Ranking Thrones: Recent Episodes
James the Comics Writer
James and Evan go through the History of Westeros and judge the pivotal figures determining who were the greatest rulers, the most despicable tyrants and more!
James and Evan dive deep to compare the first season of Game of Thrones to the first season of House of the Dragon. Which is easier to get into as a show. Did some parts of Game of Thrones not age greatly? Also speculation for season 2 of House of the Dragon. All this and a discussion of how Rings of Power perfectly emodies JRR Tolkein and traditional prequels to the more avant garde House of the Dragon.
Evan and James team-up to chat about episodes 6-10 of House of the Dragon. We cover Hollywood's insane casting for age, Rhaenys and Corlys' relationship being the best marriage in Westeros? All this and a discussion of nepotism and Doctor Who.
James and Evan meet-up to discuss the first half of Season 1 of House of the Dragon. How does this first half of the season compare to Season 7 of Game of Thrones? Love to Emily Carey's underrated performance. Amazing direction for a scene. Gender roles and the strength of Milly Alcock. Love to Eve Best as Rhaenys. Evan has a hot take on Daemon and much more!
Jamie & Evan analyze the two debut King's of Westeros in the first seasons of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. Mark Addy's legendary turn as Robert the Usurper, and Paddy Considine's harrowing turn as Viserys the Peaceful. A king in the shadow of an evil tyrant haunted by his past, while another is living in the shadow of one of the greatest kings and is obsessed with the future. We get into snubbed Emmy nominations, Michael Scott, and adaptation choices as we analyze these two great characters and performances.
Alex and Jamie finish off the York Tetralogy with four adaptations of Richard III. We discuss how vastly different the play reads in isolation compared to being the fourth chapter of a Tetralogy. Listen to discussion of Return of the Jedi, Oliver's camp, the Hobbit movies, and the Abdication Crisis.
Alex and Jamie continue their deep dive into the BBC's York Tetralogy. Henry VI Part 3 is the most action-packed Shakespeare play with 4 onstage battles. Join us as we dive into parallels to Titus Andronicus, the tragedy of Henry VI, the vital origins of Richard III, the magnificent performance of Julia Foster as Margaret, and the nature of revenge stories.
Alex returns to chat with Jamie about Jane Howell's adaptations of Henry VI Part 1 and 2 for the BBC's Television Shakespeare Series. We get into the mixed quality of the BBC Shakespeare series, a surprisingly good Wikipedia page, historical accuracy vs storytelling, the co-authorship debate, Solo: A Star Wars Story, great performances, cast doubling and of course the magnificence of Jack Cade.
Known as the Sea Snake, Corlys Velaryon would make Nine Legendary journeys across the sea. He would briefly become the richest Lord of Westeros. He would also marry Princess Rhaenys, the daughter of the heir to the Iron Throne. He would soon become embroiled in the Dance of the Dragons, becoming the only man to serve as Hand of the Queen. Will he stand as one of the greatest Hands of the King, or will he be a figure of infamy amidst one of the darkest moments in Westerosi history?
This episode was recorded prior to the airing of the first season of House of the Dragon.
Rogar Baratheon would stand against the tyranny of Maegor the Cruel and help to make young Prince Jaehaerys the King. Rogar Baratheon would become Hand of the King and one of the most powerful Hand's of Westerosi history. How will he measure as Hand of the King to James and Evan?
Evan and James team-up once more in this series to review the Hands of the King. In our inaugural episode we discuss the first Hand of the King, Orys Baratheon. The bastard half-brother of Aegon the Conqueror would command the land forces of Aegon's Conquest. He would supplant House Durran for his own House. But is he truly worthy of being known as a Stag? Or is he simply a name in the legend of Aegon.
Galen joins James to chat about Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece Spirited Away. They get into the beauty of 2D animation, the themes of maturity, Buddhism, communism, all this and a discussion of live-action Disney remakes.
James and Evan meet-up to chat about the first two episodes of House of the Dragons. We note the historical parallels, adaptation choices, and analyze the parallels and strengths of numerous characters. All of this and a discussion of the most controversial choice and presentation.
