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 references, and bad puns. These are the folks you'd want to hang out with at a pub and talk Tolkien with!

#4 in the Top 100 books Weekly chart

...more

9 Listeners

2 Comments

All episodes

Best episodes

Seasons

Top 10 The Prancing Pony Podcast Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Prancing Pony Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Prancing Pony Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Prancing Pony Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

095 - They Say It's Your Birthday

The Prancing Pony Podcast

09/23/18 • 97 min

In the first pages of Book I, Chapter 1 of The Lord of the Rings, “A Long-Expected Party”, we see Bilbo Baggins through the eyes of the hobbits of the Shire, not all of whom view him kindly. Seeming eccentric to some and suspicious to others, Bilbo is nevertheless the chief topic of conversation as the occasion of his eleventy-first birthday approaches. While the Gaffer gabs in the Ivy Bush, we discuss the secret ambitions of the Sackville-Bagginses, admire Tolkien’s intractability towards proofreaders, and have fun with numbers in Old English.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Listeners

1 Comment

094 - This Shire is Your Shire

The Prancing Pony Podcast

09/16/18 • 126 min

Never ones to skip over the pages with Roman numerals, we begin reading The Lord of the Rings at the famous Foreword, where Tolkien offered his most well-known comments on his own work, including his thoughts about allegory. Next, the Prologue explains in rich detail the history of the Shire, pipe-weed, and the sticky story of how Bilbo found his ring. Along the way, we discuss the origins (and, uh, the 'final destination') of Hobbits, the Red Book of Westmarch, and lob more classic movie references than your best friend from high school on a Saturday night.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 Listeners

1 Comment

001 - In Defense of Fantasy

The Prancing Pony Podcast

02/22/16 • 90 min

In the first episode, get to know your hosts, Alan and Shawn, and learn about why we started The Prancing Pony Podcast. We also discuss favorite moments from the life of J.R.R. Tolkien as told in Humphrey Carpenter's biography, and introduce Tolkien's ideas about the nature and purpose of fantasy as described in his famous essay "On Fairy-Stories".

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 Listeners

084 - The Violence Inherent in the System

The Prancing Pony Podcast

05/27/18 • 109 min

As Chapter 17 of The Hobbit begins, the Lonely Mountain is under siege. Thorin — hanging on to outdated imperialist dogma which perpetuates the economic and social differences in Middle-earth — refuses to negotiate, knowing Dain is on his way. When Bilbo’s plot is revealed, Thorin goes into a rage and orders him gone (“‘Order’, eh? ‘Oo does ‘e think ‘e is?”); but just as all looks hopeless, goblins attack, and we see the... well, you know. The Battle of Five Armies begins, and we look back at Tolkien’s famous essay “On Fairy-Stories” to explain the sudden turn of events.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Listeners

093 - We're In the Same Tale Still!

The Prancing Pony Podcast

09/09/18 • 79 min

At long last, we finally... really this time... begin The Lord of the Rings! In this episode, we introduce the novel (not a trilogy) with the epic story of its composition and publication. Almost immediately after The Hobbit was published, Tolkien’s publishers demanded a sequel; but the road from idea to publication took the Professor seventeen long years, with more twists and turns than a goblin-tunnel. Plus, the story of the Professor’s appearance at a hobbit-themed dinner in 1958 in a combined Tolkien Quote of the Day / Tolkien Fun Fact.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Listeners

086 - Not Quite Dead

The Prancing Pony Podcast

06/10/18 • 107 min

Having survived trolls, goblins, wolves, spiders, riddles with Gollum and Smaug, the horror of battle, and the rude awakening of Elvish singing, Bilbo Baggins makes it back home again in the last chapter of The Hobbit. All of his neighbors are surprised to find him alive, some are disappointed; and even Gandalf knows Bilbo is not the hobbit he was. We discuss the “mere luck” of “a little fellow in a wide world,” discover Tolkien's philological hint at the snobbery of the Sackville-Bagginses, and sing way too many classic rock radio hits.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Listeners

097 - A Hard Day's Night

The Prancing Pony Podcast

10/07/18 • 103 min

Book I, Chapter 1 of The Lord of the Rings concludes with the aftermath of the birthday party. Bilbo has left behind gifts for friends and family ranging from the sincere to the brilliantly snarky, but no trace of gold or “jools”. As the Sackville-Bagginses come to terms with their meager inheritance, Frodo settles in as master of Bag End... and owner of a certain magic ring. We name unnamed dwarves, speculate wildly about the Dúnedain of the North (despite Tolkien’s best efforts), and remember another legendary hero with the initials F.B.: Ferris Bueller.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Listeners

025 - Watch Your Language

The Prancing Pony Podcast

11/20/16 • 103 min

In Chapter 15 of The Silmarillion, Turgon heeds Ulmo's warning and begins the construction of the hidden city of Gondolin. The truth finally comes out about why the Noldor returned to Beleriand, and Thingol is not pleased. Plus a special announcement about our Tolkien's 125th Birthday Giveaway, and tips for goodlier speaking from a teenage Tolkien.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Listeners

030 - Another One Bites the Dust

The Prancing Pony Podcast

01/15/17 • 133 min

In Chapter 18 of The Silmarillion, Morgoth breaks the Siege of Angband with a sneak attack, beginning the Battle of Sudden Flame. As the fires die down, Fingolfin responds by challenging the Dark Lord to single combat. Meanwhile, displaced survivors of the Edain start down paths that will forever intertwine the fates of Men and Elves. Plus, Tolkien's best-known villain moves into the fortress next door with his annoying pets.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Listeners

024 - Territories

The Prancing Pony Podcast

11/06/16 • 115 min

It’s a small world, after all. Take a trip around the map with Alan and Shawn in Chapter 14 of The Silmarillion, Tolkien’s extensive description of the geography and realms of the Elves in Beleriand. Also, we receive a lesson in Dwarvish pronunciation from a listener and get up close and personal with a personal pronoun. And what’s that voice in the distance? Sounds like a very deep woodwind instrument.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Listeners

Show more best episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does The Prancing Pony Podcast have?

The Prancing Pony Podcast currently has 375 episodes available.

What topics does The Prancing Pony Podcast cover?

The podcast is about Podcasts, Books, Arts, Tv & Film and Film Reviews.

What is the most popular episode on The Prancing Pony Podcast?

The episode title '095 - They Say It's Your Birthday' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on The Prancing Pony Podcast?

The average episode length on The Prancing Pony Podcast is 104 minutes.

How often are episodes of The Prancing Pony Podcast released?

Episodes of The Prancing Pony Podcast are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of The Prancing Pony Podcast?

The first episode of The Prancing Pony Podcast was released on Feb 22, 2016.

Show more FAQ

Comments

Jon

@phineasjpoon

Jan 24

Cannot recommend this podcast enough. I created my account here purely to follow them and 1 other podcast and be able to sing their praises

Una Vez en una Luna Azul

@The Bookish Hedgehog

Apr 4

The amount of research and time that is spent on the material really shows the love and respect they have for this world. I always come away with a greater understanding of and appreciation for Tolkien's work. The humor and pop/nerd references are hilarious and greatly appreciated as they help to enliven the episodes and makes them entertaining.