How To Watch the “Star Wars Holiday Special” (1978)

Most old-school “Star Wars” fans have heard of the 1978 “Star Wars Holiday Special.” It was so poorly received that it was never officially released, but die-hard fans still manage to find and watch the feature-length story.

There aren’t any streaming services that carry it, but you can still easily find the special on content-sharing platforms like YouTube. If you’ve never seen Chewbacca’s race to get home for Life Day or are ready to revisit the first “Star Wars” spin-off, here’s how to watch without interference from the Empire — or your ISP.

How to watch the “Star Wars Holiday Special” in the U.S.

If you’re hoping to stream this on your favorite platform like Disney+ or Apple TV+, you won’t find it. The 2023 Apple TV+ documentary “A Disturbance in the Force” explains why. Even though George Lucas didn’t direct the spin-off movie, he tried to bury it because the special was that bad. This is why you won’t find the “Holiday Special” for official release anywhere.

Platform	Price	Channels
YouTube	Free	Streaming

How to watch on YouTube

Luckily, you can find the “Star Wars Holiday Special” for free on YouTube. When we searched, we used the full title “Star Wars Holiday Special 1978,” and the thumbnail is the iconic image of Princess Leia with her double space buns. The run time is just over 1 hour and 36 minutes.

How to watch the “Star Wars Holiday Special” in the U.K.

Since Lucas has refused to release the special again, U.K. fans will need to go to YouTube to watch it. Make sure to search “Star Wars Holiday Special 1978.”

Platform	Price	Channels
YouTube	Free	Streaming

How to watch the “Star Wars Holiday Special” in Canada

Canadian fans of “Star Wars” will also have to turn to YouTube to view the special. Searching “Star Wars Holiday Special 1978” should take you right to it.

Platform	Price	Channels
YouTube	Free	Streaming

How to watch the “Star Wars Holiday Special” from anywhere

Since the only place you can watch the “Star Wars Holiday Special” is on YouTube, you’ll likely be able to access it from anywhere. However, you should secure your device if you’re watching on a shared Wi-Fi connection.

You may also notice some buffering or speed issues on your home network. This can be due to your internet service provider (ISP) throttling your connection. Even if you pay for great speeds, you could have streaming trouble.

Both of these issues are fixable with a premium virtual private network (VPN). VPNs create encrypted channels through which you route your internet traffic so that what you do online stays private. Using a VPN can also help you access geo-restricted content on other platforms, so you can watch holiday movies anywhere without restrictions.

The best VPNs offer plenty of servers, work with streaming platforms, and hide your personal information from potential hackers. Below, we’ve listed a few of our favorites.

Do people like the “Star Wars Holiday Special”?

The special is centered around Chewbacca’s need to get home to his wife, Malla, before Life Day, which is celebrated on his home planet of Kashyyyk. With the help of Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and more “Star Wars” favorites, he makes it back to see his family.

The special is extremely cheesy. The makeup and costumes are cheap, the premise is weird, and there’s animation and musical numbers. You’ll even catch Bea Arthur in the cantina. Unfortunately, the introduction of the character Boba Fett isn’t enough to save this special from being cringe-worthy.

A documentary, “A Disturbance in the Force” (2023), was created around the failed extravaganza. It explores the entire debacle and can be watched on Apple TV+.

FAQs

Bottom line

The “Star Wars Holiday Special” was an embarrassment for “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, but that doesn’t mean fans don’t love watching it every year. If you want to join the cult following, you can catch the entire TV movie on YouTube.

Using a VPN can help you stay safe on shared Wi-Fi, thwart ISP throttling, and mask your internet activity while watching the “Star Wars Holiday Special.” ‘Tis the season for cheesy holiday movies, and this one is no exception. Gather up the family, make some Wookie-worthy treats, and have a fun night together.