Exploring Tolkien

Exploring Tolkien is a weekly show that dives deep into JRR Tolkien and all the ages of Middle-earth. Jonathan Watson and Michael Grumbine are your hosts as they read through Tolkien’s works, interview other Tolkien enthusiasts and authors, and critically examine how Tolkien’s world is being treated by mega-corporations like Amazon.com and Warner Bros.

Episodes

The Rings of Power Leaves us with Dwarf Politics and Randomly Shouting Elves

October 8, 2024 • 128 mins

The final episode of The Rings of Power (season 2) wraps up by revealing Dwarf politics, Númenorean politics,

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Yes. Elrond kissed Galadriel.

October 1, 2024 • 135 mins

The Rings of Power abandons all lore to satisfy their dumbest desires.

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Clueless Elves, Big Beasts, and Bombadil Inverts Tolkien’s Words

September 24, 2024

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.

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Hollywood Doesn’t Understand the Númenoreans’ Faith

September 17, 2024

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

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Tom Bombadil has Become Obi-Wan in The Rings of Power

September 10, 2024

Not sure how this Tom Bombadil came into existence--but he's definitely incredibly different from Tolkien's Bombadil.

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Rings of Power Returns – Episode 1 Review

September 3, 2024

Season 2 of The Rings of Power is here! And with it comes new hackneyed phrases, ridiculous contrivances, and incredible coincidences.

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Looking at the War of the Rohirrim Trailer (and Rings of Power clips)

August 27, 2024 • 57 mins

We discuss the the latest visions of Middle-earth by Amazon and Warner Bros.

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Are these Really the Same Elves from The Lord of the Rings? : The Hobbit #8

August 20, 2024

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.

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This is why Tolkien SHOULD have rewritten The Hobbit : The Hobbit #7

August 13, 2024 • 61 mins

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!

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A Brave Burglar and Deficient Dwarves : The Hobbit #6

August 5, 2024 • 48 mins

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.

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Gandalf Gets Pushy : The Hobbit #5

July 30, 2024 • 30 mins

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?

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Transcript

What Went Wrong with Tolkien’s 1960 Hobbit Rewrite : The Hobbit #4

July 23, 2024 • 61 mins

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?

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Transcript

How the Baggins Side of Bilbo Lost : The Hobbit #3

July 16, 2024 • 53 mins

Bilbo loses the comfort of his home and finds that the Tookish side of his mind is starting to overcome the Baggins side

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Transcript

The Hobbit was NOT Originally in Middle-earth : The Hobbit #2

July 9, 2024 • 55 mins

We examine if The Hobbit was originally set in Middle-earth, and how Bilbo's Tookishness is starting to take over.

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Transcript

Tolkien Changed The Hobbit Twice : The Hobbit #1

June 25, 2024 • 49 mins

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.

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The REAL War of the Rohirrim, According to Tolkien

June 18, 2024 • 50 mins

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

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Tom Bombadil, The Hunt for Gollum, and Viggo Mortensen are Back… and so is Dan!

June 4, 2024

We brought our original amigo, Dan Coats, back to talk about Tom Bombadil, The Rings of Power, The Hunt for Gollum, and more!

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An Interview with Billy Boyd (Pippin) and Dominic Monaghan (Merry) – 2003 Roundtable Interviews

May 28, 2024

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!

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Bree’s Dark Turn

May 21, 2024 • 46 mins

The films brought us a dark and evil Bree -- but Tolkien calls it "friendly" and "familiar"!

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Should The Lord of the Rings Films have kept the Barrow-downs?

May 14, 2024 • 52 mins

Dropping the Barrow-downs removes one of the most important callbacks in the final Battle of the Pelennor Fields before Minas Tirith.

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Exploring Tolkien

Episodes

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.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Yes. Elrond kissed Galadriel.

Clueless Elves, Big Beasts, and Bombadil Inverts Tolkien’s Words

Hollywood Doesn’t Understand the Númenoreans’ Faith

Tom Bombadil has Become Obi-Wan in The Rings of Power

Rings of Power Returns – Episode 1 Review

Looking at the War of the Rohirrim Trailer (and Rings of Power clips)

Are these Really the Same Elves from The Lord of the Rings? : The Hobbit #8

This is why Tolkien SHOULD have rewritten The Hobbit : The Hobbit #7

A Brave Burglar and Deficient Dwarves : The Hobbit #6

Gandalf Gets Pushy : The Hobbit #5

What Went Wrong with Tolkien’s 1960 Hobbit Rewrite : The Hobbit #4

How the Baggins Side of Bilbo Lost : The Hobbit #3

The Hobbit was NOT Originally in Middle-earth : The Hobbit #2

Tolkien Changed The Hobbit Twice : The Hobbit #1

The REAL War of the Rohirrim, According to Tolkien

Tom Bombadil, The Hunt for Gollum, and Viggo Mortensen are Back… and so is Dan!

An Interview with Billy Boyd (Pippin) and Dominic Monaghan (Merry) – 2003 Roundtable Interviews

Bree’s Dark Turn

Should The Lord of the Rings Films have kept the Barrow-downs?

Popular Podcasts

The Rings of Power Leaves us with Dwarf Politics and Randomly Shouting Elves

Yes. Elrond kissed Galadriel.