RiffTrax
From Wookieepedia, the Star Wars wiki.
RiffTrax are downloadable audio commentaries featuring Mystery Science Theater 3000 star Michael J. Nelson, frequently accompanied by co-stars Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett, or a variety of guest-hosts. It was launched in January 2006.
RiffTrax released a commentary track for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace on November 1, 2006. As time passed, the Phantom Menace track, with its over-the-top Lucas bashing and mockery of Jar Jar Binks, became one of the best-selling and highest rated RiffTrax on the site. On April 6, 2007, RiffTrax released a track for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, with guest host Chad Vader (voiced by Matt Sloan), who appeared sporadically during the film and spoke in character, as if personally acquainted with the characters. Finally, a Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith track was released on September 25, 2007.
Like Mystery Science Theater 3000, RiffTrax often use running gags and feature jokes recycled from previous commentary tracks. References to the Star Wars films became more frequent after the Phantom Menace track, most notably during Reign of Fire, which featured a reenactment of The Empire Strikes Back in a post-apocalyptic setting, and Eragon, whose storyline paralleled that of A New Hope in many ways. Immediately following Revenge of the Sith, RiffTrax released a track for Raiders of the Lost Ark, which featured a Han shot first reference.
Fans were expecting RiffTrax to move on to the original trilogy, but were surprised when an audio track for The Star Wars Holiday Special was released just in time for Christmas on December 10, 2007. This track featured much less Lucas bashing than the prequel trilogy, with Mike, Kevin and Bill demonstrating more geeky familiarity with the Star Wars universe. Kevin Murphy even managed to work a Wookieepedia reference into the commentary. The Holiday Special RiffTrax was rated even higher than Phantom Menace by fans in a poll taken shortly thereafter.
On December 30, 2008, RiffTrax released a track for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, using the Special Edition DVD as a baseline. The track featured a running gag with Kevin and Bill reading random character names off Wookieepedia. On April 14, 2009, a track for Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back was released, once again featuring Matt Sloan as Chad Vader.
