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Start / Exploring Tolkien
Exploring Tolkien
143 avsnitt • Längd: 30 min • Månadsvis
Exploring Tolkien is a weekly show that dives deep into J.R.R. Tolkien and all the ages of Middle-earth. Jonathan Watson and Michael Grumbine are your hosts in this journey, spanning the earliest ages of Middle-earth through to the latest adaptations, including The Rings of Power.
Avsnitt
140. Into the Mountain’s Throat – The Hobbit #27
24 juni 2025 |
min
Erebor’s secret door: clever storytelling or a bit too convenient? In this episode, we discuss one of The Hobbit’s quieter chapters, where Bilbo and the dwarves finally reach Erebor’s hidden entrance. We break down why the dwarves seem at a loss, how Bilbo’s perspective has shifted on the journey, and whether this chapter signals Tolkien’s move from fairy tale logic toward a more realistic fantasy world.
We also look at:
- Why the thrush and its “snail anvil” are more than just a quirky detail
- What the dwarves’ lack of a plan says about their role in the story
- The line between chance events and plot devices in Tolkien’s writing
- Bilbo’s all-important homesick mindset
In our extended episode (available for members), we talk about:
- How Tolkien’s view of dwarves changed over time—and what inspired it
- The first mentions of dwarves in Tolkien’s legendarium
- Warhammer armies, 3D printing, and tabletop gaming
- Answering listener questions from YouTube and Discord
If you’d like to hear the extended conversation and join upcoming live chats, become a member today (free for the first month)!
🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
139. The Problem with Thorin – The Hobbit #26
10 juni 2025 |
46 min
As Thorin and company finally reach the Lonely Mountain, reality sets in—and it doesn’t smell so pleasant. We examine Tolkien’s skillful prose and worldbuilding as the company confront the desolation left by Smaug and realize they really have no plan–just the map they carry.
We also look at:
- Why are the dwarves so quick to lose hope?
- Is Bilbo the real leader of this quest?
- How do Tolkien’s maps shape the story?
- Dragon desolation: does Smaug’s evil actually change the land?
In our extended episode (available for our members) we talk about:
- Our guilty pleasure reads—what fantasy and sci-fi books do we binge when we’re not in Middle Earth?
- 3D printing, wargaming, and hobbies we nerd out over when we’re not podcasting.
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for on Patreon!
Images in Episode
The Front Gate – Original
The Front Gate – Colored
The Lonely Mountain – Early Sketch
The Lonely Mountain
🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
138. What Tolkien Really Thinks About Politicians – The Hobbit #25
27 maj 2025 |
43 min
Tolkien makes it pretty clear what he thinks about politicians in this chapter… While Thorin and company regain their royal swagger, the Master of Laketown plots to save his own skin and run them out of town.
We also look at:
- Our 3 Year Anniversary!
- The men’s songs are a little too positive.
- Are the dwarves getting TOO confident?
- What happened to Bilbo? Where’d he go in this part of the chapter?
In our extended episode (available for our members) we talk about:
- We talk about the last 3 years, our favorite episodes, and where we’re going next.
- What was the WORST change Peter Jackson made to Laketown in The Hobbit films?
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for on Patreon!
🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
137. Do the elves have ANYTHING valuable to trade? – The Hobbit #24
13 maj 2025 |
min
Were back looking at the first half of Chapter 10, “A Warm Welcome.” In this episode, we discuss the arrival of Bilbo and the dwarves at Laketown (check out Tolkien’s drawing), how this chapter leans on Tolkien’s world building—from Laketown’s real-life archaeological inspiration to the unexplained trade relations between elves and men, and how Thorin is now looking to Bilbo to lead.
We also look at:
- The release of The Hunt for Gollum
- Try to figure out what the elves and men were actually trading–and what are the elves actually giving them men in return for the wine and apples
In our extended episode (available for our members) we talk about:
- What did we lose in The Hobbit films when Peter Jackson changed the barrels sequence.
- What could possibly be a good way to end The Hunt for Gollum film?
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for on Patreon!
🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
136. The Lowest IQ Elves of Middle-earth? – The Hobbit #23
29 april 2025 |
44 min
In this very special episode, we reveal the exact barrel music sung in Thranduil’s halls as the dwarves were tossed into the river! 😉 Then, we get into the details of barrel physics, the river, and why there might be “raft-elves”.
Make sure to become a member to listen to the full versions of the barrel song!
We also look at:
- Is Thranduil a direct stand-in for Thingol?
- Lots of elves live in caves…
- Tolkien’s beautiful watercolor paintings inspired by this chapter.
- The parallels between the Dwarves song and the Barrel song.
- Why being saved by giant eagles is more believable than surviving a barrel rapid-ride from The Hobbit films.
In our extended episode (available for our members) we talk about:
- Peter Jackson’s slapstick barrels out of bond scene in The Hobbit film.
- Why suspense matters–and Tolkien’s was wonderful in The Hobbit.
- Do we have any confidence in someone building a Lord of the Rings attraction?
- Lord of the Rings online portrays Thranduil’s halls wonderfully.
- 3 full versions of the elves barrel song!
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for on Patreon!
🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
135. The Greedy and Petty Elves of Mirkwood – The Hobbit #22
15 april 2025 |
47 min
Bilbo fully embraces his role as hero and finds a way to save the dwarves — but not before we find out how the Elvenking distrusts the dwarves while comparing himself to the great wealthy kings of old.
This week we also look at:
- The announcement of a new Lord of the Rings land/attraction in a new Universal park.
- The significance of the elves residence in caves.
- Why is the elf king so petty?
- The strength of Dorwinion wine.
- How effective are these magic doors really?
In our extended episode (available for our members) we talk about:
- AI Tolkien reading his “Noel” poem.
- What would be a right and proper Lord of the Rings ride?
- Do we have any confidence in someone building a Lord of the Rings attraction?
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for on Patreon!
🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
134. When Bilbo Became the Hero – The Hobbit #21
1 april 2025 |
60 min
Bilbo is the only one left to save the dwarves–and to his own surprise, he’s up to the task!
This week we also look at:
- Bilbo’s moment of transformation into the hero of the story.
- The size of these spiders.
- Tolkien’s use of spiders throughout the history of Middle-earth
- How Tolkien had planned for Ungoliant to die (it wasn’t by her own mouth!)
- What do Attercop, Tomnoddy, and Lob actually mean?
- How we can tell Tolkien love the history of the elves… but his heart is still with the Hobbits.
In our extended episode (available for our members) we talk about:
- How we recreated Tolkien’s voice in last week’s episode.
- The difficulties in creating it with the right pronunciations.
- What Michael thought about the quality of it.
- Ethically… should we even do it?
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for on Patreon!
🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
133. Ainulindalë – A Reading in JRR Tolkien’s Voice
18 mars 2025 |
min
JRR Tolkien’s voice was, well, unique. He was notably hard to understand (his students regularly complained that his classes were difficult because they simply couldn’t understand him), and even the Inklings (his friends and reading group that included CS Lewis and Charles Williams) preferred it when Christopher Tolkien read excerpts from Lord of the Rings to the group in the 1940s!
We do have few of his voice recordings of him reading his own work (mostly from The Hobbit). We’ve always wondered, though, what would it sound like if he read from his other works… like The Silmarillion? So, we spent some time to try and put together an approximation of his voice (using different technologies), including some of his idiosyncratic pauses and speech patterns.
Here, then, is an approximation of Tolkien’s voice reading Ainulindalë from The Silmarillion! (pardon any mispronunciations–that part is tough to get right!)
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for on Patreon!
🔗 Episode Links
The Silmarillion
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
132. Evil or Elves or Both… Terror in Mirkwood : The Hobbit #20
4 mars 2025 |
54 min
In this first half of chapter 8 of the hobbit–Flies and Spiders–Jonathan and Michael discuss the evil enchantment of Mirkwood, and if the elves might have a small part in it.
This week we also look at:
- Exactly when Tolkien settled on the final names for Gandalf, Thorin, and Beorn.
- Tolkien’s first foray into prosaic terror.
- The meaning of the deer–and the white hart’s significance.
- Bombur’s slumber–elven or evil?
- The Dwarves STILL blame bilbo.
- Tolkien’s use of modern analogies–only in the Hobbit and not LOTR.
- How the elves still differ in The Hobbit vs LOTR — they have some real magic here.
In our extended episode (available for our members) we talk about:
- Where would Beorn have learned his skin changing ability? Can that have an origin in Tolkien’s mythology? (our answer: yes!)
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for on Patreon!
🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
131. The Weirdest Chapter in Middle-earth (with dancing bears!?) : The Hobbit #19
18 februari 2025 |
64 min
With talking animals, animals serving food and dancing bears, this may just be the oddest chapter in all of Middle-earth! It kinda feels like it just doesn’t fit. We explore why the animals walk and talk, and how Tolkien had no problem with dancing bears, even adding them later to even more mythology of Middle-earth!
This week we look at:
- CS Lewis’s Advice that shaped The Lord of the Rings
- Gandalf and Beorn’s Dark Humour
- Is Beorn a Vegetarian
- Beorn’s Big Bear Rave
- The history of Dancing Bears of Númenor
- The Meaning of the Dwarves “wind” song
- Dr. Doolittle and JRR Tolkien
In our extended episode (available for our members) we talk about:
- How to retcon (retroactively connect) Beorn into Middle-earth
- What would a Beorn TV show look like (and why it SHOULD be made!)
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for on Patreon!
🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
130. Where did Beorn Originate (and what was Tolkien’s inspiration)? : The Hobbit #18
4 februari 2025 |
min
Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves are dropped off on the Carrock, and find themselves in the company of a man who rather doesn't like dwarves--but who loves a good story!
129. Tolkien Loved Eagles (too much?) : The Hobbit #17
21 januari 2025 |
52 min
Stuck in trees with fire at their heels, the company find themselves surround by intelligent wolves and taunting orcs.
A Song of Ice and Fire
15 januari 2025 |
min
Life took an unexpected turn this week with the fires in Southern California this week.
128. A Courageous Hobbit and Disloyal Dwarves : The Hobbit #16
7 januari 2025 |
41 min
Bilbo makes it out of the Misty Mountains with more courage than ever before, while the dwarves prove their disloyalty.
Revisiting Tolkien’s Lost ‘Noel’ Poem
25 december 2024 |
min
This poem, Noel, was written by J.R.R. Tolkien before The Hobbit was published, and only just discovered in 2013. Here’s how that happened!
127. Where War of the Rohirrim went Wrong – In Depth Review
24 december 2024 |
70 min
We all had high hopes when War of the Rohirrim was announced a few years ago. Are those hopes realized in this anime Lord of the Rings film?
126. Why Did Tolkien Change The Hobbit (and what did he change)? : The Hobbit #15
17 december 2024 |
min
Once Tolkien finished writing The Lord of the Rings, it became clear to him that The Hobbit needed to change--particularly Bilbo and Gollum's interaction. But what exactly did he change?
125. Bilbo Trembled and Found Pity : The Hobbit #14
10 december 2024 |
min
The 2nd half of "Riddles in the Dark" is the most rewritten part of The Hobbit in the 1951 rewrite! And it's where Bilbo takes a giant leap (so to speak) into the future of his adventure.
124. Miserable Riddles in the Dark : The Hobbit #13
26 november 2024 |
52 min
"Riddles in the Dark" is not only the most memorable event from all of Middle-earth -- it's also the turning point that ultimately let to The Lord of the Rings.
123. Nightmare in Moria : The Hobbit #12
19 november 2024 |
47 min
The goblins of moria grab the dwarves (and hobbit) who decided to camp out on their "front porch", leading to some real terrifying moments!
122. The Real Misty Mountains : The Hobbit #11
12 november 2024 |
min
The first part of Chapter 4, Over Hill and Under Hill, is unique for it's direct correlation with Tolkien's own past. We discuss:
Tolkien's hiking experience and how it influenced this section of The Hobbit VERY obviously.
Stone Giants... are they even necessary or part of Middle-earth? And what ARE they?
What's the significance of Bilbo's dream?
In our extended episode (available for our members) we talk about:
What we would change if Tolkien had continued with his rewrite.
What are the differences between goblins and orcs? Is there a difference? And when did Tolkien stop using the word "goblin" altogether?
Here are the pics to go along with today's episode!
Rivendell Roof in Switzerland
Jungfrau Mountain from Tolkien's 1912 Switzerland Hiking Trip
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for on Patreon!
🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again - Tengwar Hat
121. Tolkien Gave Up on Fixing The Hobbit : The Hobbit #10
5 november 2024 |
45 min
When Tolkien attempted to rewrite the Hobbit in 1960, he just gave up halfway through Chapter 3. In this episode we look at:
Changes in time and distance
Changes in Prose and style
Why he gave up
His detailed notes on timeline and itinerary that outlined his changes to The Hobbit
In our extended episode (available for our members) we talk about:
What are the least Lord of the Rings/Middle-earth type events in The Hobbit that Tolkien would likely have changed.
Here are the pics to go along with today's Hobbit Fact about the Hildebrandt brothers!
An Unexpected Party
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Return of Gandalf
Éowyn and the Nazgûl
City of the Nazgûl
The Healing of Éowyn
Shannara
Star Wars
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for on Patreon!
🔗 Episode Links
The History of The Hobbit
The Annotated Hobbit
Join our Discord Community (for free)
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The History of The Hobbit
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again - Tengwar Hat
120. Where the Children’s Story Ends and the Epic Story Begins : The Hobbit #9
29 oktober 2024 |
43 min
In the second half of Chapter 3, A Short Rest, Tolkien seems to start a shift from a children's story to more of an epic quest.
119. The Rings of Power Leaves us with Dwarf Politics and Randomly Shouting Elves
8 oktober 2024 |
128 min
The final episode of The Rings of Power (season 2) wraps up by revealing Dwarf politics, Númenorean politics,
118. Yes. Elrond kissed Galadriel.
1 oktober 2024 |
136 min
The Rings of Power abandons all lore to satisfy their dumbest desires.
117. Clueless Elves, Big Beasts, and Bombadil Inverts Tolkien’s Words
24 september 2024 |
min
The Rings of Power's elves are simple imbeciles, the Númenoreans now decide rulers based on what big animals do, an Tom Bombadil inverts one of Tolkien's most important lines.
116. Hollywood Doesn’t Understand the Númenoreans’ Faith
17 september 2024 |
min
It was disappointing but not surprising to see how badly Hollywood writers treat the Númenorean's faith. We take a deep look at episode 5 of season 2 of The Rings of Power
115. Tom Bombadil has Become Obi-Wan in The Rings of Power
10 september 2024 |
min
Not sure how this Tom Bombadil came into existence--but he's definitely incredibly different from Tolkien's Bombadil.
114. Rings of Power Returns – Episode 1 Review
4 september 2024 |
min
Season 2 of The Rings of Power is here! And with it comes new hackneyed phrases, ridiculous contrivances, and incredible coincidences.
113. Looking at the War of the Rohirrim Trailer (and Rings of Power clips)
27 augusti 2024 |
58 min
We discuss the the latest visions of Middle-earth by Amazon and Warner Bros.
112. Are these Really the Same Elves from The Lord of the Rings? : The Hobbit #8
20 augusti 2024 |
min
In Chapter 3, A Short Rest, for the first time we meet the elves of Rivendell... and they certainly seem different than the same characters in The Lord of the Rings.
111. This is why Tolkien SHOULD have rewritten The Hobbit : The Hobbit #7
13 augusti 2024 |
61 min
We weren't huge fans of Tolkien's changes to chapter 1 of The Hobbit in his abandoned 1960 rewrite--but chapter 2 surprised us with its pitch perfect changes!
110. A Brave Burglar and Deficient Dwarves : The Hobbit #6
5 augusti 2024 |
49 min
In this episode we get into how the trolls find a balance, of sorts, between, fear and goofiness--and maybe it all starts with their accents.
109. Gandalf Gets Pushy : The Hobbit #5
30 juli 2024 |
30 min
Bilibo finally makes his way out the door--but was it his decision or did Gandalf force him out? And what is "the king" that's mentioned?
108. What Went Wrong with Tolkien’s 1960 Hobbit Rewrite : The Hobbit #4
23 juli 2024 |
62 min
When Tolkien set out to rewrite The Hobbit in 1960, much was lost, but much was gained. In the end, do the gains outweigh the losses?
107. How the Baggins Side of Bilbo Lost : The Hobbit #3
16 juli 2024 |
54 min
Bilbo loses the comfort of his home and finds that the Tookish side of his mind is starting to overcome the Baggins side
106. The Hobbit was NOT Originally in Middle-earth : The Hobbit #2
9 juli 2024 |
55 min
We examine if The Hobbit was originally set in Middle-earth, and how Bilbo's Tookishness is starting to take over.
105. Tolkien Changed The Hobbit Twice : The Hobbit #1
25 juni 2024 |
50 min
Did you know Tolkien revised the Hobbit from his first edition in 1937 to a updaed edition that's more in line with The Lord of the Rings in 1951 to an abandoned rewrite in 1960.
104. The REAL War of the Rohirrim, According to Tolkien
18 juni 2024 |
51 min
You know that the film The War of the Rohirrim will be released later this year, right? Well, here is Tolkien's story of Helm Hammerhand, as HE told it
103. Tom Bombadil, The Hunt for Gollum, and Viggo Mortensen are Back… and so is Dan!
4 juni 2024 |
min
We brought our original amigo, Dan Coats, back to talk about Tom Bombadil, The Rings of Power, The Hunt for Gollum, and more!
102. An Interview with Billy Boyd (Pippin) and Dominic Monaghan (Merry) – 2003 Roundtable Interviews
29 maj 2024 |
33 min
Listen as Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan discuss their relationship with Peter Jackson, what it took to get through years of filming, and how working on Lord of the Rings changed them!
101. Bree’s Dark Turn
21 maj 2024 |
46 min
The films brought us a dark and evil Bree -- but Tolkien calls it "friendly" and "familiar"!
100. Should The Lord of the Rings Films have kept the Barrow-downs?
14 maj 2024 |
52 min
Dropping the Barrow-downs removes one of the most important callbacks in the final Battle of the Pelennor Fields before Minas Tirith.
99. Tom Bombadil is NOT important? Tolkien said it!
7 maj 2024 |
35 min
Tom Bombadil is a polarizing figure in Middle-earth. Some hate him, some love him. Peter Jackson decided to completely avoid that discussion and simply excise him from the film.
98. Why Peter Jackson Cut the Old Forest and Old Man Willow
30 april 2024 |
41 min
The first REAL dangers outside of the Shire were cut from the films... but did that decision improve them?
97. Peter Jackson CUT the Godfather of the Shire : Film Changes #30 and #31
23 april 2024 |
37 min
Peter Jackson cut the one Hobbit who had the backbone to stand up to a Nazgul, the one who struck fear in the hearts of other Hobbits!
96. The Wizard Duel and Orthanc in Real Time : Film Changes #29 and #30
16 april 2024 |
min
Peter Jackson made some pretty significant changes to Orthanc... especially when it comes to that Wizard's Duel!
