The Last Homely House

Vanity Fair released an exclusive first look at Tom Bombadil in TROP Season 2. What do our hosts think about the news? What can we glean from the (few) still shots that were released? Join in for our discussion and then share your thoughts!

Join our hosts as they dig into the official "Behind the Scenes" video that Amazon released for The Rings of Power season 2.

Our host review the first teaser trailer for the Rings of Power season 2.

Picking back up with their conversation about Vices and Virtues in Middle-Earth, our hosts talk about how people respond to fear in Tolkien's world and how those responses may lead to virtue or vice.

Coming to you a week delayed (since we talked Mother's Day last week), our hosts give their first thoughts and impressions about the recently announced film, "The Hunt for Gollum." What are your thoughts?

We just can't seem to make it back to our Virtues and Vices series. Instead, we take the chance to talk about mothers in Middle Earth. (Our apologies for the delay and for any oddities in the audio. The internet was NOT our friend today!)

Our hosts take a quick break from the Vices and Virtues series in memory of Bernard Hill, who portrayed King Theoden of Rohan. What are your favorite Theoden moments from the LotR films?

We couldn't move on without saying a little more about Wisdom! Join our hosts as they talk about the Wisdom of the Elves, who is the wisest of the elves, why isn't Cirdan invited to the White Council, and why do Ron and Jon care so much about cutting their grass.

Continuing our discussion of vices and virtues in Middle Earth by looking at foolishness and wisdom. Where do these things show up in Tolkien's stories? What characters exemplify them?

Our hosts continue their discussion of the vices and virtues of Middle-Earth. This time we talk about the dangers of Greed and about the importance of Generosity and Hospitality.

We're starting a short series this week looking at vices and virtues in Middle-Earth, starting out with Hubris and Humility. Who are the characters that exhibit excessive pride? How does it figure into Tolkien's world and his story? Who are the humble characters? How do we see these things set against each other. Let us know what you think! (Also, let us know about other Vices and Virtues you'd like to hear us talk about!)

We've talked TRoP rumors but have you heard any of the rumors flying around for the third season of our podcast! Some amazing things coming out this year! Our hosts got together on April 1st to talk LHH Rumors. Listen in and let us know what you're looking forward to the most in this season of the Last Homely House.

Our hosts celebrate the destruction of the One Ring and the beginning of another season of the podcast. We look back on our favorite discussions of season 2 and look forward to what's to come in season 3. Join in the conversation: what were your favorite episodes this year? What do you hope we can chat about in the year to come?

Our hosts pick up a special topic today as we welcome Jon back from a conference on biblical research where he presented on the Ainulindale and Genesis. Jon recaps his Tolkien-Talk and we think together about how reading Tolkien's work can help us read the Bible in more fruitful ways.

We just can't get enough of the speculation surrounding Season 2. Our hosts continue going over some of the recent news (some confirmed details; some just rumors) about the upcoming season of the Rings of Power. What are you looking foward to the most from the new season?

Last week we talked about some (maybe far-fetched?) rumors surrounding Season 2 of the Rings of Power. This week, we spend some time with some confirmed news about the upcoming season, as well as some rumors that are more likely to come to fruition. Let us know what you think! Which rumors do you hope are true? Which do you hope are not?!

The second season of the Rings of Power is still a ways off, but it hasn't stopped people from speculating. This week, our hosts look at a list of rumors that come from an internet source who has claimed to see a full script of season 2. While remaining very skeptical of the source, our hosts couldn't help but chat about some of the CRAZY things they suggest for the next season of TRoP.

After our brief holiday tangent, our hosts return to wrap up their discussion of art in Middle Earth. Today they think about Art vs. Industry. Why is making art a good thing in Tolkien's world, while being "industrious" is a bad thing? When does "making things" move from "art" to "industry," and why is "industry" such a bad thing?

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, our hosts take a moment to honor Middle-Earth's most often forgotten partner: Celeborn. Whether it's Gandalf, Elrond, or even Sauron/Halbrand...Galadriel hangs out with everyone BUT her poor husband. Join us as we remember poor lost Celeborn this Valentine's Day (because no one else will)!

Tolkien's world is full of art, but one medium that is notably absent is painting. Paintings and drawings don't have the same place in Middle Earth that sculpture, crafting, and music have. Our hosts discuss why that might be, and then talk about Tolkien as a visual artist himself. Which of Tolkien's drawings are your favorite? Do you have another favorite artist of Middle Earth?

Our hosts talk more about art, turning from sculpture and jewels to the art of music. What is the significance of music in Middle Earth? How do different peoples use it? Does it tap into something foundational for Tolkien?

Ron rejoins us, so we revisit a few questions from last week (on Kids in Middle Earth) and then we jump into a new topic. Tolkien's Middle Earth is full of art and artists. So what art stands out to you the most? Where does it show up? Who makes it? And why?

Ron is away welcoming a new grandchild to the family. So Jon and Jasmine take the opportunity to chat about children in Middle-Earth. Where are the kids in Tolkien's stories? What about his stories, his world, and his own experience in life might lead him to shy away from including too many children?

Picking up on last week's discussion on the Fate of elves and men, our hosts chat on how Fate and Free Will interact in Middle Earth. On the one hand, you have the Doom of Mandos and other prophetic voices that seem to dictate how events will turn out. On the other hand, you have characters making choices that shape their destinies. How do these things work together? Where are the Valar in all of this?

