The Return Of The Thing

Beren And Lúthien 1: Boy Meets Girl

This week, we leave behind the hobbitry of the Third Age and consider one of the greatest of Tolkien's stories: Beren And Lúthien. How does this story help us understand all of the relationships in Tolkien's work, romantic and otherwise? Did we lose something essential when Tevildo became Sauron? You can find the video version of this podcast by clicking here [https://youtu.be/X_saZVbXlFc]; the slides are available by clicking here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1we6T53GxyWiMPtLZSggD1mylBMO5YRun/view?usp=sharing].  Show Notes: * Beren and Lúthien [https://bookshop.org/p/books/beren-and-l-thien-christopher-tolkien/ab53f4afc99de329?ean=9780063376403&next=t] * The Children of Hurin [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-children-of-h-rin-j-r-r-tolkien/33e2126986381724?ean=9780547086057&next=t] * The Fall Of Gondolin [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-fall-of-gondolin-j-r-r-tolkien/d3cc1382f83f3444?ean=9780358131458&next=t] * The Complete History of Middle-earth [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-complete-history-of-middle-earth-box-set-three-volumes-comprising-all-twelve-books-of-the-history-of-middle-earth-christopher-tolkien/09666d091481e04f?ean=9780358381747&next=t] * Stars And Swords [https://starsandswords.com/] Shire Reckoning is a Next Word [https://patreon.com/NextWord] production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord [https://patreon.com/nextword]. Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@ShireReckoningPod], Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/shirereckoningpod.bsky.social]and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shirereckoningpod/]. Music by Corvus [https://pixabay.com/users/theromancrow-42411874/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=194076] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=194076].

The Hobbit 22: Death By Comedic Misadventure

This week, we leave the Mountain and return to the Hill in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Is this film a good film? A good sequel? Does Jackson deliver on the promised conflicts? Is there a worse sequence than the goat-powered chariot ride? Show Notes: * The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014) [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2310332/] Shire Reckoning is a Next Word [https://patreon.com/NextWord] production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord [https://patreon.com/nextword]. Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@ShireReckoningPod], Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/shirereckoningpod.bsky.social]and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shirereckoningpod/]. Music by Corvus [https://pixabay.com/users/theromancrow-42411874/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=194076] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=194076].

The Hobbit 21: Cartoon Physics

This week, we battle some audio goblins to consider the complicated structure and style of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Is there an internal tension between the Fairy Tale and the Tolkien Lore? Can great performances save a film? Who needs convection anyway? The video version of this session is available by clicking here [https://youtu.be/BZLc_OBXVVA]; the slides are available for download by clicking here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RNhpPaISAvRkCk9hQviKAkgtb-Dt7IPE/view?usp=sharing]. Show Notes: * "We Bring You A Special Announcement" (YouTube) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMHh4L2626A&t=190s] * The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1170358/] Shire Reckoning is a Next Word [https://patreon.com/NextWord] production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord [https://patreon.com/nextword]. Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@ShireReckoningPod], Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/shirereckoningpod.bsky.social]and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shirereckoningpod/]. Music by Corvus [https://pixabay.com/users/theromancrow-42411874/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=194076] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=194076].

The Return Of The Thing

This week, we wake from our enchanted-stream slumber to catch up on the rumors of The Hunt For Gollum, craft a cozy meal or two in Tales From The Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game, and consider what makes Tolkien so difficult to adapt. The video version of this session is available by clicking here [https://youtu.be/9qd3PfRI5Co]; the slides are available for download by clicking here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XFKL2AKesGS7vu_R6M5t6FhV3c6k7R50/view?usp=sharing]. Show Notes: * The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32328070/] * Hunt for Gollum film Synopsis promises “New characters, returning heroes” (TheOneRing.Net) [https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2026/02/11/121517-hunt-for-gollum-film-synopsis-promises-new-characters-returning-heroes/] * ‘The Hunt For Gollum’: Philippa Boyens Says The ‘LOTR’ Brain Trust *Really* Wants Viggo Mortensen (Playlist) [https://theplaylist.net/the-hunt-for-gollum-philippa-boyens-says-the-lotr-brain-trust-really-wants-viggo-mortensen-20241204/] * Anya Taylor-Joy’s Rumored Lord of the Rings Casting Is 10/10 (Collider) [https://collider.com/anya-taylor-joy-lord-of-the-rings-hunt-for-gollum-arwen-rumor/] * Kate Winslet To Play Female Lead In Andy Serkis’ ‘LOTR: The Hunt For Gollum’ (Deadline) [https://deadline.com/2026/03/kate-winslet-lord-of-the-rings-hunt-for-gollum-andy-serkis-1236749998/] * Tales Of The Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game [https://www.talesoftheshire.com/] Shire Reckoning is a Next Word [https://patreon.com/NextWord] production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord [https://patreon.com/nextword]. Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@ShireReckoningPod], Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/shirereckoningpod.bsky.social]and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shirereckoningpod/]. Music by Corvus [https://pixabay.com/users/theromancrow-42411874/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=194076] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=194076].

The Hobbit 20: The Archetype Of The King's Hot Nephew

This week, we return from an unexpected hiatus to embark upon an unexpected journey -- specifically, Peter Jackson's 2012 movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey! What does the film get right? Does the production history explain some of the miss-steps? Does anyone need Gloin? The video version of this session is available by clicking here [https://youtu.be/leJjeT7Au80]; the slides are available for download by clicking here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ocBO1UdYi3sMi5zFgHC4k7hn-iAcKTcS/view?usp=sharing]. Show Notes: * Shire Reckoning Production Schedule [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Gw7hDb3XWMGDM1LiZ3yXxyWHPWQj46rAD9EQAXFhHKk/edit?usp=sharing] * The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903624/] Shire Reckoning is a Next Word [https://patreon.com/NextWord] production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord [https://patreon.com/nextword]. Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@ShireReckoningPod], Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/shirereckoningpod.bsky.social]and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shirereckoningpod/]. Music by Corvus [https://pixabay.com/users/theromancrow-42411874/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=194076] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=194076].