Entertainment
Grogu Movie Proves Disney Learned The Wrong Lesson From The Star Wars Sequels
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Right now, The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters, and I can’t help but think director Jon Favreau and writer Dave Filoni are both doing their best Han Solo impersonations right now: “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” The movie is projected to earn less money than any live-action Star Wars film before it, a record previously held by the much-maligned Solo: A Star Wars Story. Plus, the movie is currently at a 63 percent on Rotten Tomatoes (perilously close to “rotten” territory). Finally, some critics have dubbed this the new worst Star Wars movie, surpassing the worst that the Sequel Trilogy had to offer.
This is morbidly ironic because this was the safest Star Wars movie Disney could have made. It’s an adaptation of The Mandalorian, the franchise’s only breakout streaming hit, and it stars Pedro Pascal, Hollywood’s current golden boy. How did things go so far off the rails for the first Star Wars movie in seven years? The answer is so simple that you can see it even with your blast shield down: Disney learned all the wrong lessons from the failure of the Sequel Trilogy. Because of this, the movie they made to save the franchise may ultimately doom Star Wars altogether.
Jet Fett Radio
The failure of The Mandalorian and Grogu begins with the Star Wars sequels. The Force Awakens was a crowd-pleaser, but it’s an open secret that this film played it safe. It was a soft reboot of A New Hope that threw in plenty of familiar characters and franchise tropes. The Last Jedi tried to break out of the remake mold altogether, with Rian Johnson delivering a sequel filled with shocks and surprises (there’s not even a lightsaber duel!). The backlash among fans was immediate, and dislike of The Last Jedi is considered a major factor in why Solo: A Star Wars Story did so poorly at the box office.
In response, returning director JJ Abrams tried to fill The Rise of Skywalker with as much fan service as possible. He inexplicably brought Emperor Palpatine back with no explanation of how he survived, and Abrams even brought Han Solo back through equally unexplained means. Fan-favorite characters like Lando Calrissian were pushed to the forefront while controversial characters (mostly, Rose Tico) were almost entirely pushed out. TROS even sloppily recreates the ending of Return of the Jedi, all while frantically trying to undo multiple plot points from The Last Jedi. None of this worked, of course, and The Rise of Skywalker was deemed the worst Star Wars movie ever made.
This Isn’t The Way
Now, The Mandalorian and Grogu may be taking that title, and The Rise of Skywalker is partially to blame. You see, when fans expressed their dislike of The Last Jedi, Disney glommed onto the frequent complaint that “it doesn’t feel like Star Wars.” That’s why TROS is chock full of sloppy fan service: they wanted to give fans something familiar at every turn. But this came at the expense of the story, which is how The Rise of Skywalker came to be hated even more than The Last Jedi. As it turns out, giving fans a bunch of member berries moments doesn’t make up for nonsensical plotting and characterization.
Incredibly, though, Disney execs doubled down: instead of learning from their failures with TROS, they decided the only way for The Mandalorian and Grogu to succeed was if every single frame of the film was overflowing with lazy nostalgia. Villains have no depth or definition: they are all just faceless bad guys for the film’s titular duo to dispatch, video game style. We careen from one familiar Star Wars element to another (Hutts, Stormtroopers, and X-Wings, oh my!) in a plot that goes absolutely nowhere. That’s because you’re not supposed to care about the story: you’re supposed to enjoy watching the director take out your favorite action figures and do all the playing for you.
A Gunshy Studio, A Dying Franchise
The Mandalorian and Grogu is a failure on many levels: the plot is terrible, the pacing is uneven, the characterization is nonexistent, and so on. But I think the film’s biggest problem is that Disney has lost the nerve to take any creative chances. Basically, fan response to The Last Jedi made the company permanently gunshy, and they no longer have the nerve to give us anything risky on the big screen. That’s fine if all you want out of this franchise is pure spectacle, and the latest movie delivers all the pew-pew you can pack into two hours. However, the sad truth is that Star Wars will never surprise you, ever again.
As a lifelong fan, I genuinely hate to see it. I’m one of the rare nerds who thought The Last Jedi was the best of the sequels, specifically because it took risks and tried to give us something new. That’s the real strength of the prequels, too: as stupid as they got, Lucas was always exploring new ways to tell stories in a galaxy far, far away. Now, in the Disney era, the franchise has lost the ability to innovate altogether and can only offer a buffet of the oldest and moldiest Star Wars tropes. Is it any wonder, then, that even the hungriest fans are starting to lose their appetite?
