The Lorehounds

Eight bells toll in the Widow's Bay season 1 finale – setting Elysia, Mark (Nevermind the Music), and Lisa (Into the West) off on an investigation to uncover what they mean. Sifting through the heart, horrors, and humor of the second half of the season, they piece together the emerging mythology of the island's many secrets through lore teases and key character moments.

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John is joined by Marilyn R. Pukkila to discuss the second part of Of Túrin Turambar, the twenty-fifth portion of The Silmarillion. They discuss classical heroes, the grimdark present in Tolkien's writings, and how a character gets in their own way.

Marilyn's Website

Marilyn R. Pukkila, Research & Instruction Librarian Emerita, Colby College

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Deep lore questions, comments and/or thoughts to share? Send us an email at lotr@thelorehounds.com

Any opinions stated are ours personally a...

David and Elysia work through their own and the community's mixed-but-leaning-positive feelings about Steven Spielberg's new alien-focused movie Disclosure Day (currently in theaters). They get into the greatest cinematic moments, the cast and performance(s) they loved best, and (yes) the lore holes nagging at them after the fact – and why this film is worth seeing in theaters, and even if it engages the heart more than your critical thinking skills.

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Jean and Elysia talk the good, the great, and the even better of the recently released first season (of, they hope, more) of Spider-Noir on Amazon Prime. They talk about the multiversal source of this Film Noir flavor of Spider-Man, here going by the name Ben Reilly – one of the many decisions that diverge this version of the 1930's New York webslinger from his comics inspiration and appearance in the animated Spider-Verse films.

After a spoiler-free overview of the show and why you should watch it, they talk through all the important characters, their relationships and motivations, ho...

Elysia and John follow Lestat through an Oedepiphany of epic proportions. They watch young Lestat grow up into a wolf killer before becoming a rock star who can troll his band into submission. They also discuss the implications of the Talamasca's involvement and the absence of Armand.

Stick around after the credits for a book spoiler Inside the Coffin segment.

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David, Lisa, and Bryan conclude their Gene Hackman coverage with a deep dive into The Conversation, Francis Ford Coppola's 1974 psychological thriller and the film chosen by community vote. The trio explores Gene Hackman's portrayal of Harry Caul, a surveillance expert whose paranoia, guilt, and isolation unravel him as he becomes convinced his latest recording may lead to a murder. The conversation covers the film's remarkable production history as Coppola's decade-long passion project made between the two Godfather films, its uncanny resonance with the Watergate scandal, and the contributions of editor and sound designer Walter Murch and composer David Shire...

Interview with the Vampire is back - or maybe over. The story continues with Lestat beginning his journey as a rock star. Elysia and John are here to follow the tour and unveil the mysteries of Lestat's past.

Stick around after the credits for a book spoiler Inside the Coffin segment.

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Questions or comments? Send emails to: askdan@thelorehounds.com

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Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or...

David, Elysia, and Jean reunite to kick off their season three coverage of House of the Dragon, outlining what listeners can expect from the pod as the Dance of Dragons reaches its most explosive chapter yet. The team walks through their hosting lineup, with Elysia stepping in to lead episodes one and two while David is away and Jean on board as second chair for the full season, before David returns from episode three onward. Episodes will drop Tuesdays to Wednesdays at the latest each week, with a curated Notion show guide available for listeners who want character and...

David and Elysia venture into the Horror Hounds to discuss Backrooms (2026), A24's creepypasta-turned-feature film directed by Kane Parsons and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve. They trace the film's remarkable origin — from an anonymous 2019 post on 4chan to Kane Pixels' three-year YouTube web series — and unpack how a 19-year-old first-time director delivered a confident, visually stunning film on a $10M budget with a 14X box office return. The conversation digs into the film's rich thematic layers, including the backrooms as a Jungian mirror of shared anxiety and mental illness, the AI-as-mimicry subtext, the literary connection to Charlotte Perkins Gilm...

Part spin-off series following a new voice and perspective, part season 3 of AMC's Interview with the Vampire, all The Vampire Lestat. John and Elysia get together to discuss their favorite fanged villains and antiheroes ahead of the new season – opening with a (mostly) spoiler-free discussion of why those who haven't should tune into the first two seasons, before launching into their dive into the new season: what we know so far, the characters, the music, and awards for the vamps most likely to do anything from stand you up for a date to fall for an internet scam.

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Elysia and John continue the journey of the galaxy's favorite father and son in The Mandalorian and Grogu. They catch up with the New Republic before meeting Hutts of various sizes, watching stop motion and puppetry showcases, and overall having a fun, standalone adventure.

Contact Us Questions or comments? Send emails to: starwars@thelorehounds.com

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John drops in for cocktail hour before Mark, Lisa, and Elysia make a meal of all the lore-building and juicy character moments in the first five episode of Widow's Bay on Apple TV – also laying out what the many teases and blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments might mean for the rest of this season (and beyond?).

This episode begins with spoiler-free reactions to the show so far before beginning our spoiler discussion.

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Jean, Luke, and Elysia check in on the good, the could-be-better, and the absolute Red-Band of the 2026 Marvel Special Presentation The Punisher: One Last Kill on Disney+. Their conversation is dotted with discussions of grief, target audiences, the comic-book inspiration, and the future of this character and the rest of the MCU (with important opinions about movie-theater seating thrown in for good measure).

Daredevil: Born Again coverage:

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John, Elysia, and Marilyn follow Ryan Gosling to the far reaches of space to save humankind from destruction. They discuss the impressive puppetry and visuals, the hopepunk core of the film, and the parallels to other sci-fi worlds.

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Send your questions and feedback to lorehounds@thelorehounds.com.

Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

David is joined by Nichole from Nevermind the Music, John from the Dune Minute Podcast, and Ian from Captain's Pod: A Star Trek Companion for a full-spoiler season wrap-up of The Pitt Season 2.

The panel works through the season's central argument: that Season 2 is a fifteen-hour indictment of what the American healthcare system does to the people inside it, told not through one catastrophic event but through the slow grind of a single ordinary shift. The conversation covers the Robby problem and his pattern of hot-and-cold behavior, individual patients as vessels for systemic critique, Langdon's recovery arc...

Jean, Luke, and Elysia are back to wrap up their discussion of Daredevil: Born Again season 2 with an analysis of episodes 5 through 8, and plenty of speculation of where this story will go in season 3, not to mention the Punisher special presentation next week and everything else going on in the MCU this year or next.

They're asking the important questions, from who is the least empathetic character on this show to when we will get the Buck–Pretty Woman crossover of Elysia's dreams. Plus, tips on the most essential comics to read to prepare for the next pa...

David sits down with Dr. Amy H. Sturgis, professor of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Gothic literature at Signum University and a contributor to the Hugo Award-winning podcast StarShipSofa, for a wide-ranging conversation about Star Trek, Star Wars, and the stories we need.

They explore why both franchises have retained such fierce cultural grip across generations, unpacking the co-creative tradition that has defined Star Trek fandom, the danger of nostalgic and entitled fandoms, and the distinct but complementary ways the two franchises ask us to think about power, agency, and the future. The conversation also touches on Amy's...

David, Jean, and Bryan close out the first season of Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord with a finale that earns a standing ovation from the entire team. The conversation opens with reactions to a season they rank among the best Star Wars storytelling ever produced, animated or live action, before diving into full-spoiler discussion of both episodes. The team explores the shifting alliances and escalating power dynamics of the finale, Daki's complete character arc and the respect he ultimately earns, and the question of whether Devon's final choice is truly her own or the product of masterful manipulation...

Elysia and John meet new friends and foes in the island-hoping second half of Season 2 of One Piece.

Contact Us Questions or comments? Send emails to: onepiece@thelorehounds.com

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Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong...

David, Jean, and Bryan continue their weekly coverage of Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord with a pair of episodes that push the series into its darkest territory yet. The conversation explores Rylee's capture and interrogation by the 11th Brother, the team's growing suspicion that Rylee has been compromised, and the broader question of whether Devon can straddle the line between light and dark without falling to either side. Two Boots' arc takes center stage as the droid's loss of identity sparks a reckoning with what the Empire truly represents, leading to one of the most layered character turns...