Toniiiiight, Jamie is joined by the Shakespeare Online Rep's Lucy to chat about the two movie adaptations of West Side Story. We dive deep into the controversial aspects of the original 1961 film, the greatness that is Rita Moreno, the complexity of Sondheim's lyrics, the brilliance of "America" and how it relates to the immigrant experience, all of this and a small tangent about Dune.
The Shakespeare Online Repertory Theatre is a Discord Server that meets bi-weekly to read works of Shakespeare and other magnificent authors. We are a group that is a mix of professional actors and Shakespeare enthusiasts.
For our first publicly available performance, we present Shakespeare's underrated historical drama Richard II.
King Richard has reigned for years, but his increasingly tyrannical ways puts him in opposition with his lords, including his cousin Henry Bolingbroke. Follow the story of the mercurial Richard as he struggles to
Jamie sits down with friend and huge fan of Stephen King's It, Rainey. We get into the most infamous scene from the original novel, the cosmic space turtle. We touch upon the beloved 1990s miniseries and how Tim Curry compares to Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise. We also touch of course on the movies, and the controversial twist of It Chapter Two. Come join us, you'll float too...
Cosplay icon @carmillajo drops by to chat about The Nightmare Before Christmas. We talk about how this is NOT a Tim Burton movie despite what people think. Is this movie a metaphor for Tim Burton's relationship to Disney? Is this a metaphor for cultural appropriation? Is the message of the movie anti-Disney? All this and a discussion of anime.
In honor of Halloween, Jamie dives deep into some Halloween classics. Debuting this new podcast, musical veteran Elena comes to chat about Little Shop of Horrors. Get ready for everything from the original Roger Corman movie, Hallmark Christmas movies, the merits of Russell Crowe in Les Miserables, making deals with the Devil, and speculation on the Little Shop remake. Please join us, and please don't feed the plants.
Bailey comes back and she and James go into the legendary Shakespeare spiritual adaptation, The Lion King. How much is The Lion King the story of Hamlet? Is Disney actually less wish-fulfillment fantasy than people believe? All this, and how Hakuna Matataa may be a metaphor for being a teenager.
After James and Evan have spent hours debating and analyzing George RR Martin's fantasy history, James has brought on the hosts of a real history podcast. Graham Duke and Ali Hood of the phenomenal podcast Rex Factor come to discuss Robert Baratheon. We talk about the real-life inspiration behind Robert in Edward IV and Henry IV. Are the mistakes of Robert so bad compared to what most real kings did? All this, and Rex Factor answering all the questions you always wanted them to answer.
Rex Factor | Reviewing all the Kings and Queens of England & Scotland (wordpress.com)
Host's log: Phil returns to boldly go into a deep dive of three unique episodes from Star Trek: The Original Series that were all inspired by the plot of Shakespeare's plays.
Elaan of Troyius: Kirk and the Enterprise have to transport this haughty Princess to her arranged marriage. But can Kirk tame this beautiful woman, or will her feminine wiles and Klingon attacks mean the end? Inspired by The Taming of the Shrew, are the outfits France Nuyen wears a little much? Does this episode age well?
Catspaw: Star Trek's Halloween episode has Kirk and the Enterprise receive an ominous warning after the death of a redshirt. Ignoring the warning of three witches Kirk, Spock and McCoy go to a seemingly haunted castle and meet two fickle magicians. Is this really a Macbeth episode of Star Trek? Do the old effects distract?
The Conscience of the King: Kirk is told that a Shakespearean actor may be an escaped war criminal. Kirk investigates while struggling with doubt and wooing the war criminal's daughter. We discuss the episode's relation to Hamlet, the significance of genre entertainment and the episode's relation to the Nuremberg trials.
They say that Shakespeare's work is immortal and universal. Akira Kurosawa proves that with his adaptation of Macbeth into feudal Japan with the masterpiece Throne of Blood. Guest Phil joins Jamie in discussing how well Kurosawa translates the story of Macbeth. The two get into the cross-cultural similarities and differences as well as the phenomenal performances and cinematography.
