Fans (are there any?) of 1978’s The Star Wars Holiday Special will get a special treat this coming Tuesday, December 13th, when that most famous Wookie of all, Chewbacca, takes a star turn on Glee to pay homage to his own infamous Christmas (or rather Wookie Life Day) variety hour.
Glee: Extraordinary Merry Christmas will honor the great tradition of Christmas specials, while riffing on both Judy Garland and The Star Wars Holiday Special. The episode will revolve around the New Direction Glee Club needing to be in two places at once for a couple of Holiday themed concerts. And yes, Chewbacca will arrive at some point in the show to dance with the kids.
Star Wars fans and Chewbacca enthusiasts shouldn’t get too up in arms about this guest appearance. It’s a well known fact that Chewbacca is a dancer, as witnessed in one of the most popular The Muppet Show episodes of all time, and The Star Wars Holiday Special, which finds the entire original cast, including Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Peter Mayhew himself, engaging in a big song and dance number.
Peter Mayhew will not be reprising his role as Chewbacca on Glee, but it will be the official George Lucas approved Chewbacca that shows up on screen. Who knows, this could be a lot of fun. And lord knows, nothing could be worse than The Star Wars Holiday Special. So complaining about Chewbacca being on Glee is a mute point. Let’s just hope New Directions doesn’t give us their rendition of “What do you get a Wookie for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb)?” Which, by the way, is also an official Lucasfilm byproduct.
Check out Chewbacca’s skills as a singer and a dancer below (all official apperances approved by Lucasfilms).
Glee episode 3.9, “Extraordinary Merry Christmas” airs on Fox December 13th, 2011. The episode stars Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Darren Criss, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and is directed by Matthew Morrison.