David, Lisa, and Bryan are joined by Tolkien scholar Marilyn R. Pukkila for a special episode exploring the meaning behind the podcast's name and the deep cultural associations between the West and human mortality. The conversation traces how civilizations from the ancient Egyptians and Greeks to the Maori, the Celts, and the indigenous Wabanaki have connected the setting sun with death, transition, and what lies beyond. Marilyn draws on John Garth's research into how the phrase "going West" entered the English lexicon through Celtic-speaking soldiers in the trenches of World War I and became a foundational element in Tolkien's...

David, Jean, and Bryan return for the third week of Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord as the stakes reach a new level with the arrival of the Empire on Janix. The team digs into Daki's frustrating decision-making, Two Boots' uncertain loyalties under Imperial occupation, and the chilling introduction of Inquisitor Marrok as he takes over the investigation. Elysia sends in an extensive lore bomb on the history of the Inquisitors alongside her fresh takes. The conversation highlights Maul's stunning lightsaber forms practice, the horror-tinged pacing of episode six's chase and train fight sequences, Devon's resilience against a far...

David is joined by Tansy Gardam, host of the acclaimed Going Rogue podcast, and Asher Elbein, journalist and co-creator of the newsletter and website Heat Death, for a deep dive into the Jurassic film franchise — all seven films across 32 years. The conversation spans the paleontological promise of the original Park trilogy, the stagnation and franchise anxiety of the Jurassic World era, and the ways mega-franchise pipeline thinking has constrained the series' creative evolution.

Asher brings his background as a science journalist to examine how Hollywood arrested popular dinosaur science in amber while the real field moved on, an...

David and John discuss preeclampsia, wild births, epilepsy, toxic workplaces, and more in the season 2 finale of The Pitt.

Podcast Referenced by David: Encore: What I learnt about Australia as an Outback GP

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David, Jean, and Bryan dive into the second week of Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord with a discussion that also features comm links from Elysia covering her fresh takes, comics connections, and a lore report on the Pyke Syndicate. The conversation centers on Maul's mesmerizing tea ceremony with Devon, a scene the team calls one of the best in any Star Wars property, and the cat-and-mouse dynamic that follows as Maul tests Devon's resolve, her ability to learn, and her untapped power. The team also explores the Lawson and Two Boots partnership, the noir-inflected policing storyline, the stunning...

David and John recap the darkness before the light in the penultimate episode of Season 2 of The Pitt.

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...

Jean, Elysia, and Luke are back to argue the finer points on what makes one murderer worse than another, what a villain's selection of cages says about them, and which romances are likely to be DOA in this mid-season check-in discussing the first four episodes of Daredevil: Born Again season 2 – "The Northern Star," "Shoot the Moon," "The Scales & The Sword," and "Gloves Off."

Last season's coverage:

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Elysia is joined by Lisa to spill all the tea on everything that went down in Kristoffer Borgli's The Drama (2026). After giving their spoiler-free takes and general thoughts on the power of dark humor to unlock uncomfortable discussions, they talk about the film's opening sequence (00:21:14) without spoiling the twist, and then finally launch into a full-spoiler discussion of the rest of the film (00:37:40).

Warning: This film (and thus this podcast episode) will not be for everyone. Heed the (spoiler-free, and then later spoiler-filled) content warnings within.

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David and Elysia dive into Shakespeare's Hamlet, opening with a discussion of the play itself and some of the most classic film and stage adaptations, not to mention the whole sub-genre of films loosely adapting and referencing the Bard's longest work.

With that foundation laid, they turn their attention to the new adaptation starring Riz Ahmed, directed by Aneil Karia, that debuted at Telluride last year and is opening in theaters across North America today, April 10. How faithful is this new incarnation of the story, set in London's Asian community in the modern day? And what does...

David, John, and Jean kick off their weekly coverage of Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord with a discussion of the two-episode premiere. A quick note — we had some technical issues with our usual recording setup this week, so the audio quality isn't up to our normal standards, but the conversation is very much worth the listen. The team breaks down Maul's opening moves to reignite a syndicate war on Janix, the introduction of Devon Izara and her Jedi Master Daki in hiding, and Detective Brander Lawson's noir-tinged investigation into the chaos Maul is unleashing. The conversation explores the sh...

David and John discuss the unraveling of Robby, the humbling of Ogilvie, and shredder placement.

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David is joined by Jon and Elysia for the season preview of Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, the new animated series created by Dave Filoni and Matt Michnovetz.

The conversation is structured in tiers, starting spoiler-free with release details and coverage plans before moving into light story and production context, and finally diving deep into Maul's full backstory and the crime syndicates of the Star Wars underworld.

Elysia provides extensive lore context on Maul's journey from Dathomir through The Clone Wars to his post-Order 66 status, while the team discusses the show's potential as a...

David sits down with Sarah, a longtime Lorehounds listener and ICU nurse with over two decades of experience in trauma care at teaching hospitals. The conversation explores the authenticity of The Pitt's depiction of emergency medicine, why Ogilvy's first-day cockiness is more common than viewers might think, and how addiction storylines among healthcare professionals ring surprisingly true. Sarah explains the hierarchy of nursing roles, why teaching hospitals need far more than two attendings on duty, and how watching The Pitt provides an unexpected emotional outlet for feelings nurses must suppress during shifts.

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Elysia and Riley kneel at the alter of Ralph Fiennes' Iron Maiden, discuss why Jimmy Crystal is scarier than Sinners' vampire Remmick, and glean hope from this film's not-so-hidden messages of humanity, sacrifice, and teasings of radical forgiveness in the second film in the game-changing 28 Years Later zoombie trilogy.

Previous coverage: 28 Days & Weeks Later (subscribers) & 28 Years Later (2025)

Find Riley online: YouTube – Bluesky

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Send your questions and feedback to lorehounds@thelorehounds.com.

Any o...

David and John talk crime coverups and funding cuts in this episode of The Pitt.

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John and Elysia set sail on the East Blue and recap One Piece Season 1 before the live action Season 2 premieres on March 10. They discuss the Hope-Punk of Luffy, the theme of found family, and the absurdity of the production.

Contact Us Questions or comments? Send emails to: onepiece@thelorehounds.com

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...

Dune Storyverse Check-In w/Zach & John from Dune Minute Podcast

David sits down with Zach and John from the Dune Minute Podcast for a wide-ranging check-in on the state of the Dune storyverse. The conversation covers Dune Minute's current coverage of the Sci-Fi Channel miniseries, the latest on Dune: Prophecy season two production, and their spoiler-filled first reactions to the Dune: Part Three teaser trailer — including speculation on the mysterious casket, Anya Taylor-Joy's casting as Alia, the Stoneburner, and whether Denis Villeneuve is pulling from Brian Herbert's expanded novels.

Movies by Minutes: https://moviesbyminutes.com/

David is joined by community members Lisa and Bryan to launch Into the West, a new show on The Lorehounds Network dedicated to celebrating the careers of filmmakers and actors who have passed on. In this inaugural episode, the trio explores the life and legacy of Gene Hackman, from his Depression-era roots and early breakthrough in Bonnie and Clyde through his defining role in the New Hollywood movement with The French Connection and The Conversation to later triumphs like Hoosiers, Mississippi Burning, Unforgiven, and The Royal Tenenbaums. Lisa and Bryan share personal memories of growing up with Hackman's films...

David analyzes an intense episode of the Pitt. John complains about Ogilvie.

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Contact Us Questions or comments? Send emails to: lorehounds@thelorehounds.com

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David joins Elysia for their now traditional Oscars' season wrap! After talking through the highs and lows of the show itself, they share their own rankings of the Best Picture nominees, and discuss where some other high-profile awards-season snubs and other nominees would fit into that list.

Links discussed:

Conan O’Brien’s Aunt Gladys opening

It’s a tie! Watch “The Singers” (Netflix) & ”Two People Exchanging Saliva” (YouTube)

Doug Orleans’s Best Pic...