Entertainment
Im watching the Canadian GP for free this weekend — how to live stream F1 for free
TL;DR: Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels to watch select F1 races for free. Watch the Canadian GP for free with the Prime Video app.
Watch the Japanese GP for free with a 7-day trial
I don’t care what anyone says — I’ve really enjoyed this season of F1. I know the new F1 regulations are not for everyone, not least the drivers. But I like the unpredictability of this season and I’m keen for more after a break post Miami.
Kimi Antonelli continues to lead the standings coming into the Canadian GP, but there’s a feeling that McLaren are closing the gap to the Mercedes drivers. Could the tide finally turn this weekend and we get our first winner from another team? It’s a Sprint weekend, so it always feels like there’s a greater chance of upsetting the odds.
If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we’ve got all the information you need.
When is the Canadian GP?
The Canadian GP is the fifth race of the 2026 F1 season. Here’s the full schedule from the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve:
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Practice 1 — 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET on May 22
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Sprint Qualifying — 4:30-5:14 p.m. ET on May 22
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Sprint — 12-1 p.m. ET on May 23
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Qualifying — 4-5 p.m. ET on May 23
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Race — 4 p.m. ET on May 24
Fans can follow all the action from this race weekend without spending anything.
How to watch the Canadian GP for free
I subscribe to Amazon Prime. I very happily pay for the fast shipping, exclusive Prime Day deals, and access to Prime Video. The access to Prime Video is actually not all that important to me. I occasionally watch the Champions League and NBA, but that’s about it. That was until this season of F1 came to Apple TV.
It is now possible to sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels. F1 is exclusive to Apple TV in the U.S., so by accessing this free trial, you can watch select races for free this season. The subscription costs £9.99 per month after the trial ends, but you can cancel this automatic renewal at any time.
By cancelling ahead of the renewal, you can watch the Canadian GP this weekend without spending anything.
I already pay for Amazon Prime, so you could argue that this isn’t really free. I get that, but Amazon Prime does offer a 30-day free trial period if you’re new to the service. By signing up for this free trial and then gaining access to Apple TV through Prime Video Channels, you can truly watch select races for free this season.
Mashable Deals
Already used this hack to watch a race this season? It’s not your only option.
I suggest you go direct to Apple TV. This popular steaming service comes with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. Alternatively, Apple One bundles Apple TV with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness Plus, Apple News Plus, and 50GB of iCloud Storage for $19.95 per month after a one-month free trial.
The best Apple TV free-trial offer comes with purchases of new Apple devices. New subscribers can get three months of Apple TV for free after purchasing any eligible Apple product. If you’re planning on upgrading to something from the Apple lineup in Memorial Day sales, you could gain access to Apple TV for a pretty large chunk of this season. You will obviously need to buy something, but if you were already in the market for an upgrade, this method makes a lot of sense.
How to live stream 2026 F1 for free in 2026
Best Apple TV Deal
Apple TV
7-day free trial
Best Apple One Deal
Apple One
30-day free trial
Entertainment
The best Memorial Day tech deals you can shop this weekend — save on headphones, laptops, and more
Table of Contents
Replacing a busted laptop or losing your favorite earbuds is painful enough without having to pay full retail price to replace them. Memorial Day is historically a great weekend to score discounts on big-ticket electronics (and mattresses!), but finding a real deal among all the manufactured holiday markdowns can be confusing, and a little insulting. (Looking at you, inflated list prices!)
To help you find the biggest discounts, I sifted through the sales to round up the best tech deals happening this weekend. I prioritized Mashable’s favorite tech — so you get genuinely good, vetted gear, not just whatever inventory retailers are trying to clear out of their warehouses.
Best Memorial Day headphone deal
$169
at Amazon
$199
Save $30
Why we like it
Read our full review of the Nothing Headphone (a).
Mashable’s Lead Shopping Reporter is fresh off reviewing Nothing’s new mid-range headphones, which she rated a 4.3/5. She thinks they’re better than the flagship Nothing Headphone (1) because they offer the same app experience, comparable noise cancellation, and a comfier fit at a lower price. Moreover, they last for up to 135 hours on a single charge (!) without ANC, and their retro design is fun. Amazon has them on sale for a record-low price ahead of Memorial Day, saving you 15%.
More Memorial Day headphone deals
Earbud deals
Best Memorial Day speaker deal
$43
at Amazon
$64.99
Save $21.99
Why we like it
Read our full guide to the best Bluetooth speakers.
If you’re looking for a portable speaker that you can just grab and throw in your bag, I couldn’t recommend the Sony SRS-XB100 enough. I’ve had this exact one for years and it goes everywhere with me — I take it to the beach, hang it in the outside shower at my parents’ OBX house, and set it up when I’m hanging with friends on the balcony. It has serious sound for how small it is, and right now you can get it for $43 (down from $64.99). That’s a total steal for a speaker this good.
Want to pay even less? You can get a “renewed” Sony SRS-XB100 for $39.99.
More Memorial Day speaker deals
Best Memorial Day laptop deal
$899.99
at Amazon
$1,099
Save $199.01
Why we like it
Read our full review of the M5 Apple MacBook Air.
The MacBook Neo is only $10 off on Amazon right now, but the brand-new 13-inch MacBook Air is $100 off there — you can get the base model for just $949. This is the lowest price we’ve seen it go for since April 6. In our review, Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Werth said the new MacBook Air “takes everything good about the MacBook Air and adds the faster M5 chip.”
More Memorial Day laptop deals
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Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,149
$1,299(save $150) -
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,499
$1,699(save $200) -
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,749
$1,899(save $150) -
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro with 15-core CPU/16-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $2,399.99
$2,599(save $199.01)
Best Memorial Day TV deal
$309.99
at Amazon
$399.99
Save $90
Why we like it
Right now, you can get last year’s Amazon Ember 50-inch 4-Series with Fire TV for $309.99. (If you’re a new Xbox GamePass customer, you’ll also get a month of the subscription service for free.) That’s a 23% discount and not too shabby of a deal for a 2025 TV.
Mashable Deals
More Memorial Day TV deals
Best Memorial Day smartwatch deal
$69
at Amazon
$99
Save $30
Why we like it
Read our full review of the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro.
The Mashable Choice Award-winning CMF Watch 3 Pro features great health, fitness, and sleep tracking tools, and it lasts forever — it’s rated at up to 13 days per charge with average use. It’s not as sleek as other wearables, but it’s an impeccable value at its $99 MSRP: “Please, no one tell Nothing they should be charging a lot more for this watch,” writes Mashable Contributor and reviewer Lauren Allain. Right now, it’s yours for 30% off.
More Memorial Day smartwatch deals
Best Memorial Day smart home deal
$14.99
at Amazon
$39.99
Save $25
Enter code SELCT4K at checkout.
Why we like it
Amazon’s budget 4K streaming stick has been going on sale regularly since its launch last fall, but it’s never been this cheap before. (Be sure to enter the coupon code SELECT4K at checkout.) At 63% off, it’s very difficult to see it getting any cheaper come Prime Day.
More Memorial Day streaming stick deals
Home security deals
Entertainment
Finally start learning Spanish, Italian, and French with this exclusive Babbel deal
TL;DR: Get lifetime access to Babbel through this exclusive StackSocial offer for $159 with promo code LEARN before the deal ends June 2.
$159
$646.20
Save $487.20
Maybe it’s for travel, maybe it’s for work, or maybe you’re just tired of staring blankly at subtitles — whatever the motivation, this Babbel deal makes it easier to finally commit to learning a new language. StackSocial is currently offering lifetime access to every Babbel language course for a one-time payment of $159 (reg. $299) with code LEARN, giving you permanent access without monthly subscription fees hanging over your head.
Unlike no-name apps that promise fluency without substance, Babbel takes a human approach and was developed by over 100 expert linguists and backed by researchers from Yale University. It’s designed to help you actually speak a new language with confidence — whether you’re prepping for a trip abroad, connecting with family, or hoping to boost your career.
Mashable Deals
You’ll get access to 14 languages and 10,000+ hours of high-quality content. Lessons are short and made to fit into even packed schedules — just 10 to 15 minutes — and available on desktop or mobile, with progress synced across devices. You can even download lessons to practice offline, whether that’s on a flight or in a Wi-Fi dead zone on the subway.
Mashable Trend Report
How Babbel can help you become fluent:
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Real conversations: Lessons focus on practical topics like dining, shopping, transportation, and more.
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Speech recognition: Built-in tools help you perfect pronunciation and avoid awkward slip-ups.
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Personalized learning: Whether you’re a beginner or advanced, you’ll find lessons that match your level.
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Expert design: A proven method that emphasizes conversational skills over rote memorization.
And with lifetime access, you’re free to hone in on one language or explore all 14 — on your schedule, forever.
Pick up a lifetime Babbel Language Learning access for $159 (reg. $299) with this limited-time exclusive offer from StackSocial using code LEARN for a limited time.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Im watching the Canadian GP for free this weekend — how to live stream F1 for free
NASCAR trucks race postponed to Sunday due to weather
