Rephonic
Artwork for The Tolkien Professor
Pride and Prejudice
Tolkien
Rings Of Power
Jane Austen
Sauron
Signum University
J.R.R. Tolkien
War Of the Rohirrim
Morgoth
The Lord Of the Rings
Galadriel
Easterlings
Gondolin
The Rings Of Power
Middle-Earth
Silmarillion Film Project
Adaptation
Kickstarter
Húrin
Gwyndor

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!

PublishesDailyEpisodes666Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArtsEducation

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Artwork for The Tolkien Professor

Latest Episodes

Maggie and Corey are together in the studio to chat more about Rings of Power Season 3 and Rings & Realms.

Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 132, recorded on August 10, 2026.

Join us on the Signum... more

Maggie and Corey return to the Rings of Power to do some analysis of the Rings of Power Season 3 teaser trailer.

Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 131,

recorded on August 3, 2026.

Join us on the ... more

SilmFilm returns, in the homestretch of the pre-production process. Today we discuss Casting Criteria for our new characters in Season 8.

Join us on the Signum University Discord server: / discord

Support The Tolkien Professor

It is time to decide on the frame story for Season 8! Today, we consider possibilities and flesh out its relationship to the main story and theme of Season 8. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: discord.com/invite/szXMFAv

Mythmo... more

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Marie Prosser
Writer in the Silmarillion Film Project writer's room
writer's room, Signum University
Episode: 662: SilmFilm 8-12: The Season Outline
Olana Mushen
Writer in the Silmarillion Film Project writer's room
writer's room, Signum University
Episode: 662: SilmFilm 8-12: The Season Outline
Ilana Mushen
Writer joining from Australia, contributing to the Túrin story development
Signum University
Episode: 649: SilmFilm 8-04: Túrin's Story
Una McCormack
A published author known for her works in science fiction and fantasy, including novels in the Star Trek universe.
Author
Episode: 643: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 122
Una McCormick
Author of several TV and film novelizations
Episode: 642: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 121
Miriam Ellis
Artist and author of 'The Art of Mercy in Middle-Earth'
Solid Books
Episode: 635: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 114
Bradley Bethel
Director of the film 'Ranger of the North'
Signum University
Episode: 633: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 112
Ben Davis
Episode: 615: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 99
Anni Fosberg
Preceptor in the SPACE Program, specializing in anime modules.
Signum University
Episode: 607: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 94

Hosts

Corey Olsen
Host of The Tolkien Professor; educator affiliated with Signum University; long-running Tolkien-focused lecturer and project lead.
Maggie Parke
Co-host and educator involved in project planning; frequent collaborator on Tolkien-adjacent media discussions.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 744 ratings
  • Long overdue

    I’ve been listening to The Tolkien Professor for over 10 years now and have always appreciated his love for my favorite author and his careful analysis of his works and adaptations. Other Minds and Hands is no exception and I’ve enjoyed listening to these companion episodes alongside watching Rings of Power. Thanks for opening up Tolkien in a new way!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SButing
    United States8 months ago
  • Excellent in-depth analysis. If you're looking for opinions, go somewhere else, but if you want expert insight you're in the right place.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    ArtTheArt
    a year ago
  • So much content!

    My all-time favorite podcast. There are several shows here, all of them fantastic. I especially love the SilmFilm Project as well as Other Minds and Hands. I wasn’t a fan of Rings of Power but I have thoroughly enjoyed the thoughtful discourse on the show.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pricegouging
    United Statesa year ago
  • 100 stars

    Five stars is too few. His lectures on Tolkien are beyond awesome. How does this only have 200 ratings on iTunes?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    skarwer
    United Statesa year ago
  • Surprisingly entertaining

    “Other Minds and Hands” should be so boring. Can’t quite figure out why it isn’t.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Man of Cambridgeshire
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Mixed reception; some listeners find episodes overly dense or slow but many praise scholarly depth and clarity.
Valuable for fans who enjoy in-depth worldbuilding and adaptation planning.
Engaging, rigorous Tolkien analysis with thoughtful, long-form discussions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#231
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#163
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#174
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#112
Netherlands/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#149
Finland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#163
Sweden/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

607: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 94
Q: Are there stories in The Legendarium that would be really good in anime?
The Discovery of Gondolin stands out as an excellent candidate for an anime adaptation.
607: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 94
Q: Anni, what are some of the differences between an anime audience and a Western anime audience?
There's a greater expectation of fantastical elements and similarities to live-action films in Western audiences.
559: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 63
Q: What role does audience perception play in the adaptations?
Adaptations target different audience reactions, with modern interpretations often broadening the audience and expectations compared to the original works.
559: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 63
Q: How do the adaptations of Alice's Adventures differ from the originals?
The adaptations combine elements from both Alice books, often leading to a blending of characters and themes that can significantly alter the original narrative structure and intent.
579: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 75
Q: How different is an opera adaptation from other mediums?
Unlike film, operas rely predominantly on music to convey narrative, rather than visuals, requiring more emphasis on singing and choreography to keep audiences engaged.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Tolkien Professor

What is The Tolkien Professor about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A rigorous, lore-forward analysis show focused on Tolkien's works, adaptations, and related media projects. Episodes center on worldbuilding, narrative framing, and long-range planning for multi-season explorations (including Silmarillion-era projects and adaptation theory). The hosts trade in deep literary analysis, design discussions for frame stories, and meta-commentary on adaptation, production logistics, and community collaborations with Signum University. The format often features collaborative planning sessions, theoretical brainstorming, and consideration of audience engagement and education, making it attractive for academically inclined listeners and fans who enjoy detailed, concept-heavy discourse and long-form planning rather t... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Tolkien Professor?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Tolkien Professor:

1. The Prancing Pony Podcast
2. Mythgard's Exploring The Lord of the Rings
3. StarTalk Radio
4. Today's Tolkien Times
5. The Rest Is History

How many episodes of The Tolkien Professor are there?

The Tolkien Professor launched 8 years ago and published 666 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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What guests have appeared on The Tolkien Professor?

Recent guests on The Tolkien Professor include:

1. Marie Prosser
2. Olana Mushen
3. Ilana Mushen
4. Una McCormack
5. Una McCormick
6. Miriam Ellis
7. Bradley Bethel
8. Ben Davis

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