A Cast of Kings - A Game of Thrones Podcast

Thanks to our SPONSORS for this episode: Factor: Head to factormeals.com/castofkings50 and use code castofkings50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next month.  GhostBed: Visit GhostBed.com/castofkings to save 50%, plus free (and fast) shipping right to your door. If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to check out Decoding TV's other podcasts: Decoding TV  Decoding Reality In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen and Kim Renfro dive into the reaction of House of the Dragon season 2.  What were the ratings like for this season of House of the Dragon? Did HBO really cut two episodes from the second season in a way that negatively impacted the story? Did Ulf actually have one of the best arcs of season 2? sAren't Targaryens supposed to be fireproof? Does House of the Dragon have a prophecy problem? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more! Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze  Follow this podcast on Instagram Follow this podcast on Tiktok Subscribe to David's free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Thanks to our sponsor this week, GhostBed: Visit GhostBed.com/castofkings and use the code CASTOFKINGS to save 50% off your purchase sitewide.  Tune in next week for a season 2 post-mortem, with reactions to your feedback and thoughts! Email us at acastofkings@gmail.com for a chance to be included. In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen, Jessie Earl, and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's eighth episode, “The Queen Who Ever Was.” Why did this episode make us say “Huh” at the end of it? What did we think of Daemon's storyline this season? Is it too easy for Rhaenyra and Alicent to see each other? Did we think this was a satisfying conclusion to Criston Cole's storyline this season? And what did we think of this season as a whole? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more! Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze  Follow this podcast on Instagram Follow this podcast on Tiktok Subscribe to David's free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Thanks to our SPONSOR for this episode: BetterHelp: Visit BetterHelp.com/castofkings today to get 10% off your first month. In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's seventh episode, “The Red Sowing.” What kind of occupational safety standards exist in the world of Westeros? What do we make of Rhaenyra's seeming nod towards religious fanaticism? Is Oscar Tully the most badass character on House of the Dragon? Is the Daemon storyline actually good this week? And do we have any idea how the season finale is going to wrap things up? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more! Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze  Follow this podcast on Instagram Follow this podcast on Tiktok Subscribe to David's free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Thanks to our sponsor for this week's episode: GHOSTBED: Visit GhostBed.com/castofkings and use the code CASTOFKINGS to save 50% off your purchase sitewide. Become a paid member at DecodingTV.com to get bonus episodes. In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen, Jessie Earl, and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's sixth episode, “Smallfolk.” This week, Team Black and Team Green experience some difficulties with their respective plans. What did we think of Rhaenyra's big gambit at King's Landing? What was up with the weird vibes between Aegon and Aemond this episode? And how did we react to that big surprise at the end of the episode? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more! Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze  Follow this podcast on Instagram Follow this podcast on Tiktok Subscribe to David's free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Thanks to our sponsor for this episode: Factor - Head to factormeals.com/castofkings50 and use code castofkings50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next month while your subscription is active. In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen, Jessie Earl, and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's fifth episode, “Regent.” This week deals with the sprawling aftermath of the events of last week's battle. What were the storylines and moments that resonated the most? How do Alicent and Rhaenyra's plotlines mirror each other? Is Daemon's storyline working for us at all? And why is George R. R. Martin so mad about the way dragons are depicted in this show? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!  Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Become a paid member at DecodingTV.com to get bonus episodes. Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze 

To get bonus episodes all season, become a paid subscriber at decodingtv.com. In this bonus episode for A Cast of Kings, David Chen, Jessie Earl, and Kim Renfro discuss which elements from House of the Dragon episode 3 were changed from the book. Why does the show keep increasing the stakes of characters' actions beyond what they intend? How propaganda-driven is Fire and Blood anyway? And what is the net effect of this on the story being told in the show? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more! Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze 

Thanks to our sponsors this episode: GhostBed: Visit Ghostbed.com/castofkings and use code CASTOFKINGS to save 50% off your purchase sitewide. Betterhelp: Visit BetterHelp.com/castofkings today to get 10% off your first month. To support this podcast and get ad-free eps and bonus eps, become a paid member at decodingtv.com. In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen, Jessie Earl, and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's fourth episode, “The Red Dragon and the Gold.” This week was an action packed episode that showed what type of damage dragon-on-dragon violence can wreak on the battlefield. What did we think of how the big battle sequence played out? What were some of our favorite highlights? And what did we think of that enigmatic ending? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!  Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze 

