendation: I Love Boosters (Boots Riley’s new film)
• Describes the anti-capitalist satire as ambitious, wild, and excitingly unique, encouraging listeners to seek it out in theaters.
• “This is a movie that I enjoyed very much and that I look forward to arguing with people about for the rest of the year.” — Chris Klimek [17:54]

Glenn Weldon

• Joyful Discovery: Vane Butera performing “Getting Married Today” from Company (Sondheim), discovered through the algorithm, arguing sometimes recommendations are serendipitous and wonderful.
• “You need some human juice, some funk to it. And I bet that’s the only times the words Stephen Sondheim and funk were said in the same paragraph.” — Glenn Weldon [19:47]
• “What’s making me happy is Vane Botera herself.” — Glenn Weldon [20:04]

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Final Thoughts

The panel concludes that The Mandalorian and Grogu movie is a high-quality but ultimately safe extension of the series: fun, familiar, and visually slick—heavy on action, light on innovation. While likely to please casual moviegoers and diehard fans seeking more of what they already love, it does little to justify its leap to the big screen or to invigorate the franchise creatively.

For listeners seeking variety and depth, the hosts’ “What’s Making Us Happy” picks offer heartfelt, off-the-beaten-path recommendations across comics, film, and musical performance.

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Summary compiled in the warm, witty, and conversational tone of the Pop Culture Happy Hour team.

Transcript

[A]

This message comes from DataIQ. AI is everywhere, but companies struggle to prove results. For that, they need people, orchestration and governance working as1.Data IQ is the platform for AI success built to bring it all together. Visit D A T-I K U.com NPR.

[B]

After three seasons on Disney, Pedro Pascal and Baby Yoda have made the jetpack as assisted leap to the big screen with Star wars, the Mandalorian and Grogu, the laconic bounty hunter and his just enervatingly cute sidekick are hired by the good guys to do a job for some bad guys. Sigourney Weaver shows up briefly and Jeremy Allen White voices a super jacked hut. You know what you're gonna get? Creatures, Droids, Easter eggs. Pew, pew, pew. But will folks go out to the movies to watch something they've gotten to know on their couches? We'll talk about it. I'm Glenn Weldon. Joining me today on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour is podcaster Jordan Morris. He's the co host of Jordan Jessico and Free with Ads. Hey, Jordan.

[C]

Hi, Glenn. This is the way. I tell you, I'm glad to be here.

[B]

I was wondering if it was the way. Also with us is writer and host of the new film Spotting podcast movie deathmatch, coming June 1st, Chris Klimek. Hey, Chris. Congrats on the new gig.

[D]

Thank you, gentlemen. As Star wars enters its hut sploitation phase, there are no two guys I'd rather chop it up with.

[B]

Here we go. If you have been watching the Mandalorian on Disney, you know the basics, but here they are. If you have not, it's a few years after Return of the Jedi. The evil Galactic Empire is no more, and the New Republic is attempting to assert itself. But there are still imperial bad guys out there who need to be brought to justice. Enter the Mandalorian, a bounty hunter in badass armor and a helmet. He's played by Pedro Pascal, but also by Brendan Wayne in Lateef Crowder. When he's got the helmet on and he's walking around and doing stunts, Mando, as he's called, has taken a young alien named Grogu under his wing. He's cute. He can use the Force. He gurgles and coos and whatnot. The New Republic good guys ask Mando and Grogu to rescue the son of Jabba the Hutt named Rata. He's voiced by Jeremy Allen White. That job proves more complicated than it seems, which leads to lots and lots and lots and lots of fights. The Mandalorian and Grogu was directed by Jon Favreau, who created the Disney series. It is in theaters now. Jordan, we return to that question. Is this the way?

[C]

Yeah. So I will say this is kind of the way, or at least it was kind of the way for me. I think this movie's biggest pro is also its biggest con in that it feels like a long episode of that TV show. The way I like that is that, you know, I think modern Star wars movies have all felt very burdened. You know, it's like they can't just tell a fun space story. They have to introduce classic characters and sometimes kill them and set up theme park rides and video games. And all that stuff can really subtract from fun. Like, because you're setting up all this stuff or paying off stuff that happened in the 80s, you're maybe not having as much fun as you can. And I think this movie just kind of dispenses with that and has a lot of fun. It's basically seven or eight action scenes strung together with a little bit of dialogue and a little bit of story. And. Yeah. And there's part of me that's like, hey, cool. Awesome. I don't have to have read a novel and ridden a Disneyland ride to understand this. I just kind of have to know who the Mandalorian is. But also, I think there's a sense of like, what are we doing here? You know, why is this not just three episodes of a TV show? I think all in all, I had a fun time in the theater, and some of the cool stuff is really cool. The practical stuff really pops in this. But, yeah, there's a little bit of a sense of. It's kind of just empty calories.

