- In celebration of Halloween, we hosted a brand-new, spoooooky edition of Quizzitch Live! Join us later this November for another round of trivia!
- News: MinaLima confirms they are working on a Chamber of Secrets Illustrated Edition while Laura introduces us to the latest trend on TikTok… POTTAH!
- Muggle Mail covers Halloween Happenings at Hogwarts, additional Potter plot holes and more scary moments from Chamber of Secrets and Deathly Hallows!
- With Election Day upon us, this week’s main discussion focuses on Politics in the Wizarding World!
- Neville Chamberlain & The Mitford Sisters: which historic figures do we think may have inspired certain characters in the Harry Potter series?
- We discuss Nazi Germany’s connection to the plots of both Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts
- Government corruption: Cornelius Fudge, Lucius Malfoy and Dolores Umbridge
- Why Hagrid’s arrest, Dumbledore’s banishment and Buckbeak’s execution defined Ministry interference and governmental abuse of power
- How The Daily Prophet acts as state-influenced media
- What problems do we think the wizarding government needs to address?
- Why does The International Statute of Secrecy still exist?
- Can we please banish Time Turners, Love Potions and Veritaserum already?
- Could the political aspects of Harry Potter be one of the reasons we love the series so much?
- The results are in from our “You Decide 2020 Minster of Magic” campaign! Find out who won: Hermione Granger, Aberforth Dumbledore, Kingsley Shacklebolt or Dolores Umbridge?
- Quizzitch: Which Minister founded the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?
- Chicken Soup For The MuggleCast Soul
- This week’s episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh (visit HelloFresh.com/muggle90 and use code muggle90 at checkout for $90 off your order!) and MeUndies (visit MeUndies.com/mugglecast to see their new line of Harry Potter undies!)
- Support us on Patreon and receive magical benefits, like Bonus MuggleCast!
Category: Episodes
Listen to every episode of MuggleCast since 2005. Click here for our Chapter by Chapter Archive.
Episode #488: Your Most Controversial Harry Potter Opinions
- In celebration of Halloween, we’re hosting our next Quizzitch Live this Saturday, October 31 at 3 p.m. ET! We hope to see you there!
- Chris Hansen takes on Tom Riddle! Watch it on our social media channels later this week.
- Only one week left until Election Day! Please make sure you are registered to vote in your state right now by visiting IWillVote.com. You can also find out great ballot information at BallotReady.org and sign up to be a poll worker at PowerThePolls.org.
- We review the brand-new, beautifully illustrated MinaLima edition of Sorcerer’s Stone. How does it compare to the Jim Kay Illustrated Series?
- We discuss how having worked on the Harry Potter films brings a whole new perspective to this illustrated edition
- Pop-ups galore: Dumbledore’s watch, Hogsmeade, The Fat Lady Portrait and more!
- Main Discussion: The Most Controversial Opinions in the Harry Potter series
- What are the Harry Potter opinions that you think would get you in trouble? That would have people flinging an Unforgivable Curse at you? That would cause Umbridge to write a new decree about you?
- Is Hermione a terrible person?
- Are people who’ve only watched the movies and haven’t read the books “real” fans?
- Could the chapters that aren’t about Harry be the best parts of the series?
- Was the attack on The Burrow a good addition to the Half-Blood Prince movie?
- Were the Marauders, while intelligent and witty, actually total a**holes?
- Was Remus Lupin horrible for not writing to Harry in Year 1?
- Quizzitch: What is Harry wearing during his first dream in Gryffindor Tower?
- This week’s episode is sponsored by Peacock TV (watch the Harry Potter movies for free, all October long!) and BeachBody (text ‘mugglecast’ to 30-30-30 to receive a free trial!).
- Support us on Patreon and receive magical benefits, like Bonus MuggleCast!
Episode #487: The Scariest Moments in Harry Potter
- It’s our annual Halloween episode and we discuss the scariest moments in the Harry Potter series!
- Some our favorite past Halloween episodes have included Episode 61: Ghosts in Harry Potter and Episode 343: Halloween Happening!
- In Sorcerer’s Stone: Fluffy and Professor Quirrell’s death are just two of the most terrifying moments for 11-year-old Harry.
- Aragog, the Baslisk, Tom Riddle’s possession of Ginny and Gilderoy Lockhart – could Chamber of Secrets be the scariest book in the series?
- With werewolves, mass murderers, death omens and dementors, Prisoner of Azkaban certainly holds its own!
- Goblet of Fire gave us Death Eaters at the Quidditch World Cup, the madness of Mr. Crouch, an impostor professor and the return of Voldemort!
- Terrifying gets taken to new level with Dolores Umbridge in Order of the Phoenix!
- Did Inferi, Horcruxes, Dumbledore reliving his worst memory or Katie Bell’s attack give us the biggest scare in Half-Blood Prince?
- We can’t conclude the discussion without mentioning Bathilda “Nagini” Bagshot and Bellatrix’s torture of Hermione in Deathly Hallows!
- Acromantulas, Lethifolds, Kelpies and more! The hosts muster up their best Halloween voices to describe some of the creepiest beasts in the Harry Potter series!
- Quizzitch: How many Muggles did the Opal Necklace reportedly kill?
- PSA for the USA: Many voter registration deadlines are approaching in the United States. Please make sure you are registered to vote in your state right now by visiting IWillVote.com. You can also find out great ballot information at BallotReady.org and sign up to be a poll worker at PowerThePolls.org.
- This week’s episode is sponsored by Peacock TV (watch the Harry Potter movies for free, all October long!) and Quip (Visit GetQuip.com/Muggle and get your first refill free)!
- Support us on Patreon and receive magical benefits, like Bonus MuggleCast, where this week, in celebration of Halloween, the hosts share their Boggarts!
Episode #486: Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Review, MuggleMail, and Games!
- PSA for the USA: Many voter registration deadlines are approaching in the United States. Please make sure you are registered to vote in your state right now by visiting IWillVote.com. You can also find out great ballot information at BallotReady.org and sign up to be a poll worker at PowerThePolls.org.
- Quidditch Through the Ages gets a fully-illustrated edition by Emily Gravett. We dig into the book and share what we love about it!
- The new edition has an illustration on every page, and nearly 3 times the page count of the original book, plus — Andrew’s confirmed — unique paper stock.
- Are there bits in this new book that weren’t in the original? The hosts discuss Emily’s impressive world building, and how it feels like a history book.
- What are our favorite new illustrations, and where does this version rank among other illustrated books?
- Debate Segment: Is Quidditch a dumb or amazing sport? Be sure to vote in our polls on social media later this week, to help us determine who won the dbeate!
- MuggleMail addresses more plot holes. How does Lily’s love protection work? Why did the portkey take Harry back to the maze? We finally get some satisfying answers.
- The hosts play a game: Avada Kedavra, Imperio, Love Potion with characters from Fantastic Beasts!
- Quizzitch: Who was the seeker for the Irish National Quidditch team in 1994?
- This week’s episode is sponsored by ThirdLove (get 10% off your perfect fitting bra by visiting ThirdLove.com/mugglecast) and Peacock TV (watch the Harry Potter movies for free, all October long!)
- Support us on Patreon and receive magical benefits!
Episode #485: The Biggest Plot Holes in the Harry Potter Books
- PSA for the USA: Many voter registration deadlines are approaching in the United States. Please make sure you are registered to vote in your state right now by visiting IWillVote.com. You can also find out great ballot information at BallotReady.org and sign up to be a poll worker at PowerThePolls.org.
- MuggleMail covers Dumbledore and Tom Riddle’s first encounter and Voldemort’s ability to love
- Our Main Discussion focuses on The Biggest Plot Holes in the Harry Potter books!
