Shire Reckoning

This week, we leave behind the hobbitry of the Third Age and consider one of the greatest of Tolkien's stories: Beren And Lúthien. How does this story help us understand all of the relationships in Tolkien's work, romantic and otherwise? Did we lose something essential when Tevildo became Sauron?

You can find the video version of this podcast by clicking here; the slides are available by clicking here. 

Show Notes:

• Beren and Lúthien
• The Children of Hurin
• The Fall Of Gondolin
• The Complete History of Middle-earth
• Stars And Swords

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we leave the Mountain and return to the Hill in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Is this film a good film? A good sequel? Does Jackson deliver on the promised conflicts? Is there a worse sequence than the goat-powered chariot ride?

Show Notes:

• The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we battle some audio goblins to consider the complicated structure and style of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Is there an internal tension between the Fairy Tale and the Tolkien Lore? Can great performances save a film? Who needs convection anyway?

The video version of this session is available by clicking here; the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• "We Bring You A Special Announcement" (YouTube)
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we wake from our enchanted-stream slumber to catch up on the rumors of The Hunt For Gollum, craft a cozy meal or two in Tales From The Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game, and consider what makes Tolkien so difficult to adapt.

The video version of this session is available by clicking here; the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum
• Hunt for Gollum film Synopsis promises “New characters, returning heroes” (TheOneRing.Net)
• ‘The Hunt For Gollum’: Philippa Boyens Says The ‘LOTR’ Brain Trust *Really* Wants Viggo Mortensen (Playlist)
• Anya Taylor-Joy’s Rumored Lord of the Rings Casting Is 10/10 (Collider)
• Kate Winslet To Play Female Lead In Andy Serkis’ ‘LOTR: The Hunt For Gollum’ (Deadline)
• Tales Of The Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we return from an unexpected hiatus to embark upon an unexpected journey -- specifically, Peter Jackson's 2012 movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey! What does the film get right? Does the production history explain some of the miss-steps? Does anyone need Gloin?

The video version of this session is available by clicking here; the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Shire Reckoning Production Schedule
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we return home to Bag End and consider the consequences of Bilbo's adventure in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Is the Shire different now? What are the signs that we're back in the normal world? What has tired the Tookish part of our hero, and strengthened the Bagginsish?

The video version of this session is available by clicking here; the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Shire Reckoning Production Schedule
• The History of the Hobbit (John D. Rateliff)
• The Annotated Hobbit (Douglas A. Anderson)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, the aftermath of the Battle of Five Armies in Chapter 18 of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Why don't we see Thorin's moment of redemption? Is his heroism enough to break the dragon-sickness for everyone else too? Is wisdom the right word for Bilbo's Baggins side?

The video version of this session is available by clicking here; the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Shire Reckoning Production Schedule
• The History of the Hobbit (John D. Rateliff)
• The Annotated Hobbit (Douglas A. Anderson)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, the Battle of Five Armies in Chapters 15 and 16 of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Is gold peculiarly evil in Tolkien's world? Does Thoring really value the Arkenstone above all things? Where and when does eucatastrophe intervene? 

The video version of this session is available by clicking here; the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Shire Reckoning Production Schedule
• Morgoth's Ring (Christopher Tolkien)
• The History of the Hobbit (John D. Rateliff)
• The Annotated Hobbit (Douglas A. Anderson)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we return to the Lonely Mountain in Chapter 15 of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, "The Gathering Of The Clouds". Are two talking birds too many? How do we distinguish between Roäc, son of Carc, and the humble thrush? How does dragon sickness work?

The video version of this session is available by clicking here; the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Shire Reckoning Production Schedule
• The History of the Hobbit (John D. Rateliff)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we switch our focus away from the Lonely Mountain to discover what happened to Smaug in Chapter 14 of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, "Fire And Water". Does Bard become more three-dimensional every time we see him? Are the people of Esgaroth really wrong to believe in prophecy? Why is Smaug's final resting place cursed?

The video version of this session is available by clicking here; the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Shire Reckoning Production Schedule
• The History of the Hobbit (John D. Rateliff)
• Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit (Corey Olsen)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.