[B]

Okay, Empty calories. What about you, Chris?

[D]

Yeah, this is sort of the right sizing of Star wars in a way. I feel like 50 years later, this is the dream of George Lucas realized. He just wanted to make his homage to serials and Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon, and by pushing out all of the temperamental artists, George Lucas was certainly that. His quality variable, certainly, I think, had the greatest success when he outsourced the actual screenwriting and directing to others. But definitely an idea guy. And when you get rid of a guy like that and you bring in a Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, company men. You know, these are reliable, competent, sort of uninspired. And that's. These are all adjectives that apply to this movie, too. I did enjoy it, but there's no sense of specialness. There's no sense of struggle. And there's a sense that, like, here's Jon Favreau with unlimited resources, you know, shooting this in a volume in Manhattan Beach, California.

[C]

Pedro Pascal recording his lines on the way to shoot another movie.

[B]

Exactly.

[D]

Right. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I have to feel like Robert Downey Jr. Is calling his agent to be like, hey, do I actually have to, like, come to set to be the star of this movie? Like, it's fine. It is fun. I did enjoy it, but I've almost forgotten it already. You know, there's just Star wars, and the blockbusters they begat were once special by virtue of their scarcity, or at least them being sort of a seasonal thing. And this is just kind of, you know, the latest thing coming off the production line. And it's fine, but it is a little disappointing that there isn't even one thing about it that I can say is special.

[B]

Yeah, okay. I think we're all saying the same thing. I mean, expectations met, not exceeded, not undershot, either. I mean, there's a very good reason why we're all saying the same thing here, because we have had three seasons to teach us exactly what to expect out of this thing. And they deliver that. And it seems to me they are not interested in delivering anything different. I mean, it looks bigger, to your point, it looks more expensive. And I'm tempted to say, as I often do, nobody was clamoring. But I know that's not the case because we saw this in a screening with a bunch of enthusiasts, the kind of enthusiasts that clap when Dave Filoni shows up in a cameo. Dave Filoni has written and produced several Star wars shows. He's now the president and CCO of Lucasfilm.

[C]

And he's wearing his signature cowboy hat in his cameo, too.

[B]

And he's wearing his signature cowboy hat. And they were eating it up.

[C]

And I looked up the character that Dave Filoni plays does have a name. I forget exactly what it is, but it's something like, howdy, flyboy. It's like the spookiest Star wars name ever.

[B]

And at one point, Mando gets a new ship, and it gets a series of lingering glamour shots that people cheered for because they know their kids are going to get that ship for Christmas and they're going to play with that after their kids go to bed. My question to both of you, though, is if this just delivers more of the same. Baby Yoda does cute things. Mando says this is the way. And that seems to be. I think we're all agreed that's fully intentional. That is the brief, that is the mission statement here. Is that enough? Because aren't these people who are all in on Mando and Grogu, aren't they going to be going to the theater looking for something that merits theatricality, some big, I don't know, lore dump or character reveal or something that says to them everything you thought you knew was wrong? Because what this movie is saying is everything you thought you knew, you were precisely correct about. Good on you on that.

[C]

Yeah. I mean, basically all we learn from this movie is the Mandalorian is good at fighting and baby Yoda is cute. Those are the two big reveals. Although I guess we kind of already knew both those things, right? Yeah, I mean, I remember Mandalorian Baby Yoda mania. I was part of it. Sure. I have not seen all of the show, but I really dug the first two seasons. I think that's part of why it hit so hard is because it was kind of a no homework show. I think those, you know, Disney Star wars movies, there's a lot of good stuff in them, but I think for the casual person who just needs to take their 8 year old to a movie, it just felt like so much and there's so much stuff that maybe you didn't get and. Yeah, and I think this hits so hard because you can just kind of be familiar with Star wars and sit down in front of it. And I think that will make this a hit for the basic dad and 8 year olds of the world. But yeah, if you are looking for something to chew on, if you are a, I'll say it, a giant nerd like I believe the three of us are, I don't think I'm speaking out of school. You do just wish there was something more to chew on there.

[B]

Look, what we get in this movie is a series of action set pieces. And I'll confess, a numbing amount of action set pieces so much that they bleed together. This is, oops, all set pieces. And I'm hard pressed. In any Star wars film, you can pick out one cool bit. And because there are so many quote unquote cool bits, they're all blending together. Just like you said, Chris.

