
The Prancing Pony Podcast is a weekly show about the Middle-earth legendarium of J.R.R. Tolkien, hosted - for six seasons - by Alan Sisto and Shawn E. Marchese. Now in its eleventh season, Alan is joined by an all-star cast of co-hosts as he explores more of Middle-earth! Alan and all his co-hosts are passionate Tolkien enthusiasts, inviting listeners to enjoy their detailed exploration of Tolkien... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 432 | Founded | 11 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | BooksArtsFilm ReviewsTV & Film | |||

Huan knows that the days of the power of the cats are over; Alan and Sara aren’t entirely sure that’s still the case. Join The Man of the West and The Shieldmaiden of Rohan as Beren is freed from the Cat Condo of Terror and Lúthien’s face says freedo... more
Huan wants to end the power of cats forever; Alan and Sara would settle for ending the power of internet trolls for a few years. Join The Man of the West and The Shieldmaiden of Rohan as Tevildo’s doorkeeper gets laid off the hard way as we continue ... more
Tinwelint (Thingol to the rest of you) asks his daughter to “put this folly away from thee”; Sara’s been telling Alan to do the same for years now. Join The Man of the West and The Shieldmaiden of Rohan as Tinúviel makes good her escape from the migh... more
Beren is so hungry that he picks his way through leftover scraps at an Orc camp; Alan and Sara are somehow no longer hungry at all. Join The Man of the West and The Shieldmaiden of Rohan as we continue our look at The Tale of Tinúviel in Beren and Lú... more
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Seems to be a truly lovely woman and very funny at times but she does talk down to viewers and frankly has a very dreary view of the world and the women who live in it and Tolkien as well. I find calling him a man of his time to be redundant. You can’t be someone out of your time. Either be honest what you think of Tolkien or quit throwing him under the bus and measure his moral health by your own standards. This show is still fantastic and I consider myself highly indebted to it.
Second update! I love Sarah. She is so funny and so inspiring and she adds a different perspective to the discussion which makes for more inclusion. Tolkien is for everyone!
Updating: I had read the Silmarillion and just didn’t “get it.” But rereading while listening to PPP and sharing the enthusiasm and love that Alan and Shawn have, has really made me appreciate it. I wasn’t willing to commit to nearly 400 episodes but I’m now 40 in and I get so much from every one. This is just amazing.... more
Episodes with Shawn and Alan are 5 star. Outstanding. When Sara is on, more like 2 stars.
So my mom was born in the 1960s and sometime in the 1980s she gave me her paperback Hobbit and LOTR series. Unbeknownst to them I was surviving childhood with inattentive ADHD. If there was ONE thing I could always lose myself in was a few good chapters. Decades later I learned that was hyperfocusing. As the years passed I consumed anything and everything I could. When it came out that Jackson was doing the movies the only thing I could think was “I swear Jackson if you screw up the Ents I’m do... more
They talk down to listeners who disagree. Echoing race hustling rhetoric. Pandering virtue signaling. If they just stick to the text and held all adaptations to the same standards they would be more bearable. The two missing stars are personal but the show Is still a jewel and masterpiece and an anthem made for the professor’s memory. It was an invaluable help in seeing the true beauty of the text. Eventually Alan will have to choose between the Professor or his audience. He would have never h... more
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
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Apple Podcasts | #53 | |
Apple Podcasts | #70 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
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A weekly, lore-forward discussion about Tolkien's Middle-earth, mixing dense textual analysis with lighthearted humor, pop culture riffs, and community updates. Hosts build long-running conversations around the Legendarium, often inviting scholars and dedicated fans to illuminate obscure details, while maintaining a pub-night vibe that makes deep dives feel approachable. Notable strengths include rigorous textual close-reading, strong guest contributions from academics and seasoned enthusiasts, and a vibrant, donation-supported community that fosters collaboration and events. Potential listeners who enjoy thorough lore, philology, and witty banter will likely find this show rewarding, though some episodes run lengthy due to their digressive... more
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These podcasts share a similar audience with The Prancing Pony Podcast:
1. Today's Tolkien Times
2. Lord of the Rings Lorecast - J.R.R. Tolkien's World & Writings Explained
3. Gone Medieval
4. The Ancients
5. The Tolkien Professor
The Prancing Pony Podcast launched 11 years ago and published 432 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on The Prancing Pony Podcast include:
1. Katie McKenna
2. Anna Maria
3. Corey Olson
4. Dr. Bret Devereaux
5. Sam H. Sam
6. David Smith
7. Don Marshall
8. Matt from The Nerd of the Rings
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