Mugglecast: The Harry Potter Podcast

This week, just let it all out! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they listen in to Harry unloading on his best friends and get the latest Order of the Phoenix goss. But be sure to tiptoe down the hall quietly because we don’t want to wake up any maniacal pureblood portraits! BIG NEWS! The MuggleCast Merch Store is now open! Grab brand-new, original MuggleCast designs. We have t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, and we’ll be rolling out more in the months ahead! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 4: Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 436 and Episode 229! Foreshadow Alert: Grim-Old-Place, "house of a dying person"... OH NO, SIRIUS! We break down Harry, Ron and Hermione's reunion with a fun new edition of "Horcrux or Harry?" The hosts try their hands at impersonating ALL CAPS HARRY! One host is SCARY good! Does Harry feel better about being left in the dark after learning w

In our second What the Hype?! on Heartstopper, the hosts react to season 3 of the Netflix graphic novel-to-TV series! We look at Heartstopper's character development, how the show has matured, and its balance between happiness and realism in LGBTQ storytelling. Plus, we look at when to expect Heartstopper Season 4 / Graphic Novel 6, the series' evolving soundtrack (Has it gotten too mainstream?) and make recommendations for another queer books and shows now that Heartstopper is over for a while. Check out Part 1 of our What the Hype?! Heartstopper coverage! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode, Harry is rude to his owl. Then someone breaks into his home. It's very exciting to be leaving Privet Drive! Join us for a chapter of highs and lows as Chapter-by-Chapter covers Chapter 3 of "Order of the Phoenix," and the hosts as well as Slug Club member Katie discuss the recent passing of Maggie Smith, take answers from our Lynx Line, and generally have a nice time as usual. Welcome to our Slug Club guest Katie! The hosts reflect on the amazing life of Dame Maggie Smith, who has passed away. Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 3: The Advance Guard. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 435 and Episode 229! Harry interrupts Hedwig’s dinner. Is this one step too far on making his friends’ lives miserable? Andrew loves Harry’s plan to ensure his friends give him answers, but it may remind us all of Professor Umbridge. Does the delay between the last chapter and the night the Advance Guar

Grab your pitch forks because in this episode of What the Hype?!, we're looking at why Banned Books deserve ALL the attention! We discuss the significance of Banned Books Week, explore the reasons behind book censorship and its impact on youth, identity, and society. We share our own personal experiences with censorship, and review the top challenged books of 2023, and how things are trending for Banned Books in 2024. Report censorship by visiting this page on the ALA's website, and visit UniteAgainstBookBans.org to join the fight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode, we learn things are never as they appear to be as Ms. Figg reveals herself as a Dumbledore informant and Petunia recalls her last correspondence with the Wizarding World! Plus, there are owls... EVERYWHERE! Welcome back, Meg! Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 2: A Peck of Owls. And our Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions! Check out Episode 434 and Episode 228! Did Dumbledore suspect that Harry would be attacked on Privet Drive? If so, why was more (competent) manpower not invested in Harry’s protection? Why is Harry facing criminal charges for doing a bit of simple, defensive magic? Given how fast the owls show up, are they using some form of magic themselves? Say what?! Petunia knows about Dementors... and Azkaban! When Petunia references that awful boy, does she mean James... or Snape? Remember My Last! Was Petunia actually excited to receive a letter from the Wizarding World? Has she ever heard Dumbledor

In this week's episode of What the Hype?!, we're looking at music biopics! From Elton John to Whitney Houston to Queen to a forthcoming biopic about Britney Spears, these films give us inside-looks at lives of artists who we adore. But how much truth bending can we tolerate, and how do artists and viewers benefit from these stories? Plus, Eric, Andrew, and Pam look at forthcoming biopics and our favorites that we've seen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, our Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix re-read begins! We examine the protections surrounding Harry now that Voldemort is back, and ask whether Dudley Dursley is a good boy now. News: There is an open casting call for children to become the next Potter trio for the HBO series. We’ll be talking more about it in Bonus MuggleCast, available on Apple Podcasts and our Patreon. Chapter-by-Chapter begins again with Book 5, and our brand new MuggleCast Time Turner segment has us spinning some old recordings from past discussions. This week, Episode 433 and Episode 228. Harry’s mood has soured significantly! Were we repelled by the book’s immediately sadder protagonist? How much of Harry’s rage is justified? How much is due to his horcrux connection?  Could Harry have been removed from Privet Drive after just 24 hours? If so, why wasn’t he? Is Dumbledore to blame for all of harry’s problems? Feeling disconnected, Harry hears a loud noise but it makes him feel more desperate. The noise was the s

Grab your torches and dip them into the fire because on this week’s episode of What They Hype?! we’re talking all about Survivor! Join Micah, Andrew and friend of the show Christine Riccio as we dive into what's made Survivor arguably the most successful reality television show of all-time. What drew us in, what's kept us watching and why should you throw on a buff and join us? How do we feel about the evolution of the game? Are we cool with the New Era and all of its changes? Who are some of our all-time favorites? And which seasons captivated us the most? Plus, we offer some predictions for Season 47. Find Christine's Survivor-inspired novel Attached at the Hip wherever you get books! Also check out her podcast Those Forking Fangirls, and find her on Instagram: @XtineMay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before we start our Chapter by Chapter re-read of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, this week we're watching the fifth Harry Potter movie together! Bring your own copy of the Order of the Phoenix movie and watch the film with us. We offer commentary, behind-the-scenes info, wonder why there are so many montages, and fun facts about the production. To sync up with us, pause the movie right after the camera fully sweeps through the 'WB' logo, about 20 seconds into the movie. In the commentary track, we then tell you when to hit Play. (This is also explained on the episode) To listen to more of our Harry Potter movie commentaries, check out our Must Listens page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's showtime! Spooky szn is here and we're excited to kick it off with 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,' but first we need to explain the hype behind the 1988 original. We surprise even ourselves when we realize what a cultural touchstone from our childhoods this movie is. Is that the secret ingredient that made audiences still turn out for Beetlejuice 36 years later? Join us as we embark to the Netherworld alongside the Ghost with the Most and Edgar Allan Poe's Daughter to get everyone HYPE for 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' which is in theaters now! GO SEE IT OR WE'LL SAY HIS NAME 3 TIMES! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to put Goblet of Fire in the rear-view mirror as we conduct our ceremonial book wrap episode, featuring our 7-Word Chapter Summary redo, 7 Word Book Summary, and more MuggleMail than you can shake a non-plot-holed Portkey at! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah for this fun-filled episode catching up with all that our listeners have had to say recently. Next week we will be hosting an Order of the Phoenix movie watch commentary and on the following show we'll begin Book 5 chapter-by-chapter with new segments! Micah is back from a visit to Scotland! He tells us what he did over there. Andrew and Micah interview actor Joel Meyers, who currently plays Albus Severus Potter in Broadway's Cursed Child! Revisiting our Goblet of Fire 7 Word Chapter Summaries. Book Four 7-Word Summary: Resurrection for Voldemort awakens old echoes past. Two listeners point out that the return Portkey mystery is not a plot-hole, but was part of Voldemort's plan to stay hidden while alive. Is the Dark Mark on the arms of

Baby, let the games begin! This week on What The Hype, Pam (our resident Swiftie) is joined by Andrew, Eric, and special guest, Meg, to talk about Taylor Swift’s ‘Reputation!’ In an effort to better understand Swift’s sixth studio album, Pam takes us through a brief history of the events that lead to the birth of ‘Reputation.’ Armed with a crash course in Swiftie history, our panel wraps things up by discussing the album on the whole, in addition to detailing some of their favorite and least favorite moments on the record. Plus, Pam predicts when Reputation (Taylor's Version) will be released! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the four MuggleCasters are all under one roof for the first time since 2010! While attending Podcast Movement in Washington, D.C., we held a listener meet-up and later gathered around a single hotel room desk to answer questions about the show and each other. The entire experience was relaxing and fun, which you can hear for yourself now! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah IN PERSON while we celebrate 19 years of MuggleCast. Questions answered include: How does recording in person differ from recording on-line? Are the hosts as tall and as short as they each remember / expected? What city would we all live in if we could live together? What piece of HP merchandise would we never get rid of? How do each of the hosts take their coffee? If we went to karaoke, what would be the songs we would sing? Have any of us read books in foreign languages? Which HP character’s life would we want to swap ours with? Which HP book would we re-write if given the chance? What plot lines do we wish would have

The supernatural comedy from 1984 starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis has stood the test of time. While some things (the proton pack) aged more well than others (Dr. Pete Venkman), this episode is devoted to exploring the movie as a whole. Have we learned everything we need to know about New York from the movie? What does each ghostbuster bring to the group? Is Dana Barrett such a cool character because she reminds us of Margaret Dumont? In this episode of What the Hype?! Micah and Eric are joined again by Ivan Guerrero, Ghostbusters (and LEGO) super fan! We discuss our favorite ghosts, themes of the movie and why its anti-establishment characters are further grounded in heart once Winston joins the team. Check out Ivan’s vintage movie trailer for ‘The Ghost Busters’ (1954)! https://youtu.be/kAboGO9MDsQ?si=yZhXSe5pxqz3Gm-2 Ivan can be found on YouTube at @WhoIsEyevan (https://www.youtube.com/@whoiseyevan) and on Instagram at @bulldoozerbricks (https://www.instagram.com/bulldoozerbricks/) Don't

Eric, Micah, and Chloé record a special, 19 years later-themed episode of MuggleCast live from LeakyCon in Portland, Oregon! We reflect on the show's journey so far, revisit the epilogue in Deathly Hallows, and play two of our show's games (Make the Connection and What If...) with listeners! This week's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Explore your curiosity with a therapist, today! Visit BetterHelp.com/mugglecast for 10% off your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dragons, Magic, Romance, oh Gods! Andrew and Pam introduce the Fourth Wing series to fandom newbies Laura and Eric, and the panel discuss why the first two books in the Empyrean series have gone viral online. We catch those who haven't read up to speed, look at what makes the books unique, and take on readers who've claimed that the story is unoriginal. If you haven't checked out Fourth Wing yet, let us show you what the hype is all about! This episode is a spoiler-free look, except for mild spoilers about the first dozen chapters. Stay tuned for another episode in which we take a deeper dive into Fourth Wing and the Empyrean series from Rebecca Yarros! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we wrap up our fourth year at Hogwarts, say goodbye to some new friends and prepare for what's to come! Join Andrew, Micah and Laura as we raise a glass to Cedric, Harry and our journey through Goblet of Fire! 7-Word Summary: Relationships blossom when the trio parts ways Chapter-by-Chapter concludes with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 37: The Beginning Could there be a less creative title for this chapter? What?! There was still a bit of term left after the Third Task? Harry & The Diggorys: examining another example of a mother's love Why is the real Mad-Eye Moody still hanging around Hogwarts? Tea Time with Hagrid is what we all need right now Dumbledore tells the student body Voldemort has returned. Smart or reckless move on his part? Should Dumbledore's have toasted Harry? Did any Slytherins stand for him? Do we think the Triwizard Tournament was successful in breeding international magical cooperation?  Hermione & Rita: how long has she been in that jar?! Showdown on the Hogwarts Express

Pam and Andrew welcome special guest and fellow podcaster Kaylan (host of Long Live Taylor Podcast) to talk about the annual pop cultural event that is the Song of the Summer. Together, they run through the history of the concept, break down the key components a contending single must have to qualify for the coveted title, and reminisce over past hits that ruled the airwaves between the months of May and August. Plus, Kaylan chats with us about working at a major record label in Nashville, and offers up some insight with regards to how TikTok is changing the game when it comes to solidifying hit singles. Finally, we predict which hit single will be crowned Song of the Summer 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the battlelines are officially drawn between Dumbledore and Fudge! Join us as we try our very best to convince the Minister for Magic that Voldemort has indeed returned! News: MinaLima will not be releasing further editions of their illustrated books (we'll discuss this story in more detail in Bonus MuggleCast) 7-Word Summary: Fudge makes disastrous decisions about Lord Voldemort Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Goblet of Fire, Chapter 36: The Parting of the Ways Sympathetic Grandfatherly Figure or Master Manipulator: Is what Dumbledore says to Harry truly heartfelt and genuine? Does Fawkes know what went down in the graveyard? Should Harry tell his story without other Ministry officials present? The Gleam of Triumph and its connection to Deathly Hallows Why, specifically, did Voldemort and Harry’s wand cores come from Dumbledore’s pet phoenix? Ollivander has Dumbledore on speed dial! Comparing parental figures: Sirus and Molly's love for Harry is on full display, foreshadowing things to

On this week’s episode, Micah, Eric and Laura return to Westeros to discuss the hype around Season 2 of House of the Dragon. We connect the threads between the first two seasons of Game of Thrones and the first two seasons of House of the Dragon, share our favorite Season 2 storylines and characters and discuss whether or not the finale lived up to expectations. From rolls in the mud to dragonrider issues to weirwood edibles, join us as we break down the finale of HBO's hit series! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices