Exploring Tolkien

Exploring Tolkien is a weekly show that dives deep into JRR Tolkien and all the ages of Middle-earth. Jonathan Watson and Michael Grumbine are your hosts as they read through Tolkien’s works, interview other Tolkien enthusiasts and authors, and criticall

Listen to latest episode

Exploring Tolkien Cover Art

Follow Our Podcast

Recent Episodes

143. Playing Tales of the Shire So You Don’t Have To

Posted August 7, 2025

The new game, Tales of the Shire was released last month after numerous delays… so, I took a bullet for the team and bought the game.  I livestreamed...

142. Size Matters to Every Dragon – The Hobbit #28

Posted July 22, 2025

Bilbo finally becomes a real burglar in this chapter, venturing alone into the heart of the Lonely Mountain as Thorin and company are once...

141. An Interview with Elijah Wood

Posted July 11, 2025

Here’s the next episode in our series of interviews from the December 2, 2003 roundtable discussions! In this interview–just before The Return of...

140. Into the Mountain’s Throat – The Hobbit #27

Posted June 24, 2025

Erebor’s secret door: clever storytelling or a bit too convenient? In this episode, we discuss one of The Hobbit’s quieter chapters, where Bilbo...

139. The Problem with Thorin – The Hobbit #26

Posted June 10, 202500:46:15

As Thorin and company finally reach the Lonely Mountain, reality sets in—and it doesn’t smell so pleasant. We examine Tolkien’s skillful prose...