Harry Potter Prognostications Podcast » Deathly Hallows

Episode #88: Delayed!?! And, The Eyes Have It

Greg — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:37:52 +0000

So, it’s been a week or so since the last episode of HPProgs; while you were waiting for the next show, and even larger wait was sprung upon you: Half Blood Prince, The Movie, was delayed from 2008 to 2000-and-freakin-9. Penny’s been covering developments on the HPProgs blog, and even managed to unearth one of the most ferverent reactions to the delay.

In this episode, we discuss the delay, assorted other goings-on, along with a tangential discussion on the recurring occurrences of eyes in Deathly Hallows (first spotted by John Granger – sorry I can’t find the exact link), and what this might (or mightn’t) mean.

Stay tuned for details on our Beedle the Bard contest, we will be putting out rules in the coming days.

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com. Download a free audiobook of your choice today at http://audiblepodcast.com/hp.

You can listen to the podcast using the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #85: Free Will and Choice in Harry Potter

Greg — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:00:26 +0000

One of the over-arching meta-themes of the Harry Potter books is, without a doubt, choice. From early on the books the theme of choice is empasised, when the Sorting Hat defers to Harry’s wish to be in Gryffindor, or when Dumbledore makes it clear to Harry that it is his choices, far more than abilities that make him the wizard that he is. It’s clear that J.K. Rowling is a proponent of the idea that we make ourselves who we are and are ultimately responsible for who we become.

Putting aside a scientific discussion of free will and determinism, a greater question, from within the stories themselves, comes to light. With the conclusion of Book 7, and the revelation of Dumbledore’s less than altruistic motives, does J.K. Rowling’s position on free will and choice change? Did Harry, in fact, make all those choices of his own free will, or, perhaps, was he influenced by forces beyond his control? Despite Dumbledore’s protestations to the contrary, could Harry ever have avoided the final showdown with the Dark Lord, had he simply chosen to walk away?

In this week’s episode, we examine the nature of free will and choice as presented in the books after Book 7, and what J.K. Rowling might be saying about what it means to be free.

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com. Download a free audiobook of your choice today at audiblepodcast.com/hp.

Check out some of the books we talked about on this week’s episode.

Make sure to check out Penny’s post Deathly Hallows: One Year Later for a rundown on all that’s happened since Book 7 was released.

You can listen to this episode using the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #83: Patterns in Potter – Deathly Hallows

Greg — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:23:58 +0000

We’re back for another action-packed episode of Patterns in Potter. This time, we take on the latest contender in the Harry Potter series, The Deathly Hallows. We begin with an analysis of the prologue, of both The Libation Bearers by Aeschylus, and William Penn’s More Fruits of Solitude. From there, we discuss the apparent connection to Chapters 2 and 3, and how they relate to what might be the theme of the book: trust, faith or death. We haven’t quite decided yet. Have any thoughts? We’d love to hear from you.

You can leave comments or call our voicemail at 206-337-0357 in the US or 07092899490 in the UK. Please make sure to keep the message as close to one minute as possible and try to speak loudly and clearly.

Make sure to check out our channel on the new Odeo. Subscribe, rate, review, it’s all good, check it out.

In the news:

Harry Potter makes it to Entertainment Weekly’s “1000 New Classics”. Greg has big time issues with this.
Thirty new international release dates for the Half Blood Prince movie. My guess is that the movie will be released internationally before we see the teaser trailer.
You can now buy the Deluxe Edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for $13.00!!! Wow. Good deal.
JK Rowling gets an Edinburgh Award. Greg imitates Sean Connery.

You can listen to this episode with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Deathly Hallows Will Be Two Movies

Greg — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:15:45 +0000

It is official, the LA Times has reported that WB will be making the announcement tomorrow that Deathly Hallows will be split into two movies with David Yates directing them. Here is what the article says:

WATFORD, England — It’s official: Eight will be the magic number for the “Harry Potter” film franchise.

After months of rumors, Warner Bros. and the producers of the massively successful movies will announce Thursday that they plan to split “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” J.K. Rowling’s seventh and final “Potter” novel, into two blockbuster films — one to be released in November 2010 and the second in May 2011.

The films will be titled, simply, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II,” according to producer David Heyman. Director David Yates, who returned for his second tour of Potter duty with “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” and is quite popular with the cast, will direct both “Deathly Hallows” films, which will be filmed concurrently. Screenwriter Steve Kloves also returns and, by completion of the franchise, will have written seven of the eight films.

This announcement will bring a flurry of opinions and emotions from hard core Harry Potter fans. I personally think it is a great idea and am hopeful that this means that they will stay as close to the original story line as possible. Plus, this means that there will be continued excitement until at least May 2011 for all of us Potter fans! (hat tip to Nathalie for pointing us to this!)

Episode #66: Introducing Patterns in Potter

Greg — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 04:56:56 +0000

It’s finally time. It’s been several months since Deathly Hallows came out, we’ve discussed most of what there is to discuss relating to the characters, the themes, the news that came out after the book was released. It’s time to move on. But don’t worry, by move on, we don’t mean stop talking about Harry Potter! No, it’s time to go back, back to the beginning…where it all…began. It’s time to start talking about, what I humbly have dubbed (and have been hinting at for a while): Patterns in Potter (can you hear the echo of ominousness?). In this episode, we introduce the Patterns in Potter theory, and give some examples. For the next few weeks we’re going to be discussing the books, in order, using the Patterns in Potter pattern. So make sure to listen, because this stuff will be on the final exam.

If you want to cheat (or can’t listen to the show), check out the original blog post.

And: we want your help! For each episode, we want your thoughts, comments and ideas. Either email them to us (harrypotterprogs AT yahoo DOT com) or record your thoughts on an mp3 and email them to us. We’ll incorporate them into the show.

In the News:

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Deathly Hallows to be Split into Two Movies?

Greg — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 02:18:17 +0000

Rumors are circulating that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be made into not one, but two movies. Sources say the reasons are artistic and practical, and not aimed at squeezing more money out of the franchise.

We’ll update with any new information, so stay tuned.

Episode #65: Leadership in Harry Potter

Greg — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 05:20:51 +0000

What makes a leader? For centuries, philosophers have debated the essential qualities of a leader (the differences in what a culture values in it’s leaders is often a good indication of the values of said culture). When looking at Harry Potter, what are the qualities that J.K. Rowling seems to show as making a good leader? How do the characters in leadership roles respond to the power and authority they are given? In this podcast, we discuss all these issues. Many thanks to Greg from Toronto for joining us for this discussion.

Referenced in our discussion is the book Forty Ways to Look at Winston Chuchhill: A Breif Account of a Long Life.

In the News:

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #63: Harry Potter and the End of Innocence

Greg — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 02:48:16 +0000

There comes a time in a person’s life when they realize, for the first time, that the world is not actually the way they thought it was. That the picture they had in their mind about how the world works, the rules of the game, are suddenly gone. It is the end of innocence. When does this end of innocence occur for Harry, and for the series? In this week’s show, we discuss when Harry Potter first comes face to face with a picture of the wizarding world that is not what he thought he knew.

In the news:

Amazon.com bought “The Tales of Beedle the Bard”. Awesome reviews on their website .
As mentioned before on HP Progs, JK Rowling came in 3rd for Time’s Person of the Year. Better luck next time you finish writing the world’s most popular book series that turned a generation back on to reading and inspired millions of people, Jo.
JK Rowling gave her Fan Site Award to the Harry Potter Alliance. Next year, HP Progs (assuming that Greg ever writes his thank-you letter).
New actors announced for minor roles in HBP movie. Phew. I haven’t been sleeping at night wondering about who would play Marcus Belby.
Stephen Colbert bested JK Rowling in the AP’s “Celebrity of the Year” . As a member of “Colbert Nation”, I am happy for Stephen but think this is ridiculous.
JK Rowling types REALLY fast. You can see a video of her finishing Deathly Hallows. Thanks, ITV.

We are happy to announce that we will be attending Portus 2008, the Harry Potter symposium which will be held in Dallas, TX from July 10-13, 2008. We will also be taking part in the Portus Podcast Palooza while we are there. You may remember what a fantastic time we had at Prophecy 2007- we hope you can join us this year!!

