The Prancing Pony Podcast

The women can tell Éowyn nothing; that’s only because Sara wasn’t there. Join Alan and Sara as Éowyn seeks to avoid yet another cage in our first episode on The Steward and the King. The Warden can’t envision a warrior-healer, Éowyn can’t endure five more minutes in this place, and Faramir can’t imagine another day without her. We talk about restraining orders in Rohan, reject Sara’s suggestion fo...

The minstrel’s voice rises like silver and gold, and all men were hushed; except for The Man of the West who just won’t stop talking. Join Alan and Sara as we find a golden ring that can’t be melted in our second episode on The Field of Cormallen. Frodo and Sam have done the impossible, and that makes them mighty; Aragorn is humble; and Pippin is… well, Pippin. We talk about this being the eucatas...

The Realm of Sauron is ended, and the realm of Sara has begun. Join The Man of the West as he welcomes back Dr. Sara Brown as we visit the vulcanology lab once more in our first episode on The Field of Cormallen. Sam won’t let Frodo quit just yet, The Host of the West prepares for their imminent demise, and the Eagles play one more show at the Morannon. We talk about virtuous pagans, look for our...

Mount Doom threatens to burn the land and boil the sea; Matt threatens more “where there’s a whip” references. Join us as we’re joined by Tom Hillman to talk about his book Pity, Power, and Tolkien’s Ring just in time for said ring to be destroyed in our final episode on the chapter Mount Doom. Sam finally feels pity for Gollum, the Phial of Galadriel’s batteries die, and Frodo thinks he has a bet...

Frodo understands that when you can’t crawl, you find someone to carry you; Matt understands that when you can’t get a reference, you find someone to explain it to you. Join us as we offer a brief lesson on vulcanology in our third episode on the chapter Mount Doom. Frodo crawls towards a road, Sam wonders how it got there, and an old friend drops by to say “Wicked masster”. We talk about talking...

Sam naively offers to ‘share the load’ with Frodo, while Matt naively offers to do a few more episodes of the podcast. Join us as Sam goes full Marie Kondo for the last steps of their journey in the chapter Mount Doom. We remember the Host of the West, Sam remembers the oliphaunt, while Frodo is naked in the dark, unable to remember much of anything. We observe that when you can’t run, you crawl;...

Sam decides to trust to luck again, while Alan and Matt decide to back the Gríshnakh-Uglúk 2024 ticket. Join us in examining the virtue of cloaks as we begin the chapter Mount Doom. Sam considers the difficulty of the route, evaluates the remaining supplies, and carries on an inner dialogue about Bywater and Rosie Cotton. We learn what Tolkien thought about scientification, look for an excuse to r...

Sam suggests that Frodo and he should trust to luck, while Alan and Matt suggest they might want to reconsider. Join us as we spot that stinking villain — no, not Fëanor — sniffing around Frodo, as we wrap up the chapter on The Land of Shadow. Sam gives until it hurts, Frodo falls asleep, and they somehow find themselves participating in the 10k Run to Mordor despite their not having paid an entry...

Two orcs engage in a spirited debate about Gollum, while two other orcs engage in a spirited debate about… oh, who am I kidding? Alan and Matt never debate. Join us as we discover that orcs prefer tattling on their peers rather than just killing them, as we keep moving deeper into The Land of Shadow. A tracker orc fails to track two very nearby hobbits, a soldier orc fails to shoot Gollum, and Sam...

Sam insists on drinking first to protect Frodo, while Alan and Matt ruin any chance they have at a couple of bottled water sponsors. Join us for our discovery that Mordor is only mostly dead, as we continue our long and unpleasant way north in The Land of Shadow. We take a closer look at the geography of Mount Doom, while Frodo and Sam take a closer look at the extent of Sauron’s branding efforts....

Frodo and Sam get out of the predicament in the Tower only to have to head further into Mordor, as Alan and Matt get out of their QAN predicament only to have to… well, do this. Join us as Sam exaggerates the lengths of thorns while we begin our four-part walk through The Land of Shadow. Nazgûl cries just don’t hold the same terror anymore, Shagrat is not delivering water despite Sam’s professed i...

We’re known for our short and concise answers, says The Nerd of the Rings, as he joins The Man of the West just in time to answer listener questions on our 25th Questions After Nightfall! From Ainur bowling leagues to light bulb moments, from Farmer Maggot to our favorite head canon, our listeners keep us on our toes. Matt whiffs on a Firefly reference, and we agree that the Valar are less murdery...

Frodo declines to acquiesce to Sam’s request to share the burden of the Ring… means ‘no’. Join Alan and Don as Sam becomes Frodo’s personal shopper in the worst clearance sale ever in our final episode on The Tower of Cirith Ungol. Sam forgives Frodo for his Ring-induced thievery allegation; we discuss the origin of orcs (again!); and the Watchers can’t stop Frodo and Sam. Also, The Lord of the Ma...

In the middle of his darkest moment, Sam sings; in the middle of this episode, Don and Alan sing. One of these two was a good decision. Join Alan and Don as Sam longs for Frodo, and refuses to say goodbye to the Stars in our third episode on The Tower of Cirith Ungol. Snaga loses a hand and rolls a natural 1; Sam finally finds his beloved Frodo; and Frodo is convinced the Quest is over. Also, Don...

Sam finds a way past the Watchers to rescue Frodo, as Don finds a way past Alan’s bad jokes to rescue the episode. Join Alan and Don as Sam continues his search for Frodo in a place absolutely filled with Orcs in our second episode on The Tower of Cirith Ungol. Sam is relieved to find nearly all of the Orcs are dead; we discuss the nature and origin of those creepy Watchers; and Shagrat ends Gorba...

Sam hesitantly takes what he sees as an irrevocable step down into Mordor; Don Marshall hesitantly agrees to do one more chapter with The Man of the West. Jon Alan and Don as Sam forgets his peril and bravely ventures into Mordor to rescue Frodo as we begin Book Six with The Tower of Cirith Ungol. Sam gets his first glimpse at Mount Doom; resists the temptation to become Samwise the Strong, Hero o...

Frodo has been a prisoner of the Orcs for more than a year in podcast time, but what’s another episode between friends? Before Alan and Don Marshall start our read through of Book VI of The Lord of the Rings, we take a look back at the previous books as we discuss the themes and events of the story so far - maybe with a special eye towards Frodo and Sam, who we’ll spend a great deal of time with d...

The Fëanor piñata takes some more hits as The Man of the West welcomes Don Marshall, the Obscure Lord of the Rings Facts Guy, to the Prancing Pony Podcast just in time to answer some really obscure questions! From Narya’s chain-of-custody to Goldberry growing tired of trochaic tetrameter, our listeners do their best to trip us up. Alan gets choked up over a Húrin passage - surprise - and we agree...

Join both The Man of the West and the Lord of the Mark as they celebrate the release of their new book by recording a LIVE episode at The Tolkien Society’s 50th Oxonmoot in Oxford! Guests include Kristine Larsen, John Rateliff, Brian Sibley… and 135 of our closest friends! Recommended Reading: include Letters from FC, Fall of Númenor, and The History of the Hobbit, along with our own book. Learn m...

Sauron smells a trap, and sends his lieutenant to open the door and see who’s there; Matt smells a sidebar, and sends Alan to find out more. Join us as the Mouth of Sauron says too much, but doesn’t lose his head, as we conclude The Black Gate Opens — and Season 7 of the PPP! We meet perhaps the scariest steed ever to walk the earth, discuss the absurdity of killing ambassadors, and decide we know...

Some of Aragorn’s followers are told how they might “keep what honor you may”; The Nerd of the Rings returns to the Common Room to keep what honor HE may. Join Matt and Alan as Aragorn heads out to knock on the door of the scariest house on the block as we begin The Black Gate Opens. Merry stays behind to heal as Pippin goes with Beregond to follow Aragorn to almost-certain doom; the army wisely a...

Gimli says he’s near the end of their tale; Alan and Shaun aren’t convinced. Join us as we discuss how hard it is to look at your watch when you’re in battle, as we complete The Last Monolog… er, Debate. The Lords of the West conclude they have only a choice of evils; long-term weather forecasting isn’t a thing in Middle-earth; and counting to 7,000 seems pointless. Shaun explains how palantíri ar...

Legolas and Gimli reunite with Merry and Pippin, telling them stories about the last few days. Shaun Gunner (not Shawn) reunites with Alan, telling him how much he hates seagulls. Join us as we learn just how wrong everybody’s been about beards as we begin The Last Debate. Legolas and Gimli play SimCity; we read the tragic story of Nimrodel and Amroth; and discover just how differently we feel abo...

Join Alan and Sara, as we send Sara back to more civilized realms by joining some of our listeners in the Common Room for our latest Q&A episode. We rely on our shelves and our brains - because the latter alone would make for a short episode - as we answer questions about Amazon’s plans for a LotR MMO, why Legolas was sent with the Company when they had a perfectly good Glorfindel available, and w...

Hobbits use light words and fear to say too much; we use light words and clearly don’t fear saying too much. Join Alan and Sara, and the many fragrances of athelas, as we conclude our visit to The Houses of Healing. Éowyn gets a delivery of brand-new air, while Merry gets a bunch of bees; Aragorn reveals his sarcastic humor, prompting Merry to get a little philosophical; Imrahil seems to have been...