95. An Interview with Howard Shore, Lord of the Rings Composer – 2003 Roundtable Interviews
9 april 2024 |
44 min
We spoke with Lord of the Rings composer Howard Shore. He really goes in depth on his thoughts and composing process!
94. The Rings of Power is PEAK TV – Top Scenes, Top Characters and Top Quotes
1 april 2024 |
62 min
As season 2 of the Rings of Power approaches, Michael and I decided to look back at our favorite scenes, favorite characters, and favorite quotes from our favorite television show!
93. Sauron’s FIRST Defeat – Finishing Tolkien’s Unfinished Tale – Aldarion and Erendis – Part 8
26 mars 2024 |
60 min
In this final episode of looking at The Mariner's Wife, we fully finish Tolkien's tale--but staying true to Tolkien's characters and world.
92. NEW Tolkien Book with UNPUBLISHED Content Announced!
19 mars 2024 |
24 min
This month we found out that renowned Tolkien scholars Christian Scull and Wayne Hammond will be publishing a NEW book with NEW content by Tolkien!
91. Finishing Tolkien’s Unfinished Tale – Aldarion and Erendis – Part 7
5 mars 2024 |
54 min
Aldarion and Erendis is perhaps Tolkien's most emotionally gut wrenching tale.... and it deserves to be finished!
90. A Spiteful Marriage, a New Enemy, and a Watery End – Aldarion and Erendis – Part 6
27 februari 2024 |
51 min
We don't know exactly how Tolkien intended to finish Aldarion and Erendis--but he gave us some pretty strong clues!
89. The Sacrificial King and the Fallen Queen – Aldarion and Erendis – Part 5
20 februari 2024 |
46 min
As we close out the prose of this story, the king makes a great sacrifice for the greater good of Númenor, and the new queen becomes a pitiable creature with no hope for her own future.
88. Middle-earth’s Worst Dad – Aldarion and Erendis – Part 4
13 februari 2024 |
47 min
Aldarion gets married and is able to stay on land for a few years... up until his daughter turns 4, and then he just leaves AGAIN!
87. Mariner, King, or Husband? – Aldarion and Erendis – Part 3
6 februari 2024 |
53 min
Aldarion and Erendis finally get married! But Aldarion can't seem to make up his mind on who he really is.
86. Men are from Mars, Women Hate the Ocean – Aldarion and Erendis – Part 2
30 januari 2024 |
min
These two aren't exactly star-crossed lovers--their complicated and long-gestating relationship runs for decades, and that's just BEFORE they get married.
85. This Sea is NOT Always Right – Aldarion and Erendis – Part 1
23 januari 2024 |
min
Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife is not exactly a happy story, but as you'd expect with anything Tolkien writes, it's full of meaning, beauty, depth and wisdom.
84. Removing Radagast and Hobbit Thieves : Film Changes #27 and #28
16 januari 2024 |
33 min
Radagast was completely removed from the film... and Merry and Pippin are common Hobbit thieves!
83. Meeting Gandalf in Bree and a Glimpse of Gildor : Film Changes #25 and #26
9 januari 2024 |
45 min
Peter Jackson cut 6 chapters from the Fellowship of the Ring when Gandalf told Frodo to meet him at the Prancing Pony!
82. Bilbo’s Party Changes and 17 Years Lost : Film Changes #23 and #24
28 december 2023 |
min
Is Bilbo's party true to how Tolkien wrote it? And what happened to those 17 years Tolkien talked about?
81. Tolkien Created an Entire North Pole Mythology!
19 december 2023 |
10 min
Starting in 1920, JRR Tolkien wrote letters from Father Christmas to his children--and continued doing that for 24 more years!
80. Gandalf’s a Headbanger and Frodo’s Unexpected Introduction
12 december 2023 |
26 min
Was Gandalf's head bump in character? And was it a good idea to start the film with Frodo's and Gandalf's relationship?
79. Tolkien’s Christmas poem was lost for 80 years!
5 december 2023 |
min
In 1936, Tolkien wrote a poem published in an obscure school magazine--and it was only found again 10 years ago!
78. Bilbo’s Prologue and The Rings of Power is NOT fixing The Lord of the Rings Films
28 november 2023 |
37 min
Michael and Jonathan found out someone's been copying our look at the changes PJ made to the books--and then applying that to The Rings of Power?! We happily point out their failure.
77. Men Want Power, Isildur Didn’t Kill Sauron, and the Ring’s Mind – with The Tolkien Road!
21 november 2023 |
77 min
Did you know that--according to Tolkien--Isildur didn't actually kill Sauron? Seems kinda clear from the text!
76. Saruman the suck-up, Elrond hates Men, and Formless Sauron – with the Middle-earth Mixer!
14 november 2023 |
61 min
The Middle-earth Mixer joins us this week to look at why Peter Jackson made some pretty big changes to 3 central characters: Sauron, Elrond, and Saruman.
75. Gimli’s Comic Relief, Boromir’s Wrong Hair, and Legolas’s Big Elf Boots
7 november 2023 |
50 min
Peter Jackson brought most of the comic relief for The Lord of the Rings via Gimli--which, based on his character in the books, is definitely off character.
74. Aragorn’s Big Change and The Hobbit Youth Movement
31 oktober 2023 |
41 min
Young Hobbits, dark Aragorn, and remaking a character to be a reluctant king.
73. How Peter Jackson Changed the Wizard, the Pranksters, and Frodo’s Best Bud
24 oktober 2023 |
45 min
Peter Jackson changed Gandalf, Sam, and Merry and Pippen for The Lord of the Rings films -- but how much did he change them, and was it worth it?
72. Adapting Lord of the Rings, Cutting up the Story, and Dropping the Poetry
17 oktober 2023 |
38 min
We jump into the deep end of analyzing Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings as we look at every film change he made!
71. An Interview with Lord of the Rings Screenwriter Philippa Boyens
3 oktober 2023 |
41 min
Lord of the Rings screenwriter Philippa Boyens discusses her approach to writing the film.
70. An Interview with Viggo Mortensen
26 september 2023 |
29 min
Viggo is thoughtful and soft-spoken, but has a driven personality that allows him to inhabit roles like Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings.
69. Music is Escape : An Interview with Jeff Johnson – Musician, Composer, Producer
19 september 2023 |
62 min
If you haven't listened to Jeff Johnson's music yet, you're missing out.
68. An Interview with Liv Tyler and Orlando Bloom
12 september 2023 |
27 min
In this episode, Liv Tyler and Orlando Bloom joined us to talk their thoughts about the films, their careers, and the crazy premiere in Wellington for Return of the King.
67. An Interview with Ian McKellen : He Read Tolkien EVERY NIGHT Before Filming
5 september 2023 |
28 min
Peter Jackson's Gandalf answered our questions earnestly and thoughtfully--particularly when discussing wisdom and fidelity to Tolkien's books.
66. Happily Ever After isn’t Enough – On Fairy Stories, Part 6
29 augusti 2023 |
55 min
In this final part of Tolkien's essay, we look at Consolation and Eucatastrophe and how important they are to this literary art.
65. Escape Isn’t Possible with “Modern” Storytelling – On Fairy Stories, Part 5
22 augusti 2023 |
59 min
What are we supposed to recover from? And why do fairy stories provide it? And why do we need to escape? And how do fairy stories break us out?
64. Movies are NOT Sub-Creation – On Fairy Stories, Part 4
15 augusti 2023 |
69 min
When Tolkien talks about Fantasy, he doesn't simply mean fiction stories set in sword-and-sorcery worlds.
63. Kids Ruin Everything – On Fairy Stories, Part 3
8 augusti 2023 |
52 min
Tolkien pushes back against the coupling of fairy-stories and children! True fairy-story is where literary belief and subcreation are fully realized.
62. Tolkien Still Matters : with Nick Groom, author of Tolkien in the 21st Century
1 augusti 2023 |
min
This week Michael and I talked with Professor Nick Groom, author of Tolkien in the 21st Century and discuss why Tolkien still matters!
61. An Interview with Peter Jackson : It’s for the fans!
25 juli 2023 |
29 min
On December 2, 2003 I was part of a roundtable interview with Peter Jackson. Here's the full recording!
60. The Origins of Fantasy – A Soup with Distance and Time: On Fairy Stories, Part 2
18 juli 2023 |
46 min
The origins of fairy story are hard to define... and though it may feel like Tolkien doesn't give us an answer, he gives us some good starting points.
59. Talking Tolkien with Renowned Artist Ted Nasmith
11 juli 2023 |
48 min
Ted Nasmith has been creating visions of Middle-earth since the early 1970s when he decided to send JRR Tolkien one of his early pieces--and the professor responded with encouragement! In addition to being the sole featured artist in 12 Tolkien calendars (2022 most recently), he worked closely with Christopher Tolkien to create the incredible illustrated Silmarillion in 1998.
Michael and I had the privilege of discussing not just his inspiration and visions of Tolkien, but also:
What kinds of paintings are the greatest challenge?
Why he wasn't involved in Peter Jackson's films --and what he thinks of them!
How will AI art impact artists like him?
Then, join us in our extended episode (https://theonering.com/members) where we:
Which place in Middle-earth inspires him most?
What art styles inspire him?
Who is HIS favorite Middle-earth artist?
What's his take on upcoming War of the Rohirrim Film?
And our infamous Confessions from the Comfy Chair, including:
What level of Dante's Hell does The Rings of Power belong in?
What's the nerdiest thing he's ever done?
Who is his favorite Tolkien character?
What cheesy movie or book does he like?
🎉 To get the extended episode, become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)!
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. Click here!
🔗 Episode Links
TedNasmith.com
Illustrated Silmarillion
Ted's Book Recommendation - World without Mind by Franklin Foer
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Google
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Númenor
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
🗣 Special Thanks to Austin Robertson for the use of his voice!
🖼 Special Thanks to Anna Grumbine for the artwork!
58. Is Star Wars a Fairy Story? – On Fairy Stories, Part 1
4 juli 2023 |
min
This week, Michael, Dan, and I discuss the first part of Tolkien's seminal essay "On Fairy Stories", where Tolkien defines what a fairy (aka fantasy) story is.
Why is this important? Well, the "fairy tale" in Tolkien's era was relegated to simple children's fiction, something adults grew out of along with their innocence and naiveté. But to Tolkien, these stories that take place in the land of Faërie contain more beauty and truths than any tale set in modern day environs.
In this essay Tolkien defines these stories by what they have, and what they are not, not precisely by what they ARE. And we even jump into whether Star Wars or Star Trek might match Tolkien's definition!
Then, join us in our extended episode (https://theonering.com/members) where we:
Discuss what our favorite fairy story is (other than LOTR)
Try and figure out what the best fairy story of the last 2 decades is (or if there even IS one!)
🎉 To get the extended episode, become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)!
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. Click here!
🔗 Episode Links
Tales from the Perilous Realm ("On Fairy Stories")
Make Tolkien Great Again - Tengwar Hat
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Google
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Númenor
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
🗣 Special Thanks to Austin Robertson for the use of his voice!
🖼 Special Thanks to Anna Grumbine for the artwork!
57. This is the (raw) Meat – The Silmarillion – A Final Look – The Silmarillion – 37
27 juni 2023 |
min
High beauty, strong women, and the meat of Middle-earth!
56. Make Tolkien Great Again – Of the Rings of Power, Part 2 – The Silmarillion – 36
20 juni 2023 |
min
** Use the code "GREAT" at https://shop.theonering.com to get $2 off anything! **
It's hard to believe, but this week we finish "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"--the last chapter of The Silmarillion!
We talk about the the truth and beauty of Middle-earth (and how we're not connected to it), how Peter Jackson portrayed the battle between Gil-Galad, Elendil, and Sauron poorly, and Saruman's mysterious visit to the east--after which he took up residence in Orthanc and started his evil turn.
Then, join us in our extended episode (https://theonering.com/members) where we discuss if Isildur just took the glory over Elendil and Gil-Galad when they defeated Sauron, why Tolkien mentioned Frodo's destruction of the differently in The Silmarillion, and whether Sauron should've bribed the Dwarves with gold (since the Rings of Power didn't sway them a bit). To get the extended episode, become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)!
📕 Join our Book Club! Become a member and join our bi-weekly Book Club where we're reading through Taliesin by Stephen R. Lawhead.
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. Click here!
🔗 Episode Links
The One Ring Shop
Make Tolkien Great Again
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Google
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Númenor
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
🗣 Special Thanks to Austin Robertson for the use of his voice!
55. The Chuck E. Cheese of Middle-earth – Of the Rings of Power, Part 1 – The Silmarillion – 35
13 juni 2023 |
min
Many of us endured Amazon's Rings of Power show last year... and now we've finally reached that part of The Silmarillion. Of course, here we actually talk about the Rings more than they were featured in the show for those, erm, amazing 5 minutes.
This week we take Michael to task for defending Amazon's show, why the rings were so seductive to each race, and why do the green elves also long for Valinor?