Bailey returns to chat about the Macbeth film starring the one and only Sir Patrick Stewart. We speak about the modernization, the symbolism and more in this week's episode!
Alex returns to complete our 3-part analysis of The Hollow Crown. But rather than simply talk about Thea Sharrock's magnificent film, we broaden and speak about the two famous films by Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir Kenneth Branagh. Each adaptation of Henry V is a masterpiece that highlights different aspects of the text and bring Shakespeare's play and characters in wholly different light. Join us as we go once more unto the breach.
Continuing our in-depth analysis on The Hollow Crown, Alex returns to talk about one of the best showcases of Shakespeare. We analyze the historical basis for the play, Falstaff, why there was a sequel and the character of Hal. All this and Minions in this week's episode.
In 2012, BBC created an adaptation of the Henriad. The first and arguably greatest in the tetralogy is Richard II. Directed by Rupert Goold and starring Ben Whishaw and Rory Kinnear. Alex rejoins as he and Jamie discuss their love of the play, Shakespeare at the zenith of his craft and why is Richard II not as popular a play.
Friend of the podcast Gorgo of the Online Shakespeare Repetory joins to talk about Joseph Mankiewicz's Julius Caesar. We get into the politics of the play and Shakespeare, the Academy Award nominated Marlon Brando and more!
James and Evan dive deep into the Civil War between Caesar and Pompey. Find out how Pompey beat Caesar and still lost the war. Our intro to Cleopatra. And Octavian and Caesar's relationship.
James and Evan begin a miniseries exploring the life of Rome's first Emperor on the month named after him. In the year Gaius Octavian was born a Civil War was imminent. How the crisis came about and its resolution would be the perfect setting for the rise of Augustus.
Jamie finally does the episode he has dreaded, Luhrman's Romeo + Juliet. Thankfully his guests Vicki and Alex insisted that they could only talk about the movie if they compared it to the vastly superior Franco Zefereli film.
Steven Attewell and Jim McGeehin come back to Ranking Thrones to address why Robert Baratheon was able to end the Targaryen Dynasty while Daemon Blackfyre failed? What advantages did Robert have over Daemon? Also, how many historical parallels can we cram into one podcast?
James watches Coriolanus for the first time and speaks with his guest, Amy about National Theatre Live's production starring Tom Hiddelston (Loki). We discuss how it is based on a period of Roman history almost never dramatized, regional accents, Occupy Wall Street and Plutarch.
Ranking Thrones and upcoming podcast Civil Wars co-host Evan joins Shakespeare Onscreen to chat about National Theatre Live's Antony & Cleopatra starring Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo. We remember our days of college, how accurate the play is and how the colorblind casting is more historically accurate than one may believe.
This episode I am joined with the wonderful hosts of The Bicks Pod who are covering Shakespeare's plays and wider topics related to the Bard. They chose Justin Kurzel's Macbeth starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotiliard. We discuss sex-position, the fascinating adaptation choices made by the director and color filters in this week's episode!
Bailey joins James to chat about Kenneth Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing. Is Shakespeare's play more relevant in the MeToo era? What do we think about Keanu Reeves, and more.
The debut of a new podcast where I chat with a guest about filmed adaptations of Shakespeare. This week we cover the 1990s Get Over It. Is it a forgettable 90s comedy or a flawed masterpiece? All of this and a brief discussion of LA LA Land.
Something is rotten in the state of Westeros. Jim and James conclude their History of Westeros with the death of the Targaryen dynasty, the honor of the Kingsguard and the false promise of Robert. Three Spring Princes turn out to be false. In particular Jim and James wonder what Rhaegar was thinking? Art from The World of Ice & Fire
In honor of May the Fourth, James and Evan go through all 5 of the new Star Wars movies. Can James say nice things about TFA? How many characters can they name from Rogue One? How divided are James and Evan of The Last Jedi? Is Solo a love story? All this and a lot of talk about behind the scenes in this deep dive into the new Star Wars movies.
In the next chapter on the History of Westeros, Jim McGeehin and Steven Attewell join James on the Blackfyre Rebellions. Who was the brother that Bloodraven loved? Why did the Rebellions continue, and the decline of the Targaryen dynasty and the tarnishing of the Blackfyre cause. Art from the World of Ice & Fire
After the Targaryens destroyed their basis of power, the question now was what their rule would be based on? Jim and James explore the varied attempts to overcome a dragon-free Westeros. Art by Naomi Makes Art
Ranking Thrones has covered the Dance of the Dragons across 8 episodes. But now Jim and James go in depth for 3 hours on the lead-up to and the clash of the Targaryens. James shows his defense of Rhaenyra while Jim holds all in contempt.
Jim McGeehin joins to chat about the history of Westeros from a broader perspective. In this series James and Jim analyze the trends of Kingship. In this episode they cover Aegon's style of Kingship and how his sons parroted aspects of their father. We also discuss the unsung significance of Visenya and more! Art by Amok
In our first and only time we will be discussing a show version of a King. We dive into D&D's portrayal of Tommen I. The poor good hearted boy that became King in a time of war.
For the first time since Torrhen Stark bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror, there was a King in the North. Allied with the Riverlands who pledged fealty to Robb Stark, Robb forged a new crown and went to war against Tywin Lannister. Robb would astonish all as one of the greatest generals since Daeron the Young Dragon. Unfortunately though, Robb's prowess in combat was equaled by his mistakes in politics. What do Evan and James think of the final Claimant? Is he a Direwolf?
Evan is out this week but we have on Jim McGeehin of Wars & Politics of Ice & Fire to discuss Daeron II. We have discussed the most polarizing king from the Black and Red Dragon perspective, now Jim comes from a fair-minded and skeptical perspective to Daeron's legacy. Come for a magnificent hot take on the Red Dragon. The Panel discussed: Targaryen Politics in Post-Dragon Westeros
I'm sorry, we tried but we cannot lie, we hate this guy. Balon Greyjoy would twice take the Crown of Salt & Rock. Both times would end horrendously for himself and his people. We examine just how shortsighted and idiotic his attempts to take the crown were. Also, we examine the insidious nature of his entire ideology.
Renly Baratheon was the youngest brother of Robert I. After the death of Robert and the execution of Ned Stark, Renly would be the first man to declare himself King in defiance of Joffrey. Renly would command the largest force in Westeros and the breadbasket of the Realm. Unfortunately beyond good looks and charm there was little of substance in Renly. What do Evan and James think of the Copper King?
Was Viserys III the victim of a horrible childhood and the pressure of restoring his dynasty? Or was Viserys always the son of the Mad King? Evan and James tackle the Targaryen Prince from the east that vexed Robert.
No one but desperate Blackfyre supporters believed in Daemon II. With the crushing legacy of his father, and visions of the future, Daemon sought the Iron Throne. What do Evan and James think of the pitiful Brown Dragon?
Evan and James are back, to cover the men who sought to be King. We begin our series on the Claimants with the either martyr or greatest enemy Daemon I. Joining us to rank this divisive figure is the magnificent Steve Attewell. Also a discussion on the House of the Dragon, the Star Wars Holiday Special and why Dunk and Egg has not been adapted by HBO yet.
Evan and I go into the final melee pitting the greatest Dragons and Stag against each other to determine who is the greatest person to sit on the Iron Throne. Will it be Jaehaerys the Conciliator, Aegon the Conqueror or Robert the Usurper?
Evan and James round out the first round of melees with Aegon the Conqueror facing Daeron the Good and Aerys the Mad King facing off. Who will triumph and be the ultimate dragon?
Evan and James pit the Dragons and Stag against one another to determine who has the greatest impact on Westerosi history. This week, Rhaenyra I, Robert the Usurper, Viserys II and Aegon IV the Unworthy.
This week we welcome Chloe from the great podcast Girls Gone Canon. We get into Rhaenyra Targaryen, her struggle for the Iron Throne. Will James and Evan ruin Rhaenyra for Chloe?
Art by Naomi Makes Art.
Having finished the exploration of the Kings and Queen who sat on the Iron Throne, Evan and James have four dragons clash: Aegon the Unlikely, Baelor the Blessed, Jaehaerys the Conciliator and Maegor the Cruel. Who of these Kings had the greatest impact on the history of Westeros?
Also the highest and lowest scores on the category of "the King".
Stepping away from ranking the Kings and Queen who sat on the Iron Throne. I interview best-selling author Daniel Abraham. We speak about being a protégé of George RR Martin, the process of adapting A Game of Thrones to comics and some of the challenges of the books. All this and a little preview of the new season of The Expanse.
Evan and James rank the last of the men and woman who sat on the Iron Throne. Joffrey was an infamous young King for his cruelty and sadism. But does he stand out in history as a King that would be remembered? Also we get into the dragons who shall dance in our four melees for the most impactful Kings and Queen of Westerosi history.
Joffrey the-So-Called-Baratheon ascended the Iron Throne and quickly the War of the Five Kings truly began. Evan and James go into the life of the infamous boy-King.
Robert Baratheon would triumph where Rhaenyra Targaryen and Daemon Blackfyre failed, he would depose a King and overthrow the Targaryen Dynasty. But sadly once his reign as King began, Robert demonstrated that a good man is not necessarily a good King. Evan and James dive into the first king introduced in A Song of Ice & Fire.
Deviating from the regular scheduled program. James interviews bestselling writer Landry Q Walker about adapting A Clash of Kings to comics! We cover the lasting legacy of Batman, Renly's Peach and more!
James and Evan dive into the Mad King's final moments as they end their coverage of the Targaryen Dynasty. Find out how Aegon's dynasty, seemingly, ended with a forgotten servant of the Night's Watch. Then the two rank Aerys II, find out if he is a dragon or a dud.
With a son and heir already born, and a capable Hand of the King, Aerys could have overseen the beginning of a new era of prosperity for the Targaryen dynasty. Instead his paranoia and cruelty led to the greatest threat to the Crown since Daemon Blackfyre
Ranking Thrones welcomes special guest Steven Attewell from Race from the Iron Throne! We cover Aegon V and get his perspective on the Unlikely king. We go into Steven's controversial take on what transpired in Summerhall. We also cover the finale to Game of Thrones, discuss the Long Night, and the historicism of Arthurian legends. All this and more!
Following the tragedy of Summerhall, Jaehaerys II ascended to the Iron Throne. He would mix competence with hypocrisy while the threat of the Blackfyres loomed again on Westeros. What do Evan and James think of this ambivalent figure to sit on the Iron Throne?
The fourth son of a fourth son, who spent his youth training under a hedge knight came to sit on the Iron Throne. What do Evan and James think of the King who was "Half a Peasant", the shortcomings of his children and the mysterious Tragedy of Summerhall. Does a good man make a good King?
Evan and James dive into the amazing story of how Prince Egg came to be known as Aegon the Unlikely. Find out how a crown prince came to be the squire of a hedge knight, his early promise, and how the fourth son of a fourth son came to sit on the Iron Throne.
Daeron the Good's other sons were celebrated for their valor, wisdom and kindness, while Maekar the Anvil was all but forgotten for most of his life. Then Maekar would become a cursed and hated prince. What do Evan and James think about this unlikely King?
Amidst a terrible plague that robbed the Realm of King Daeron II and his two heirs, Aerys I became King. During Aerys reign he would come to be loathed as nothing but a puppet to the wicked sorcerer Bloodraven. What do Evan and James think of this infamous King who sat on the Iron Throne?
King Daeron II was known as Daeron the Good by his friends, and Daeron the Falseborn by his enemies. Evan and James cover one of the most polarizing Kings in the History of Westeros. He was either a wise King who united the realm, and ended a horrid rebellion led by his ungrateful bastard brother. Or a cruel usurper who denied the noble and legitimate Prince Daemon of the hand of the woman he loved and betrayed the sacrifice of thousands for Dorne joining the Realm. Either way, it is impossible to be neutral about the Red Dragon.