[D]

Yeah, no, I mean, how many times in the last, what, 27 years have you said, okay, but Duel of the Fates. But that fight was cool. In the Phantom Menace. Can we talk about casting now?

[B]

Are you gonna mention Sigourney Weaver who shows up here to just deliver cutscene dialogue? The scene where you get the mission in the game and you're pressing X on Your controller to get past it. Do we have a deal? I only hunt down Imperial War criminals. I don't work for gangsters anymore, especially the Hutts. That's right, you don't. You work for us.

[A]

And right now, this is what we

[B]

need you to do.

[D]

Look, I mean, you cannot pander to me personally any harder than putting Sigourney Weaver in a science fiction movie. And she looks so bored. I've never seen Sigourney Weaver look more bored than she does even when she puts on the flight suit, which kind of feels like some Dave Filoni in midjourney is like, put Ripley in a Star wars uniform. That's hard for me to take. But on the other end of it, we have Jeremy Allen White's prize fighting rad of the Hutt, who does get to say, I'm my own man, which made me. Made me chuckle. And then he says that and other like sentiments, like, entirely too many times. Leaving aside the fact that we have Jeremy Allen White with his voice so digitally altered as to be unrecognizable.

[B]

Absolutely unrecognizable.

[D]

How do you guys feel about a Hutt speaking one, a lot, two in English or basic, as Wookiepedia tells me it is in the Star wars universe. Other seen huts we get the, you know, and the subtitles, and it's just like watching a hut speak long paragraphs of English. I had a hard time with it.

[C]

I will say I understand the choice to make him speak English. You know, modern audiences probably don't want to read a ton of subtitles. I thought his vocal performance was so funny. Like, I would just describe the vibe as blase hipster. He sounds like not a space gangster, but like the husband of a friend you get stuck talking to at a party and you're just like listening to him and you're like, oh, you tweaked your shoulder training for a triathlon. Oh, you're brewing your own beer. Oh, cool. Like he's that guy. It is so funny and weird and out of place. Yeah. I thought the idea of this kind of six pack hut that's trying to get out of the shadow of his dad is kind of fun. But the acting is very strange.

[B]

It is, it is. And you know, it's a CGI hut. There's a big scene in a glitch gladiator arena that just sets up base camp in the uncanny valley and starts roasting marshmallows. It is clearly an Easter egg. Right. That is meant to evoke the 3D chess that they play on the Millennium Falcon in Episode four. Because when you see an overhead shot of the arena, it looks like the chessboard. I get it. It didn't need to take that long. These movies still have a very contemptuous relationship to physics because early on they mount a walker vehicle that looks like an @st from Return of the Jedi, but it's got an open cockpit. So I did look it up in the Wiki. Of course, it is an. Which is, of course, this hilariously lumbering, unstable thing that he decides. Mando gets in the cockpit of and decides he's gonna take it straight down this very steep side of a mountain that's covered in rocks and ice and snow. And he just sails effortlessly down this mountainside. And your brain looks at that and go, I have tried to walk down a steep driveway. It's not this easy. It can't be done. And you know, I will say Grogu's still a puppet. That's a good thing. The space mechanics we mentioned, the Wiki informs me they're called Anzellans. The folks we've seen before, they're clearly puppets. That feels good. But everything else, Oof, boy. Oof. Oof.

[C]

Yeah, I think the practical stuff just pops so great in this movie. You know, Baby Yoda, he was everybody's favorite thing for several years. And that's cause, like, the puppet's awesome. And the little mechanic guys, they're great and got a ton of laughs in my theater. Yes. I mean, is it the laughs and applause that a brief shot of Dave Filoni and his classic cowboy hat got

[B]

no,

[C]

but almost as big and yeah, old nerd guy complaint here. But, like, can we try and integrate some more practical stuff? And the fact that this is such a Hut based story and we don't have a single practical Hutt is a real bummer. Jabba the Hutt is one of the coolest practical puppet characters ever. And yeah, I know that these Hutts have to fight and wrestle and squirm around in a way that a big pup probably couldn't, but can we mix it up? Can we have it be CGI in some shots and a big old cool puppet in other shots? You know, bring it to the premiere, let tiktokers take a picture with it, you make your money back. Yeah. More puppets, please.

[B]

The other big question I think is hanging over this weekend is, are folks gonna come out? I'd be fascinated to see because this is gonna dictate, I think, a lot for the Disney Corporation. You know, what are they gonna do next? I mean, if folks do not come out to the theater because they could stay at home and watch not just essentially this, they could watch this.

[D]

They could watch a book. They don't even have to read a book. They could watch a book of Boba Fett. It's incredible.

[B]

All right. Well, you heard what we think we're kind of mid. You may be. You may be one of those folks who cheer for the Dave Filonis of the world. And more power to you. Up next, what is making us happy this week?

