The Rings of Power Wrap-up

The Rings of Power Wrap-up

Alan Sisto from The Prancing Pony Podcast is joined by his co-hosts Sara Brown and James Tauber as they discuss, analyze, and speculate all about Amazon's television adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth! Join the team as they dive into the lore behind the show (or the lore that should be behind the show), talk about their favorite themes and characters, and explore The Rings of Power, all with plenty of nerd humor!

Episodes

November 1, 2024 136 mins
Join Alan, James, and Sara as they ponder Pelargir, ruminate about Rhûn, admire Adar, and linger on Lindon in the second half of our post-season review of Season 2 of Amazon Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power! We talk through the remaining storylines in the show, including high praise for some, and... less than that for others. Spoilers: all three of us gave S2 a better grade than S1, but the show's not on the ...
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The envelope, please... Join Alan, Sara, and James as they talk about costumes, casting, and Khazad-dûm (it’s alliteration, folks) in what is only the first half of our post-season review of Season 2 of Amazon Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power! We give well-deserved praise to Bear McCreary, wonder where Círdan disappeared to, and chat about fan reception of the (in our opinion) improved second season of the sh...
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October 3, 2024 171 mins
Join Alan, James, and Sara as they 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 their discussion of the Season 2 finale of Amazon Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - 'Shadow and Flame'. Annatar makes sure Celebrimbor gets his point, Glüg makes a questionable career move, and Kemen ...
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September 26, 2024 134 mins
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 The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - 'Doomed to Die'. Celebrimbor enjoys a cuppa during a delightful delusion, Glüg considers organizing an Uruk labor union, and Mister Mouse proves there's a glitch in the Matrix. From mountains made of Lego® bricks to Mírdania's unexpected battlefi...
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September 19, 2024 129 mins
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?' | While we still ask that question about Celeborn, it's Adar asking the question about whatever Halbrand is going by these days. From the next-level gaslighting of Celebrimbor to the pronunciation of smial; from the amazing horns of Nú...
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September 13, 2024 112 mins
Join Alan, James, and Sara as they walk their way through what they all agree is the best episode of Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - Episode 5 'Halls of Stone'. From King Durin and his newfound power (and greed), to Annatar's masterful manipulation of Celebrimbor and Mírdania, the RoPWU team have things to say. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Valandil. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...
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September 7, 2024 158 mins
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 The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. From Isildur's meet-cute gone bad to Tom Bombadil pet-naming habits, the RoPWU crew talk about it all, noting that when this show gets it right, they really get it right. And with a few out-of-context homages, the inverse is also true. Learn more about your ad c...
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September 4, 2024 126 mins
Alan, James, and Sara team up once again to walk you through the first two episodes of Amazon Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. We watch Sauron go from an unconvincing CEO, through his squishy days, until he becomes the Halbrand we all know and Galadriel can't stop thinking about. We rave about Círdan, Disa, and the singing of Gil-galad, while scratching our collective heads about a few things. Thanks for joi...
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August 5, 2024 112 mins
Halbrand comes back to Eregion for more; James, Sara, and Alan come back to the podcast for more, too — but without a wig. Join us 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! From big blue bling to the most underrated Elf ever, the RoPWU crew looks at the teaser, the trailer, the BTS clips, and all the news articles and in...
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February 10, 2023 82 mins
Like a toddler at the dinner table, we've saved the most unpleasant bit for last. Listen in as Sara, James, and Alan return to finish their report cards for Amazon: will the show get passing marks? With discussion of the visuals, music, and acting behind us, tonight's conversation turns to the writing. The sea may always be right, but if the sea could write, that might help. We grade specific plot lines, from Durin and Elrond (outs...
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December 23, 2022 70 mins
You decide if the episode title applies to S1 of The Rings of Power, or our attempt at a season-ending report card! Sara, Alan, and James return to discuss the high (and low) points of the first season of Amazon’s efforts to bring Tolkien’s Middle-earth to life. Somehow, we get so buried in conversation, we only finish part of the report card: if they’re giving grades for giving grades, we’re in trouble! In this half, we discuss se...
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We get eight answers to one question, learn how Rivendell inspired Eregion's inspiration of Rivendell, and talk about some of the differences between Morgoth and Sauron. Alan, Sara, and James welcome Ramsey Avery — Production Designer for The Rings of Power — 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. Plus: is working ...
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We learn how a boar's skull inspired the snow troll, talk about the rich visual beauty of Tolkien's descriptions, and learn why reading The Two Towers first can still work out alright! 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. And you may have signed an autograph before, but... have you ever signed a shoe? Learn more about your...
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The sea monster makes an appearance, we discuss the imperfection of perfection, and get a scoop on one of the symbols in those glorious opening credits! Alan, James, and Sara are joined by the incredibly-talented and wonderfully kind folks from Plains of Yonder, the creative studio behind the title sequence for The Rings of Power. The beauty of creating things through music and sound... now where have we heard that before? Learn mo...
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October 14, 2022 111 mins
Celebrimbor learns how to do more with less (thanks to the help of a friendly low man), the cultists put all their eggs in the wrong Stranger-basket, and Galadriel finally does a background check. Alan, Sara, and James discuss the final episode of the first season of The Rings of Power, but disagree on gemstones. Celebrimbor is easily flattered, Sauron gaslights Galadriel, and Nori has a tear-filled farewell. Also, Sir Lenny Henry'...
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October 7, 2022 103 mins
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. James, Sara, and Alan discuss the seventh episode of The Rings of Power, but disagree on the nature of romantic meet-cutes. Isildur casts himself into the fire, Theo gets an actual sword (not just a hilt this time!), and Elrond makes an offer th...
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September 30, 2022 94 mins
Adar leads his children on a righteous quest for a well-deserved homeland, Arondir plays Jenga in the watchtower, and the writers quote Tolkien directly! Sara, Alan, and James discuss the latest episode of Rings of Power, 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. Also, Pompeii called ...
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September 23, 2022 100 mins
Elendil shows tough love, Poppy sings a pretty song, Theo makes nice with Arondir, and Pharazôn schools Kemen. 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. Oh, and none of us are willing to play poker with Durin IV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
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September 16, 2022 93 mins
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. We engage in admiration of Galadriel's headstrong attitude, observation of Pharazôn's manipulations, and speculation of just who this Waldreg guy is anyway. And of course we're not crying at Elrond's story about his father, Eärendil - not at all, at all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
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September 9, 2022 100 mins
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. All this, plus corrections and clarifications from last week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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