UPCOMING EPISODES

It’s one of the most successful film franchises in movie history and has become an indelible part of pop culture. But when it was first sold and cast with relative unknows, Star Wars was anything but a sure thing. Initially dismissed as a space fantasy, Star Wars caught everyone by surprise when it premiered in May 1977, capturing the zeitgeist, creating lifelong fans, and reaping millions in box office sales. The largely unknown cast became overnight sensations, thrusting Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford into the spotlight. The success of the film begat sequels, prequels, spin offs, television series, billions of dollars in merchandising, and a groundbreaking special effects company. Star Wars: Behind Closed Doors tells the inside story of the film’s conception, its cast and crew, and how for more than 40 years it continues to captivate the people of earth with tales of a galaxy far, far away. This episode of Behind Closed Doors features new interviews with the people who were there, including Star Wars special effects pioneer John Dykstra, producer Howard Kazanjian, and editor Paul Hirsh as well as archival interviews with director George Lucas and the cast. Interviews with journalists and industry insiders like director Kevin Smith, Danica McKellar, Jamie King, Kyle Newman and others explain the enduring impact of the Star Wars franchise and why it continues to resonate with audiences today.

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the hit show that became a staple of the NBC 80s television line up. The Facts of Life was a female-centric spinoff of the popular show Diff’rent Strokes. It ran for nine seasons and became a cultural touchstone. This special Behind Closed Doors offers an inside look at the show that gave us Tootie, Blair, Natalie, Jo, and of course Mrs. Garrett. Cast members and the creatives behind the series—including the casting director, producers, writers, and its longtime director—offer a peak and how the show came together. From its initial concept, to its early unwieldly cast, to the painful decision to whittle that cast down, the early days of the series were tumultuous and success was by no means a given.

You can’t say the phrase “80s teen movie” without almost immediately thinking of—or quoting—the quintessential and genre-defining film “The Breakfast Club.” The movie tapped into the zeitgeist of teenage life so authentically that when it hit theatres in 1985, moviegoers across America connected to the five main characters they saw on screen. One of the most iconic teen films of all time, “The Breakfast Club” has become a cornerstone of 1980s pop culture, featuring rising stars Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez and Judd Nelson, and a script written and directed by John Hughes. The film gave a new voice to teen angst and became part of 80s teen movie canon. This Behind Closed Doors takes an inside look at the development and making of “The Breakfast Club” — from how the script got greenlit, to how the cast came together, to what famous actor was cut loose, to never-before-told stories behind the film’s set design, wardrobe, and chart-topping theme song. In the decades since its release, the legacy of this ground-breaking and influential film continues to grow. Featuring interviews with cast members, producers, cameramen, the casting director and set decorator, The Breakfast Club: Behind Closed Doors deconstructs how it all happened, why the film – and its creator – has had such a lasting impact throughout generations, and what that legacy means now in the age of #metoo.

John Candy wasn’t your typical leading man, more an “everyman” than matinee idol -- but there are few who didn’t fall in love with Candy’s onscreen wit and charm. As one of the most adored comedic actors of the 1980s, his characters ranged from hilarious to silly to touching and even dramatic. Whether it was laugh-out-loud roles in hit films like “Stripes” and “Splash”, or the pathos he brought to his roles in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” and “Uncle Buck”, it seems that everyone knew – and loved – John Candy. But success didn’t come overnight; in this Behind Closed Doors, we’ll examine his improv days at Second City and his rise to fame on the Canadian sketch show “SCTV”, while exploring how Candy got the acting bug in the first place, due in part to a complicated and painful childhood. And then: Hollywood domination, something Candy always dreamed of…but was exacerbated by personal struggles which culminated in his untimely death in 1994. Featuring interviews with close friends and colleagues, ranging from “SCTV” co-stars Joe Flaherty and Dave Thomas to varied cast and crew including directors Ivan Reitman and Oliver Stone, John Candy: Behind Closed Doors details heart-warming memories and hilarious stories about the legendary funnyman. Relive John Candy’s legacy – the triumphs and the tragedies – as we celebrate the life of this adored entertainer.