Exploring Tolkien

By TheOneRing.com

The bi-weekly podcast for serious Tolkien fans. Hosts Jonathan Watson and Michael Grumbine of TheOneRing.com (the internet’s longest Tolkien community since 1999) read through The Hobbit, The Lord of ... more

4.6

3636 ratings

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FAQs about Exploring Tolkien:

How many episodes does Exploring Tolkien have?

The podcast currently has 168 episodes available.

Exploring Tolkien episodes:

June 09, 2026164. A Glimmer of Hope Through the Eyes of Death : Children of Húrin #3
Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exlcusives!
“Day shall come again”–but for now, it’s the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. In this episode, we walk through Chapter 2 of The Children of Húrin a breaking down Tolkien’s bloodiest, most tragic battle. We cover the epic (and doomed) alliance of elves, men, and dwarves, the double-cross by the Easterlings, and why Morgoth’s victory still leaves him filled with dread. And we even get the Pope involved!
We also look at:
Why the elves’ greatest host could never stand against Morgoth—and what the battle’s tactics reveal about Tolkien’s “epic history” mindset
The legendary valor (and fate) of Húrin and Huor—plus the prophecy that links Gondolin to Morgoth’s ruin
Tolkien’s use of prophecy, fate, and heroism: why the darkest chapter is full of hope for the future
The difference between Tolkien’s approach to battles and the modern appetite for nonstop action
In our extended episode (available via our Exploring Tolkien App or for our site’s members–), we go deeper on:
Listener comments about tragic foreshadowing, and Turin’s nature.
More LEGO Lord of the Rings
Why pop culture’s take on Tolkien struggles with the deeper logic of Middle-earth
🎉 To get the extended episode, become a member using our Exploring Tolkien app, or become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month).
🔗 Episode Links
Get the Exploring Tolkien App!
The Children of Húrin
The Story of Kullervo
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
Get the Exploring Tolkien App
Get the Extended Podcast
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Húrin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
...more
53min
May 26, 2026163. The Most Tragic Middle-earth Childhood : Children of Húrin #2
Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exlcusives!
Turin’s tragic journey starts here. In this episode, we examine the opening chapter of The Children of Húrin, exploring the foundational relationships and lineage that shape Turin’s fate. Why does Tolkien focus so much on houses and kin? How does the friendship with the crippled servant Sador color Turin’s early years? We unpack the narrative roots of tragedy, prophecy, and the fraught bond between elves and men.
We also look at:
What Tolkien’s “fire” actually means when describing Húrin
The rare, uneasy alliance between elves and men in the First Age
How tragedy marks Turin’s family from the very beginning
Giving, pity, and the early signs of Turin’s character—before everything goes wrong
In our extended episode (available via our Exploring Tolkien App or for our site’s members–), we go deeper on:
The roles of Morwen and Húrin—and how their contrasting natures shape Turin’s destiny
Tolkien’s craft: why his metaphors never just describe, but also worldbuild
Why houses and heraldry matter so much in Middle-earth’s oldest tales
🎉 To get the extended episode, become a member using our Exploring Tolkien app, or become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month).
🔗 Episode Links
Get the Exploring Tolkien App!
The Children of Húrin
The Story of Kullervo
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
Get the Exploring Tolkien App
Get the Extended Podcast
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Húrin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
...more
1h 6min
May 12, 2026162. Morgoth’s Curse and the Pride of Men : The Children of Húrin #1
We finally return to Tolkien’s First Age for a new deep-dive series on The Children of Húrin, starting with Christopher Tolkien’s introduction. We discuss why Tolkien considered Turin’s tale one of his “three great stories” alongside Beren and Luthien and the Fall of Gondolin, the central themes of pride, what Morgoth’s curse actually was, and more!
We also look at:
The three great houses of men—and why they matter in this story
The encroaching darkness of Morgoth and the echoes of Greek tragedy
Whether Turin’s fate is his own making, or shaped by the will of a Dark Lord
The role of pride—of Húrin, Morwen, Turin, and even Morgoth himself
View the The Map of Beleriand we talked about
In our extended episode (available for members at https://theonering.com/members), we talk about:
Listener pushback on Finnish vs. Russian naming traditions in epic storytelling
How The Hunt for Gollum is progressing
🎉 To get the extended episode, become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month) or at Patreon (https://theonering.com/patreon).
🔗 Episode Links
The Children of Húrin
The Story of Kullervo
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Children of Húrin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
...more
47min
April 28, 2026161. Tolkien’s First Tragic Tale : The Story of Kullervo
The Kalevala is perhaps Tolkien’s earliest inspiration… In this episode, we dig into The Story of Kullervo the tragic Finnish myth (from the Kalevala) that captured Tolkien’s imagination as a young man. We explore why Kullervo’s tragic tale—full of vengeance, orphaned rage, and doomed family bonds—became the seed for later stories like The Children of Húrin (and even Beren and Lúthien!).
We also examine:
The Kalevala’s raw, unfamiliar style and why Tolkien found it so fresh
How Tolkien’s early attempts at rewriting folklore reveal his love of language and poetry
How the Kalevala’s influence shaped Middle-earth’s earliest legends
The parallels (and differences) between Kullervo and Turin Turambar
What makes Kullervo so unlike Tolkien’s usual heroes
In our extended episode (available for members at https://theonering.com/members), we discuss:
The big ol’ Lego set that’ll be released in a month
Elanor Gamgee as the face of the new LOTR movie.
Listener’s feedback on Saruman’s strength.
🔗 Episode Links
The Story of Kullervo
The Children of Hurin
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Spotify
Get the Extended Podcast
Become a Patreon Member
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
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
...more
1h 8min
April 14, 2026160. Did Peter Jackson make Saruman too Powerful? : Film Changes #49 and #50
This episode tackles two more changes from Peter Jackson’s Fellowship of the Ring—Saruman orchestrating the storm on Caradhras, and the missing warg attack in Hollin. We break down how these adaptations simplify Middle-earth, debate whether Saruman’s powers go too far, and discuss what’s lost when the mountain itself isn’t an antagonist.
We also examine:
Why Jackson condensed multiple threats into “just Saruman and Sauron”
The cinematic potential of Gandalf’s fiery defense against spirit wargs
Aragorn’s warnings vs. Saruman’s prophecies—and who really drove the Fellowship’s next moves
What removing the Hollin warg attack means for Sauron’s reach in the story
In our extended episode (members at https://theonering.com/members), we dive into:
News about Tolkien’s rare books and LOTRO’s new expansions
Listener comments over Boromir’s character moments on the slopes of the Misty Mountains
The fated 5 seasons of The Rings of Power
What’s next for the podcast (Children of Húrin, Kullervo, and maybe Lord of the Rings itself)!
🎉 Get the extended episode by becoming a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo, free for the 1st month) or at Patreon (https://theonering.com/patreon).
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for $5 a month on Patreon
🔗 Episode Links
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 Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
...more
52min
March 31, 2026159. Boromir’s Slippery Slope : Film Change #48 (and Stephen Colbert’s Lord of the Rings movie!?)
In this episode, we examine the insertion of Boromir’s ring-handling scene on the slopes of the Misty Mountains–though it was completely invented, how close was it REALLY to the books? … and THEN we discuss Peter Jackson’s NEXT Lord of the Rings films, this time written by Stephen Colbert! 😬
We look at:
Boromir’s believable corruption
How much of this scene was actually pulled straight from the book?
Will this be a movie we want, or just another exercise in fan-service?
Will the film really just be a flashback?
Become a member at https://theonering.com/members or https://theonering.com/patreon to hear our thoughts on:
Is the word “simple” the most important part of Boromir’s statement?
And how necessary were Merry and Pippin at the council?
How much of Colbert’s ideology will be in the new film?
Other opportunities for films around the time of The War of the Ring
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for $5 a month on Patreon
🔗 Episode Links
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 Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
...more
55min
March 18, 2026159. One DOES Simply Walk Into Mordor : Film Changes #46 and #47
In this episode, we dig into two crucial scenes: the iconic formation of the Fellowship and the bridge-side tryst between Aragorn and Arwen. Drawing from both book and film, we examine what’s gained (and lost) when Tolkien’s deep lore is streamlined for cinema.
We also look at:
Who actually attended the Council of Elrond
Boromir’s famous “Gondor has no king” line—book vs. film debate
Why Gimli’s axe-to-the-ring moment feels out of place
How Arwen and Aragorn’s romance changes when moved from appendix to film
The effects of missing characters like Bilbo and Glorfindel
Become a member at https://theonering.com/members or https://theonering.com/patreon to hear our thoughts on:
Listener questions: Is Lurtz a good addition—or does he rob Aragorn of a key moment?
The origins of the Uruk-hai – sci-fi or fantasy?
How “meat’s back on the menu” could’ve been more lore friendly
The looming Hunt for Gollum trilogy—how much story is really there?
How an Aragorn biopic could finally do the ranger justice
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for $5 a month on Patreon
🔗 Episode Links
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 Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
...more
57min
March 04, 2026158. An Interview with Sean Astin (Sam Gamgee)
Here’s another episode in our series of interviews from the December 2, 2003 roundtable discussions! In this interview–just before The Return of the King was released–Sean Astin reflects on wrapping up The Lord of the Rings films and the impact they had on his career, his perspective on playing Sam, and how he navigated fame and family life during the trilogy’s success.
He also discusses:
Why Astin sees Sam’s cinematic arc as more heroic than the book’s version
The struggle to balance being “strong” on screen with being a faithful hobbit
Sword training with a Star Wars legend—and why it didn’t make the cut
What “the Shire” means to Sean Astin personally—and where he finds his own ideal home (again!)
In our extended episode (for members at https://theonering.com/members):
How you can beta test the new Exploring Tolkien app and help shape its future
🎉 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
Submit a LOTR Film Change
🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast
Get the Extended Podcast
Subscribe on Apple
Subscribe on Google
🔍 If You Like Tolkien
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
The Silmarillion
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
🗣 Special Thanks to Austin Robertson for the use of his voice!
...more
24min
February 18, 2026157. Is this the BEST Change in The Lord of the Rings Films? : Film Changes #44 and #45
Orc pods and Uruk-hai origins: lore-breaking or the best possible changes? In this episode, we dig into Peter Jackson’s “orc pod” scenes and the cinematic invention of Lurtz, the alpha Uruk-hai, We also weigh Tolkien’s less-than-precise lore against the movies’ need for explaining the Uruk-hai—and debate just how much Jackson’s changes actually fit Middle-earth.
We also explore:
What Tolkien actually says (and doesn’t say) about how Uruk-hai were made
Why “orc pods” feel a bit too much like The Matrix—and whether it helps or hurts the films
Lurtz as a character: does inventing a main orc villain actually make the Boromir scene more powerful?
The blurred line between lore-friendly and lore-accurate movie adaptations
How visual, dramatic choices shape your connection to Tolkien’s world
Become a member at https://theonering.com/members or https://theonering.com/patreon to hear our thoughts on:
Listener reactions and hot takes on Glorfindel and Arwen
The challenge of cutting “side quests” (like the Barrow-downs) for movie pacing
Why adding new leaders (like Lurtz) can actually deepen the cinematic experience
A sneak peek at the new Exploring Tolkien app
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for $5 a month on Patreon
🔗 Episode Links
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 Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
...more
0min
February 03, 2026156. The Cringiest Line in Lord of the Rings : Film Changes #42 and #43
In this episode, we look at two of the most unloved film changes from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings: Arwen replacing Glorfindel and making Arwen the only one with power and agency in The Flight to the Ford.. Michael and Jonathan break down why these choices set off so many Tolkien fans, how they impact the agency of Aragorn and Frodo, and whether these moments actually improve the movies.
Why losing Glorfindel means losing a key link to Middle-earth’s ancient history
The movie’s “girl boss” approach to Arwen’s character—and what it does to the story
Frodo’s lost agency at the ford, and the difference between book and film
The most “cringeworthy” line in Lord of the Rings
Become a member at https://theonering.com/members or https://theonering.com/patreon to hear our thoughts on:
The re-release box office numbers for The Lord of the Rings trilogy (any why were they so low)
Viewer comments on our last video (were we wrong?)
Michael reviews the new Rise of the Merlin show based on Stephen R. Lawhead’s Pendragon Cycle
BECOME A MEMBER!
Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and live chats. You can also join for $5 a month on Patreon
🔗 Episode Links
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 Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (audiobook)
The Expanded Letters of JRR Tolkien (book)
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
The Atlas of Middle-earth
Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat
...more
45min

FAQs about Exploring Tolkien:

How many episodes does Exploring Tolkien have?

The podcast currently has 168 episodes available.

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