Sci-Fi/Fantasy

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Role Calling's three-part Lord of the Rings holiday special comes to a conclusion, but not before a rousing climax and several emotional endings. This week, actor/producer Mary Kate Wiles joins Ned and Caroline for a conversation all about Peter Jackson's third and final LOTR installment, The Return of the King. And boy is there a lot to discuss!
From the Battle of the Pelennor Fields to the showdown on Mount Doom, the trio go deep on what makes Tolkien's world so special, which performers shine brightest in ROTK, and which scenes they can't stop thinking about.
You can follow Mary Kate on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Patreon (@mkwiles on most social media platforms). And be sure to check out Shipwrecked Comedy's delightful new series "Headless: A Sleepy Hollow Story," which is streaming for free on YouTube as both a 10-part series and a single-cut version.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram (both @rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The journey to Mordor continues as Ned and Caroline move on to Peter Jackson's action-packed epic, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Special guest Joe Cunningham of the Cinematic Universe podcast joins to break down the debuts of Gollum, Rohan, Treebeard and more — not to mention a little sequence called the Battle of Helm's Deep.
The trio also touch on The Rings of Power, analyze the accents across the LOTR ensemble, and get into an unexpectedly heated debate about Faramir.
You can follow Joe on Twitter (@JoeCunningham14) and find Cinematic Universe (@cine_verse) wherever you listen to podcasts, as well as on Patreon.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram (both @rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Golden rings, bearded men, elves in white dresses with blue satin sashes — what are The Lord of the Rings films if not the ultimate holiday classics? So to celebrate the festive season, Ned and Caroline are kicking off a brand new series on Peter Jackson's iconic LOTR trilogy and its stellar ensemble acting.
This week, returning guests Zoë Maltby and Emily Marso join for a goofy, earnest, unexpectedly horny celebration of The Fellowship of the Ring.
Watch the 2020 Lord of the Rings cast Zoom reunion
You can follow Zoë on Instagram and Twitter (both @captainmaltby), as well as on Letterboxd (@zoecatherine). And you can follow Emily on Instagram and Twitter (both @missmarso).
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram (both @rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Anastasia: Meg Ryan, Part 4

Once upon a December, Caroline and Ned were strangers, starting out on a journey, never dreaming how their dreams would come true. Now here they are, podcasting about Meg Ryan's voice performance in the much-loved (non-Disney) princess animated fairy tale, Anastasia.
To help them take this journey to the past, they enlist the expertise of Dr. Sam Summers (@samsummers0), animation academic and co-host of the excellent podcast Disniversity. The trio chat about the wild, weird career of director Don Bluth; the unique animation style of Anastasia; and, of course, the "cultural semiotics" of Meg Ryan's casting!
Listen to Disniversity wherever you get your podcasts (https://linktr.ee/disniversity), follow the show on Twitter (@Disniversity), and buy Sam's book, DreamWorks Animation: Intertextuality and Aesthetics in Shrek and Beyond.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (@rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Joe Versus the Volcano: Meg Ryan, Part 2

Before Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks became a beloved rom-com couple in Sleepless In Seattle and You've Got Mail, they starred in the kooky adventure romance, Joe Versus the Volcano — a cult classic if there ever was one. This week, Caroline and Ned delve into this wackadoo little John Patrick Shanley movie, and sing the praises of not one but three separate Meg Ryan performances.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Westworld S1: Jeffrey Wright, Part 5

Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality? For the final installment in their Jeffrey Wright retrospective series, Ned and Caroline do just that by taking a trip into Westworld's first season. Though this show features virtually all of Ned's favorite things, he had never actually seen it before. So he and Caroline welcome Westworld aficionado Rachel Kenney to help them work through the maze.
You can follow Rachel on Instagram (instagram.com/rachel.kenney) and Twitter (twitter.com/RachKenney), and find I Have a Question with Rachel and Walls (anchor.fm/withrachelandwalls) wherever you listen to podcasts.
You can also learn more about Rachel's upcoming show in New York City here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/outoftouch-nyc-production
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Angels In America: Jeffrey Wright, Part 4

Jeffrey Wright once referred to Angels In America as the "epicenter" of his career. After winning a Tony for his performance on Broadway in 1994, he reprised his role in HBO's prestigious 2003 star-studded miniseries adaptation. This week, Ned and Caroline look back on Tony Kushner's masterwork with the help of actor, singer, and queer futurist Will Wilhelm. Let the great work begin!
You can follow Will on Instagram (instagram.com/wwilhelm) and find their podcast Teacakes & Tarot (instagram.com/teacakesandtarot) wherever you listen to podcasts.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

Freaky Friday: Jamie Lee Curtis, Part 4

For those who came of age in the early 2000s, Freaky Friday was *the* introduction to Jamie Lee Curtis. And Ned and Caroline are thrilled to welcome special guest Pernell Vandyke Myers to take a nostalgic walk down memory lane to the era of pop punk and Chad Michael Murray. From Jamie's stellar performance as a teenager to the Lindsay Lohan of it all, the trio take a look at what holds up and what doesn't about this 2003 classic.
You can follow Pernell on Twitter (twitter.com/PernellVan) for all his "hornery" takes.
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

The Green Knight: Dev Patel, Part 5

The Summer of Dev is finally here! This week, Caroline and Ned try to make sense of David Lowery's transfixingly ambiguous medieval epic The Green Knight. Plus they share some final thoughts on Dev's career, introduce the star of their next retrospective series, and ponder "What does the fox say?"
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.

The Last Airbender: Dev Patel, Part 2

How did Dev Patel follow up his one-in-a-million breakthrough debut in Slumdog Millionaire? By starring in one of the most hated movies of all time! This week, Caroline and Ned reluctantly dive into the world of M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender, and try to figure out what went wrong with this disastrous adaption of a beloved animated series.
You can watch Dev talk about his experience on The Last Airbender as part of a 2016 Hollywood Reporter roundtable (youtu.be/YyQGKSzYqBg). Also check out this guide to why you should watch the animated series (instagram.com/p/CAehPPFDsYv) and Xiran Jay Zhao's impressive thread on the show's cultural influences (twitter.com/XiranJayZhao/status/1340444180837855232?s=20).
Our theme music was created by Patrick Budde, and our logo was designed by Nick Wanserski. You can get in touch on Twitter (twitter.com/rolecalling) or email us at rolecalling@gmail.com.