Tom's Top 3: January 6, 2026
They Call Me Lis(t)an al-Gaib
Hi everyone! Welcome to this week’s installment of Tom’s Top 3 Tuesdays, where I highlight three pieces of content (Podcasts/Shows/Songs/Articles/etc.) that I found interesting or noteworthy from the prior week.
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2026 is upon us. Last week, I shared some tools for creating New Year resolutions, and it looks like my Dad took it to heart. I guess his 2026 goal is to become a total Star Wars nerd. Since I introduced him to Andor season 2 over the holidays, he has been absolutely ripping through Star Wars content, watching all of Andor, Rogue One, the prequels, and now working his way through the original trilogy. Not sure where this came from, but I am letting him join me on the dark side.
I practically fell out of my chair when he asked me to send him a list of the most essential Clone Wars episodes. Then again, I haven’t met anyone who has watched the show and hasn’t fallen in love with it. It bridges Episodes II and III beautifully, and the added context enriches the story and grants a whole new appreciation for the prequels. I could try making my own list, but that would take too long. This list from Nerdist will do.
It may seem like 35 episodes is a lot, but when you consider that seasons 1-6 have 121 episodes, this really is a streamlined list. I’ll list the episodes below and add in my opinion for the final season. This way, you can round out your Clone Wars experience, alongside my padawan: my dad.
The Nerdist List
1.01 (Season 1, Episode 1) — Ambush
1.05 — Rookies
1.10 — Lair of Grievous
2.05-08 — The Second Battle of Geonosis
2.11 — Lightsaber Lost
2.12-14 — The Mandalore Trilogy
2.18-19 — The Zillo Beast
3.02 — ARC Troopers
3.12-14 — The Nightsisters Trilogy
3.15-17 — The Mortis Trilogy
4.19-22 — The Return of Maul
5.06-09 — The Young Jedi
5.01, 14-16 — Shadow Conspiracy
5.17-20 — Ahsoka’s Exit
6.10-13 — Yoda’s Arc
My Suggestions for Season 7
Optional: 7.01-04 — Bad Batch Intro (definitely watch if you are interested in watching the Bad Batch show, which I also highly suggest)
Mandatory: 7.9-12 — The Finale (absolute bangers)
[Podcast] The Big Picture - The 26 Most Anticipated Movies of 2026
Sean and Amanda reference soooo many movies in this episode, the majority of which I have never even heard of. But the episode definitely got me excited about another year at the theaters (or watching Netflix).
Another list incoming… Here are Amanda’s and Sean’s top three’s, and I will also include my top three from their list of honorable mentions (a little Tom top 3 within Tom’s Top 3???). To get you hype, I’ll also include a quick description, release dates, and links to the trailers (where possible).
Amanda’s Top 3 (listed 3 to 1)
Artificial
The Sam Altman OpenAI story, directed by Luca Guadagnino
No release date set
Ryan Gosling stuck in space, based on the popular Andy Weir book
March 20 release date
Christopher Nolan takes on Homer with a stacked cast
July 17 release date
Sean’s Top 3 (listed 3 to 1)
The Adventures of Cliff Booth
Brad Pitt, David Fincher, and Quentin Tarantino team up for the spiritual sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
likely coming to Netflix in the summer
Dune: Part Three
The end of the trilogy
December 18 release date
Hopefully this week’s title makes sense now. Via Tenor. Steven Spielberg is back!
June 12 release date
Tom’s Top 3 Honorable Mentions (no particular order)
Thor is back, Steve Rodgers is back, the X-Men are back, RDJ is back
December 18 release date
New Pixar movie that actually looks good
March 6 release date
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
First 2026 movie I’m excited for, we’ll see if it holds up to 28 Years Later
January 16 release date
[YouTube] MLB Network - “Koufax at 90”
A beautiful piece written by a beautiful man (Tom Verducci), narrated by a beautiful man (Bryan Cranston), about a beautiful man (Sandy Koufax).
Go Dodgers.
If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️