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #59: Draco Disappoints

Greg — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 05:16:26 +0000

Was it just us, or was Draco’s finale just a bit disappointing? By the end of Book 6, it looked like Draco was prime for some kind of glorious and game-changing redemption. His failure to off Dumbledore left him in a bad place, but it was clear that there was still some good left in him. Along with the hints that, in order to prevail, Hogwarts would have to unite against a common threat, we had all the signs that Draco was going to turn coats at a crucial moment, a la Darth Vader, and help Harry save the day. But alas, all we get is a mopey blond kid, more scared than anything else. What happened? How did Draco lose his mojo?

For fun, take a look back at an old, old Draco prognostication, circa Goblet of Fire.

Make sure to tune in next week for what looks to be a really great show. Travis Prinzi from Sword of Gryffindor will be our guest on the show.

In the news:

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download an mp3 directly.

Episode #58: Harry Potter Potpourri

Greg — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 01:53:04 +0000

The more interviews J.K. Rowling gives, the more show topics we get. This time, J.K. Rowling spoke with the Dutch newspaper Volksrant (not to be confused with Volkswagon or Voltron) and discussed many topics. Amongst them were the issues of life after death in the Harry Potter books, as well as more details on Nazi parallels and her religious background. In this week’s episode, we explore and plumb the depths opened by these recent comments.

Happy Thanksgiving! Instead of going shopping with everyone else in the world, why not order yourself (or a loved one) a copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on DVD? Or get them one of our original Harry Potter t-shirts?

In the news:

UPDATE: We appreciate everyone’s patience with this week’s podcast. Unfortunately the podcast hosting service we were using was a bit messed up so the podcast wasn’t working- but we think it is fixed now. Please let us know if you have any more difficulty with it!

You can listen to the podcast using the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #57: Fatherhood in Potter

Greg — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 13:22:41 +0000

Last week we discussed love, and focused on the distinctly maternal focus taken by J.K. Rowling. This week, we examine the father figures in Harry’s life. From his actual, albeit ephermeral father James, to surrogates in Lupin, Sirius and even, to some extent Snape, we take a look at Harry’s bevy or male role models, how they shaped his character and how they contributed to his being what appears to be, for all that we can tell, a good father to his children as well.

Make sure to vote for HPProgs for Best Podcast in the 2007 Weblog Awards! We’re hanging tough in 4th place! Thanks to everyone who’s voted!

There’s news this week, but we’re on the road, so we can’t provide links. Suffice it to say, Penny, at least, will be traveling to New York when Equus comes to town.

You can listen to the podcast using the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #56: Love in Harry Potter

Greg — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:12:06 +0000

Although in English we have one basic term for love, there’s really all different kinds of love: brotherly love, selfless love, erotic love, and all make some kind of appearance in the Harry Potter novels. In this week’s show, we take a look at love in Harry Potter and how the various relationships are expressed, and what the nature of those loves might be. Are all loves good? Can love in fact be bad?

Plus: the Top 5 tear-jerker moments from Deathly Hallows. Vote for yours below.

Also: HPProgs is a finalist in the category of Best Podcast in the 2007 Weblog Awards! Thanks for all your nomination votes! Voting for the final winner begins next week, you can vote once a day. We’ll post a link when the voting begins, we appreciate your help!

UPDATE: Voting is up, you can vote for us once a day!

In the news:

JK Rowling clarified the timing of her announcement of Dumbledore’s sexuality and stated that she always knew that he was gay.
David Thewlis thought HIS character was gay.
Filming as started for HBP and pictures are online.Check out Michael Gambon’s beard sock.
Rare first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold at Christie’s for £19,700.
Guillermo Del Toro would be willing to direct HP and the Deathly Hallows: on his own terms.
The Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix DVD has been released in some Latin American countries.
JK Rowling on “Living Geniuses” list. If you look closely enough, you will see where Greg penciled his name on the list.
The French and German versions of HP and the Deathly Hallows were released last week with record sales.
JK Rowling has updated her website.
JK Rowling and Warner Brothers are suing Stever Vander Ark over a Harry Potter companion book set to be released at the end of the month.

This week’s poll:

What is most tear-jerking moment in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?

You can listen to the podcast using the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #55: Dumbledore is Gay! (Not that there’s anything wrong with that!)