In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen, Jessie Earl, and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's third episode, “The Burning Mill.” In this episode, the war begins to spiral out of control. What did we think of how the show depicts this? Also: Rhaenyra makes some big moves. What did we make of her daring gambit at the end of the episode? And what's Daemon up to these days, anyway? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!  Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze 

In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen, Jessie Earl, and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's second episode, "Rhaenyra the Cruel." How is Aegon's character shaping up this season? Are Otto's reaction shots going to be the source of amazing gifs and memes? What do we think about how the show is introducing us to the smallfolk? And what exactly happened in the battle between Erryk and Arryk, anyway? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!  Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze 

To get bonus episodes all season, become a paid subscriber at decodingtv.com. David, Jessie, and Kim discuss some of the ways 'House of the Dragon's' season premiere changed the book. In this bonus episode for A Cast of Kings, David Chen, Jessie Earl, and Kim Renfro, discuss the saga of Blood and Cheese and how the season premiere of House of the Dragon changed certain elements from the book.  What did we make of the changes? Did they make things more or less effective? And is the show still in dialogue with the book, as it was in season 1? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more! Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze 

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/castofkings today to get 10% off your first month. Help keep podcasts like A Cast of Kings going by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com. A Cast of Kings is back to cover season 2 of House of the Dragon! In this episode, David Chen, Jessie Earl, and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's season 2 premiere, "A Son for a Son." This episode shows us the immediate aftermath of the events from season 1's finale. Will Aegon be a better king than Viserys? Will Alicent be able to stem the bloodletting? Will Daemon's plans bring Rhaenyra to ruin? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!  Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze 

We are less than two months away from the premiere of House of the Dragon season 2, which is scheduled to hit Max on June 16th. In this bonus episode of A Cast of Kings, David and Kim Renfro welcome Jessie Earl to the podcast and discuss the plan for the year. Then, it's time to run down all the recent Thrones-related. What do we think about the prospect of The Tales of Dunk and Egg as a new series? Were we disappointed to hear that the Jon Snow spin-off has been shelved? And what was our reaction to the recent release of a Green and Black trailer for House of the Dragon? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more! We'll be back in June with recaps and reviews of House of the Dragon season 2. Links: Spin-off news Dunk and Egg has been cast Jon Snow shelved Images of Blood Moon Reacting to the trailers Green trailer Black trailer Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie's short film, Identiteaze Follow this podcast on Tiktok Subscribe to David's free newsletter, Decoding Everything Follow David on Instagram Follow David on Tiktok

Big news: Kim Renfro and David Chen will be recapping Succession for its 4th and final season!  In this special season 4 preview episode for Decoding TV, we discuss: Why is it we love Succession so much? Where we left off with each of the Roy characters at the end of season 3 Jesse Armstrong's comments on why he wanted to end the show Where we think season 4 will wrap up Where we want to see each of the Roys end up The biggest jettisoned plotlines from earlier on in the show And much more! To get the rest of the episodes, head over to podcast.decodingtv.com or find us wherever you get your podcasts! You can also follow Decoding TV on: Twitter Instagram Tiktok YouTube

Over on the Decoding TV podcast, David Chen, Joy, and Kim Renfro recorded a bonus episode discussing season 1 of Netflix's 1899.  In this excerpt we discussed our overall thoughts on the show. Later, we dive into our thoughts on the production design, each character's arc, and the unexpected ending to season 1.  This clip contains the NON-SPOILER parts of our conversation. To listen to our full spoiler chat, go here. 

David Chen and Kim Renfro are back! In this bonus episode, Kim Renfro describes her experiences attending the Game of Thrones Official Fan Convention (the first officially licensed fan convention!). Which panels did she see and what did she learn about the current and future state of Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon? Listen to find out! Links: Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow A Cast of Kings on Tiktok Find Kim's work at Insider

Subscribe to the Decoding TV podcast and hear us cover shows like The White Lotus, Andor, and may more! In this A Cast of Kings bonus episode, David Chen and Kim Renfro reflect on the first season of House of the Dragon. What questions remain unanswered? What themes stick out the most? And what was it like to make a podcast about it all? Listen to find out.  Programming note:  Kim and I plan to do other bonus episodes throughout the year as Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon news breaks. Keep it tuned in to A Cast of Kings for more! Links: WATCH: David's special send-off for Kim this season Kim Renfro: What book chapters should you read to brush up on House of the Dragon?  Kim Renfro: 11 questions the House of the Dragon season left unanswered Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Follow David on Twitter Follow Kim on Twitter

Hey folks, it's David Chen here. The second season of The White Lotus will debut on October 30 on HBO and run for 7 episodes, and I'm thrilled to share that the Decoding TV podcast will be recapping and reviewing each episode. Furthermore, I'm excited to announce that my co-host will be Roxana Hadadi, a TV critic at Vulture.com and one of my favorite writers on the internet today. In this Decoding TV bonus ep, we discuss season 1 of The White Lotus, with a particular focus on its finale. Where did we leave off with each of these characters? What was this show trying to say about wealth and privilege, and how effectively did it say it? And what about that whole murder mystery plot? Listen to hear our thoughts on all of the above! To listen to the rest of the show, subscribe at podcast.decodingtv.com.

Help keep podcasts like A Cast of Kings going by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com! In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's season 1 finale, “The Black Queen.” Rhaenyra learns of what went down at King's Landing next week, prompting her and Daemon to take immediate action. But can Rhaenyra prevent tragedy from befalling the kingdom, as well as her family?  Where is this show going with all the references to the ASOIAF prophecy? What's up with the depiction of Daemon this episode? What are the major differences between the show and the books when it comes to this episode's events? How will the Dance of the Dragons play out? Now that season 1 is over, will David stop complaining about the time jumps? Listen to hear our thoughts! Programming note: Kim and I will record at least one additional bonus episode next week, and we plan to do other bonus episodes throughout the year as Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon news breaks. Keep it tuned in to A Cast of Kings for more! Links: Kim Renfro: 8 details you might've missed Kim Renfro: How HOTD made an important change to a tragic death Listen to our Twitter Space reacting to this episode Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Follow David on Twitter Follow Kim on Twitter

In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's ninth episode, “The Green Council.” Major events leave the Small Council divided on how to proceed. But who will have the upper hand? Should Aegon really be king or is Aemond really better prepared? Why is Ser Criston able to just do WTF he wants with no consequences? Will Alicent ever realize the grave error that she's made? And what's Larys's whole deal anyway? Listen to hear our thoughts! Thanks to our sponsors this episode: Private Internet Access: Head to PIAVPN.com/kings and get an 82% discount. Uncommon Goods: To get 15% off your next gift, go to uncommongoods.com/KINGS. Links: Kim Renfro: 10 Details You Might've Missed David Chen's tweet about the one guy in the crowd Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Follow David on Twitter Follow Kim on Twitter

Support this podcast by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com! In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's eighth episode, “The Lord of the Tides.” It's the end of the line for Viserys as his whole family converges on King's Landing to have one last extremely civil debate about the true line of succession. What's going on with the disparate aging of the characters in the show? What is the dynamic between Rhaenyra and Alicent? Are we really going to hinge everything that happens next on a simple prophecy misunderstanding?? Listen to hear our thoughts! Links: Kim Renfro: 7 details you might've missed Kim Renfro: A timeline of major events Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Follow David on Twitter Follow Kim on Twitter

Welcome to the Hellmouth Weirdos! Your favorite Morbid hosts Ash and Alaina are branching out from true crime and heading to Sunnydale for the ultimate Buffy the Vampire Slayer Rewatch podcast! Alaina is a Buffy superfan and Ash has never watched a single episode, so whether you're Team Angel, Team Spike, or have no clue who those people are…they've got you covered! Join them each week as they slay their way through the series, episode by episode, re-watching, and watching for the very first time. They'll break down Buffy and her friends adventures through weekly recaps, categories, and awards while Ash takes some (wooden stake) stabs at predicting what she thinks will happen next. They'll also welcome the occasional Buffy cast member, guest star, or celebrity superfan to join in the slaying. Listen to The Rewatcher: http://wondery.fm/ACOK_ReWatcher

Support this podcast and get ad-free episodes and bonus episodes by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com! In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's seventh episode, “Driftmark.” In this episode, a sudden death in the family brings disparate folks together from across the kingdom and introduces new tensions. How might the resulting conflicts reverberate through the rest of the show? Listen to hear our speculations and analyses. Thanks to our sponsor this week: Go to expressvpn.com/castofkings and get an extra 3 months free on a one-year package Links: Kim Renfro: 5 Details You Might've Missed Kim Renfro: Why This Episode Surprised Even Bookreaders Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Follow David on Twitter Follow Kim on Twitter

Support this podcast by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com! In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's sixth episode, “The Princess and the Queen.” In this episode we jump forward 10 years in time to find that Daemon is much more mellow, Larys is much more sketchy, Alicent is much more intense about protecting her children, and Rhaenyra just wants to GTFO. But does it all work as a TV show? Listen to find out. Thanks to our sponsor this week, MintMobile. To get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, and get the plan shipped to your door for FREE, go to mintmobile.com/kings. Links: The Decoding TV podcast is covering Andor, She-Hulk, and The Rings of Power. Subscribe here! Kim Renfro: Details you might've missed from this episode Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Follow David on Twitter Follow Kim on Twitter

This is a preview of a bonus episode where Kim Renfro and David Chen discuss this show's use of time jumps. To get the rest of this episode, other bonus episodes, and ad-free episodes of the podcast, consider supporting this show by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com! Links: Subscribe to this show on YouTube Follow this podcast on Tiktok Follow David Chen on Twitter Follow Kim Renfro on Twitter

Support this podcast by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com! In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's fifth episode, “We Light The Way.” Does this episode give Lady Royce fans what they want? What is the sexual equivalent of roasted duck? Will it ever be a good idea to go to a wedding in Westeros? Listen to find out! Thanks to our sponsor this week, HelloFresh. Go to Hellofresh.com/kings65 and use code "kings65" to get 65% plus free shipping! Links: For quality written content about House of the Dragon and many other shows, check out the Episodic Medium newsletter. Kickstarter video to remove the rat from The Departed The Decoding TV podcast is covering Andor, She-Hulk, and The Rings of Power. Subscribe here! Kim Renfro: Six details you might have missed in this week's episode Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Follow David on Twitter Follow Kim on Twitter

This is a preview of a bonus episode where Kim Renfro and David Chen discuss this show's use of time jumps. To get the rest of this episode, other bonus episodes, and ad-free episodes of the podcast, consider supporting this show by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com! Links: Subscribe to this show on YouTube Follow this podcast on Tiktok Follow David Chen on Twitter

Who is most worthy of Rhaenyra's hand in marriage? How does House of the Dragon resemble Aladdin? Will we ever be able to look at Paddy Considine in the same way again? Listen to find out! Links: Thanks to our sponsor this episode, Manscaped! Get 20% Off and free shipping with the code CASTOFKINGS at Manscaped.com. For quality written content about House of the Dragon and many other shows, check out the Episodic Medium newsletter. The Decoding TV podcast is covering She-Hulk and Rings of Power. Subscribe here! Kim Renfro: 11 Details You Might've Missed Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Follow David on Twitter

Support this podcast and get ad-free/bonus episodes by becoming a member at DecodingTV.com In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's third episode, “Second of His Name.”  This week another massive time jump resets the status quo. What are the positives and negatives of these time jumps from a storytelling perspective? Why is Viserys so indecisive about who is heir should be? What are the parallels between Rhaenyra and Danny from Game of Thrones? Who is Johanna Swan, exactly? Who were those dudes eyeing Rhaenyra when she got back to camp? Listen to find out! Links: THR: Miguel Sapochnik leaves House House of the Dragon's time jumps are a problem The Decoding TV podcast will cover Rings of Power. Subscribe here! Kim Renfro: 11 Details You Might've Missed from this Episode Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Follow David on Twitter

Support this podcast and get ad-free/bonus episodes by becoming a member at DecodingTV.com In this episode of A Cast of Kings, David Chen and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's second episode, “The Rogue Prince.” How questionable are Daemon and Viserys's decisions? What's up with this new opening credits sequence? What on earth is happening with Mysaria's accent? Listen and find out!  Links: The Decoding TV podcast will cover Rings of Power. Subscribe to the free podcast here! Check out this Twitter breakdown of the opening credits sequence Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Kim Renfro: Why some characters will be played by different actors Follow David on Twitter

Kim and I are trying something different today: We're doing a Twitter Space that's going to have our immediate and live reaction to this week's episode of House of the Dragon, in advance of our fully refined recap tomorrow.  If you don't know what Twitter Spaces are, they're basically live audio rooms on Twitter where people can have a conversation while others listen in. Of note: the audio is going to rougher than a usual podcast, and our thoughts are also a bit more raw. But this is really for those who watch the show on Sunday nights and want to hear our conversation about it as soon as possible. I'm not sure we'll be able to do a Twitter Space every week but if we do, the Space will be made available as a podcast for members of DecodingTV.com. This one is free for everyone.  Links: Follow this podcast on YouTube Follow this podcast on Tiktok Follow A Cast of Kings on Twitter Follow David Chen on Twitter

Welcome to a Cast of Kings bonus episode, brought to you thanks to our paid members at DecodingTV.com! Sign up at DecodingTV.com to get ad-free episodes, early access to episodes, and future bonus episodes like this one. In this episode, David Chen and Kim Renfro discuss a bunch of the intriguing lore that we didn't get to during the course of the main episode: What was the Doom of Valyria?  Who was Nymeria, again?  Why was Maegor called Maegor the Cruel?  What was do we make of the state of prophecies in Westeros at this point? Listen and find out! Links: Subscribe to this show on YouTube Follow this podcast on Tiktok Follow David Chen on Twitter

Support this podcast by signing up for a subscription at DecodingTV.com! Members will get: Ad-free episodes Bonus episodes Early access to episodes The ability to comment and join the community Welcome back to a new season of “A Cast of Kings!” We're happy you're here and that you've decided to join us for a new season of House of the Dragon, a show that takes place 172 years before the events of Game of Thrones.  In this episode, David Chen and Kim Renfro dive into the House of the Dragon season premiere, “The Heirs of the Dragon.” How well did this episode introduce us to all the new characters and establish the conflicts to come? What are the best easter eggs for those who enjoyed the original series? What's up with the security in the Small Council room? Listen to find out!  Links: Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Kim Renfro: 14 Details You Might Have Missed Kim Renfro: The Big Targaryen Reveal Follow David on Twitter

Please consider supporting A Cast of Kings this season by becoming a member of DecodingTV.com! Paid members will receive: Ad-free episodes Early access to episodes Bonus segments that Kim and I will record The ability to comment on episodes and join the community In this final pre-premiere episode, David and Kim discuss three things that George R. R. Martin wanted to make sure were part of the universe of House of the Dragon. Also: we chat about the Game of Thrones content ecosystem, as well as this new generation of actors that's about to become mega-famous as a result of the show. Links: Subscribe to A Cast of Kings on YouTube Subscribe to A Cast of Kings on TikTok Follow David on Twitter

David Chen and Kim Renfro discuss some of the recent controversies around House of the Dragon and how the showrunners have responded to them. Note: This episode contains discussion about sexual violence Links: THR's controversial tweet Kim's article talking with the showrunners Subscribe to A Cast of Kings on YouTube Subscribe to A Cast of Kings on TikTok Follow David on Twitter

Kim Renfro attended the House of the Dragon premiere! In this episode, she shares with David Chen what it's like to go to a major TV show premiere, what the scene was like, and what the vibes were. Links: Subscribe to A Cast of Kings on YouTube Subscribe to A Cast of Kings on TikTok Follow David on Twitter

David Chen and Kim Renfro break down the latest revelations about House of the Dragon, as revealed in two major cover stories and the latest official trailer for the show. Note: Non-book readers might consider some of the revelations within to be spoilers. You've been warned! Links: Watch the official trailer  The Hollywood Reporter's House of the Dragon stories: Part 1 and Part 2 Entertainment Weekly's cover story

A Cast of Kings is back with a new co-host! The podcast welcomes Kim Renfro (author of The Unofficial Guide to Game of Thrones) to the podcast. Kim and David Chen discuss what you can expect from House of the Dragon, the new prequel series for Game of Thrones that will be premiering on HBO on August 21. David and Kim will be back later this week to break down the latest House of the Dragon trailer, the new Entertainment Weekly story about the show, and more! Be sure to subscribe to A Cast of Kings wherever your podcasts can be found.

David and Joanna discuss the future of A Cast of Kings podcast. For the upcoming season of House of the Dragon (premiering August 21, 2022 on HBO) you can find Joanna discussing the show over on The Ringer-Verse podcast. David will be continuing A Cast of Kings with a new co-host. Stay tuned for more! Links: Follow Joanna on Twitter Follow David on Twitter Subscribe to The Ringerverse

Introducing the newest Audioboom original podcast, Truth vs Hollywood. Join Film lovers David Chen and Joanna Robinson as they do a deep dive into well known films and discuss how similar they are to the actual story.  Truth vs Hollywood premieres 6/12. Subscribe to Truth vs Hollywood on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/truth-vs-hollywood/id1510582080

Joanna and Dave are each launching Succession podcasts! In this bonus episode, they discuss what they've been up to since Game of Thrones ended and why you should be watching the HBO Original series Succession. Subscribe to Still Watching as they cover Succession (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/still-watching-game-of-thrones/id1328561705) Check out The Boiler Room, Joanna's podcast about My So-Called Life (http://www.boilerroomcast.com) Subscribe to The Sweet Smell of Succession (http://www.successionpodcast.com) Subscribe to Culturally Relevant (http://www.culturallyrelevantshow.com)

David Chen (https://twitter.com/davechensky) and Joanna Robinson (https://twitter.com/jowrotethis) reflect on this epic, touching, improbable, and divisive series that is Game of Thrones, plus this podcast that they created to accompany it. Thank you all for listening. Music in this episode comes from Jenny Owen Youngs (https://twitter.com/jennyowenyoungs?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) . To download today’s song plus to hear/download more of her original Game of Thrones music, go to Buffering the Vampire Slayer (https://www.bufferingthevampireslayer.com/got) .  Subscribe to David’s new podcast -  Culturally Relevant (http://www.culturallyrelevantshow.com/) - where he talks with authors, filmmakers, and other culturally relevant figures. You can also listen to his other podcasts Slashfilmcast (http://www.slashfilmcast.com) and Write Along (https://writealongpodcast.com/) .  Listen to Joanna's other podcasts Storm of Spoilers (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-storm-of-spoilers-a-game-of-thrones-podcast/id952917333) (currently discussing Lost), Still Watching (https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/da7e-gonzales/still-watching-versace) (currently discussing Big Little Lies), and Little Gold Men (https://www.vanityfair.com/topic/little-gold-men) .  Thanks to our sponsors this week: Upstart, Casper, Postmates, and Daily Harvest.  Find out how low your Upstart interest rate is, visit http://upstart.com/KINGS Get $50 toward select mattresses, go to http://casper.com/CASTOFKINGS and use promo code “CASTOFKINGS” For a limited time, get $100 of free Postmate delivery credit for your first seven days of Download the Postmate app and use the code “COK”  Get three cups of ingredients for free in your first Daily Harvest box, go to Daily-Harvest.com (http://Daily-Harvest.com/KINGS) and enter promo code “KINGS” 

It’s the final page of A Song of Ice and Fire. David Chen (https://twitter.com/davechensky) and Joanna Robinson (https://twitter.com/jowrotethis) watch the finale of the HBO series Game of Thrones, “The Iron Throne.” Catch the analysis of the ending by Ben and Jacob of Slashfilm here (https://www.slashfilm.com/game-of-thrones-finale-review/) . Read Joanna’s article on how Lord of the Rings predicted (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/05/game-of-thrones-ending-jon-snow-north-lord-of-the-rings-iron-throne-ring-of-power) the ending of Game of Thrones here, and the show's original pitch to HBO here (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/05/game-of-thrones-finale-how-did-it-end-original-pitch-letter-hbo) . Read George R.R. Martin’s 2014 interview in the Rolling Stone (https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/george-r-r-martin-the-rolling-stone-interview-242487/) . And look at how Martin had envisioned the real iron throne here. (https://grrm.livejournal.com/327569.html)   Listen and subscribe to David’s new podcast -  Culturally Relevant (http://www.culturallyrelevantshow.com) - where he talks with authors, filmmakers, and other culturally relevant figures. Find his other podcasts Slashfilmcast (https://www.slashfilm.com/category/features/slashfilmcast/) and Write Along (https://writealongpodcast.com/) here. Listen to Joanna's other podcasts Storm of Spoilers ( (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-storm-of-spoilers-a-game-of-thrones-podcast/id952917333) currently rewatching Lost), Still Watching (https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/da7e-gonzales/still-watching-versace) (currently on Big Little Lies) , and Vanity Fair's Little Gold Men (https://www.vanityfair.com/topic/little-gold-men) .  Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/acastofkings) and Twitter. (https://twitter.com/acastofkings) Thanks to our sponsor this week: Hello Fresh, MVMT, ButcherBox, Simple Health For $80 off your first month of HelloFresh, go to http://HelloFresh.com/KINGS80 and enter promo code KINGS80  Get 15% off today - with free shipping and free returns - by going to http://MVMT.com/CAST  For a free ultimate BBQ bundle plus an extra $20 off, go to http://ButcherBox.com/KINGS and enter promo code KINGS  Get $20 prescription fee waived by going to http://SimpleHealth.com/KINGS and enter the promo code KINGS

All bell breaks loose. David Chen (https://twitter.com/davechensky) and Joanna Robinson (https://twitter.com/jowrotethis) watch the fifth episode of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones, “The Bells.” Catch the Slashfilm Daily recap of the divisive episode here (https://daily.slashfilm.com/e/grappling-with-last-nights-divisive-game-of-thrones-episode/) . Read the post on Medium about why pop culture fans feel threatened by disagreement here (https://medium.com/@EstherRosenfield/let-people-enjoy-things-12021d00285a) . Read Joanna's article about why Dany's turn feels like a betrayal.  (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/05/game-of-thrones-mad-queen-daenerys-hints-clues-book-shock-betrayal) Watch David’s original meme Snickers ad here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCagcUfPgTY) .  Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/acastofkings) and Twitter. (https://twitter.com/acastofkings) Thanks to our sponsor this week: Hunt A Killer, Upstart, and Postmates. Get 20% off of your first Hunt A Killer box, go to http://huntakiller.com/kings  To get smarter interest rates on credit card debt, visit http://upstart.com/kings For a limited time, get $100 of free Postmate delivery credit for your first seven days of Download the Postmate app and use the code “COK.” 

The battle may have ended but the war for the throne is just about to start. David Chen (https://twitter.com/davechensky) and Joanna Robinson (https://twitter.com/jowrotethis) watch the fourth episode of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones, “The Last of the Starks.” Catch Ben and Jacob’s recap of the show on Slashfilm here. (https://www.slashfilm.com/game-of-thrones-the-last-of-the-starks-review/) Read about Jamie’s baffling choice to leave Winterfell here (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/05/game-of-thrones-why-jaime-leaves-brienne-for-cersei-kill-her-nikolaj-interview) . (http://www.apple.com) Music in this episode comes from Jenny Owen Youngs (https://twitter.com/jennyowenyoungs?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) , musician and co-host of the podcast Buffering the Vampire Slayer (https://www.bufferingthevampireslayer.com/) . Listen to the all the tracks that Jenny has written for A Cast of Kings here (https://www.bufferingthevampireslayer.com/got) . Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/acastofkings) and Twitter. (https://twitter.com/acastofkings) Thanks to our sponsor this week: Daily Harvest, Molekule and Simple Contacts.  Go to http://daily-harvest.com and enter promo code “KINGS” to get three cups of ingredients FREE in your first box.  For $75 off your first order of Molekule purifier, visit http://molekule.com and enter code “KINGS” at checkout.  Get $20 off your contacts, visit simplecontacts.com/kings20 or enter code “KINGS20” at checkout

Brace yourself for an endless night.  David Chen (https://twitter.com/davechensky) and Joanna Robinson (https://twitter.com/jowrotethis) watch the third episode of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones, “The Long Night.” Read about how the battle may have been literally too dark on Vanity Fair. (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/04/game-of-thrones-too-dark-hard-to-see-battle-of-winterfell-long-night) Learn about how Game of Thrones taught us to want death (https://slate.com/culture/2019/04/game-of-thrones-battle-of-winterfell-deaths.html) by Willa Paskin.  Read Jacob Hall’s thoughts of the episode on Slashfilm here (https://www.slashfilm.com/game-of-thrones-the-long-night-review/) .  Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/acastofkings) and Twitter. (https://twitter.com/acastofkings) Thanks to our sponsors this week: Postmate, Hunt A Killer, and Upstart.  For a limited time, get $100 of free Postmate delivery credit for your first seven days of Download the Postmate app and use the code “COK.”  Get 20% off of your first Hunt A Killer box, go to http://huntakiller.com/kings  To get smarter interest rates on those credit card debt, visit http://upstart.com/kings

It’s the night before the storm.  David Chen (https://twitter.com/davechensky) and Joanna Robinson (https://twitter.com/jowrotethis) watch the second episode of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” Find out about the meaning behind Podrick’s song here (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/04/game-of-thrones-song-podrick-jenny-song-meaning-books-jenny-oldstones) . Read Jacob Hall and Ben Pearson’s recap of the episode here (https://www.slashfilm.com/game-of-thrones-a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-review/) .  Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/acastofkings) and Twitter. (https://twitter.com/acastofkings)

It’s the beginning of the end!  David Chen (https://twitter.com/davechensky) and Joanna Robinson (https://twitter.com/jowrotethis) dive into the first episode of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones, “Winterfell.” Listen to David and Joanna’s recent interview on NPR All Things Considere (https://www.npr.org/2019/04/12/712862539/a-guide-to-talk-about-game-of-thrones-even-if-you-ve-never-seen-an-episode) d. Read Joanna’s Vanity Fair article on the Easter eggs in the season premiere (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/04/game-of-thrones-season-8-episode-1-winterfell-callbacks-easter-eggs) , and see her profile in the San Francisco Chronicle.  (https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/oakland-thrones-maven-greets-series-end-with-massive-relief) Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/acastofkings) and Twitter. (https://twitter.com/acastofkings)

A Cast of Kings is coming back! In this episode, David Chen and Joanna Robinson discuss how they've been rewatching the show and talk about the plotlines they're most looking forward to in the next season. Learn more about why Game of Thrones might be the last show we'll watch together. (https://www.vulture.com/2019/04/game-of-thrones-the-last-show-we-watch-together.html)

In this special bonus episode of A Cast of Kings, Joanna Robinson (http://twitter.com/jowrotethis) and David Chen (http://twitter.com/davechensky) discuss some off-season developments that have happened in the past week, including George RR Martin's interview with The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/nov/10/game-of-thrones-george-rr-martin-the-winds-of-winter-interview) and the new teaser trailer (https://www.slashfilm.com/game-of-thrones-final-season-release-date-april-2019/) . Check out Joanna's interview with George RR Martin (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/11/george-rr-martin-stan-lee-nightflyers-game-of-thrones-marvel-influence) and stay tuned for the new season of the show and podcacst in April 2019. Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/acastofkings) and Twitter. (https://twitter.com/acastofkings)  

Joanna and David discuss details they missed from the season 7 finale and review listener feedback about the whole season. Thanks to Buffering The Vampire Slayer (https://www.bufferingthevampireslayer.com/) for producing this week's song. Learn more about them at Bufferingthevampireslayer.com/got (https://www.bufferingthevampireslayer.com/got) . Donate to the Hurricane Harvey relief fund. (https://www.youcaring.com/victimsofhurricaneharvey-915053) Follow Joanna on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/jowrotethis) and find her at Vanity Fair. (https://www.vanityfair.com/contributor/joanna-robinson) Follow David on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/davechensky) and at his blog Davechen.net. (http://www.davechen.net) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joanna and David discuss the Game of Thrones Season 7 finale, "The Dragon and the Wolf."  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices