Mugglecast: The Harry Potter Podcast

On this week's episode, we're busting open our MuggleMail bag as listeners send in owls about the first several chapters of Sorcerer's Stone! We entertain a few What Ifs about Petunia and Dudley and get some enlightening perspectives on Narcissa and Lupin! Hey, Apple Podcast users! You can now subscribe to the show right within the Apple Podcasts app. For $2.99/month, you'll receive early episode releases and ad-free MuggleCast! Thanks in advance for your support. We're opening up our Chapter-by-Chapter MuggleMail bag! Why was Hagrid sent for Harry? How big is the student body at Hogwarts? What happened to both sets of Harry's grandparents? How did Dudley's pigtail finally get removed? Did Harry's Horcrux impact the Dursley's treatment of him? What if... Petunia had magical ability and had been accepted at Hogwarts? What if... Dudley was a wizard? Would Vernon have disowned him? Could House-Elves be responsible for sending the Hogwarts letters? Other MuggleMail covers Leta Lestrange, The Elder W

On this week's episode, we are joined by Potter film actor and director Rohan Gotobed! He joins Andrew, Eric, Laura, and Micah as they continue their Chapter-by-Chapter readthrough of Sorcerer's Stone, covering Chapters 7 and 8! Harry is sorted into Gryffindor House, and learns that Snape really hates him! Welcome to the show, film and theater actor Rohan Gotobed, who you might recognize from playing Young Sirius Black in DH2! Main Discussion #1: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat 7-Word Summary: Students arrive into the Great Hall nervously Is the Sorting Ceremony too much pressure for First Years? Should there be something easier or a private ceremony? Why is the hat kept a secret from all students and possibly not even mentioned in Hogwarts, a History? We know Hermione checked... Americans struggle with British terms example 4,723, as McGonagall tells the students to 'smarten themselves up.' New Segment Alert: The hosts play "MAX That!" bringing an element from the chapter to life as a

On this week's episode, Chapter-by-Chapter continues with Chapters 4 - 6 of Sorcerer's Stone! Join us as Harry learns he's a wizard, ventures to Diagon Alley and boards the Hogwarts Express for the very first time! Plus, we meet Hagrid, Ron, Hermione, Draco and more! It's been a big week in the UK. Andrew and Laura covered the good and bad that comes with The Queen and the new Prime Minister in their latest episode of #Millennial! Follow the show for free in your favorite podcast app for more fun like we have on MuggleCast! Main Discussion #1: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 4: Keeper of the Keys 7-Word Summary: Suddenly, Hagrid bursts through the door... BAM! You're a wizard, Harry!  Does Petunia’s angry response hint at her own desire to have become a wizard? Do we find Hagrid to be convincing in his claims about Harry and his parents? Main Discussion #2: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 5: Diagon Alley 7-Word Summary: Magic is being shown in the shops  Harry enters the Wizarding World for the first time! I

This week on MuggleCast we bring back the most heavily listener-requested segment, Chapter by Chapter! Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah as they begin Sorcerer's / Philosopher's Stone with Chapters 1, 2 and 3! Our read-through of the Potter series contains segments both old AND new (complete with sound effects) and the hosts are all much older now than when they first started more than 16 years ago! On this week's episode: Chapter by Chapter is rebooted! We first started the segment March 19, 2006 on Episode 31 (transcript here). What to expect from CbyC includes: 7 Word Summaries, the same (but older) hosts, and brand new segments and games. Main Discussion Part 1: Sorcerer's Stone Chapter One, "The Boy Who Lived." 7 Word Summary: Vernon thinks that people are behaving oddly Eric asks, "What are the wizards and witches thinking?! The Statute of Secrecy is at stake here!" Laura makes an excellent point about what humans do after being cooped up and being afraid for long. Was it safe for Dumbledore

To celebrate going Back to Hogwarts, each MuggleCaster brings their own Hogwarts Lesson to the table, and you better pay attention because House Points are up for grabs.  Class is now in session! Welcome Slug Club member, Robbie! Check out his wand collection on Instagram! Main Discussion: Build Your Own Hogwarts Lesson as a new year at the school kicks off. Professor Andrew teaches about the Hogwarts Express in History of Magic. Spend Muggle Studies with Professor Eric Professor Laura introduces us to Proper Spell Enunciation Explore International Wizarding Cultures with Professor Micah Professor Robbie drops some serious Wandlore knowledge on us all! Beware of pop quizzes, homework and security nightmares! Quizzitch:  From what neighborhood does Harry first (accidentally) hail the Knight Bus? On next week's episode: Chapter-by-Chapter returns with Chapters 1-3 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone! This week's episode is brought to you by Upside (download the FREE Upside App and use promo c

