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Artwork for Exploring Tolkien

Exploring Tolkien

TheOneRing.com
The Hobbit
Tolkien
Middle-Earth
The Rings Of Power
Bilbo Baggins
Rings Of Power
Smaug
The Lord Of the Rings
Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien
Celebrimbor
Elrond
Gollum
Riddles In the Dark
Sauron
Gil-Galad
Eregion
Tales Of the Shire
Lord Of the Rings
Peter Jackson

The bi-weekly podcast for serious Tolkien fans. Hosts Jonathan Watson and Michael Grumbine of TheOneRing.com (the internet’s longest Tolkien community since 1999) read through The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and every Age of Middle-earth — chapter by chapter. Plus conversations with artists, creators, and scholars–and honest commentary on what Hollywood keeps getting wrong abo... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes170Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Entertainment NewsNewsBooksArts

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Artwork for Exploring Tolkien

Latest Episodes

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exclusives!

Is evil REALLY in control? Tolkien pursues this in this chapter–for the first and only time Morgoth reveals himself in a long disc... more

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exlcusives!

This is my favorite interview from the December 2, 2003 roundtable discussions for The Return of the King! Bernard Hill was such a... more

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exlcusives!

“Day shall come again”–but for now, it’s the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. In this episode, we walk through Chapter 2 of The Childre... more

YouTube

Get the Exploring Tolkien App to listen to every episode, a Tolkien calendar, the latest news, and member exlcusives!

Turin’s tragic journey starts here. In this episode, we examine the opening chapter of The Children of Húrin, exploring the founda... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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

Bernard Hill
Actor known for portraying Théoden in The Lord of the Rings films
Actor
Episode: 165. An Interview with Bernard Hill (Théoden)
Sean Astin
Actor known for Samwise Gamgee, Lord of the Rings
Actor
Episode: 158. An Interview with Sean Astin (Sam Gamgee)
Austin Robertson
Voice actor who performed Tolkien readings and contributed to Tolkien-related media
Episode: 153. The Christmas Eucatastrophe (and is The Lord of the Rings a Christmas movie?)
Elijah Wood
Actor known for his role as Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Episode: 141. An Interview with Elijah Wood

Hosts

Jonathan Watson
Host of Exploring Tolkien, co-founder of TheOneRing.com, with a background in Tolkien scholarship and community-building in online fandoms.
Michael Grumbine
Host from Exploring Tolkien; co-host of TheOneRing.com discussions, with a focus on lore and reader engagement.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 85 ratings
  • Quality decline

    Production quality has suffered, making it difficult to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Conchobar Schmidt
    United States2 years ago
  • Become a Member!

    Fell into this podcast a couple months ago after the glowing review of the greatest show ever made, episode aired early April. This episode started my journey to binge every single podcast episode. I became a member and have greatly enjoyed my experience with the extra content and joining a new community of Tolkien enjoyers.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LerTy14
    United States2 years ago
  • If You Like Tolkien

    Best podcast to both escape into fantasy worlds and explore philosophy most applicable for today. No longer a freeloader. Definitely worth the $4.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    someone else took my name
    United States2 years ago
  • Great podcast for Tolkien lovers

    I enjoy listening to you guys talking about your love of all things Tolkien

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JohnTuttleIII
    United States2 years ago
  • Phenomenal.

    In a world that seems intent on subverting Tolkien’s stories, it’s incredibly refreshing to hear Michael, Jonathan and Dan appreciate Tolkien’s world for what it is, without imposing their own world views on it. I’ve never heard anyone delve so deeply into Tolkien’s universe: a must-listen-to if you’re a real Tolkien fan!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    fdfhcfgg
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Great for newcomers and long-time fans alike; community features add value.
Guests and hosts are knowledgeable and respectful.
Listeners praise deep Tolkien lore and balanced critique.
Some reviews note strong Christian perspective but still find analysis insightful.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#46
Belgium/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#139
Belgium/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

165. An Interview with Bernard Hill (Théoden)
Q: What is your Shire? Where is there a moment in time or a place you would love to get back to or move forward to going?
He references his farm in Suffolk as a personal Shire, a place of happiness and home, and explains how it grounds him away from filming pressures.
158. An Interview with Sean Astin (Sam Gamgee)
Q: You know, what's it done for your career overall?
Astin describes how the Lord of the Rings experience opened doors, increased visibility, and created opportunities, while also noting how the cast and peak production period influenced subsequent projects and perception in the industry.
146. Smaug’s Hydrophobia – The Hobbit #31
Q: What was your experience when Bard was introduced in the story?
Hosts describe their surprise at Bard's sudden introduction, reflecting on their childhood impressions that he seemed to come out of nowhere as a hero.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Exploring Tolkien

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

A rigorous, chapter-by-chapter deep dive into Tolkien's legendarium, with emphasis on lore, language, and literary analysis. Listeners can expect thoughtful discussions on editing choices, mythic structures, and how adaptations influence perception, alongside occasional news bits, map talk, and cross-references to related works. The show stands out for its scholarly yet accessible tone, long-running format, and active community features that invite participation from both newcomers and seasoned readers alike.

Where can I find podcast stats for Exploring Tolkien?

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How many listeners does Exploring Tolkien get?

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What are the audience demographics for Exploring Tolkien?

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How many subscribers and views does Exploring Tolkien have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Exploring Tolkien has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Exploring Tolkien?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Exploring Tolkien:

1. The Prancing Pony Podcast
2. The Ancients
3. Chesterton's Gateway
4. No Dumb Questions
5. The Briefing with Albert Mohler

How many episodes of Exploring Tolkien are there?

Exploring Tolkien launched 4 years ago and published 170 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Exploring Tolkien?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Exploring Tolkien?

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What guests have appeared on Exploring Tolkien?

Recent guests on Exploring Tolkien include:

1. Bernard Hill
2. Sean Astin
3. Austin Robertson
4. Elijah Wood

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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