Where the Shadows Lie: A Rings of Power Podcast
An analytical, fannish space for all things Rings of Power, with Kat and Wren.
Join us as we delve into the world-building, art and design, and character development of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. On this podcast, you'll find in-depth discussions of both canon and original characters, meta analyses of the show's thematic choices, and thoughtful engagement with the series' transformational choices, which often build on and interrogate the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Most of all, we hope our discussions inspire your own interpretations of the show and deepen your experience of the series’ content and themes, all while appreciating the artisans, performers, and crew whose labor has made this return to Middle-earth possible.
Subscribe for notifications about our hiatus episodes, where we'll be taking deep dives into specific characters, themes, and aspects of the lore.
Episodes
19 episodes
Ep. 17: Discussing The Rings of Power, "Shadow and Flame"
After a spectacular penultimate episode, our expectations for the Season 2 finale were pretty high. And in our opinion—from the opening Balrog showdown, to Celebrimbor’s chilling final words, to the much anticipated Saurondriel confrontation—“S...
Ep. 16: Discussing The Rings of Power, "Doomed to Die"
What a moving episode of The Rings of Power. 2x07 "Doomed to Die" delivered in every way we were hoping and in some ways we weren't even expecting, from Charlotte Brändström's stunning battle direction to the excruciatingly beautiful emotional ...
Ep. 15: Discussing The Rings of Power, "Where Is He?"
We don't want to brag, but this might be our highest level episode of the podcast yet. Rings of Power 2x06 "Where is He?" still has us thinking of analysis we want to add. But it's good we can't, because this episode is almost 2 hours long!&nbs...
Ep. 14: Discussing The Rings of Power, "Halls of Stone"
What a powerhouse episode of The Rings of Power! Season 2, Episode 5, "Halls of Stone," is definitely ramping up this season's plot, and in our podcast conversation, we dive into all of it, from the escalation of the Dwarven plotline by means o...
Ep. 13: Discussing The Rings of Power, "Eldest"
We're already at the midpoint of the season! Rings of Power 2x04, “Eldest,” provided some of the most Tolkienian moments in the series so far. This week, Kat supplies Isildur's Tragic Lore Dump, Wren gets so excited about Arondir she speaks at ...
Ep. 12: Discussing The Rings of Power, "The Eagle and The Sceptre"
We've got a lot to gab about from Episode 3 of The Rings of Power Season 2. "The Eagle and the Sceptre" was chock-full of stellar character moments, from Miriel and the Númenóreans to the Middle-Earth Monster Slayers. We're so excited about the...
Ep. 11: Discussing The Rings of Power, "Where the Stars are Strange"
We're continuing our discussion on the first three episodes of Season Two with Episode 2.02: "Where the Stars are Strange." In this podcast ep, we get deep about our love for Disa, dive more into the overarching themes of the show and how they ...
Ep. 10: Discussing The Rings of Power, "Elven Kings Under the Sky"
We're so back, baby! The first three episodes of The Rings of Power Season Two are now out on Prime Video, and we're diving into each one with our usual passion and obsessive detail. In this episode, we discuss the Season premiere, the wild rev...
Ep. 9: Season 2 Speculation
In this episode, we analyze all the released promos, cast panels, and behind-the-scenes featurettes to try to parse what we might be in for in Season 2. Please note, this episode was recorded on August 1st, so we don't include every up-to-date ...
Ep. 8: Discussing "Alloyed"
In our final wrap-up episode of Season One, we don't hold back. We usually try to keep our episodes under an hour, but this is an unapologetic hour and a half as we discuss season finale wins and losses. Which moments made us cry the most? What...
Ep. 7: "The Eye"
In this week's episode, we look deep into "The Eye." Join us as we discuss the traumatic aftermath of the creation of Mordor, give our thoughts on the Celeborn discourse, and proclaim our undying love for Cynthia Addai-Robinson's Miriel.
Ep. 6: Discussing "Udûn"
In this episode, we go deep into the spectacle of “Udûn.” Tune in to hear our takes on the climactic battle of the season, our favorite moments from Galadriel, Adar, Elendil, and Aronwyn, and why this episode nearly ended Wren’s life.
Ep. 5: Discussing "Partings"
In this episode, we get a little emotional about "Partings." Join us as we discuss some epic soundtrack moments, the Isildur of it all, and the problem with Waldreg. Heads up: the audio quality for this episode is not ideal. We were still figur...
Bonus Episode: Casting Announcements!
BONUS EPISODE! For our very first special episode, we discuss recent casting announcements! Listen to the ep, then send us your new character hopes, dreams, and theories for Season 2—we’d love to hear from you!
Ep. 4: Discussing "The Great Wave"
In this week's episode, we meet "The Great Wave." Tune in as we discuss The Power of Disa, the “elf workers are taking our jobs” controversy, and our appreciation for this new interpretation of Middle Earth Orcs.
Ep. 3: Discussing "Adar"
In this week's episode, we dig deep into "Adar." Join us as we discuss our favorite Númenórean moments, weep over Arondir, and explain why we think the Harfoots having a complex culture is good, actually.
Ep. 2: Discussing "Adrift"
Join our table as we discuss The Rings of Power Episode 2: "Adrift." In this week's episode, we fangirl over The Wyrm, chat about the culture of Khazad-dûm, and explain why we prefer our elves a little stupid.
Ep. 1: Discussing "A Shadow of the Past"
In our first full episode, we discuss the pilot of The Rings of Power, "A Shadow of the Past," including our favorite character moments, the Big Scenes, and why we think people whining about short-haired elves are boring.
Ep. 0: Introduction and Roadmap
In this introductory episode, we briefly introduce your hosts, Kat and Wren, explain our interest in The Rings of Power and the Tolkien fandom in general, and tell you what we're planning to do (and what we're NOT planning to do) on this podcas...