Greg — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 03:35:43 +0000

At the New York City stop on J.K. Rowling’s Open Book Tour, J.K. Rowling announced (in response to a question from the audience) that Dumbledore was gay. For various reasons, this has caused quite a stir. How does this change, if at all, how we perceive Dumbledore, how we view his childhood pursuit of power? Does this change the nature of the books, their appropriateness for children, or their religious character? All these questions, and a few others, are discussed in this week’s episode.

A few relevant links:

Vote for HPProgs in the 2007 Weblog Awards for Best Podcast!

This week’s poll:

How do you feel about Dumbledore being gay?

Survey by Quibblo

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #54: J.K. Rowling Speaks

Greg — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 03:12:49 +0000

J.K. Rowling has begin her Open Book Tour, with stops in Los Angeles, New Orleans and New York City. At the press conference at the LA appearance, J.K. Rowling spoke for the first time at length on the religious themes of the Harry Potter books, speaking openly about the Christian themes and references in Book 7. She also spoke about Snape, Dumbledore, the Harry Potter Encyclopedia and how she broke the news of the fate of the trio to the actors who portrayed them.

Details from the Open Book Tour LA press conference – Religion. (MTV News)
More from MTV on Snape and Dumbledore.
J.K. Rowling talks to the movie stars (MTV Movies Blog).
More from the NY Post.

For reference, check out our original post on the religion of Harry Potter.
In other news:

If you have a few minutes, please vote for HPProgs for Best Podcast in the 2007 Weblog Awards!

This week’s Top 5! Vote for your most memorable character from the Harry Potter novels:

Who is the most memorable character in the Harry Potter series?

Survey by Quibblo

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #53: The Making of a Wizard – The Story of Neville Longbottom

Greg — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:09:08 +0000

One of our most favorite characters from the Harry Potter series is the one and only Neville Longbottom. From a shy, sheepish kid in the first book, to Snake-Killer, Neville goes through one of the most noticeable transformations of any other character in the book. In this episode, we take a look back at Neville, the significant moments in his life, both before and at Hogwarts, and how he progressed from less than a wizard to a full-fledged Wizard Hero. In particular, we examine how J.K. Rowling uses Neville to show how cultures and societies reinforce images of acceptable traits and tacitly punish or stigmatize those that fail to embody those traits; also, we discuss Neville’s character as a mirror of Harry’s character.

I had to resist the urge to entitle this episode “Neville Longbottom: From Zero to Hero.”

Please check out the new Harry Potter T-Shirt Store on Zazzle, and let us know what you think. If you’ve purchased a t-shirt from us at either of our stores, please send us a picture (we won’t post it unless you say it’s OK).

As always, please rate and review us on iTunes and don’t forget to vote for us on podcast alley! We appreciate it.

In the news:

Daniel Radcliffe is one of Moviefone’s “25 Hot Actors Under 25 List”.
Did you win the JK Rowling book reading sweepstakes? Scholastic and Raincoast have both announced the winners.
National Braille Press has announced a new Harry Potter auction.
Nepotism alive and well in the HP franchise. Ralph Feinnes’ nephew MIGHT be playing a young Tom Riddle in HBP. Take this news as rumor until it is confirmed by WB.
JKR and Emma Watson attended the Pride of Britain awards.
Emma Watson attending Nickolodeon’s Kids Choice UK awards.
The OoTP DVD will include downloadable digital files which will allow users to download to PC or portable devices.
New Harry Potter merchandise available.
Prague publishing house IN TROUBLE.
Harry Potter is the new wizard of the month on JKR’s site.

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #52: Meet the New Wizards

Greg — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:46:28 +0000

We met several new wizards and witches in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Some we’d actually met before, but never really got to know properly; others were brand-spanking new characters. Each one, of course, comes with a mini-mystery in their name, a tiny puzzle only to be attempted by a stalwart few. This week, we take a look at some of the new witches and wizards and try to decipher something from their names. So, Elphias Doge, Bathilda Bagshot and, of course, Pius Thicknesse: step on up, it’s your moment to shine!

A few pages referenced in the podcast:

A page with details on a few Potter character’s names and their relation to people from the real world.
HogwartsProfessor.com (John Granger) on the possible connection between Pope Pius XII and Pius Thicknesse.
Sword of Gryffindor on the Fabian Society.

No news this week.

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download an mp3 directly.

Episode #50: The Quest for the Deathly Hallows

Greg — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 04:41:35 +0000

This episode is about the Deathly Hallows. Not the book “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” but rather the Deathly Hallows in the book Deathly Hallows. Does that make sense? I hope so, since the Deathly Hallows (the things, not the books) is pretty confusing. We’re not quite sure we’ve got them figured out, but we’ve taken our best shot. It’s very zen-like: When is the Deathly Hallows not really the Deathly Hallows?

Oh, and this is our 50th episode! Hurray!

No news this week.

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #49: Voldemort’s Downfall

Greg — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 01:55:00 +0000

Voldermort’s downfall was a long time coming. Despite his efforts to ensure his longevity, Voldemort’s overall approach to life almost guarunteed his defeat. By ignoring the signifcance of some very important “deeper magics,” Voldemort opened up a proverbial chink in his armor that ultimately led to his demise. In Chapter 35, King’s Cross, an etherieal Dumbledore sums it up nicely:

That which Voldemort does not value, he takes no trouble to comprehend. Of house elves and children’s tales, of love, loyalty and innoncence, Voldemort knows and understands nothing. NOTHING. That they all have a power beyond his own, a power beyond the reach of any magic, is a truth he has never grasped.

In this week’s episode, we take a deeper look at the general and specific causes of Voldemort’s downfall, paying particular attention to Dumbledore’s assessment.

In the news:

Daniel Radcliffe’s December Boys jump the gun and premiere on September 14.
Equus may come to Broadway. In other news, the Kentucky Derby has been cancelled.
Dumbledore makes Wizard of the Month on JKRowling.com. It’s about time he was recognized for all his hard work.
Order of the Phoenix second most profitable Potter film. But still the worst book.
Scholastic announces 40 schools of very lucky children. I think I can still pass as a sixth grader if I shave really close.

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #48: Dumbledore and the Greater Good

Greg — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 05:26:16 +0000

Before Deathly Hallows, our view of Dumbledore was nothing less than a saint; although Harry had his questions with his methods, certainly there was nary a doubt as to his motives. In Book 7, quite a different picture of the wizened old wizard is presented. Harry spends much of the book struggling with the Dumbledore he knew and the true person who Dumbledore was. We learn the dark secrets of Dumbledore’s past, and Harry’s role in the greater plan to defeat Voldemort. In this episode, we take a closer look at Dumbledore, his history and philosophy (both past and present).

For some great Owen Wilson sound effects, check out the World-of-Owen audio page.

In the news:

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #47: The Prince’s Tale – The Tao of Snape

Greg — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 05:36:54 +0000

Without question, Severus Snape is one of the most intriguing characters in J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world. In the beginning, he was simply a mean teacher, and obstacle for Harry; but by the end of the series, Snape became a paradigm of sacrifice for love and courage, to the point that Harry names his son after his once-despised teacher. In this episode, we take a closer look at Snape, now that we have the complete picture of his tale.

For an insightful and prescient examination of Snape’s character, check out Orson Scott Card’s essay Who is Snape? (If you haven’t already, read Orson Scott Card’s book Ender’s Game. You’ll thank me later.)

In the news:

Check out our new Harry Potter t-shirt design; we call it “Always.” It looks good on most light colored tees (ignore the white background around the image; that will be removed when the shirt is printed).

Get it in white or in a vast array of colors (we prefer green).

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #46: The Religion of Harry Potter

Greg — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 03:22:01 +0000

There’s no question that there are religious/Christian undertones and themes to the Harry Potter books. In 2000, JK Rowling stated that if she were to divulge her religious beliefs, it would make the ending of the story obvious. Now that we’ve read Book 7, the religious content is clear; not only is Harry’s final battle with Voldemort very much a passion play, there are overarching religious themes to the entire book. What is the character of the religious content of Deathly Hallows in particular, and the Potter series in general? Is JK Rowling preaching or does she have a different intention? In this podcast, we explore the religious themes and try to figure out the religion of Harry Potter.

After you listen to the podast, make sure to read John Granger’s posts on the Christian Content of Deathly Hallows.

Not much news this week, in the mean time, make sure to check out:

Stephen King’s last word on Harry Potter.
Two great videos of The Prince’s Tale: one and two.

Don’t forget to get your entries in for the HPProgs Thank You Book to J.K. Rowling. Thank yous are due by September 1st.
You can listen to the podcast using the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #45: The Dearly Departed

Greg — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 04:13:48 +0000

Ask not for whom the bell tolls, for in Book 7, it tolled for quite a few folks. The body count in the final book gets higher and higher as the book goes on. Some deaths, granted, were quite welcome, such as Bellatrix and Voldemort; others were tragic and shocking. All of them, however, held a special meaning for Harry and for the books. In this episode, we examine the specific meaning of that which gives ultimate meaning, the deaths of Deathly Hallows.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Hedwig the Owl, Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody, Dobby the Free Elf, Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Colin Creevy and all those who gave their lives in the Battle of Hogwarts. And, of course, Severus Snape.

In the news:

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #44: Prophecy 2007 Recap

Greg — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 03:45:35 +0000

We’re just back from Prophecy 2007. In short, we had a great time, came home and immediately sat down to recap . Between the amazing sessions, the vast array of Potter fans and the great discussions, it was a weekend to remember. Penny recapped day one and day two in two previous posts, with some great links to many of the amazing speakers we got to hear. Make sure to check them out, as well tune in to this episode to hear our thoughts.

No news for this episode, we’ll be back with a regular episode later this week.

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download an mp3 directly.

Episode #43: Making Sense of Deathly Hallows

Greg — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 03:56:06 +0000

*Deathly Hallows Spoilers Included*

It’s been less than a week since the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, yet most of us have now read the book more than once; inevitably, bits and pieces need to be re-read to make sense of them. In addition to re-reading, the comments on our last post were extremely amazing, and really helped make sense of the book. This week, we look back through the comments and pull out a few topics to discuss further: a possible relationship between Harry and Voldemort? Examples of Voldemort’s spells not working, references to Nazis, the fittingness of Snape’s death. What was the purpose of the epilogue? And what did we need the Deathly Hallows for anyhow? Of course, there’s more questions that need to be discussed (who discovered magic later in life? Where did Harry’s parents get all that money from?), but they’ll have to wait until next time.

Thanks so much for all the great comments, keep them coming, we couldn’t do the show without them!

In the News:

Make sure to listen to our interview on The James Madison Show from Friday, July 20. The interview can be found a the website if you click the podcast button. Special thanks to James and Frank for having us on.

Don’t forget to order your HPProgs t-shirts! Contact us if you’re interested in a red, white or black limited edition t-shirt.

Join in on the HPProgs Thank-You Book to JK Rowling!

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #42: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Reviewed

Greg — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 16:29:03 +0000

We’ve finished Deathly Hallows. We sat down to record our initial thoughts immediately after completing Book 7. I don’t think we’ve covered everything, but it’s a good start with out immediate thoughts on the book. What’s to say? The book was great, a great ending to the saga of Harry Potter.

Please note: this podcast is SPOILER-FULL. If you haven’t yet finished Deathly Hallows, and don’t want to hear spoilers, DO NOT listen to this podcast. Comments on this episode will also be SPOILER-FULL. The rest of the HPProgs.com web site will remain moderated and spoiler-free until Monday, July 23rd.

You can listen to the podcast using the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Here we are

Penny — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:46:36 +0000

As zero hour approaches, we are being hit with not only the actual evidence that this is the end, but the flurry of emotions that everyone in the “Potterverse” is inevitably feeling.

The only comparison I can make is the feeling of graduation week from high school. You are anticipating the momentous occasion and you know that nothing will be the same after it happens. You have gone on a journey with a group of people and you have ambivalent feelings about it ending. On one hand, you feel excitement- the future is about to start, on the other hand you feel unready and wonder where the time has gone. Throughout the time leading up to graduation, exciting things happen every day. One day there is a Senior Dinner, the next day, an awards ceremony. Throughout this time there is a mad scramble to sign as many yearbooks as possible and to try to hold on to the moment for as long as possible.

These last few months and even more so these last few weeks have been like this for me. We started on a journey 10 years ago- some of us were fans from the beginning, some of us were turned on to the books by an eager relative or friend. We are all here because we have fallen in love with something.

Everyone says that Harry Potter “turned a generation back onto reading”. But they did so much more than that. They allowed children of all ages to become immersed in a world of fantasy, drama and mystery. They allowed us an escape when life felt overwhelming. They allowed us to read about a boy who was probably not so different than we were. A boy who made a difference whether he wanted to or not.

So, now I would like to publicly thank JK Rowling for giving us Harry Potter. We know that she didn’t write the books for us, but the fact that they have touched so many of our lives is a testament to the wonderful work she has done. So, for: the trips to Diagon Alley, the Quiddich matches, the Prophecy, the relationships (R/H forever!!), the thestrals, the earwax (alas!), the DA, the nitwit, blubber, odment and tweak, the Mauraders, the spells, the potions, the professors, the 1:1 talks between Dumbledore and Harry, the O.W.L.s, the indignant looks of Hermione, the jokes, the Weasleys, the house elves, the pure evil of characters like Bellatrix and Umbridge, the chamber of secrets, the exclamations of Ron (Blimey, Harry!), the warewolves, the brooms, the Daily Prophet, the Felix Felicis, the horcruxes, the Slytherins who we loved to hate, the mandrakes, the blast ended skrewts, the Cedrics, the Creevy brothers, the OoTP……(we could go on and on)….Thank you.

And to all of our fellow Potterverse fans. Thank you for the fansites, the websites, the podcasts, the blogs, the fanfiction, the fan art, the wizard rock and so much more. This has been a wonderful journey to embark on with all of you.

“And now Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”

-Penny

Deathly Hallows Ships From Amazon

Greg — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:00:29 +0000

In my email this morning:

Greetings from Amazon.com.

We thought you would like to know that we are preparing your items for
shipment.

!!!

A close friend of ours actually got his copy already (he had ordered online from the place that’s in the news that shipped early); he wrote about it on his blog (NO SPOILERS in his post, just a rundown of the legal brouhaha). Apparently, Scholastic is offereing $50 to those who received the books to wait until Saturday to read it.

As a warning, there are major spoilers out there, even the mainstream media, such as the NY Times and Baltimore Sun, are getting in on ruining the book for everyone, which is a shame. HPProgs, of course, will remain spoiler-free.

Episode #41: The End of Harry Potter

Greg — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 04:18:49 +0000

This may very well be our last full episode before the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In this episode, we discuss how we’re feeling (perhaps the five stages of loss would be appropriate), and take one final crack at a few theories before signing off and preparing for the weekend.

No news this week, but a few links of interest:

Get your HPProgs T-Shirts. You can order through the HPProgs Store, or email us (harrypotterprogs AT yahoo DOT com) to get a limited edition HPProgs red, white or black tee.
Check out Filmspotting.net’s review of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
If you’re in NY, make sure to check out Wizard Rock 2007.
Catch us on the James Madison Show on Friday between 6 and 7 PM, it’s all about Potter, and you can call in!.

That’s it. Enjoy the show, towards the end we discuss our plans for the podcast after the release of the book(in short, we ain’t going no where as long as folks want to hear what we have to say).

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Episode #39: More Unanswered Questions

Greg — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 04:59:55 +0000

More unanswered questions! True to our word, we’re upping the ante with the movie and book coming out in the next few weeks. This episode doesn’t have a major news segment, but more unanswered questions, including a killer question from Sister Judy (our sister, not a nun) regarding the Grand-Potters.

We’ll be back later this week with our review of the OotP movie. Stay tuned!

And check out our new logo!

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Stephen King Prepares for The End

Greg — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 18:23:04 +0000

Stephen King writes a semi-weekly column for Enterntainment Weekly, and has many times in the past expressed his love for the Harry Potter books. In this week’s edition, Uncle Stevie devotes his column to Harry Potter and how he’s feeling approaching the conclusion of the series:

I’m having a day of mixed feelings: happy because I’m reading the manuscript of a novel that’s full of magic, mystery, and monsters; sad because it will be finished tomorrow and on my shelf, with all its secrets told and its surviving characters set free to live their own lives (if characters have lives beyond the end of a novel — I’ve always felt they do).

Read the rest, it’s really great.