After the brief reign of his unsung father, Aegon IV would become King. He would quickly earn the nickname the Unworthy. Find out what Evan and James think about one of the most infamous men to sit the Iron Throne, and how he may be the second most influential King of Westeros.
James and Evan tackle the forgotten King who sat on the Iron Throne. After being captured by the enemy and raised away from his family, Viserys returned to Westeros. He would be Hand of the King for three Kings. After sullen Aegon, adventurous Daeron and zealous Baelor, Viserys sat on the Iron Throne as King. What did we think of him?
Baelor the Blessed or Baelor the Befuddled? After his brother Daeron went to war with Dorne, Baelor wanted peace, and sought to make the realm holy. Was Baelor a pious and virtuous king? Or a mad zealot?
After the reign of the Broken King came the reign of the Young Dragon, Daeron I. A hero of Jon Snow, he would soon embody the fleeting nature of glory. Evan and James, debate the legacy of the warrior King.
The Dance of the Dragons is over, and Aegon III begins his rule. Find out about his turbulent regency, his flawed reign and how he came to be known as "The Broken King". Was this a misplaced reputation?
Evan and I conclude the Dance of the Dragons with the first part of our discussion on King Aegon III. After Aegon II's court betrayed and poisoned him, Rhaenyra's son Aegon was declared King. But then Cregan Stark came to King's Landing to remind everyone that the Dance of the Dragons was not over.
Part II of Aegon II, where Evan and James complete the story of Aegon II. In his last days, Aegon II the Usurper spent his days in agonizing pain and paranoid of the army marching against him. Evan and I discuss Aegon's final decisions, his historical inspirations before rendering judgment on whether or not he is worthy of being a Dragon or a Dud.
Part 4 of the Dance of the Dragons. Now the Dance from the Green's perspective.
Aegon may have not wanted to be king, but he decided to take the crown and brought a great Civil War to Westeros. Find out our take on the second King Aegon.
Evan and I finish our discussion of the only woman who sat on the Iron Throne (in the books so far). What do we think of the woman who refused to accept denial of her birthright at the cost of thousands of lives?
The Dance of the Dragons begins! Evan and I speak about the only woman to sit on the Iron Throne as Queen. Rhaenyra Targaryen was named King Viserys I's heir. But after King Viserys I died, Aegon the Usurper was crowned King. Rhaenyra refused to let go of her birthright.
King Viserys ruled during the peak of the Targaryens power. It was a reign of unprecedented peace and prosperity. But storm clouds gathered. How long can Viserys maintain the prosperity?
In this episode of Ranking Thrones, Evan and James begin with the tragic story of Queen Rhaena and Princess Aerea. Then we judge how successful Jaehaerys the Conciliator was as King. Was Lord Stark right to compare him to Aegon the Conqueror?
This week, Evan and James take their first of two episodes into King Jaehaerys the Conciliator.
Jaehaerys' father died with a civil war. His Uncle usurped the Iron Throne and ruled as a brutal tyrant. Now Jaehaerys must inherit a Realm torn apart by civil war. Can he repair the realm?
In episode 3 of Ranking Thrones, Evan and James cover the life of King Maegor, who would come to be known as Maegor the Cruel. Fair warning, this is going to be one dark episode, so this is not for everyone. Maegor was the exact opposite of his brother Aenys in every way, and he inherited a realm at war and his claim to the throne dubious. Find out how his nickname may be under-selling him.
In our second episode of Ranking Thrones, Evan and James talk about the second man to sit on the Iron Throne, Aenys I. Given how legendary and impactful his father was, Aenys has a lot to live up to. Find out how he manages.
The debut episode of a new podcast about Game of Thrones, Ranking Thrones! Taking the format of the magnificent podcast Totalus Rankium, Evan and James will go through every man and woman who sat on the Iron Throne and was hailed as King or Queen. Follow them as they determine who are the exceptional Kings and who were forgettable place-holders.
In our debut we talk about Aegon the Conqueror. After Aegon got an unpleasant reply from Argilac the Arrogant he decided to unite the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros with him as King. Is he really worth all the hoopla that the Westerosi give him?