Podcast: Download

Not all Middle-Earth movies are big-budget Hollywood productions. Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, and Jeff Haecker review the fan-made LOTR film “Born of Hope” and discuss the bittersweet tale of Aragorn’s parents Arathorn and Gilraen.

Podcast: Download

Smeagol or Gollum? Thomas Salerno, Thomas Sanjurjo, Jeff Haecker, and Kaitlyn Facista do a deep dive on the character of this Ringbearer, his motivations and roles in various, the latest video game featuring Gollum, and the controversial opinion: Is Gollum the hero of LOTR?

Podcast: Download

Happy Father’s Day! Jeff Haecker, Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, and Thomas Sanjurjo are celebrating Dads as they discuss the fathers of Middle Earth, both good and bad, including both biological fathers and spiritual fathers.

Podcast: Download

Happy Mother’s Day! Jeff Haecker, Kaitlyn Fascista, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Thomas Salerno discuss motherhood in Tolkien’s Legendarium and Rings of Power, including how his own mother’s death at a young age affected his portrayal of mothers in his own works.

Podcast: Download

The Valar are the angelic guardians of Middle-earth who watch over the heroes and influence the world in dramatic and surprising ways. Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Jeff Haecker discuss their favorite Valar and even create their own original Valar characters.

Podcast: Download

It’s Tolkien reading day and Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, Jeff Haecker, and Thomas Sanjurjo offer up their favorite passages on the theme of travel and adventure, from the darkest depths to the hopeful highs.

Podcast: Download

Tolkien’s stories are filled with tales of romance and friendship, and Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, Thomas Sanjurjo, and Jeff Haecker discuss all the great love stories, including their favorites, like Beren and Luthien, Aragorn and Arwen, and even Gimli and Galadriel.

Podcast: Download

Faith is the topic for Jeff Haecker, Thomas Sanjurjo, Thomas Salerno, and Kaitlyn Facista as they discuss Tolkien’s own Catholic faith and how he saw it in his works, plus the faiths of the people of his creation in Middle Earth.

Podcast: Download

Who is Tom Bombadil? Thomas Sanjurjo, Kaitlyn Facista, Thomas Salerno, and Jeff Haecker discuss the enigmatic Tom: Who is he? What did Tolkien have to say about him? And what other similarly enigmatic characters are there in the Legendarium?

Podcast: Download

What to get that Tolkien fan in your life for Christmas? Thomas Sanjurjo, Kaitlyn Facista, Thomas Salerno, and Jeff Haecker have Tolkien-related and adjacent gift ideas for all the fans in your life (or for your own Christmas list).

Podcast: Download

With Season 1 complete, Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, and Jeff Haecker give a new look back to the whole season, including how it all appears on a re-watch, plus their predictions for what comes next.

Podcast: Download

Finale! Thomas Sanjurjo, Kaitlyn Facista, Thomas Salerno, and Jeff Haecker discuss the Rings of Power finale; the big reveal of two characters; the forging of the Rings; and the future of this podcast.

Podcast: Download

As season 1 races toward its end, Thomas Sanjurjo, Kaitlyn Facista, Thomas Salerno, and Jeff Haecker continue to play “guess the Sauron;” marvel at the Dwarves; note the characters who CAN’T die; and note the Tolkien-ish flourishes in the script.

Podcast: Download

Doom! Thomas Salerno, Kaitlyn Facista, and Jeff Haecker discuss the latest episode, including the question of the redeemability of orcs; Halbrand’s secret; and Galadriel’s focused drive.

Podcast: Download

The mystery of mithril. Thomas Sanjurjo, Kaitlyn Facista, Thomas Salerno, and Jeff Haecker discuss the latest episode, including the great friendship between Durin and Elrond; the odd trio following the Harfoots; and Gil-galad’s tale about the origin of mithril.

Podcast: Download

Choose not the path of fear, but of faith. Thomas Sanjurjo, Kaitlyn Facista, Thomas Salerno, and Jeff Haecker discuss episode 4 and the vision of the great wave; theories about the identities of various characters; and how Galadriel’s character is being built.

Podcast: Download

Mysteries abound this week as Thomas Sanjurjo, Kaitlyn Facista, Jeff Haecker, and Thomas Salerno discuss the arrival at Numenor, and the increasing number of questions and strangers in this 3rd episode of The Rings of Power.

Podcast: Download

Hope and vigilance! Dom Bettinelli, Thomas Sanjurjo, Thomas Salerno, and Kaitlyn Facista discuss the 1st 2 episodes of The Rings of Power, the themes it is unrolling so far, and how faithful to Tolkien’s vision it stays.