An in-depth thematic discussion of George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, the basis for HBO's Game of Thrones, featuring Sean T. Collins and Stefan Sasse. Warning: Westerosi wonkery ahead.
Sean T. Collins & Stefan Sasse
The Boiled Leather Audio Hour podcast is a must-listen for fans of A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones. Hosted by Sean T Collins and Stefan Sasse, this podcast offers deep and insightful analysis of the books and the show, as well as thought-provoking discussions on various themes and topics. Their knowledge of the source material is impressive, and they provide critical analysis that goes beyond simple recaps or theories. It's clear that Sean and Stefan truly love the series, and their passion shines through in every episode.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is the way Sean and Stefan are able to connect the story to real-world events and themes. They go beyond surface-level analysis and explore how A Song of Ice and Fire reflects on society, politics, power dynamics, and other relevant topics. This adds another layer of depth to their discussions and allows listeners to see the story in a new light.
Another great aspect is the chemistry between Sean and Stefan. They have a great rapport with each other, which makes for engaging conversations that are both informative and entertaining. Their differing viewpoints often lead to interesting debates, providing multiple perspectives on various aspects of the series.
However, one potential drawback of this podcast is its inconsistent release schedule. While there are many episodes available to listen to, there have been periods where new episodes were not released regularly. This can be frustrating for fans who look forward to hearing their insights regularly.
In conclusion, The Boiled Leather Audio Hour podcast provides some of the most intelligent analysis of A Song of Ice and Fire available in the podcasting world. With their deep knowledge, critical thinking skills, and ability to connect fictional narratives with real-world themes, Sean T Collins and Stefan Sasse offer a unique perspective that enriches the experience for fans. Despite occasional gaps in new content releases, this podcast is definitely worth a listen for any fan looking to delve deeper into George R.R. Martin's epic series.
You didn’t think we’d miss this, right? Weekly episodes, from now on, on the regular channel! Listen to us how we discuss the most important thing in season 2: the new title sequence. And some other stuff, like child murder.Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
In a special, political episode, I talk with political operative Frank Spring about the upcoming presidential elections. If you don’t want politics from me, stay away from this episode :) You have been warned. Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter. Stefan on Bluesky. Stefan's blog.
Sean has written a list of the top ten TV shows of 2023 (https://decider.com/2023/12/29/sean-t-collinss-top-10-tv-shows-of-2023/), and we’re here to talk about it. Take it as your to-do-list, nod along or vehemently disagree!Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
Oppenheimer has been released on BlueRay. Having missed it in cinema and after covering Barbie with Sean, I’ll now took BLAH veteran and nuclear deterrence expert Tim Westmyer to debate why Oppenheimer is such a good movie, to clear up some of the technical questions and to have a deeper look at the genesis of nuclear weapons as portrayed by Christopher Nolan. Download the episode!TorrentOur PatreonStefan's blog here.
Ridley Scott’s new epic “Napoleon” sure is divisive and polarizing. It takes two historians to get the definitive judgement on the movie, and it’s greatly helped that we are in agreement: this movie is either way too short or way too long. Either one. Download the episode!TorrentOur PatreonStefan's blog here.Steve's blog here.
BLAH 184 | A Tale of Two Germanies - Democratization, with Jim McGeehinWith Zero Hour dealt with, we’re looking at how the Western Allies laid the foundations for the democratization of Western Germany. From the foundation of parties to the Marshall Plan, the Allies were not exactly on the same page. Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
In a crossover with Javi Marcos, you’re getting an episode in which he interviews me.Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Javi on Twitter.
Jim and I started a new subseries in our ongoing coverage of German history. This time, we will cover the divided Germany after World War II up until reunification. In our first installment, we set the scene in 1945, directly after the war. How did Germany look, and how was its outlook? And what is the myth of Zero Hour?Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
In a surprise twist, we make a BLAC episode available for everyone! Enjoy, and if you do, pledge at the Conversationalist level and get access to 47 other episodes and everything that will come after!Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
With board game designer Bryan Kromrey, I talk about the adaptation of the famous RTS “Company of Heroes”, how the modern Kickstarter economy works and how his process for a second edition went.Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Company of Heroes on Boardgamegeek. Company of Heroes on Kickstarter.
Origin stories are a Hollywood trope. Oftentimes, they're rote and uninteresting, but if done right, they can recontextualize and enrich characters you never thought would rise above mid-level anti-hero-badassery. Case in point: the Hound, who gives the speech of a lifetime to Sansa in “A Game of Thrones”.Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
Origin stories are a Hollywood trope. Oftentimes, they’re rote and uninteresting, but if done right, they can recontextualize and enrich characters you never thought would rise above mid-level anti-hero-badassery. Case in point: the Hound, who gives the speech of a lifetime to Sansa in “A Game of Thrones”.Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
Finally, we’re in the home stretch. From the peace of Brest-Litovsk to the Kaiserschlacht offensive to the breakdown of the Central Powers and the winding down of the war in the fall, we’re doing the whole picture.Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
In the next installment of our ongoing series, we talk about Bran’s Dream from AGOT, Bran III. It’s a testament to Martin’s abilities as a gardener as well as to our ability to constantly reinterpret the source text.Download the episode!TorrentThe text for reference.Our iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
We continue into the year 1917! This time, our focus is not on tactics, strategy, weapons and stuff but on the epochal events of the Russian Revolution and the American entry into the war.Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
We're continuing the story of World War I with the year 1916. The battles of Verdun and the Somme are the most famous, and we’re giving them the space they deserve, but the Romanian campaign, the Brusilov offensive and the Battle of Jutland also get their share. To top it off, we delve into the politics of the year, which may surprise you in how consequential they were. Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
It was only a question of time until we hit one of the most profound and meaningful pieces of text in the whole ASOIAF corpus, but we did it! Sean and I talk Septon Meribald’s “broken men” speech. Follow us along hitting you over the head with deep in-text-analysis. Download the episode!TorrentThe text for reference. Our iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
This is special episode. I have been challenged by Kienn Joiaf to defend my assertion that Lyanna Stark is the Knight of the Laughing Tree and to disprove their theory that in truth it is Eddard Stark. That theory is laid out here, but I will summarize it in the episode - and then take it apart. It’s not a kind thing to do that to a Podator, but we are rebels, so we rebel. Or something to that effect. Oh, and here’s the link to all Supreme Court of Westeros episodes.Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.
We’re continuing the story of World War I with the year 1915. From the massive loss of human lives in the big offensives, the Western stalemate and the breakthrough in the East, to technological innovations like aerial bombardement and poison gas to the political sphere, we have it all.Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
We are finally here: World War I has broken out, and now it’s off to the military history. But not so fast! Before you think we’re down to discussing which caliber of gun is superior to which, let me assure you: we take the big view, and look at how politics and war intersect and why the war isn’t over by christmas, but rather evolving into something else entirely.Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
Greek myths and medieval novels provide a rich tapestry of themes and inspiration that inspire literature for centuries now. Reason enough for us here at the Boiled Leather Audio Hour to go to that well and drink deep. I recruited Mattea Barbagallo for this, who expertly talks about Greek myth and medieval novels and how they pertain to our beloved saga.Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Matteo in Twitter.
Sean and I are on record being huge fans of the German series “Dark”. Their creators now published their follow-up work, “1899”, streaming on Netflix. However, lighting doesn’t strike twice, and the show doesn’t manage to live up to its predecessor. We analyze what went wrong and why it’s still worth the watch. Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
I reviewed Netflix’ adaptation of “All Quiet on the Western Front” for the Patreon already, but now I want to do an in-depth-look with an expert and see whether my criticisms hold any merit. Aside from the new movie, we talk about the 1979 and 1930 adaptations, critically comparing them, “1917” and “At Journey’s End” and why World War I is so difficult an area for storytelling in general. Download the episode! Torrent Our iTunes page. Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Peter Doyle on Twitter. Peter’s homepage.
CAUTION: The original upload contained episode 167 with Andor ep 11 again. This should be correct now. The finale is out! We get a funeral, a rom-com between two fascists, a prison break, a child marriage, police shooting unarmed civilians, a terrorist, a failed assassination attempt and I’m sure I’m missing something else - but what does it matter, for all men must die, and I’ve seen Andor season 1! What a marvellous show.Download the episode!Our iTunes page.Previous episodes. Podcast RSS feed. Stefan on Twitter. Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.Blaze
The finale is out! We get a funeral, a rom-com between two fascists, a prison break, a child marriage, police shooting unarmed civilians, a terrorist, a failed assassination attempt and I’m sure I’m missing something else - but what does it matter, for all men must die, and I’ve seen Andor season 1! What a marvellous show. Download the episode!Our iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
What is this? A review of Andor? Isn’t this supposed to be exclusive to the Boiled Leather Audio Moment? Yes, of course. But christmas is coming early! We’re publishing the last two episode reviews of this great show, because we assume everyone should be watching it right now. If you don’t, start right now. And pledge on the Momentalist level to listen to the full back catalogue of BLAM episodes, including all our episode reviews for this great show! Plus, this episode features the announcement of the next big step for the Boiled Leather Audio Hour. You’ll never guess what it is! Seriously, you won’t. It’s that wild. Download the episode!Our iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
BLAM 166 | Kaiserreich, July, with Jim McGeehinIt’s been a long time since episode 151, but after the gruelling regime of covering three shows (HotD, LOTRTROP and Andor) simultaneously for weeks on end, we need to get back to our regular, light-hearted fare. This week, Jim McGeehin and I am covering the July crisis, the beginning of World War I. The good thing is that this topic has almost no contemporary relevance whatsoever…ah, shit. Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
Not only did the Boiled Leather Audio Hour produce a roundtable about the finale, the regular episode with Sean T. Collin was produced as well! If my audio sounds a bit worse than usual, that’s because I had to record on a laptop. Sorry for that!Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
The first season has come to a close! Before you get to enjoy the final review that Sean and I do together, I have a special treat for you: a roundtable discussion coming live from the “City of Dragons”, Caceres, where the King’s Landing scenes are filmed and where I met up with Elio Garcia and Matteo Barbagallo to discuss what we saw!Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Elio on Twitter.Matteo on Twitter.
The Green Council finally has arrived! People get murdered, smallfolk massacred, a king gets lost, factions betrayed, convictions challenged, all against the backdrop of incredibly sharp writing and great acting. Is there anything more you could want? We don’t think so! Download the episode! Torrent Our iTunes page. Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
The Green Council finally has arrived! People get murdered, smallfolk massacred, a king gets lost, factions betrayed, convictions challenged, all against the backdrop of incredibly sharp writing and great acting. Is there anything more you could want? We don’t think so! Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
What’s more relaxing than a nice family dinner? Maybe a wedding at the Twins. In this episode, the showrunners manage to make a dinner into one of the most tense scenes on TV in months. This show continues to impress, and it’s incredible how much so.Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
The newest episode of House of the Dragon is out, and so is our podcast! We’re covering a sad funeral, a nice family meeting, a kid finding a new pet, a grandfather loves his grandchildren. After that, we’re diving into the stupidest discourse surrounding the show: was it too dark? Not thematically. Literally.Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
It’s ten years since the last episode, but lucky for everyone, only in narrated time. We meet up with new actresses, aged-up actors and a shit-ton of new characters for a very plot-heavy episode that really does some heavy lifting and proves that the high-stakes gamble this show takes is paying off, big time. Trigger warning: There’s a rather intense debate about death in childbirth and its artistic expression near the end. Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
The fifth episode of “House of the Dragon” came out, and the show is still great. It’s one of the best shows out there right now, no question, and it might break in the pantheon of all-time stars. HBO still has its mojo, and we’re telling you what we got from this episode! Expect some mooning mixed in the serious analysis and interpretation. That the latter are even possible is also testament to the strength of the material. But we discuss that. Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
Last week we asked whether episode 3 was the best episode yet, and it was at the time. Now it’s been dethroned, and the new heir is episode 4! Sean and I produce our shortest review yet because this was just such a good hour of television that we can only marvel at the many things done right and engage into some details. You will still get a lot out of it, as did we, but when stuff is really good, sometimes you just have to lean back and enjoy.Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
Is this the best “House of the Dragon” episode yet? Granted, it’s only three episodes in, but this is shaping out to be one of the best shows an air right now. Sean and Stefan really gush about how good it is, what themes it develops, how it works structurally and what seeds it sows for the rest of the story. Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
We did it! Sean and I coordinated our schedules and join our forces once again to talk “House of the Dragon”. This time, it’s episode 2. Is it better or worse than episode 1? It’s almost a moot discussion since the show remains pretty strong. Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
The House of the Dragon is finally here! Sean and I have written our own reviews (here and here), but now comes the great synthesis of what we think about episode 1. We’re doing the deep dive: characters, actors, production, violence, storytelling, prophecy, real-world issues - you’ll get it all! Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
When Bran was thrown out the window by Jaime Lannister, this marked the first real signal that something was different about this series. Today, Sean and I explore as to why this is and what makes this scene special. Plus, we can use the word “defenestration”, which doesn’t get enough usage in common parlance.Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
The Disney+ Miniseries “Obi-Wan Kenobi” starring Ewan McGregor just concluded its six-episode run. We are talking about why it was a show that exists but doesn’t really rise beyond that. Where does the strange lack of suspense, meaning and emotion stem from? All this, and more, in the current BLAH episode. Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
We are returing to our new series on our favorite moments in A Song of Ice and Fire. After Sean’s pick of the Tower of Joy last time, this time Stefan chooses The Knight of the Laughing Tree, the most influential and important story in the story that’s told in ASOIAF. What does it tell us about Bran, about the history, about the meta and about so many other things? Who is the Knight of the Laughing Tree? Ok, just kidding, it’s Lyanna. But the other questions are really interesting!Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
In this brand new series, Sean T. Collins and I delve back into our favorite fantasy series and talk about our favorite moments. Starting off, how could it be otherwise, is the infamous scene from the Tower of Joy.What does it tell us about the characters? What about the narrative structure? How does it inform what came after? What does it tell us? So many questions! We provide our answers.Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
After we followed Bismarck’s delicate attempt at maintaining European balance in the favor of German foreign policy interests, we now watch it all crash down as Kaiser Wilhelm II takes the reigns and infuses some panage into the whole thing. Listen to us discuss why France, Britain and Russia are drawing together - and whether or not it could’ve been avoided.Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
Bismarck famously refused to engage in colonialism, only to do an about-face in the 1880s to create the third-largest colonial empire of the world. It didn’t do much good. A drain financially, utterly indefensible and diplomatically a heavy burden, it weakened Germany, rather than strengthening it. Nor did it bring any good to the colonized; rather the opposite. The first German genocide was perpetrated on Namibian soil, and it would not be the last. Listen to us discussing this dark topic of history.Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
Bismarck felt, in the colloquial French of the times, the “cauchemar des coalitions”, the nightmare of coalitions. He wanted to keep the peace, but a peace on his terms. Was this ever possible, or was Bismarck’s artful foreign policy in the end only kicking the can down the road, leading to the inevitable breakdown? Listen to find out!Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
The little known fantasy saga “The Wheel of Time” was picked up by niche channel Amazon Prime and made into a small-budget show of *checks notes* 80 million dollars, which is small compared to the *checks notes again* 500 million Amazon paid for the first season of the upcoming “Lord of the Rings” series. What a time we live in!Sean T. Collins and I take you through a tour of the TV adaption of “The Wheel of Time”, talking about what worked and what didn’t and why we arrive at a solid B- for the show. Spoilers abound, of course, and word of warning: neither of us read the book.Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
The famous science-fiction epic by James S. A. Corey is now finished, with the ninth and final novel having been published in late 2021. Time to take stock and talk about this series. Is it any good? What is its draw? How does it compare to other novelized epics?With me to talk about this topic is Tim Westmyer, host of the Super Critical Podcast, where I recently talked with him about nuclear weapons in The Expanse and Battlestar Galactica.Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Tim’s podcast. Tim on Twitter.
In the latest episode of our Kaiserreich series, we talk about the three great domestic fights that the ruling conservatives fought in the Kaiserreich: political catholicism (the titular Kulturkampf), social democracy and feminism. All these presented challenges to the authority of the status quo, and all of them were fought vigorously. All these fights failed and left these movements stronger than they had started.Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
The Boiled Leather Audio Hour is 10 years old! Congratulating yourselves isn’t a courteous thing to do, we know. But on a podcast, there’s little choice in how to do this, since we have to record, don’t we? And so, Sean and I delve deep into the memory lane.But of course, we cannot keep this a completely navel-gazing affair. And so, I invited a lot of people over to celebrate with us. Amin Javadi, Steven Attewell, Jim McGeehin, Aziz, Manu, Clint and Merry, Joe Magician and Bookshelfstud are all here to take part in the festivities and to discuss a variety of topics.This is the longest running show to date, and I have learned one thing: I suck as a moderator. Please forgive my bad transitions and just enjoy the different segments. Happy Birthday to us!Download the episode!TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan on Twitter.Stefan's blog.Sean on Twitter.
After waging the Wars of Unification last time, Jim and I now brace a battlefield on an entirely different sort: the smoke-filled backrooms of parliaments. We are following the creation of the German state not on the battlefield, but on the parchment, as the constitution of 1867 is crafted and then ammended into the constitution of 1871. For good measure, we also look at how the constitution develops and changes over time and find some valuable lessons in all of this.Download the episode!Our Patreon page at patreon.com/boiledleatheraudiohour.TorrentOur iTunes page.Previous episodes.Podcast RSS feed.Stefan's blog.Jim's blogJim on Twitter.
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