Show overview
The Tolkien Professor has been publishing since 2009, and across the 17 years since has built a catalogue of 663 episodes. That works out to over 1000 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence, with the show now in its 8th season.
Episodes typically run over ninety minutes — most land between 1h 9m and 2h 7m — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-US-language Arts show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 2 weeks ago, with 25 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2012, with 64 episodes published. Published by The Tolkien Professor (Corey Olsen).
From the publisher
The Tolkien Professor podcast is a series of lectures, discussions, and seminars on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien by Corey Olsen, President of Signum University. All are welcome to enter – even those without any party business!
Latest Episodes
View all 663 episodes665: SilmFilm 8-14: The Frame Story
663: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 130
664: SilmFilm 8-13: The Season Outline
662: SilmFilm 8-12: The Season Outline
661: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 129
660: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 128
659: SilmFilm 8-11: The Villains
658: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 127
657: SilmFilm 8-10: Galadriel
656: SilmFilm 8-09: The Havens
Ep 655655: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 126
After touching on some news updates, Maggie and Corey continue with their Pride and Prejudice discussion, focusing on their analysis of Lydia's introduction. Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 126, recorded on March 31, 2026. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAv Join us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET, on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/ You can watch or listen to the recordings here. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribe Hosts: Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/ Dr. Maggie Parke https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/ For more information about Signum Studios and Signum Collaboratory, visit Signum Studios https://studios.signumuniversity.org/ Signum Collaboratory https://collaboratory.signumuniversity.org/ For more information about Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/
Ep 654654: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 125
Maggie and Corey are back and returning to Pride and Prejudice and Adaptation! Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 125, recorded on March 23, 2026. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAv Join us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET, on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/ You can watch or listen to the recordings here. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribe Hosts: Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/ Dr. Maggie Parke https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/ For more information about Signum Studios and Signum Collaboratory, visit Signum Studios https://studios.signumuniversity.org/ Signum Collaboratory https://collaboratory.signumuniversity.org/ For more information about Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/
Ep 653653: SilmFilm 8-08: Doriath Story
Today the SilmFilm Team returns to pre-production discussions, considering the Doriath situation during the time of Turin. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv
S8 Ep 652652: SilmFilm 8-07: Outlaw Story
SilmFilm Season 8 Pre-production meetings continue in our writers' room for a discussion of Turin's outlaws. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv
S8 Ep 651651: SilmFilm 8-06: Dor-lómin's Story
Join the team in the SilmFilm Writers' Room, as we continue planning Season 8, with a focus on Dor-Lomin and the Easterlings. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv
S8 Ep 647647: SilmFilm 8-02: The Journey Thus Far, Continued!
Today the SilmFilm team is back to complete their discussion of the Journey Thus Far, our recap and discussion of the trajectory of the project to this point. https://signumuniversity.org/news/annual-fundraising-campaign-2025/ Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv
S8 Ep 646646: SilmFilm 8-01: The Journey Thus Far
It is time at last to begin the Eighth Season of the SilmFilm Project! Today, we look back at what we've discussed and prepare for where we are headed. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv
S8 Ep 650650: SilmFilm 8-05: Tuor's Story
Pre-production continues for Season 8, as the SilmFilm Team considers how to adapt Tuor's story and interweave it with Turin's story. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv
S8 Ep 649649: SilmFilm 8-04: Túrin's Story
It's time to continue working through the Season 8 storylines! Join the SilmFilm writing team as we work through the big plot and character questions for Season 8. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv
S8 Ep 648648: SilmFilm 8-03: Story Structure and Themes
The SilmFilm team sits down to work through the big picture of the post-Nirnaeth Season 8. https://signumuniversity.org/news/annual-fundraising-campaign-2025/ Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv