The 300th installment of MuggleCast has arrived! Thank you to our Patreon supporters, who helped us unlock Mega MuggleCast, bringing many of our old friends back on the show!

• The band is back together… Laura, Matt, Elysa & Mikey B return to celebrate this milestone!
• You can find Laura, Matt, Elysa, and Andrew on #Millennial podcast. Meanwhile, Mikey hosts Hypable’s Resistance Radio.
• And a special guest appearance by everyone’s favorite Brit!
• WAMP WAMP! We learn which Ilvermorny house each host was sorted into!
• The Cursed Child gets mixed reviews from the larger panel.
• Who said it?! A Cursed Child character or Original Story character (or Laura)? You might be surprised!
• The expansion of the Wizarding World: what would we like to see next? Has it gone too far already?
• Is Pottermore becoming the clearinghouse for all things Potter?
• Ilvermorny House controversy! We thought those drawings looked awfully familiar!
• NOT SAFE FOR WORK! We  discuss things that definitely happened in the Potter series but JKR didn’t include because they were “kid” novels.
• Aberforth and his clean goat Severus
• Scabbers saw quite a bit of Weasley in his day
• Love potions… as date rape drugs?
• The prefect’s bathroom… an all-out orgy!
• Plus Bertha Jorkins & Peter Pettigrew, Polyjuice & puberty, Gilderoy Lockhart and vibrating brooms!

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Running time: 1:15:38, 36.4 MB

With less than a week until The Cursed Child is released around the world, Andrew, Micah, Eric, and longtime listener/friend/writer John Thrasher talk about the eighth story and Fantastic Beasts at San Diego Comic-Con! Plus, we have a spoiler-free early review of Fantastic Beasts from someone who attended a test screening!

On Episode 297 we discuss…

• The Cursed Child release is just days away! AHHH!
• Is WB already working on a movie adaptation?
• Emma Watson meets the new Hermione and gives her thoughts on The Cursed Child — it was so great seeing this photo!
• Fantastic Beasts hits Comic-Con, and everyone in the audience (including Andrew) gets a free wand from Eddie Redmayne.
• What’s up with Newt’s wand? It’s hollow at its base.
• Chicago continues its Potter screening tradition and we’ve got someone on the inside! (Thanks, Jeanna!)
• Trailer hype: house-elves, goblins, no-Majs, helmets, Jon Voight, new beasts & more!
• Favorites: midnight release party edition
• We’ll be live in Brooklyn, NY & Orlando, FL next weekend for The Cursed Child midnight release parties! Come join us!
• Thanks to John for joining us! Be sure to check him out on Currently podcast!

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Running time: 1:23:10, 47.8 MB

From Ireland to Massachusetts, the story of the founder(s) of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, released on Pottermore, is discussed in depth on our latest episode of MuggleCast! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Selina as they reveal which Houses they received on Pottermore’s latest quiz, and dissect the story of Isolt Sayre, her evil aunt Gormlaith Gaunt, and the early days of their family in North America!

On Episode 296 we discuss…

• There’s a new milestone on our Patreon, which’ll unlock MEGA MUGGLECAST!
• Main Discussion: Ilvermorny Houses AND History!
• What Ilvermorny Houses did each of the hosts get?
• Is there any connection between Hogwarts and Ilvermorny House traits?
• Statistical data is being reviewed based on sorting results. Fill out this survey here.
• Slytherin’s descendants play a large role in this story!
• The Pukwudgie, William and the strange, new world
• The duel and James’ near sacrifice
• Haunted by bloodlines, the future of Isolt’s legacy
• Listeners share how they think their Hogwarts and Ilvermorny are (or aren’t) connected.
• Another listener points out the beautiful ways JKR writes about the American Dream.
• Eric will be at Leviosa, and he and Andrew will be at GeekyCon!
• You can hear Selina every week on Hypable’s Hype!

A few of the articles we talk about on the show:
– Selina’s article on connecting the Ilvermorny and Hogwarts Houses
– Where is each Hogwarts House ending up at Ilvermorny?

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Running time: 1:30:44, 54.6 MB

Andrew, Micah, and Eric discuss the major plot points in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. MAJOR SPOILER WARNING! For a spoiler-free review, please listen to Episode 294.

– Our SPOILER-FILLED thoughts on The Cursed Child
– We discuss this damn story. What the heck is this?
– The way the play starts off gets you ready for the big twist at the end. But it doesn’t help.
– Why are so many old plot devices used to tell the eighth story?
– Someone on Reddit figured out how the big Cursed Child twist can fit into canon — nine months ago.
– Andrew highlights his favorite parts of the plot, including the Trolley Lady’s secret.
– Why Micah and Eric chose to read the spoilers.
– Can this truly be considered the eighth story, given its problems? It’s not moving the overall story forward.

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Running time: 1:15:58, 45.7 MB

Andrew is back from seeing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, so the three amigos discuss the play in a spoiler-free manner. For our spoiler-filled review, please listen to Episode 295.

– Our spoiler FREE thoughts on The Cursed Child
– But first, a word about the horrific shooting in Orlando
– Andrew rocks out at Stonehenge with The Boss
– The Palace Theatre needs some AC
– An owl goes rogue during the play, and Micah gains a new favorite animal
– The Cursed Child – the immersive experience vs. the actual plot
– It’s unlike anything you’ve seen on stage — but that’s the problem with it being turned into a book.
– The actors – Hermione & Scorpius’ standout performances
– The plot debate (as unspoilery as we can be)
– #Wormtaily – we give our thoughts on JKR’s response to Hypable’s “spoilers”
– Poll: Have you purposely read Cursed Child spoilers?
– Andrew The Button Thief

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Running time: 1:01:40, 37.1 MB

In the last episode before Andrew and Selina see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the group makes final predictions about what will happen in the play. We’re also joined by Hypable writer Brittany Lovely! Continue reading →

Welcome back to twice-monthly MuggleCast! Hypable writer and Hype podcast host Selina Wilken joins us on this episode — our second in May.

– Andrew is in the middle of re-reading Sorcerer’s Stone again, and he’s loving it.
– The Ilvermorny house names unintentionally appeared deep within Pottermore.
– Based on how little we know about the houses, do we like them so far?
– Why do they have to be named after animals?
– We address some criticism brought up by Io9.
– J.K. Rowling offers a fan in need an Expecto Patronum tattoo.
– New, year-specific robes are now at Hogwarts — and will appear in The Cursed Child.
– With the Harry Potter Stage Play fast approaching, we each make two predictions about what twists are in store.
– J.K. Rowling apologized for killing Remus Lupin. But should she really “apologize”?
– Make the Connection gets really weird. As usual.
– What would we each see in the Mirror of Erised?
– One of our listeners shares his concerns about Harry Potter’s timeline suddenly running out of sync with his readers in The Cursed Child. Can we relate to an overworked, middle aged employee?

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Running time: 1:24:19, 50.7 MB

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Running time: 56:41, 34.2 MB