So I have all the Star Wars Special Editions and wondered how they should be watched. Should I watch the order they were released (IV, V, VI, I, II, III) or the order that shows on the spine (I, II, III, IV, V, VI)? I heard somewhere that George Lucas recommended watching them in the latter as that's how he planned it, but I wasn't sure what would be best.

Assuming you haven't seen them before, I think it would be best to watch them IV, V, VI, I, II, III.

Oh and expect plenty of witty responses like: "you should watch them in this order IV, V, VI, I, II, III"

I showed these to a girlfriend who never saw them before a couple years ago. I went 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3. I WISH I went 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6. She liked the old ones, fell asleep to 1, indifferent to 2 and was sad at 3.

Definitely watch them in release order if you have not seen them before.

IV
V
VI
I
II
III

Some of the magic & mystery of IV, V, VI may be lost on you if you watch them in chronological order.

Definitely watch them in publication order. That is the way they are meant to be watched to avoid any spoilers. (Although not knowing the spoilers would probably mean you have been living in a cave the last 30 years.)

Basically 99% of the people that have seen these movies watched them in publication order as they came out. There really is no reason to watch the prequel trilogy first.

And lol @ George Lucas' "plan." He has had so many various contradictory "plans" over the last three decades that you really can't believe any of it. I find it hard to believe that he ever had any serious plans to begin with. It seems like he just winged the whole thing due to numerous inconsistencies between films.

I would go I, II, Clone Wars, III, IV, V, VI.

6,2,5,star wars x-mas special,4,3,1

Funny, I was talking to a friend about this on wednesday, as well. Go 4, 5, 6, 2, 3 - 1 is pointless IMO.

If you go in numerical order, 5 becomes meaningless.

^ This. The 'plan' was to cash in as soon as he could figure out how to do it, while maximizing profit potential.

I would watch the bonus discs, then the commentaries, then Episode I, then the Christmas Special, then Episode VI, then the Clone Wars TV show, then Episode IV, then the Clone Wars movie, then R2-D2 Beneath the Dome, then Episode III, then the Ewok movies, then Episode V, then the Droids cartoon movie, then I would set a DVD of Episode II on fire.

Then Spaced.

Just stick with Spaceballs

Thanks for the input, except the Christmas Special ones. Although funny, they were pointless.

This is a great movie!

I agree with this.

This.

If you have any of the Clone Wars stuff, throw it in between 2 and 3, esp if you have the first Genndy Tartovsky ones.

You really need something something that shows how the relationship grew during the war.

6, 2, 4, 1, 3, and no 5.

I actually like this order.

I II and III were made with the mindset that the audience had already seen IV V and VI.
Not only does the story work far better that way, there are several inside jokes in I II and III that can only be gotten by those who have seen IV V and VI.

(This is strongly recommended for first viewing. On repeat viewings, I usually watch them in numbered order so as to end with Return of the Jedi)

you should watch them in this order IV, V, VI, I, II, III

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Don't forget to watch the two Ewok movies after episode 6. They're a great bookend to the entire series IMO. This really provides closure for a first-time Star Wars viewer.

Everybody in this thread is an idiot:

2, 2, 1, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2

For first time viewers...

IV, V, VI, then...I, II, III, IV, V, VI.

Going from III to IV is a hard pill to swallow.

If there were 16x9 copies of the OT available, I would definitely recommend this.

The originals of IV, V, and VI, then the saga of all six with the SE versions of IV, V, and VI.

I changed my mind:

3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 2, 6, 5

Though, most people just go 3, 1, 4.