Circling back to the story of Beren and Luthien, our hosts chat about the incredible choice that is presented to Luthien: the ability to embrace the "gift of men"--mortality--so that she can be with Beren forever. We talk about this gift, the fate of elves and men, and where the half elven fit into that scheme.

Join our hosts this Christmas as they discuss the giving of gifts in Middle Earth. What are some of the gifts that made an impact on Tolkien's world (for good and for ill). What makes a good gift? And as an added bonus, what would you buy for members of the Fellowship if you drew their name in a Secret Santa?

As a follow-up to their discussion of the three great tales of the First Age, our hosts revisit the characters of Turin and Tuor. Specifically, they chat about a number of similarities that come up in their two stories (even though they are also radically different). Join in as we talk about what makes good storytelling, what grows out of the leaf-mould (of course), and recurring themes like tragic love and destructive pride.

Our hosts chat about the third and final stand-alone story from the first age (and one of the first Middle Earth stories Tolkien ever wrote): the Fall of Gondolin. Join them as they chat about the evolution of the story, the epic feel of its storytelling, and more. Which of the three First Age tales was your favorite?

Our hosts continue their journey through the three Great Tales from the First Age of Middle Earth. This week: Beren and Luthien, the story of an elf woman who falls in love with a mortal man. Join us as we talk about the story, how it mirrors parts of Tolkien's own love story, and what we think of Christopher's edited version.

Our Fellowship is reunited! And we begin our (brief...we hope) journey into three of the great tales of the first age. We start this week with the Children of Hurin, probably the most tragic story that Tolkien ever told. What do we like? What do we dislike? Will Turin ever think of someone other than himself? Listen in to find out!

Our fellowship is (temporarily) broken and Jon and Ron have travelled to San Antonio for the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Not to be discouraged by their diminished numbers, the pair get together and chat for a bit about how their Bible-Nerd-dom and their Tolkien-Nerd-dom intersect.

Tolkien had a deep love for languages and their history. In fact, his invented langauges were in many ways the impetus behind the creation of many of the cultures and stories of Middle Earth. Join our hosts as the scratch the surface on Tolkien and his langauges.

We just can't stop talking about LotR movies! Our hosts take one more spin around the "Remake" idea, thinking about characters or scenes that they'd like to see redone, and maybe a few that they hope don't get screwed up. What about you? Are there any characters or scenes that you would love to see in a remake?

Ring wraiths and spiders and...cats? Oh my! Our hosts get into the Holloween 'spirit' (see what I did there?) and talk about monsters in Middle Earth. What are some of the iconic Tolkien monsters and what makes them so scary?

It has been 20 years. Is it time for a new version of the Lord of the Rings to come to the screen? Listen in as our hosts discuss the pros and cons and what they would like to see in a remake. And give us your opinion! Is it time? What would you want a remake to look like? And who should each of our hosts be cast as?

This week, our hosts talk about a few others scenes and characters from the book they would have liked to see incorporated into PJ's films. What about you? Were there scenes in the book that you wish had made the cut for the movies?

We've finished our reviews of the films, but that doesn't mean we're done with them! This week our hosts tackle a major scene from Tolkien's work that didn't make it into PJ's movies: the Scouring of the Shire. Why did we miss it? Why was it left out? Was there any way to include it?

The final review of the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy has finally arrived. Our hosts discuss their favorite and least favorite scenes of the movie, as well as the multiple endings.

Our hosts continue their review of Peter Jackson's the Return of the King.

After last week's all about Gollum episode, our hosts engage in a more robust discussion of Peter Jackson's Return of the King. This week's conversation includes: Sauruman's death, a better version of Faramir, Minas Ithil/Morgul, and the stairs into Mordor.

After a month off from recording, our hosts are back together to discuss the Return of the King. This week, the entire conversation focused on Smeagol/Gollum. What made him more succeptible to the power of the ring? How did the movies treat his character? These and other topics dominated the conversation.

Our hosts wrap up their review of the Two Towers by examining how the film ends well short of the material found in the book.

This week, our hosts review the movies in conversation with book 4 of the Two Towers. They focus exclusively on the parts of the movie that focus on Frodo and Sam. Jon, in particular, gets on his soap box about the difference between Faramir of the books and the character he calls "Filmamir."

This week, our hosts discuss how the film version of the Two Towers doesn't fully incorporate all the material from the book. Instead, it moves much of the material into the next movie. They toss around the question of why the writers would do this.

Though reviewing the movie version of the Two Towers, our hosts follow Tolkiens presentation by focusing solely on Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Merry, and Pippin. As always, they share their likes and dislikes. They also discuss how well the movie has held up over the last twenty years.

Our hosts wrap up their reveiw of the Fellowship of the Ring, culminating in the breaking of the fellowship and the death of Boromir.

The review of the Fellowship of the Rings continues, picking up in Rivendell.

The review of the Lord of the Rings - the Fellowship of the Ring continues. Today, our hosts merely get out of Bree and make it to the Ford of Bruinen in their analysis. As a side note, this is the fourth episode they recorded in one day, so they start off a little punchy.

This week, our host begin their review of the Lord of the Rings movies, beginning with the Fellowship of the Ring. Their analysis slows down significantly, as they critically assess their likes and dislikes, as well as the choices made by the writers and director. Get comfortable. This is going to be a longer analysis.

In their final review of the Hobbit triology, our host finish their analysis of the Battle of Five Armies. From there, they provide their final thoughts on the triology as a whole.