Eric’s screenwriting professor used to tell him, “the story all comes out of the characters you create.” Okay, yes, but… if they don’t have anything to do, they’re just a bunch of people standing around talking. The MacGuffin is a plot device that makes people do things in a story. It may force characters to show you parts of themselves you wouldn’t normally see, because it introduces stress, or obsession, or a reason for being. This week we discuss some of the Big MacGuffins in film history, and why they work.

| 0:00 - Intros | 2:40 - Star Wars: Andor (Disney+) | 13:25 - Day Shift (Netflix) | 15:15 - She-Hulk: Attorney At Law (Disney+) | 19:15 - Harley Quinn (Season 3, HBO Max) | 22:38 - Rick and Morty | 27:26 - Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Rings of Power | 37:37 - MacGuffins!