The Prancing Pony Podcast presents: The Rings of Power Wrap-up Show, hosted by Alan Sisto, Sara Brown, & James Tauber! Review & discuss episodes of the new show
Got to see the trailer here at SDCC and — after some long chats with the showrunners, producer, and cast members — I’ve moved from “cautiously optimistic” to “genuinely hopeful”.
Stay tuned for a trailer breakdown in our S2 preview episode coming out next weekend!
I was invited to NYC by Prime Video to a special screening of
#TheRingsofPower
earlier this week, and wanted to give you my spoiler-free impressions (no, don’t ask!):
It’s solidly good, with hints of greatness, and subtle notes of ‘huh?’
#PrimeVideoPartner
@LOTRonPrime
Get ready for S2 - not just of Amazon's The Rings of Power, but for The Rings of Power Wrap-up podcast!
@AranelParmadil
,
@jtauber
and I are getting back together for another visit to the Second Age!
Look for at least two episodes to drop *before* the debut of RoP! 1/2
Amazon's
@TheRingsofPower
is back! A quick reminder that you'll get to hear our thoughts in the upcoming episode breakdown episode in the next few days.
The RoPWU team (
@AranelParmadil
,
@DigitalTolkien
, and me
@AlanSistoVO
) are really looking forward to watching the debut of Season 2 of Rings of Power, and bringing you our thoughts on the show! 🧵
New
#podcast
today!
@AranelParmadil
and
@jtauber
join Alan as the new co-hosts just in time to spend hours discussing the two-episode premiere
of the Amazon adaptation! Loremasters, not gatekeepers, we talk about what’s great, what’s not, and what’s next!
New
#podcast
today! We let the story of Númenor wash over us as we dive deep into the lore, and try not drown in all the sea-related puns about the Great Wave. And we're not crying at Elrond's story about his father, Eärendil - not at all, at all.
The RoPWU team (
@AranelParmadil
,
@DigitalTolkien
, and me
@AlanSistoVO
) are really looking forward to watching the debut of Season 2 of Rings of Power, and bringing you our thoughts on the show! 🧵
Join Alan, James, and Sara as they mourn Mírdania, remember Rían, and are apprehensive for Arondir in their discussion of Season 2, Episode 7 of
@TheRingsofPower
- 'Doomed to Die'.
We are pleased to announce that The Prancing Pony Podcast has landed a book deal! That’s right, Alan and Shawn are writing a book covering all that’s great about Middle-earth and the Tolkien fandom, and it’s due to be published around this time next year!
Join James, Sara, and Alan as we bring you up to speed on all the things we’ve seen and heard about the upcoming Season 2 of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: the Rings of Power!
Join us as we avoid spoilers in this episode blurb, discuss the revelation of the Stranger's name, weep over a powerful father-son moment, and agree that the show has gotten better - all in our discussion of the Season 2 finale of
@TheRingsofPower
.
One will be a recap of where we stand after S1: new thoughts after the passage of time and a rewatch. The other will be a preview of S2 based on all the trailers, videos, interviews and more. Welcome back to Middle-earth and The Rings of Power Wrap-up!
Join Alan, James, and Sara as they walk their way through what they all agree is the best episode of Season 2 of
@TheRingsofPower
- Episode 5 'Halls of Stone'. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Valandil.
@AranelParmadil
,
@jtauber
and I recorded our first episode of The Rings of Power Wrap-up in nearly two years on Friday! So much fun getting back together and giving you a preview of S2 of The Rings of Power before it starts on the 29th. *Our episode drops Mon at 12p PT!*
Alan, Sara, and James discuss the final episode of the first season of
#TheRingsOfPower
, but disagree on gemstones. Celebrimbor is easily flattered, Sauron gaslights Galadriel, and Nori has a tear-filled farewell. Also, Sir Lenny Henry's contract expires.
Great news, RoPWU family! I’ll be attending SDCC and doing a book signing of Why We Love Middle-earth at the Mysterious Galaxy booth on Friday, July 26 from 5:00p to 5:30p - so if you’ll be at ComicCon, come by and get a signed copy of WWLME!
1/3
Sara, Alan, and James discuss the latest episode of
#RingsofPower
observing that it doesn't take much to become king these days apparently. Elendil plays horse-whisperer, Galadriel plays good-cop/bad-cop with Halbrand, while Adar plays a trick on them all.
Join Alan, Sara, and James as they talk (at great length) about the third and fourth episodes in Season 2 of Amazon Prime Video's
@TheRingsofPower
. From Isildur's meet-cute gone bad to Tom Bombadil pet-naming habits, the RoPWU crew talk about it all!
New
#podcast
today! We conclude our series of foundational episodes with a couple of, uh, shorter entries. First up, a deep dive into what we know of the history of the Harfoots (and other Hobbit folk). After that, a rundown of the Orcs.
New
#podcast
today! James, Sara, and Alan just can’t stop talking about the beauty and majesty of Númenor - or the mediocre CG of that angry puppy warg. Speculation abounds on Halbrand, and we are all a bit troubled by the Harfoots’ casual Darwinism.
The feed for The Rings of Power Wrap-up Show is now up and you can subscribe on your platform of choice!
- via Apple Podcasts at
- via Spotify at ...
- or any other podcast app by manually adding the RSS:
Alan and Shawn reveal details about their conversations with J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay at the Amazon event in London last month. The showrunners -- and John Howe! -- were able to give us lots of reasons for our continued optimism!
Listen in as Alan, Sara, and James talk through the things they love - and the things they don't love so much - about Season 2, Episode 6 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - 'Where is He?'
New
#podcast
today!
@AranelParmadil
,
@jtauber
, and Alan return to give the first half of a season-ending report card and discuss the high (and low) points of the first season of Amazon’s efforts to bring Tolkien’s Middle-earth to life.
Alan and Shawn are excited to tell you MORE about their conversations with the Rings of Power showrunners - and another surprise guest! - in a new episode of The Rings of Power Wrap-up, releasing this Friday at 8:00a PT. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and tune in on Friday!
New
#podcast
today! Alan, James, and Sara welcome John Howe — acclaimed Tolkien illustrator, and Concept Artist for The Rings of Power — to The Rings of Power Wrap-up.
Alan, James, and Sara are joined by the talented and wonderfully kind folks from Plains of Yonder, the creative studio behind the title sequence for
@LOTRonPrime
. The beauty of creating things through music and sound... where have we heard that before?
It’s time to declare your allegiance: which Rings of Power team are YOU on? We’ve released our new RoPWU-themed merch, so choose your team:
Visit our store and pick YOUR favorite!
Alan and Shawn work their way through a new Q&A from the showrunners, including speculations on the mysterious meteor man - who is sadly not Major Tom (Bombadil) Coming Home.
As I said on the PPP, whatever you think of The Rings of Power series (and you all know I believe it has its strengths and flaws), nobody is better positioned to make the 5-year run successful than McKay and Payne.
Been reading some, uh… ‘interesting’ rumors about Rings of Power S2, so I suppose it’s time to bring the gang together to talk about them. Look for the first new episode of the podcast sometime next week (he said optimistically).
New
#podcast
today! Like a toddler at the dinner table, we've saved the most unpleasant bit for last. Listen in as
@AranelParmadil
,
@jtauber
, and Alan return to finish their report cards for Amazon: will the show get passing marks?
The RoPWU celebrates the winners of this year's Tolkien Society awards, and offers congrats to all those who were shortlisted!
A special shout-out to RoPWU host
@AranelParmadil
, who won for Best Article, and will be co-hosting the PPP soon!
Tonight, join Alan LIVE for a watch party of
@LOTRonPrime
! Hear his reactions as we watch the first two episodes together right on the PPP Facebook page! The stream will start a bit before the show - around 5:45 p.m. PT, We hope to see you there!
New
#podcast
today! Join us as we explore the mysterious and secretive history of the Dwarves from their creation by the Vala Aulë all the way down to their early friendships and unfriendships with Elves and Men in the First and Second Ages.
Peter Jackson presents a groundbreaking journey back to Middle-earth through the eyes of legendary director Kenji Kamiyama.
#LOTR
The War of the Rohirrim - only in theaters Christmas.
New
#podcast
today! Word-nerds rejoice as Alan and Shawn welcome our first guest to The Rings of Power Wrap-up: show dialect coach Leith McPherson! We speak to Leith about her experiences on the new series, and much, much more!
New
#podcast
today! Our old friend, Celeborn, makes an appearance, even if it's on a Second Age milk carton; Durin IV finds himself un-princed, and we hear some lovely Quenya from a tall Stranger in the Grove. Also, Balrogs are light sleepers.
New
#podcast
today! In our second foundational episode covering the lore of Tolkien's legendarium, we review the history of Men — humans, not males — in Númenor and Middle-earth!
James, Sara, and Alan offer their mid-term grades for their most promising student, wonder why Waldreg would call Adar "the Abhorred" to his face, and seriously question the origin story of mithranium mithril.
We unpack the new trailer dropped on Amazon Prime Video on July 6, with a first look at some new characters — and a better look at some previously seen ones — as Middle-earth observes the falling meteor.
If you're interested in a friendly place to discuss adaptations of Tolkien's works, be sure to check out the newest broadcast from our friends
@tolkienprof
and
@MaggieParke
!
Join us TODAY at 4pm ET for Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation!
Hosted by
@tolkienprof
and
@MaggieParke
, they will discuss adaptations of Tolkien's work in a reasonable and scholarly setting.
Airing on Signum U's Twitch and YouTube!
Join Alan LIVE this Thursday evening for a watch party of
@LOTRonPrime
! Whether it’s great, awful, or somewhere in-between, hear his reactions LIVE as we watch the first two episodes together over on the PPP Facebook page! The stream will start around 5:45 p.m. PT.
Great seeing you at SDCC,
@trystangravelle
! Would love to chat beards and rugby -- oh, and Rings of Power! -- on our podcast soon. Let me know and we'll make it happen!
Oh, this is a good time to remind you: fans and critics alike are welcome in our corner of the fandom — but be like hobbits, not orcs, when disagreeing with us or one another: thank you!
The guys dive into a shot-by-shot analysis of the new trailer released during yesterday's Super Bowl, and provide an in-depth discussion of the Vanity Fair exclusive that released late last week, here in the second episode of The Rings of Power Wrap-up!
Watch the special two-episode Global Series Debut of
#TheRingsOfPower
🕘: September 1 at 9pm ET
🕐: September 2 at 2am UK
And then, tune in weekly! New episodes will be available on Fridays at 12am ET, only on Prime Video.
New
#podcast
today! Alan and Shawn finally break down the teaser that dropped on July 14, while they were both on summer vacations (oops!).
#TheRingsOfPower
Join us for a discussion of what we know so far about 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power', as we discuss the maps, that image with Two famous Trees, the title drop, and the 23 character images that Amazon released just last week!
@AranelParmadil
@jtauber
But Sara, James, and I will be getting the
@ringswrapup
party started in early August with a special preview episode of RoPWU S2 as we look at all the trailers, press releases, magazine articles, and other news we have for the upcoming season. Here's to hope for improvement!
Alan and Shawn reveal details about their conversations with J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay at the Amazon event in London last month. The showrunners -- and John Howe! -- were able to give us lots of reasons for our continued optimism!
@Tylerdg
Absolutely! Sara, James, and I are recording our S2 preview episode next Friday - should be out shortly after that, and it will include what I heard from Patrick and J.D.
New
#podcast
today! We begin our series of foundational episodes to catch you up on the lore of Middle-earth up to the beginning of
#TheRingsOfPower
! In this week’s episode, we cover the milllennia-long history of the Elves.
New
#podcast
today! Alan gives a recap of his experience at San Diego Comic-Con and we break down the trailer released at SDCC complete with creepy bad guys, creepy old men, creepy sword materialization… really, just loads of creepy stuff.
In a startling parallel to a moment that took place six years ago, we launch an entirely new Tolkien-related podcast! Enjoy this teaser trailer for The Prancing Pony Podcast Presents: 'The Rings of Power' Wrap-up, and stay tuned for more!
This would not have been possible without all the incredible support we’ve received from our community… so thank you! And keep following our social media spaces, because we will share updates on the book as often as we can!
@thewilmarillion
The trailer helped (though not entirely), but the honest chats with the showrunners and producer (all of whom acknowledged some shortcomings) genuinely changed my mind. Am I still *prepared* to be disappointed? Yes. But I’m no longer *expecting* to be.
You may have signed an autograph before, but... have you ever signed a shoe? The shoes mentioned by John in the episode are owned by
@DonMarshall72
- Alan's current co-host of the PPP!
New
#podcast
today! Alan and Shawn catch up on the last few weeks of
@LOTRonPrime
news from Empire magazine and elsewhere online, including the mysterious tower, our first look at Orcs, and the much-maligned sneak peek at Celebrimbor.
We’re all a bit more hopeful (appropriate for Tolkien!) than we were even two months ago, and can see the love and effort that everyone involved has poured into the show.
Over the next few days, all PPP shows will be switching to a new podcast hosting service. If you listen on a podcast app, you shouldn’t notice anything - but if you listen on Spreaker, soon those links won't work. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc. Thank you!
He does so much to make this the best Tolkien podcast and community it can be, and we want to celebrate him today. We wish him a relaxing break today and this weekend, maybe a leisurely drive or bike ride… or perhaps a reread of Leaf By Niggle at home. Happy Birthday, Alan!
Alan, Sara, and James welcome Ramsey Avery — Production Designer for
#TheRingsOfPower
— to The Rings of Power Wrap-up. From spikes to art nouveau, we talk with a man who read The Silmarillion nearly every night for two years to do his job right.
@hereforthearse1
@TheRingsofPower
We’re recording tomorrow - planning on covering the first two episodes. Hoping that drops on Thu. Then we’ll record again on Fri, covering eps 3 and 4.
And yes, I’ll also be attending Amazon Prime Video’s exclusive reception for Season 2 of The Rings of Power on Thursday evening and will happily share my take on what I learn there, as well as their big event in Hall H on Friday! (Sadly, without
@AranelParmadil
and
@jtauber
).
Happy Birthday Professor Tolkien!
The Man of the West will host a FB Live session today to toast The Professor. We'll start at 11:45a PST and toast at 12:00p PST - join us with your favorite drink!
So please be patient and know that we’ll be sure to use appropriate spoiler tags for at least 72h after release. Welcome back to The Rings of Power Wrap-up, everyone!
Folks, we want to let you know about a really exciting new project from Dave Brons, the Celtic Prog Rock genius who joined us on the PPP in episode 241. His new album, Return to Arda, is launching tomorrow, Nov 4! Check out … for an AMAZING teaser video.
Alan was recently a guest on The Halfling podcast (
@PakJaron
) to talk about his experience as a podcaster and to discuss the first season of The Rings of Power! You can check out the episode at .
@thewilmarillion
Totally fair! In fact, someone here reminded me that’s what I said two years ago, and I’m a bit embarrassed to have used the same phrase. 😅
What is different is that, at the end of S1, I was near-cynical about S2. A month ago, I was meh/expecting disappointment. 1/2
Be sure to subscribe as soon as you can! This helps us reach lots of new listeners. Plus, content for the new show will only be available on that feed after the first episode or two. We're looking forward to you joining us in the all the discussion of
@LOTRonPrime
!
Check out our exclusive first look at the Orcs in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, along with an interview with one of the executive producers and head of the production department:
@LOTRonPrime
The weird release time is one thing, then there’s the fact that two of our number are at Oxonmoot through the weekend. Finally, three episodes are a lot to work through, and our listeners deserve our best work.
@TeawithTolkien
@StephenAtHome
@prancingponypod
My first thought was, “How could they afford to get him as a co-host?” Now I know: just get someone with the same name. I wonder if I can find a Peter Jackson to join me sometime. 😅
Early-bird pricing for our 2022
#PPPMoot
end this Saturday August 6th so if you haven't registered yet now is the time to do so!
Head to to register as well as find all the information you need on pricing, accommodation, call for papers, and more!