[E]

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[B]

Now it is time for our favorite segment of this week and every week. What is making us happy this week? Jordan, what's making you happy this week?

[C]

Yeah, I am going to do what I often do in this segment is recommend a comic book or graphic novel. In this case, it's a fantastic new graphic novel. It is called Bury Me Already Parentheses it's nice down here. Comics on Pregnancy and Parenthood by Julia Wirtz. Julia Wertz is a really brilliant cartoonist who mostly does, I think what you would call autobio comics or diary comics. They are comics pulled from her everyday life. And yeah, she is very funny. She likes bodily humor, joke and pop culture references. But it was also, like, just really honest about her life. And so this book is about her being pregnant and giving birth to her son. And yeah, you get a lot of the kind of funny, gross stuff that accompanies pregnancy stories. And it's all really funny because she's hilarious. But then, you know, it gets into some heavy topics, it gets into depression, it gets into loneliness. And sometimes when a thing tries to do both of those things, tries to be really funny and silly and also give you the heavy stuff, it can come off as sweaty. Or one thing could work a little bit better than the other one. But, oh, boy, both things are just so well done here and they support each other and they add to each other. The dramatic stuff is better because you got the light funny stuff and the light funny stuff is a nice palette cleanser for some of the more dramatic stuff. Maybe you feel a little silly saying masterpiece. I think this is a masterpiece. I think it's really great. Get this, get this, get this. Bury Me Already. It's Nice Down Here by Julia Wirtz.

[B]

That's a great pick. Thank you so much, Jordan. Chris, what is making you happy this week?

[D]

Glenn, what is making me happy this week is counter programming. Whether or not you go to the theater to see the Mandalorian in Grogu, I implore you to go to the theater that's playing Boots Riley's new movie. I love boosters. This is from the great hip hop artist and maker of the sort of surreal anti capitalism satire. Sorry to bother you. This is an even wilder, more ambitious, funnier, harder to encapsulate. Fantasia centers on these women who make their living by stealing, you know, way marked up designer clothes and then, you know, selling them at more affordable prices. That's what a booster is for Anyone who saw Sorry to Bother your or his streaming series. This is just a massive upscaling in ambition and execution and everything. This is a movie that I enjoyed very much and that I look forward to arguing with people about for the rest of the year. So if you can find Boots Riley's I Love Boosters. Well worth seeking out. It made me very happy.

[B]

Thank you very much, Chris. Yes, we're gonna have an episode about that very movie next week. What's making me happy? Well, we can all agree that algorithms are bad. Algorithms don't make you happy whenever you get served something on your phone that you've just been talking to somebody about that day. That's creepy. But as the great Stephen Sondheim once said, witches can be right, giants can be Good. And because the algorithm knows me so well, earlier this week, it served up this very badly recorded clip, presumably from an audience member at a theatrical performance that somebody uploaded to TikTok. That is the Argentinian singer Vane Butera performing Getting Married Today from Stephen Sondheim's company. How do you make something you've heard thousands and thousands of times new? How do you renew your sense of awe and respect and admiration? And I'm just gonna go back to awe. Awe for an incredibly demanding pattersong that is absolutely merciless in what it expects of its performer. This is how it sounds to my ears. Even more difficult in Spanish than it does in English. I don't know how that's possible. And now it's not perfect, right? Because later on in that clip, her breath control gets a little bit wonky. And I'm sure Stephen would have had some notes. But the thing about getting married today is if it's too perfect, it feels canned and robotic. And you don't want something like this song to feel effortless because that does not serve the kind of frantic desperation that the character is going through in that moment. You need some human juice, some funk to it. And I bet that's the only times the words Stephen Sondheim and funk were said in the same paragraph.

[D]

I mean, I'm stuck on human juice, Glenn.

[B]

Okay. It's led me down a path of discovering more Vane Botera, who is a singer, songwriter, and a television actress. So that's good, because I don't have to come out and say, you know, what's good, guys? What's making me happy is the algorithm. What's making me happy is Vanda Botera herself. That is what is making me happy this week. That brings us to the end of our show. Jordan Morris, Chris Klimek. I don't know if it was the way, but it was fun.

[D]

Thanks, Glenn.

[C]

Thank you, Glenn. I look forward to squeezing more human juice with you very soon.

[B]

Vivid. This episode was produced by Mike Katsif and Hafsa Pothem and edited by our showrunner, Jessica Reedy. And Olokimmin provides our theme music. Thank you for listening to Pop Culture Happy Hour from npr. I'm Glenn Weldon, and we'll see you all next week.

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