On this week's episode, the subject of many a late night with Laura and her boyfriend is made into a main discussion for MuggleCast as the hosts and Marc talk through the physics of Harry Potter! Surely magical objects don't come from 'nowhere,' and there must be a magical cost for doing magic somehow? Those big questions and more are our target as Andrew, Eric, Laura, Micah and Marc put on their thinking caps and dive in! Welcome to this week's special guest, Laura's boyfriend Marc! Marc is a game designer with a passion for physics. A new trailer for Hogwarts Legacy has debuted, and we now know what all versions of the game will cost us. You might need to break into Gringotts to be able to afford the Collectors Edition!? Main Discussion: The physics of Harry Potter Just what is 'physics' and what answers does the study of physics seek to find? In the Wizarding World, is there a cost for doing magic? What kind of magic seems limitless, and what kind does not? Where does magical ability come from an

On this week's episode, we’ll be continuing our conversation that began in Episode 568, where we argued in defense of some of the most controversial, least favorite, most complicated characters in Harry Potter. There were plenty of characters we didn’t get to last time, so it’s time for Round 2! Welcome back, Pat! Happy Birthday, Micah! We share the very special video he received from Dan Fogler and react to it. Hogwarts Legacy has been pushed to February 2023! What do we make of the announcement and this very cool A Hot Summer Day ASMR Video? Main Discussion: Indefensible Characters in Harry Potter, Round 2 What did Lucius Malfoy, Mundungus Fletcher, Horace Slughorn and Merope Gaunt do to put themselves in our cross-hairs? What characters do we love to hate? Professor Binns, Vernon Dursley and Cornelius Fudge make the cut! Can the hosts actually defend the indefensible? We try our best with Narcissa Malfoy and Barty Crouch Jr. New game alert: One Gotta Go Quizzitch: What did the Muggle, Mr. Rober

Inspired by a popular Reddit thread, this week's episode asks the question: what was something that a 'good' character from the Harry Potter series did which rubbed us the wrong way? Are characters like Molly Weasley or Remus Lupin above reproach? You may find yourself nodding along with Andrew, Eric, Micah and special guest Chloé as they detail just what these supposed 'heroes' of the series did to get on our nerves! As we announced last week, Chapter By Chapter will be returning soon with Book One! Now that we are all grown-up. Look for it in September! Our hosts have recently appeared on each other's other podcasts, including Eric appearing on #Millennial, and Micah appearing on Thank You for Spieling! This week's main discussion was inspired by this great Reddit thread. Shout-out to Pamela G.'s brother for suggesting! Each host picks a supposedly 'good' Harry Potter character and lists their most heinous offenses. Molly Wealsey may be the motherly type, but her love is not evenly spread. What did

Happy Birthday, MuggleCast! To celebrate our 17th year of podcasting, we host a very special edition of Quizzitch Live! Do you think you know everything about our hosts? What about our special guests? How good are you with episode titles and past segments? It's time to put your MuggleCast knowledge to the test! Plus, we have a very big announcement about the future of the show! Watch the full episode of Quizzitch Live: MuggleCast, A History! It's official! Chapter-by-Chapter returns this September! This week's episode is brought to you by MeUndies (get 20% off your first order and free shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast), MintMobile (get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks per month, and have the plan shipped to your door for FREE at MintMobile.com/MuggleCast) and BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/MuggleCast)! On next week's episode we're talking about things that "good" characters did that rubbed us the wrong way in the Harry Potter series! Learn more about your ad cho

Armed with the brand new Secrets of Dumbledore: The Complete Screenplay book, the MuggleCasters go to work finding answers for mysteries that were not made clear by the 3rd Fantastic Beasts movie, but may have been clearer during production!  What revelations do we have from the new Fantastic Beasts 3 screenplay? The MuggleCasters are hosting an Instagram Live event this Wednesday, August 3rd at 8:30 PM ET to celebrate our birthday! More birthday fun:  MuggleCast is hosting a LIVE Quizzitch game about ourselves this Saturday at 11 AM ET! Stay tuned to our social media for links. Don't miss our 2022 Patreon Gifts - The MuggleCast Collectors Club and the MuggleCast Wand! Pledge to our Patreon by August 7, 2022 and fill out the form(s) to receive your gifts! We are so proud of this year's items and hope you check them out! The Secrets of Dumbledore screenplay offers some very tiny moments that did not make it to the movie, but no deleted scenes. Dumbledore and Grindelwald's tea time was likely a flashb

This week, we wrap up our month-long Deathly Hallows 15th anniversary celebration by discussing a number of "What If" scenarios from the final installment of the Harry Potter series! What if things had gone drastically different at several key moments of the seventh book? Would Harry, Ron and Hermione have found another way, or would it have just been GAME OVER? Welcome back Sequoia, from Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them podcast! Don't miss our 2022 Patreon Gifts - The MuggleCast Collectors Club and the MuggleCast Wand! Pledge to our Patreon by August 7, 2022 and fill out the form(s) to receive your gifts! We are so proud of this year's items and hope you check them out! News: Quidditch is changing its name to Quadball We continue our Deathly Hallows 15th Anniversary Celebration! Main Discussion: What if... Deathly Hallows Edition What if... Harry had been sorted into Slytherin? What if... Harry had not inadvertently destroyed the Diary Horcrux in Chamber of Secrets? What if... Lily and Jame

This week, the hosts grab their Time Turners and summon all the nostalgia that will fit in their beaded bag as they revisit the day after receiving Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Andrew, Eric and Laura were in London for a live podcasting event at Waterstones, and Micah was stateside. We reflect on our initial impression of the book, what things we feel differently about 15 years later, and how magical it felt to witness the "end" of an era together. Also on this episode: dramatic line readings of some Book 7 reactions and e-mails from the day after that we finally respond to! We've just announced our 2022 Patreon Gifts - The MuggleCast Collectors Club and the MuggleCast Wand! Pledge to our Patreon by August 7, 2022 and fill out the form(s) to receive your gifts! We are so proud of this year's items and hope you check them out! Main Discussion: Revisiting MuggleCast #101, our first Deathly Hallows reactions episode Why did we start off Episode 101 talking about Lord of the Rings? Eric reminds us

On this week's episode of MuggleCast, we begin our celebration of the 15th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by looking at the burning questions the seventh  book didn't answer. In the weeks ahead, stay tuned for more Deathly Hallows book discussions in honor of the anniversary! We're excited to announce our 2022 Patreon Gifts - The MuggleCast Collectors Club and the MuggleCast Wand! Pledge to our Patreon by August 7, 2022 and fill out the form(s) to receive your gifts! We are so proud of this year's items and hope you check them out! Main Discussion: Burning Questions Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Didn’t Answer Did Deathly Hallows provide the conclusion we all wanted? Which character(s) got the most disappointing Deathly Hallows resolution? Lavender Brown: dead or alive? What retributions (if any) were there for Death Eaters and Voldemort sympathizers after the second war? Did Kreacher live through the Battle of Hogwarts, and did he ever find out that the locket was destro

On this week's MuggleCast, the hosts take on the most indefensible characters, and figure out what about them gets under our skin. How can we defend the actions of someone like Gilderoy Lockhart or Rita Skeeter? Do we really believe that James Potter matured out of being a bully? And finally, is Umbridge a case of nature or nurture? Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura for a deep look at characters who bug us in Harry Potter. For Pride month, MuggleCast is participating in The Hogwarts Hunt, a fundraiser and scavenger hunt to benefit LGBT charities. We're team Hufflepuff! Visit our social media for more info. Who are the most indefensible characters in Harry Potter? Why do we say that they can't they be redeemed? The hosts unexpectedly discuss a few Ravenclaws and Micah and Laura get nervous. Micah says the Death Eaters would actually approve of the Dursleys' treatment of Harry if they knew. Among the irredeemable characters, which ones do we LOVE to hate and why? Characters like Snape or Umbridge have

On this week's episode of MuggleCast, we're joined by a very special guest, Mr. Thomas Taylor, who originally illustrated Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 1996!  He talks about what it was like to land the job and all that ensued! Join us as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the book that began a phenomenon! Welcome Thomas Taylor, illustrator of the very first Harry Potter book in the UK! Thomas shares what it was like to get the job at just 23-years-old! How did he decide to illustrate the iconic Hogwarts Express scene? Did he ever speak with J.K. Rowling? What was it like to be one of the first people to ever read Harry Potter? Was he ever asked to work on the remainder of the series? Who is the mysterious gentleman on the original back cover, and what's in his pocket? Did you know there is a connection between Dumbledore and The Hobbit? Thomas shares his thoughts on the first Harry Potter movie, his favorite characters and his Hogwarts House! What was it like for him to transitio

A merger of Warner Bros and Discovery, Inc. has led Andrew to speculate as to what the future of the Wizarding World may look like on film and TV. And he's prepared a presentation about it! Hosts Eric, Micah, Laura and special Slug Club guest Neil join in and speculate as to the future of Fantastic Beasts, and what - if any - television series set within the Wizarding World we might see from Discovery Time Warner. It's a jam-packed episode with lots of laughs and really cool ideas! Welcome Slug Club guest Neil, who's joining us from South Korea in the middle of the night. What CEO David Zaslav might do with Fantastic Beasts, Harry Potter, and his upcoming meeting with JKR. While Secrets of Dumbledore is the lowest performing Wizarding World film of all time, it still technically has broken even, reaching $400M globally. Is the future secure for its remaining announced sequels? Hypothetically, what scripted Harry Potter TV shows could we see coming if not a direct reboot of the original Potter books? T

Watch Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore with the MuggleCasters in our movie commentary track! We had a ton of fun watching the movie together and making sense of everything that's going on. What are each character's motives? What are we noticing now that we're watching in the comfort of our own homes? Even the credits had a surprise that a couple of us weren't aware of! We discuss every moment of the movie as we watch it together! The Secrets of Dumbledore was just released on HBO Max, and now you can watch the movie in real time with your Harry Potter friends (Us). You will need to bring your own copy of the movie to get the full experience. Currently it's available on HBO Max and will be released on DVD/Blu-Ray/Digital at the end of June. At the beginning of the episode we help you sync up with us. Our sync point is just after the WB logo flies past the camera. For us, this was 53 seconds into the movie, but your timecode may differ if you don't have a HBO ad at the beginning. This week's

On this week's episode, Micah and Eric talk about what Fantastic Beasts 4 needs to do in order to keep fans interested in the franchise. Then open our Muggle Mailbag to take feedback on Secrets of Dumbledore. Plus... Alakazam! Can wizards and witches really use spoons to do magic? Main Mini-Discussion: What does Fantastic Beasts 4 need to do in order to be a satisfying story for fans? With where Secrets of Dumbledore left us, what more story is there to tell?  Can the franchise continue to hang its hooks on Potter nostalgia, but then fail to deliver? Do we feel there is enough meat for five Fantastic Beasts films? Could a flashback movie work? It's time to bust open the Muggle Mailbag! What did Grindelwald know about Dumbledore's future when he said: "Who's going to love you now?" Will Jude Law's Dumbledore ever reenact the Half-Blood Prince potion scene? Is Secrets of Dumbledore too gay? Did Dumbledore plan for Jacob to be an "assassin" all along? Why did Leta choose Theseus? Is Newt to blame?

In their first dedicated character discussion since the premiere of Secrets of Dumbledore, the hosts of MuggleCast turn the pages of their study guides to Professor Eulalie Hicks of Ilvermorny! "Lally" was a huge highlight of the third Beasts film, and we're here to say why that was. Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they analyze the character through her words, attitude and relationships. It's a fun episode for sure. Main Discussion: Professor Eulalie "Lally" Hicks in Secrets of Dumbledore Going back to the first section he ever headed on MuggleNet, Micah starts us off with Lally's Name Origin Jessica Williams, who portrays Lally, was herself a big Harry Potter fan, and even shares his birthday! The announcement of Jessica's casting likely took place at the next table over from Andrew, Eric and Micah when they saw Cursed Child on Broadway. What makes Eulalie a member of Thunderbird house? It's been a while since the hosts had a chance to talk about Ilvermorny canon. As a Charms professor, Eulal

On this week's episode, the fearless MuggleCasters take it upon themselves to answer Secrets of Dumbledore's biggest unanswered questions, using their extensive knowledge of the Wizarding World to provide plausible answers and put to bed the movie's most dangling plot threads. Join Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah on this fun journey through the plot points and listen as they finally discuss whether their own prophecy about the movie came true! Main Discussion: Can our knowledge of book canon help us explain the events of Fantastic Beasts 3? In what YEAR is the third movie set? Some title cards would have been helpful! Are there clues in the props? What became of Nagini? Andrew, Laura and Micah provide a tragic outcome while Eric imagines a spa day. Where is Tina Goldstein, really? The "she's busy" explanation does not hold any giggle water for us! Was Newt ever allowed back to Hogwarts after his expulsion, and did he complete his schooling there? What makes Dumbledore "more than a teacher" to Newt, in