Dittoed. As long as Thot comes with it. 'Cause having him there via Twitter just ain’t gonna cut it this time.
No, I’m going. I’m just not gonna see the same people again cause…I didn’t see them the first time. neh?
My brain hurts.
Mook logic. Very dangerous.
Sigh. Come on that makes sense.
Great cast as always, guys! Loved the interviews with Miracle Laurie (I’m so sad for the end of Dollhouse, but excited to see the ending :D) and The Tolkein Professor (It was fun to get insights from someone so enthusiastic about his passion!).
I was not introduced to LOTR until I was in college, but I devoured it. (I really don’t know how I missed it up to that point) and didn’t read the Hobbit until after LOTR. I loved the epic scope, the sense of grandeur, the depth of character. One thing that really struck me, which has thankfully become more prevalent in fantasy/sci-fi, was that every hero had flaws, and even some of the scoundrels had a redeeming moment.
Indeed. I think Mercury Shadow and I had this very conversation with our own Chipmook recently on twitter. 
Great podcast. Started listening on Sunday when I went for a jog looking forward to some good Tolkein discussion. However, in classic GWC style I was able to get back after 4 miles with out a peep about LOTR. 
Well, it just made the work go by faster once I continued the podcast on Monday.
Really loved the discussion with the Tolkein professor. Very nice insights about the differences in the modern vs mid-evil Europe outlook.
It feels so appropriate to talk LOTR this time of year because I always associate it with the winter and holidays. During gradschool I would often listen to the tapes of the NPR radio drama on my drive to the parents for Thanksgiving and winter breaks. Then when the movies came out we’d see each multiple times over the Christmas/New Years week. Looking forward to the next two weeks!
FWIW, over the last few months we’ve moved from devoting a single podcast entirely to one subject to splitting them up a bit. It’s helped a lot in a couple of ways: Besides giving those who’re not a fan of the current community arc (whatever it may be at the time) and arc fans something to enjoy, it gives us the opportunity to cover a lot of material that in the past just slipped by – like new show/movie/literature/comic releases and various other stuff that we’re really into at the time.
And we’ve been having a lot of fun with the news recently, especially since Juan created the cool little intro for us. It’s great to be able to discuss current happenings.
JuanDrew news theme rocks!
so say we all!! 
I’ve watched the movie, read the books (and then some), and listened to Corey Olsen’s podcasts… but I’m still confused :
what’s the difference between Orcs (Uruks) and Goblins? 
Seems the terms are used fairly interchangeably in Tolkien’s universe, with Saruman’s Uruk-hai being a breed more like men in proportion than the rest.
Personally Ive always called the smaller ones goblins and the larger ones orcs.
Me too. In the Hobbit, correct me if I’m wrong, he referred to the little ones as goblins ALMOST exclusively. With the Goblin King too. So those are goblins. Men size ones are Orcs and Saruman’s elite troops are Uruk-hai
Nice solo flight by Audra. Talkin’ up the literature!
Audra,
That interview with the Tolkein Professor was one of my all time fav GWC interviews.
(Not that I don’t enjoy all of Chuck’s interviews too—this is just a subject matter that grabs me.)
I’m enough of a Tolikein fan so that I could easily follow him when he talked about Manwe and Valar, the Elven languages. Somewhere up in a box in my attic is my “Languages of Middle Earth Dictionary” which translates words from Quenya, Sindarian and the Dwarven language. Great stuff.
So say we all!
Love the new intro and the news intro. Great podcast, especially enjoyed Audra’s interview with the Professor about Tolkien’s writing.
I could be totally misremembering, but weren’t the Uruk-hai created because Orcs couldn’t travel in daylight (among other reasons)? I imagine it cramps one’s sinister style if your minions can only work between dusk and dawn.
And didn’t the Orcs used to be Elves way back when?
i have to say the cursive tengwar is one of the most beautiful writings i have ever seen.
I believe during one of Lee’s monologues he mentions that orcs were corrupted elves…