Then, join us in our extended episode where we discuss how the idea of Galadriel and Halbrand in a relationship (or "Haladriel" as we've heard) is absolutely absurd, and look deeper at the the lure of Rings for dwarves, elves, and men. To get the extended episode, become a member at https://www.theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)!
📕 Join our Book Club! Become a member and join our bi-weekly Book Club where we're reading through Taliesin by Stephen R. Lawhead.
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. Click here!
🔗 Episode Links
The Silmarillion
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Google
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Númenor
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
54. Gollum’s Apology, Why We Love Tolkien, and the Nerdiest Thing We’ve Ever Done
6 juni 2023 |
min
Join us as we look back on one year of Exploring Tolkien!
This week we talk why we love Tolkien so much, the path that brought us to be a part of this show, all the stats for the show... and most importantly, we ask each other our EXTREMELY personal TORC Inquisition questions :) !
And join us in our extended episode where we discuss what our families think of us doing this show, if we've had any big debates, and we think we each resemble in Tolkien's legendarium! To get the extended episode, become a member at https://www.theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)!
Thanks for listening to this weeks rather different episode... next week it's on to "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"!
???? Join our Book Club! ????
Become a member and join our bi-weekly Book Club where we're reading through "Taliesin" by Stephen R. Lawhead!
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. Click here!
Episode Links
Game Livestream #1
Game Livestream #2
???? Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Google
???? If You Like Tolkien
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Númenor
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
53. The Path to Gollum’s Redemption | Tolkien Discusses What May Have Happened
30 maj 2023 |
min
With the release of the new Gollum game, we decided to take a deeper dive at this character--not his motivations or history, but what Tolkien specifically said about him in his letters.
Tolkien indicates that the most moving scene in all of the Lord of the Rings was Gollum's near repentance on the stairs of Cirith Ungol, as he looked on Frodo and Sam sleeping:
"Gollum looked at them. A strange expression passed over his lean hungry face. The gleam faded from his eyes, and they went dim and grey, old and tired. A spasm of pain seemed to twist him, and he turned away, peering back up towards the pass, shaking his head, as if engaged in some interior debate. Then he came back, and slowly putting out a trembling hand, very cautiously he touched Frodo’s knee – but almost the touch was a caress. For a fleeting moment, could one of the sleepers have seen him, they would have thought that they beheld an old weary hobbit, shrunken by the years that had carried him far beyond his time, beyond friends and kin, and the fields and streams of youth, an old starved pitiable thing."
Tolkien believed that Gollum was on the precipice of redemption, and quite nearly found his love for Frodo competing with his desire for the ring!
Join us in our extended episode where we discuss the best Lord of the Rings games made, and--if we were given the opportunity to make a game--what game would each of us create in Tolkien's world. To get the extended episode, become a member at https://www.theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)!
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. Click here!
Episode Links
Gollum Game (only buy this at a deep discount)
Game Livestream #1
Game Livestream #2
???? Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Google
???? If You Like Tolkien
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Númenor
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
52. Fellowship Fridays Live | NEW Lord of the Rings MMO, Galadriel’s BIG Life Changes, Gollum Game | #3
23 maj 2023 |
min
Join us as we talk about Galadriel's "life-changing" event in Rings of Power season 2, the Gollum game releasing May 25, 2023, the newly announced MMO game from Amazon, if we accept the reason for Legolas walking on snow, and more!
51. Liars and Junkies of the 2nd Age – Akallabêth, Part 2 – The Silmarillion – 34
16 maj 2023 |
min
We finish up the Akallabêth this week talking about religion in Númenor, if the Valar gave up governing Arda (and for how long), and if men of Númenor are addicted to the light of Valinor.
50. Rings of Power Got it ALL WRONG – Akallabêth, Part 1 – The Silmarillion – 33
9 maj 2023 |
72 min
We reach the 2nd age of Middle-earth, and with it are compelled to bring up The Rings of Power -- and how they got even the basics wrong!
49. Elven genetics! Race-baiting! Half-elf lies! | Of the Voyage of Eärendil – The Silmarillion – 32
2 maj 2023 |
min
Michael, Dan, and Jonathan finish the first age of Middle-earth! We see the final destruction that Fēanor's Silmarils wrought, how Ēarendil's desperate hope drove him to Valinor, and determine that--no--Elrond and Elros are not ACTUALLY half-elven!
Join us in our extended episode where we discuss why Elwing chose to be immortal "because of Luthien", if Tolkien made parallels between the story of Earendil/Elwing and the tale of Aldarion and Erendis (from Unfinished Tales), and what's up with Maedhros yeeting himself into a chasm of fire?! To get the extended episode, become a member at https://www.theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)!
And for our members, make sure you join our Book Club where we're be reading through Taliesin by Stephen R. Lawhead.
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. Click here!
Episode 34
Livestreams on Friday (when we can schedule them!)
???? Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Google
???? If You Like Tolkien
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Númenor
The Fall of Gondolin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
The Children of Hurin
48. Fellowship Fridays Live | NEW Lord of the Rings Movies, Rings of Power DIED, Gollum Game| #1
30 april 2023 |
min
Listen in as Michael Grumbine (from our Exploring Tolkien), John Trent from Bounding into Comics, John Carswell From The Tolkien Road podcast, The MIddle-earth Mixer, and Steve Babb from Glass Hammer talk Tolkien, movies, games, Steven Spielberg and more!
47. The Sea is Always Right! – Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin – The Silmarillion – 31
25 april 2023 |
min
Join Jonathan, Michael, and Dan as they discuss Ulmo's influence, Turgon's pride, Maeglin's treachery, and the Tolkien's rule on fighting Balrogs!
46. What’s Good in the Rings of Power?! – with The Middle-earth Mixer
18 april 2023 |
min
Podcaster, Tweeter, and Tolkien fan, we chat with The MIddle-earth Mixer about Tolkien, The Rings of Power, and where these upcoming new films from Warner Bros might be going.
45. Real Middle-earth Bling – Of The Ruin of Doriath – The Silmarillion – 30
11 april 2023 |
min
Morgoth's curse over Hurin and the Curse of Mandos over the Noldor come join forces and end up destroying the the oldest elven kingdom from the inside out.
44. Captain Foolhardy! – Of Túrin Turambar, Part 2 – The Silmarillion – 29
4 april 2023 |
min
The footsteps of doom overtake Túrin. But is his doom his own fault, or do we find Morgoth to blame?
