Beyond the Brandywine

<p >Everyone knows Smaug — but what if the most important dragon in Middle-earth never appears in The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings? In this episode, Angela and Kelsey travel back to the First Age to meet Glaurung...

<p>In this episode, hosts Angela and Kelsey imagine an alternate Middle-earth in which the Fellowship stays together on the way to Mount Doom and debate the likely order each member would succumb to the One Ring. They...

<p>Hosts Angela and Kelsey continue their dive into Gollum’s journey — from his simpler Hobbit-era appearance in The Hobbit to the darker, rewritten Gollum of The Lord of the Rings — using Tolkien’s revisions and...

<p>Hosts Angela and Kelsey take listeners on a romp through the many adaptations of Gollum — from the bizarre 1966 animated Hobbit to 1970s–80s cartoons, the influential 1981 BBC radio portrayal, Soviet and Finnish...

<p>In this episode, hosts Angela and Kelsey explore how music weaves through every layer of Middle-earth—from the cosmic creation of the Ainulindalë to hobbits singing in the Shire. They discuss how Tolkien uses song as...

<p>In this episode, hosts Angela and Kelsey explore the overlooked topic of illness in Middle‑earth—everything from Bilbo’s little cold to the Great Plague, Morgul‑wounds and the Black Breath, dragon‑sickness, and the...

<p>Back from the holiday break, Angela and Kelsey take a playful, lore‑rich tour of Middle‑earth’s worst jobs. Ever wonder what it would be like to be a hobbit postman, or survive the deadly the mountain patrols past...

<p>Hosts Angela and Kelsey explore a playful yet puzzling question: are animals in the Shire hobbit-sized or normal-sized? They sift through Tolkien's text, movie visuals, and whimsical speculation—covering cows, sheep...

<p>Hosts Angela and Kelsey wander through the scariest corners of Middle-earth, focusing on First‑Age horrors such as Utumno, the deep, nameless things linked to Moria, Nan Dungortheb (the Valley of Dreadful Death)...

<p>Angela and Kelsey go full-spooky for October and tour the creepiest corners of Middle-earth — from the bone-chilling Barrow-downs and the ghostly Dead Marshes to the Paths of the Dead, Shelob’s lair, and the...

<p>Hosts Kelsey and Angela debate where they would actually live in Middle-earth if they had to move there for real. They weigh geography, culture, safety, and lifestyle—covering places like Lindon, the Shire...

<p>Hosts Angela and Kelsey wander the kitchens and lore of Middle-earth, tasting the ideas behind lembas, cram, and Beorn's famous honeycakes. They discuss who makes each dish, what they might taste like, and the role...

<p>In the first episode of Beyond the Brandywine, hosts Angela and Kelsey introduce themselves and explore some of Tolkien's strangest and most intriguing lore.</p> <p>They discuss Tom Bombadil's mystery, the roaming...

<p>New - coming 22 September 2025! Join hosts Angela and Kelsey on Beyond the Brandywine, a cozy and curious podcast exploring the stories and oddities of Middle-Earth. Join them as they share personal stories, nerdy...

<p>New - coming 22 September 2025! Join hosts Angela and Kelsey on Beyond the Brandywine, a cozy and curious podcast exploring the stories and oddities of Middle-Earth.</p> <p>They laugh over strange lore, follow...