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PODCAST

The Prancing Pony Podcast

The Prancing Pony Podcast

The Prancing Pony Podcast is a weekly show about the Middle-earth legendarium of J.R.R. Tolkien, hosted - for six seasons - by Alan Sisto and Shawn E. Marchese. Now in its ninth season, Alan is joined by an all-star cast of co-hosts as he explores more of Middle-earth! Alan and all his co-hosts are passionate Tolkien enthusiasts, inviting listeners to enjoy their detailed exploration of Tolkien’s work, with smart but straightforward discussion and a healthy dose of self-effacing humor, pop-culture

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All Episodes

94:57

236 – Go Straight to Smells, Boys

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2022/01/23

After the sun sets on the Black Gate, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum set out and take the road south towards Minas Morgul. They soon find themselves in the “garden of Gondor”: Ithilien, a land of fragrant herbs and other exotic flora that even Sam does not have names for in the horticultural word-hoard of his mind. We let the sensory imagery wash over us as Tolkien mentions one new plant after another, many of which never appear anywhere else in the legendarium. But Gollum thinks something stinks, and it’s

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109:31

235 – All Along the Watchtower

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2022/01/16

There must be some kind of way out of here… and in fact, it’s right down the road to the south, to the side door into Mordor near Minas Ithil (which Gollum doesn’t seem to realize has been renamed under the new management). But it is guarded, of course — and not just by Orcs. We investigate an apparent discrepancy in Gollum’s recollection of where the Silent Watchers actually are, get a description of Sauron’s very physical hand, and feel Gandalf’s mind as it seeks for Frodo. Also, Sam’s pachyderm

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106:57

234 – Knockin’ on Sauron’s Door

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2022/01/09

Move over, Saruman! There’s a new contender in the running for Worst Curb Appeal in Middle-earth, and he’s got noise coming out of the place at all hours to boot. But after taking in the awesome unpleasantness of Sauron’s front porch and the utter certainty of capture and death, Frodo realizes with grim determination that he has to continue with his quest, and that this is the only way in… unless Gollum has something he’d like to tell him? Explore more word-nerdery on Mordor place names than you

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78:45

233 – Questions After Nightfall 17

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/12/19

Just in time for the holidays, it’s the gift that keeps on giving: a new Q&A episode! We answer timely questions about Frodo, Sam, and Gollum as they make their way to Mordor, and offer up our brutally honest opinions about whether every member of the Fellowship actually did something important (we’re looking at you, Legolas). Plus many more, including questions about the history and future of the PPP, and a question we can’t believe it’s taken so long for someone to ask: why does Shawn like

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103:15

232 – Don't Stand So Close to Me

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/12/12

The wraith on wings is gone, and our heroes appear not to have been noticed. But as the marshes come to an end and the walls of Mordor loom closer, Sméagol is at odds with himself — literally — on what to do next. Sam watches quietly as the two personalities within Sméagol-Gollum’s mind argue with each other, and intervenes just in time to ensure Frodo’s safety… but it’s likely he won’t be fully closing his eyes around Gollum anytime soon. All this, plus Alan and Shawn weigh in on their favorite

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119:53

231 – Spirits in the Material World

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/12/05

Frodo and Sam follow their travel guide Gollum through the Dead Marshes — it’s not the tour package we would have chosen, but who are we to judge? — and are far more shaken up than Gollum is by the fact that the marshes actually have, y’know, dead in them. But never mind the terrifying things below, because there’s a new terrifying thing above making its appearance, and that one is going to get Gollum pretty shaken up indeed. Also, just in time for the holidays, a new installment of Kingly Gifts,

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116:35

230 – Choking on a Crust of Bread

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/11/21

Sméagol proves to be willing and able to show Frodo and Sam the way to Mordor, now that his promise on the Precious keeps him from running away (though Sting is still at hand to police him if necessary). But Gollum proves he’ll always be king of pain when he totally overreacts to the elf-smell coming off the lembas his companions are eating. Once his diva moment passes, though, they’re back on the road… but there’s a much worse smell than Elvish cooking ahead. Plus, a look into the Gaffer’s paternal

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75:52

229 – Always Reaching: An Interview with John Howe

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/11/14

Alan and Shawn welcome John Howe to the Prancing Pony Podcast! Over the past several decades John has established himself as one of the most enduringly popular Middle-earth artists, and his work has appeared in numerous books and calendars (including the Tolkien Calendar 2021), and earned him a role as a conceptual artist for Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movies. We talk to him about artistic inspiration, capturing reality through fantasy, and his new not-a-how-to book, John

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80:32

228 – Where Sméagols Swear

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/11/07

Gollum is disinclined to acquiesce to Frodo’s request to lead them to Mordor, and he tries to escape when he thinks the hobbits aren’t looking. Sam has thirty ells’ worth of good reasons for Gollum to stay put, but the Elvish rope burns his skin (as of publication, Lothlórien Ropeworks has not issued a recall, and neither Haldir nor “One of Those Folk” could be reached for comment). Finally, Sméagol comes up with a promise that Frodo can trust… for now. All this, plus a closer look at swearing (not

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96:38

227 – Where Sméagols Dare

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/10/31

Three episodes into the chapter, we finally meet Sméagol… and the other fellow sharing his brain. Sam jumps the creeping, crawling creature at the bottom of the cliff, which goes about as well for Master Gamgee as one might expect. Fortunately, Frodo’s got his back, and the sight of Sting convinces Gollum that if he loves some precious, he should set Sam free. We take a closer look at pity and mercy for the most wretched creature in Middle-earth, wonder about the truth of the worst stories about

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90:24

226 – Places High

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/10/24

The shrieking cry of what might sound like a Ringwraith if they weren’t destroyed forever at the Ford of Bruinen (They were, right? Right!?) makes Frodo lose his grip and his sight while climbing down a cliff. He manages to land on his feet on a ledge not far below, but he can’t get back up or down without a rope, which Sam just so happens to have, and knows how to use. We ponder (and worry slightly about) Alan’s fondness for ropes, Shawn’s fondness for booze, and Sam’s therapy bills thanks to the

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72:21

225 – Strangers in a Strange Land

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/10/17

We finally begin our readthrough of Book IV of The Lord of the Rings with “The Taming of Sméagol”! All alone after fleeing Parth Galen, Frodo and Sam are lost among the barren slopes of the Emyn Muil, seeking a way down to the stinking bog below (zero stars for this hiking tour). But how alone are they, really? Are the two eyes following them attached to the head they think, and will Sam be able to get a tight enough grip on the neck below it to, uh, “handle the situation”? All this, plus a new

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108:14

224 – Whose Story Line Is It Anyway?

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/10/10

One does not simply walk into Mordor without a recap, so before we start our readthrough of Book IV of The Lord of the Rings, we’re reviewing previous chapters to reacquaint ourselves with a couple of characters we haven’t seen for a while (no one special; just Frodo and Sam, the guys whose mission really matters here). After a look back at the story so far, we look ahead to the themes we’ll explore in the coming season. But first, dragons rejoice! We welcome Jeremy Edmonds of the website Tolkien

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82:35

223 – Questions After Nightfall 16

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/10/03

It’s our first live Q&A episode of the season, which means Alan and Shawn have got our speculating caps on for another round of questions from our guests! We field questions on the married life of the Valar (but not in the way you’re thinking), the size of Hobbit feet, and an almost forgotten fight between Galadriel and Dol Guldur. Plus, opinions on The Nature of Middle-earth, a booth review of the cutting of the Ring from Sauron’s finger… and wings, schmings! We want to know: do Balrogs have the

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130:18

222 – Double Nelson: The 222nd Episode Extravaganza

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/09/26

For the second time in history, Alan and Shawn throw a party of special magnificence to celebrate a milestone: 222 episodes of the PPP! Once again, we look back at some of our best moments from the past eleventy-one episodes, as chosen by our listeners. From foolish digressions to inappropriate pop culture references, smart observations to great readings, relive them all on this trip down memory lane with a few surprises along the way (and some bits you’ll see coming a mile away). Plus, what did

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81:07

221 – Dancing Bears: An Interview with Carl F. Hostetter

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/09/19

We start our sixth season in style by welcoming Carl F. Hostetter to the podcast! In addition to his role as chief editor of Vinyar Tengwar, Carl has authored articles on Tolkien’s languages for decades. We catch up with him about his lifetime of scholarship and his highly anticipated new edition of unpublished manuscripts by Tolkien himself: The Nature of Middle-earth. Learn how the new volume came to publication as well as a sneak peek of what’s inside from Elvish biology, to the metaphysical

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120:25

220 – The Worst of Times

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/08/01

While Gandalf and Aragorn ponder the evening’s events and finally identify the object of Pippin’s affections as the palantír of Orthanc, a Nazgûl flies overhead — which means it’s time for Gandalf and the sticky-fingered Took to exit, stage east. And as Shadowfax carries them over the plains at breakneck speed (not that any necks will be broken, we hope) we bring Book III of The Lord of the Rings to a close. But before we wrap the fifth season, a mailbag question about the podcast and listener

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114:42

219 – Crystal Ball

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/07/25

With the Saruman situation handled, Gandalf settles in for a leisurely journey back to Helm’s Deep with Merry dangling behind him. Pippin, however, is obsessing over the shiny, round and apparently indestructible object Wormtongue threw out the window… and when nightfall comes, his Fool-of-a-Tookishness gets the better of him. We begin to investigate the palantír, word-nerd out on its (not yet used) name, and discuss its powers and limitations. Plus, what is the airspeed velocity of a winged Nazgûl…

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121:06

218 – Renegade

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/07/18

Unable to persuade Théoden, Saruman now tries to sway Gandalf, not realizing his former underling has gotten a promotion and executive sponsorship for his project since the last time they touched base. As before, Saruman totters between slick sweet-talking and explosive rage until finally Gandalf — amused/not amused — strips him of his staff and place on the White Council. We read Treebeard dialogue for almost the last time; unpack, hang, and whack the Fëanor piñata; and ponder what good Saruman

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107:22

217 – Fooling Yourself (The Angry Old Man)

The Prancing Pony Podcast ·

2021/07/11

Fully fed, fully caught up, and fully reeking of pipe-weed, our heroes enter Isengard, where Gandalf demands to speak with Saruman at the foot of Orthanc. The Until-recently-white Wizard refuses to come down or let visitors in, but the White-now-and-check-out-my-new-skills Wizard manages to get his attention, and the parley begins. But although Saruman has lost his armies and devices, he still has some weapons left: his voice, bitter anger, and possibly some kind of Vorlon powers (because it’s been

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