- The Lost Day: What was happening in those initial 24 hours after the Potters were killed?
- Why didn’t James Potter become his own Secret Keeper?
- Time Turners galore! Why didn’t anyone go back in time to stop Voldemort?
- How is it Peter Pettigrew was never noticed on the Marauder’s Map by Fred & George?
- Why didn’t Lupin warn Harry about Sirius’ animagus form?
- How did the Triwizard Cup function as a (reverse) portkey to bring Harry back to Hogwarts at the end of Goblet of Fire?
- Why doesn’t Voldemort have all his Death Eaters make an Unbreakable Vow?
- What’s the deal with the trace?
- The truth about Veritaserum… it could have made quite the difference!
- Quizzitch: Who was Fudge’s opponent in running for Minister for Magic?
- You can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast!
- This week’s episode is brought to you by Peacock (Watch the Harry Potter movies for free all October long!) and MeUndies (get 15% off and free shipping on your first order by visiting MeUndies.com/mugglecast)
Episode #484: Fictional Orphans and Their Purpose in ‘Harry Potter’
- Welcome Slug Club member Shyam! He, too, has gotten a letter from the author!
- MuggleMail includes MORE casting of gingers, Sorting Hats, Slytherins and Aussies.
- Could the eventual Potter TV show be on network television, rather than a streaming app?
- Our main discussion this week is about orphans in literature! Why are there so many, and how are they alike?
- Are there benefits for authors wanting to start a hero off with a blank slate that makes orphaning them appealing?
- How does Harry’s orphan status affect him? What would change if Lily and James survived?
- What about Voldemort? He, too, is an orphan, but he and Harry are so different, or are they?
- We examine some other notable orphans: Batman, Superman, Anna and Elsa from Frozen, James Bond and even Jane Eyre!
- For Quizzitch: Who invented the spell Muffliato??
- You can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast!
- This week’s episode is brought to you by BeachBody. Text ‘mugglecast’ to 30-30-30 to receive a free trial!
- Bonus MuggleCast this week is us reading the new trailer for our show! Live to tape, including bad impersonations and the public debut of Southern!Hagrid
Episode #483: Fantasy Casting the Harry Potter TV Series, ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ Announced
- Andrew’s prophecy comes true… almost!
- Hogwarts Legacy is coming to a video game console near you in 2021!
- What are our initial reactions to the trailer for this open-world video game?
- We offer some suggestions on what fans can do who are hesitant about purchasing this game.
- Muggle Mail covers The Pizza Wizard, The Lost Day, Neville, Sirius, a Harry Potter television station and more!
- Main Discussion: Fantasy Casting The Harry Potter Television Series
- Peeves, Professor Binns, Ludo Bagman, Augusta Longbottom and The Gaunts: we cast the characters from the books that never made it on screen!
- Who would play the Founders? Would James Cosmo or Paul Giamatti make a better Gryffindor? Would you cast Viola Davis or Indira Varma for Ravenclaw? John Malkovich as Slytherin? Rebel Wilson as Hufflepuff?
- In recasting the trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione, can the Potter series catch lightning in a bottle twice?
- Who did the hosts recast in the roles of Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall and Voldemort?
- How would Patton Oswalt fair as Rubeus Hagrid? Tom Ellis as Sirius Black?
- For Quizzitch: Which famous British actor put in two weeks notice and quit a role they had been cast in for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets?
- You can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast!!
- This week’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month by visiting BetterHelp.com/mugglecast)
Episode #482: Never-Before-Seen Harry Potter Scenes We Want in a TV Series
- Muggle Mail answers some of our questions regarding Neville’s sorting, and asks why Harry isn’t more grateful to Lupin.
- This week the hosts ask, What are key, never-before-seen moments from the Harry Potter books that we want to see adapted in the TV series? This is our chance to FINALLY see some critical scenes that never made it into the books or films!
- Andrew kicks things off with light and grim moments: The creation of the Marauders Map, and the entire night of James and Lily’s deaths.
- Will we finally get to see Azkaban in person, and answer how grown wizards interact with Dementors?
- What about Moody being overtaken by Pettigrew and Crouch, and other Death Eater things?
- Fresh off our Order of the Phoenix re-read, Laura asks that we see where Dumbledore ran off to.
- Will the show track Snape becoming the HBP? What about Dumbledore searching for Horcruxes?
- What scenes might we see in a future Fantastic Beasts film?
- What pizza toppings exist in the Wizarding World? Hippogriff? Niffler? Bowtruckle?
- Micah recounts the Top 7 scenes that were never adapted for the film: Winky, Nearly Headless Nick, and more!
- For Quizzitch: In GOF, what does “Mad-Eye” say ambushed him?
- Andrew has a show-stopping revelation about how to make the TV series happen.
- You can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast!!
- This week’s episode is brought to you by Quip (Visit GetQuip.com/Muggle and get your first refill free) and BetterHelp (Get 10% off your first month by visiting BetterHelp.com/mugglecast)
Episode #481: The Deep Similarities Between Harry and Neville
- We take a deep dive into Harry and Neville’s parallel journeys throughout the Harry Potter series
- Muggle Mail covers how you correct someone who is wrong about Harry Potter, Snape fan fiction and more
- The Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings and King Arthur: the hosts share some of their favorite stories influenced by cultural artifacts
- Let’s get religious (not really)! We compare Harry to Jesus and Neville to John The Baptist
- Linked from the start via prophecy, did anyone suspect pre-Order of the Phoenix that Neville would prove to play such a significant role?
- The hosts share their Favorite Neville Moments from the Harry Potter Series
- A book-by-book analysis of Harry and Neville’s journeys
- Were Harry and Neville’s upbringing really all that dissimilar?
- We discuss Harry and Neville both being orphaned and having their parents taken from them by Voldemort and the Death Eaters
- Harry and Neville both kill a giant snake… with the Sword of Gryffindor… pulled from The Sorting Hat!
- Snape has quite the penchant for picking on Harry… and Neville! Does he partially blame Neville for what befell his beloved Lily Potter?
- Dumbledore’s Army, The Department of Mysteries and the Evolution of Neville Longbottom
- Neville, much like John The Baptist, is the leader of the resistance within Hogwarts in Deathly Hallows
- Neville’s confrontation with Voldemort
- Quizzitch: When exactly does Neville say he will join Voldemort?
- You can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! This week, we discuss an update on Fantastic Beasts 3 filming!
- This week’s episode is brought to you by ThirdLove (find your perfect fitting bra by going to Thirdlove.com/mugglecast, and get 15% off your first order), Hello Fresh (get your first 8 meals free at HelloFresh.com/mugglecast) and BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/mugglecast and get 10% off).
Episode #480: The Best Professors at Hogwarts
- This week, to celebrate a new term on September 1, we’re rating every professor of Hogwarts School!
- How do the DADA professors measure up with one another on quality and on difficulty? We offer individual grades to help us compare them all.
- How about Potions? Is Slughorn a higher quality instructor than Snape?
- We all have high marks for McGonagall, but what about Dumbledore, who we saw teach in Fantastic Beasts?
- We set a Seer against a Centaur and wrap up with Charms, Herbology, and History of Magic.
- Finally, a shout-out to the non-professor teachers of Harry, like Arthur Weasley.
- We confirm our suspicions with MuggleCast’s listener poll results
- Quizzitch: How many Podcast Awards has MuggleCast received?
- You can join our community at Patreon.com/MuggleCast and receive magical benefits, including Bonus MuggleCast! This week, because two clearly wasn’t enough, each hosts covers their third favorite chapter in the Potter series!
- This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (visit BetterHelp.com/mugglecast and get 10% off), and by BeachBody (text ‘mugglecast’ to 30-30-30 for a free trial!)