'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - The Radio Drama' Overview

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The HighBridge Audio Compact Disc set's cover art. (C) 1993 HighBridge Audio and Lucasfilm Limited  
On February 14, 1983, thousands of listeners across the nation tuned in to their local National Public Radio (NPR) stations to hear Freedom's Winter, the first episode of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, a 10-part radio drama adapted by Brian Daley from the original 1980 screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan. The series was also the sequel to NPR's 1981 Star Wars, which was also adapted for radio by Daley and directed by British stage, radio, TV, and film director John Madden.

 Madden, along with post-production engineer/sound mixer Tom Voegeli, production coordinator/casting director Mel Sahr, and narrator Ken Hiller reprised their behind-the-scenes roles in the new radio drama. They were joined in the recording studio by a cast that included three actors from the film version of The Empire Strikes Back (Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams), as well as Star Wars: The Radio Drama vets Ann Sachs (Princess Leia Organa), Bernard "Bunny" Behrens (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Brock Peters (Darth Vader), Perry King (Han Solo). To play the 900-year-old Jedi Master Yoda, Sahr cast John Lithgow, a talented actor known for his many movie, stage, and television series roles. 

 The series has a running time of four and 15 minutes and is divided in 10 parts. They are:
  1. Freedom's Winter
  2. The Coming Storm
  3. A Question of Survival
  4. Fire and Ice
  5. The Millennium Falcon Pursuit
  6. Way of the Jedi
  7. New Allies, New Enemies
  8. Dark Lord's Fury
  9. Gambler's Choice
  10. Clash of Lightsabers
Bernard "Bunny" Behrens returns as Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi in several episodes of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - The Radio Drama


As is the case with 1981's Star Wars: The Radio Drama, Daley's version of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back sticks close to the screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, as well as the original story by George Lucas. It does stray from official Disney/Lucasfilm canon in the first episode; Daley begins Freedom's Winter with the Battle of Derra IV, an event that has been mentioned in several Expanded Universe/Legends stories that are now non-canonical.

Otherwise, fans can enjoy this amazingly entertaining and imaginative radio series as an expanded version of the movie many critics and Star Wars buffs consider to be the best in the franchise -  Star Wars - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. 

I look forward to reviewing each exciting chapter of this Radio Drama as soon as Hurricane Irma passes us by. Until then, dear readers, may the Force be with you!

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