43. The Worst Hero – Of Túrin Turumbar, Part 1 – The Silmarillion – 28
28 mars 2023 |
min
The tale of Túrin Turambar is one of the great stories of Middle-earth. But Túrin isn't really a hero--he makes bad decisions and runs from them. He refuses forgiveness. He ignores wise advice.
42. Sub-creation is Art, Not Power – with Austin Freeman, author of Tolkien Dogmatics
21 mars 2023 |
min
Join us for a deep discussion with Austin Freeman, author of "Tolkien Dogmatics", where we talk about Tolkien's theology, Tolkien's approach to criticism, what sub-creation IS, and more!
41. Why Tolkien is Great – with John Carswell from The Tolkien Road
14 mars 2023 |
min
John Carswell has been podcasting Tolkien for 8 years (and written 2 books!), but he's still on a Tolkien Road to discover more depth and meaning in his works.
40. They Don’t Understand Tolkien – with John Trent from Bounding into Comics
8 mars 2023 |
min
Bounding into Comics reports on culture and geek news, but doesn't ever hesitate to call out the hypocrisy, double-standards, and cronyism seen in those coastal, gilded, navel-gazing circles. Jonathan and Michael talk with John about Tolkien - past, present, and future!
39. Middle-earth’s Rambo – Of the Fifth Battle – The Silmarillion – 27
28 februari 2023 |
min
Tolkien holds nothing back when the races of Middle-earth decide to take on Morgoth. There's treachery, gore, rage, victory, defeat--pretty much what Game of Thrones tried to be.
38. Morgoth’s Kaiju-Wolf – Of Beren and Luthien Part 3 – The Silmarillion – 26
21 februari 2023 |
min
eren and Luthien's tale isn't just a love story, it's the apex of events that sets the rest of the history of Middle-earth into motion.
37. 10 Ways The Lord of the Rings has aged POORLY?!
14 februari 2023 |
min
We TEAR APART this article that claims Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has problems that need to be corrected for "modern audiences".
36. Middle-earth’s Real Power Couple – Of Beren and Luthien Part 2 – The Silmarillion – 25
7 februari 2023 |
min
The story of Beren and Luthien takes a dark turn with death and cruelty, but also reveals a more fairy tale side with all the shape-shifting, magic, and a talking dog!
35. Tolkien’s Real Alpha Male -Of Beren and Luthien Part 1 – The Silmarillion – 24
31 januari 2023 |
min
The story of Beren and Luthien is the beating heart of Tolkien's entire Middle-earth. It's one of the first two stories he wrote (while serving in World War 1), and was directly inspired by moments he spent with his not-yet-wife, Edith.
34. Tolkien’s Greatest Joy – Of Beren and Luthien Intro – The Silmarillion – 23
24 januari 2023 |
min
Among the tales of sorrow and of ruin that come down to us from the darkness of those days there are yet some in which amid weeping there is joy and under the shadow of death light that endures...
33. Sauron’s Great Entrance – The Ruin of Beleriand – The Silmarillion – 22
17 januari 2023 |
min
Sauron makes his big entrance into Middle-earth in this chapter, and does some serious damage to the elves and men. But Morgoth still seems to underestimate his foes.
32. There is a Tempest in Him – The Fall of Fingolfin – The Silmarillion – 21
10 januari 2023 |
min
We delve into the first half of Chapter 18, "Of the Ruin of Beleriand and Fall of Fingolfin", taking a long look at this valiant elf's hopeless assault on Morgoth... an elf who ACTUALLY HAS A TEMPEST IN HIM, and not the dust devil in The Rings of Power's Galadriel.
31. Middle-earth’s Actual Strong Woman – Of the Coming of Men, Part 2 – The Silmarillion – 20
3 januari 2023 |
min
Who is the REAL "strong" woman in Tolkien's Middle-earth? Why do men fear elves? Death really weirds-out the elves... and why we measure our lives in milestones, and elves do not!
30. Noel, a Christmas Poem, by J.R.R. Tolkien
27 december 2022 |
min
This poem, titled "Noel", was written by J.R.R. Tolkien before The Hobbit was published, and only just discovered in 2013 in a 1936 copy of The Annual of Our Lady's School (a school magazine).
29. When Elves met Men – Of the Coming of Men, Part 1 – The Silmarillion – 19
20 december 2022 |
min
Do elves regard men as enemies? Foes? Invaders? How did the elves treat men the first time they met them? Join Jonathan, Michael, and Dan as they look at how the Noldor (surprisingly) treated men VERY differently than the Sindar!
28. Tolkien’s Disney Princess!? – Of Maeglin – The Silmarillion – 18
13 december 2022 |
min
Is Aredhel really a Disney princess!? What about this Dark Elf, Eöl -- even though, as we find out, his name is not the first time Tolkien uses the capital "D" Dark Elf title!
27. He’s an Angry Elf | Of the Noldor – The Silmarillion – 17
6 december 2022 |
min
As Turgon builds the city of Gondolin in secret, the bitter seeds of distrust between the Noldor and the Sindar find fertile ground. Join Jonathan, Michael, and Dan in this discussion of Chapter 15!
26. This Map is HELL – Of Beleriand – The Silmarillion – 16
29 november 2022 |
min
Location and placement were incredibly important to Tolkien--so important that an entire chapter of The Silmarillion is dedicated to who is where! Let's decipher it together...
25. Doomsday and Dragons – Return of the Noldor, Part 2 – The Silmarillion – 15
22 november 2022 |
56 min
Tolkien sets out the pieces of Middle-earth's chess board, putting the characters in their proper places before the doomsday of Fëanor's unspoken realization bears down on all the players... and we get our first glimpse of a Middle-earth dragon!
24. Middle-earth’s Game of Thrones – Return of the Noldor – The Silmarillion – 14
15 november 2022 |
min
With Chapter 13 of The Silmarillion, Tolkien tells us Of The Return of the Noldor, revealing that the houses of Feanor, Fingolfin, and Thingol are the ORIGINAL Game of Thrones!
23. Toxic Masculinity or Inscrutable Men – Of Men – The Silmarillion – 13
8 november 2022 |
min
In Chapter 12 of The Silmarillion, "Of Men", Tolkien gives us the first glimpse into Man-Elf relations--and it wasn't all toxic at first (just incsrutable!).
22. Inspired by Tolkien | The Rings of Power, Glass Hammer, and Music in Middle-earth
1 november 2022 |
min
I had the pleasure of sitting with Steve Babb from the band Glass Hammer to talk The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power, and what it's like to be a creator inspired by Tolkien.
21. The First Sunrise – Of the Sun and Moon – The Silmarillion – 12
26 oktober 2022 |
52 min
In "Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor", Tolkien taps into a grander myth of Middle-earth and returns to the two trees of Valinor to explain how the sun and moon were made.
20. The Rings of Power IN-DEPTH Review : Episode 8 : Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing
19 oktober 2022 |
95 min
In our darkest dreams, we never imagined Amazon would change Tolkien's work as dramatically as they did in The Rings of Power. In our final in-depth review, we discuss the stupidity of Celebrimbor, the Nazgirl (?) moments, and our prayer for a rapture before 2024!
19. The Rings of Power IN-DEPTH Review : Episode 7 : Shadow and Flame. And a Leaf.
11 oktober 2022 |
79 min
We stand amazed at the volcano survivability rate in Middle-earth, stare bemused at Galadriels' all new personality, sit frustrated at how the Harfoots apparently forgot their traditions, and collapse with frustration at the Mithril storyline being foisted on us.
18. The Rings of Power IN-DEPTH Review : Episode 6 : Insta-Mordor!
4 oktober 2022 |
75 min
Jonathan, Michael, and Dan go in-depth on The Rings of Power Episode 6, "Udun", and dive into questions like: Is Galadriel allowed to lecture us on humility? Do the Orcs OR the villagers actually have a strategy? Should they have recruited The Three Amigos? Would Arondir give you good psychological advice?
17. The Wisest Elves – Of the Sindar – The Silmarillion – 11
20 september 2022 |
40 min
In this episode, we look at the OTHER elves--the ones who never left Middle-earth for Valinor. These elves created the fairest dwelling that has ever been east of the sea, worked with the Dwarves, and shielded themselves from Morgoth.
16. The Rings of Power : Episode 2 : In-Depth Discussion (where no detail matters)
8 september 2022 |
51 min
Jonathan, Michael, and Dan discuss Episode 2 of The Rings of Power and Galadriel's "I'm fine" face, Encino Man and the Harfoots, the made up Morgoth story, and how Elrond ghosted Durin.
15. The Rings of Power : Episode 1 : In-Depth Discussion (and a Michael Scott moment)
6 september 2022 |
46 min
Jonathan and Michael dive into a deeper discussion of Episode 1 of The Rings of Power, "A Shadow of the Past". They look at how much of Tolkien's work is in the show, if the show is standing up to the excellence Tolkien's work demands, and where the show channels its inner Michael Scott :).
14. Tolkien is Worth Defending : Why The Rings of Power MUST be excellent!
30 augusti 2022 |
26 min
Jonathan, Michael, and Dan discuss why Tolkien is worth defending--and defending ardently. If Tolkien's work is truly excellent, how much excellence should we demand from those sub-creating in his world?
13. Burn the Ships – Of the Flight of the Noldor – The Silmarillion – 10
23 augusti 2022 |
51 min
In "Of the Flight of the Noldor", the ill choices of Fëanor are finally brought to bear as we watch the grievous opening to a long and tearful tale.
12. Morgoth’s Arachnophobia – Of the Darkening of Valinor – The Silmarillion – 9
16 augusti 2022 |
42 min
This week we dive right in and get deep into Ungoliant, what she does, who she might be, and how even Morgoth fears her.
11. The Road to Hell – Of the Silmarils – The Silmarillion – 8
9 augusti 2022 |
40 min
As we dive further into Fēanor's story and the Silmarils, Dan realizes that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
10. Fire and Greed – Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor – The Silmarillion – 7
2 augusti 2022 |
34 min
This week, Jonathan quizzes Dan and Michael on some important numbers, Dan sees similarities between the two big characters, Jonathan realizes Melkor was a nice guy, and Michael takes a deeper look at Fëanor's fire.
9. Love Makes You do Stupid Things – Of Thingol & Melian / Of Eldamar – The Silmarillion – 6
19 juli 2022 |
37 min
Reading Of Thingol and Melian, Dan realizes that love can make you do stupid things, then wonders what in the world is going on in Of Eldamar and the Coming of the Eladië.
8. An Analysis of The Rings of Power Trailer
15 juli 2022 |
44 min
Michael and Jonathan review the new Rings of Power teaser trailer, looking through the entire 2+ minutes, and discussing what is Tolkien (a little), what isn't Tolkien (a lot), and why the Hobbits are waddling.
7. Of the Coming of the Elves – The Silmarillion – 5
12 juli 2022 |
55 min
Jonathan poses some trivia questions to Michael and Dan, Michael puts together a great diagram to explain ALL the different types of elves, and we confirm the existence of female orcs!
Independence Day Break
5 juli 2022 |
3 min
Dan, Jonathan, and Michael are taking the week off. But if you're looking for a little more Tolkien on this off week, check out our YouTube videos at theonering.com/youtube!
6. Of Aulë and Yavanna – The Silmarillion – 4
28 juni 2022 |
38 min
Jonathan is gobsmacked that the dwarves are ACTUALLY the firstborn! The guys also discuss the ins and outs of Aulē's relationship with Yavanna, and how Yavanna's hopes for eagles in her trees is dashed by Manwë.
5. Of the Beginning of Days – The Silmarillion – 3
21 juni 2022 |
41 min
With the stage set for enormous battles between Melkor and the Valar, Jonathan, Michael, and Dan dive into "Of the Beginning of Days".
4. Valaquenta – The Silmarillion – 2
14 juni 2022 |
32 min
In the second chapter of The Silmarillion, Valaquenta, Michael, Dan, and Jonathan test their knowledge with "All that is Gold, Does Not Glitter", decide that Varda should've dated Melkor, and explain that Tolkien was a true flat-earther!
3. Ainulindalë – The Silmarillion – 1
7 juni 2022 |
35 min
Why is music so important? Are the Valar really transgender? Join Michael, Dan, and Jonathan as they begin the long journey through The Silmarillion with the first chapter, Ainulindalē.
2. Thoughts on Amazon’s Rings of Power
31 maj 2022 |
29 min
Michael, Dan, and Jonathan offer their thoughts on what we know and what we’ve seen about Amazon’s Rings of Power series.
1. An Introduction to Window on the West
25 maj 2022 |
12 min
Who are these guys? Why are they doing a podcast? When did they read the Lord of the Rings? How do they know each other?
Podcasten Exploring Tolkien är skapad av TheOneRing.com. Podcastens innehåll och bilderna på den här sidan hämtas med hjälp av det offentliga podcastflödet (RSS).
Vad är en podd?
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.
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