MuggleCast: The Harry Potter Re-Read Podcast

It’s time for our 2009 Year in Review episode! The term BobFail is created on the show as Micah tells the story of putting a USA Today writer in his place. The 2nd Annual MuggleCasties Awards are here! We ask listeners to vote LIVE as we announced each category on the air. We then read the results and discussed if we agreed/disagreed with the consensus. Best Harry Potter Video? Most Interesting Potter star on Twitter? All questions are asked and answered! Who will win this year’s JK Rowling award? What were the 7 biggest Potter stories of the year? We recall the best MuggleCast moments of 2009. We host a trivia contest where winners receive copies of Half-Blood Prince on DVD! What things do we have to look forward to in 2010? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

News: Potter top Twitter trend, HBP screening, DH filming update and more. We touch briefly on the SS and CoS Ultimate Edition DVDs. Laura and Mikey give their thoughts on the DH trailer. Muggle Mail includes Harry and the Sorting Hat, petrified people, wizard genetics, and health at Hogwarts. Chapter by Chapter returns with Chamber of Secrets 13-15. Is there a secret to each Chapter 13 in the Potter series? Does Harry have a Horcrux moment when he first encounters Riddle’s diary? Why doesn’t the Trio just present all their findings to the staff instead of getting into more danger? Did Dumbledore sense the presence of a deathly hallow in Hagrid’s hut? And did the governors really believe Hogwarts would be safer without Dumbledore? Also, why is Chapter 14 called Cornelius Fudge? We don’t think it makes much sense! Was Malfoy asking Snape about the headmaster’s position foreshadowing to DH? Were the students really safe being escorted around by professors? We meet Aragog. Hagrid continues to underestimate the danger of certain creatures. Ford Anglia to the rescue! Did it grow a mind of its own? Thanks to everyone who vote for us at the 2009 Podcast Awards! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Deathly Hallows trailer is released and we identify all the scenes! Eric reveals that he hates all things trailers. David Yates reveals nude scenes in Deathly Hallows. What’s the deal with these? Are they justified? Thanks to all the listeners, we beat Tiger Woods and Santa in the Twitter trends! Is that BLOOD on Hermione’s hands? We review the various parts of the DVD. Which were bad, which were great Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s up with all the Ultimate DVD previews? We learn about the initial relationship between David Heyman and Chris Columbus… …and that Dan Radcliffe almost wasn’t Harry Potter. Speaking of Dan, we discuss his upcoming appearance on The Simpsons. MuggleMail covers the Deathday Party movie omission, Ben’s trend-setting, Muggle-borns and more. Chapter-by-Chapter: Chamber of Secrets 10 – 12. What is the deal with Hermione’s rule-breaking? Does it have to do with Malfoy? Lockhart continues to show he’s a fraud. Why does no adult seem to notice? Is the concept of The Dueling Club a good idea for the school and its students? Why is Dumbledore so accepting of Harry’s lies? Lady Dumbledore and Fawkes Gaga sing us some songs. We discuss all the flaws with Polyjuice Potion plan. Avada Kedavra, Imperio, Love Potion returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The cafe where JKR started Potter reopens – how should they recognize Jo there? Auditions for the Wizarding World are coming up and Ben submits his audition. Andrew’s story of proposing the Dumbledore’s Tower of Terror ride to Universal execs. Deathly Hallows filming updates galore. Ben debuts a brand new Top 10 List. Chapter by Chapter highlights Chamber of Secrets Chapters 7 – 9 Hedwig holds a grudge against Harry. She needs to get over it! A mini debate is sparked over Quidditch teams and what brooms they use – should all teams use the same brooms? “Broom Equality!” cries Andrew. Listener Feedback addresses last week’s hot topics. What if JK Rowling secretely released her next book under a different name?! Ben writes a letter to Emma in attempt to make his feelings be known. We’ve been nominated at the 2009 Podcast Awards! Thank you! Roller Coaster Tycoon contest winners can be found at this link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emerson makes his pre-recorded MuggleCast debut! Someone is almost fired by the boss after slacking off from his news duties. News: Potter DVD features, Dan may be in a musical, and Deathly Hallows filming updates. MuggleMail looks last episode’s hot topics. This week’s Chapter by Chapter looks at Chapters 4 – 6 of Chamber of Secrets. Tons of foreshadowing within Borgin and Burkes! Gilderoy Lockhart – what’s his deal? We take your e-mails and tweets about these chapters. We ask Emerson about the origins of MuggleNet. How it started, how it grew, why it grew. What is the all-time best moment Emerson has had with the site? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

JK Rowling creates a Twitter and hints at a writing project. Will she use the Twitter account often? And what is she writing? We predict when the Encyclopedia will be released (if that is what she’s writing). Chapter by Chapter returns in a new format! We start with Chapters 1 – 3 from Chamber of Secrets. What is the deal with the Dursleys? They’re extremely abusive. Does Dobby know about the Horcruxes from this early point? Andrew points out an example of Jo forwarding a death in Deathly Hallows. Listeners send in their questions about these chapters via Twitter. Quote Quiz and Make the Music Connection return. The show wraps up with MuggleMail and Chicken Soup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss the recently announced release dates for the HBP DVDs.. …and get into all the details surrounding the Ultimate Editions. Quick Deathly Hallows filming update. Announcements include Infinitus, Twitter and Chapter-by-Chapter?!?! Laura and Nick offer their thoughts on the theme park. What would have happened if Harry chose the Hallows? We tell what one thing we would change about the series and why. Which professor (aside from Dumbledore) was the most influential for each member of the Trio? What if Hermione had a brother or a sister, how would her character change? This Week in MuggleCast history goes way back to our “lost” episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an impromptu mini episode, we discuss the news from the recent press conference at the Wizarding World. Andrew is still live in Orlando with plenty of interesting info. Park to open in Spring 2010: we’re not surprised there’s no date yet. The three main rides: our thoughts and fan reaction. We offer our theories on the mystery surrounding Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Just what is up with that lake? The attention to detail of the shops and stores in Hogsmeade is unreal. Plus John Williams, park characters and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re back with a worldwide panel this week! News: Half-Blood Prince box office update, Deathly Hallows filming continues, theme park updates, John Williams performs Potter at the Hollywood Bowl. Registration for Infinitus 2010 is now open! ESPN’s Fantasy Focus podcast challenges MuggleCast. MuggleMail addresses Episode 178’s hot topics. For our main discussion, we go in-depth on several different topics submitted by listeners: Could Dumbledore have stopped Voldemort from becoming what he did? Why did JK Rowling get rid of Harry’s father figures? Who that died in Deathly Hallows would have become a ghost? How does Harry get away with so many crimes? How will kids discover Potter in 20 – 30 years? Chicken Soup: Back to School Edition! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices