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In this episode, we flip the script and discuss how the story would change if Harry was sorted into Slytherin. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:

· Listen to episode 285 about the new cast for the trio here!

· 2:13 Harry and Draco are going to become friends. They both have difficult families, and are somewhat alone in the world. They can connect with each other, because the one thing they both want more than anything is a relationship. Harry has no friends or family, and Draco’s family doesn’t care for him. This would create the perfect environment for them to become friends.

· 10:47 Dumbledore and Voldemort’s strategies would have been different. Dumbledore has Harry in his circle in the original story, so it is easy for him to reach out. Voldemort is far removed from Harry and spends his time trying to get at him. If Harry was in Slytherin, Voldemort might try to make a relationship with Harry and Dumbledore would have to work hard to get messages and ideas across to Harry.

· 17:52 Harry would feel more disconnected from his parents. Being in their same house is really how he can feel close to them, but if he isn’t in the same house, that wouldn’t be the case. The people he meets as a Gryffindor can tell him what they were like, but without them, most of his parents is lost to time.

· 23:11 Harry’s relationship with Sirius would be very different. If Harry is basically a Death Eater, he would be thrilled with Sirius when he breaks out. When he learns that that supporter of Voldemort is his godfather, that would be the best day of his life. Learning that Sirius wasn’t a supporter of Voldemort would be a nasty shock. For Sirius, he would be devastated to learn that James and Lily’s son is in Slytherin and part of a Death Eater family.

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In this episode, we discuss the recent casting of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and who should be cast next. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:

· 2:36 The Deadline article said Malfoy, Cho Chang, and Cedric Diggory were more prized roles. Really? Chang and Diggory cover only a few books. Malfoy is an important casting, however. The actor has to understand how little Malfoy understands about himself.

· 10:19 Neville has a long arc, and one that should be thoroughly explored. We need an actor who can show just how much Neville learns, but also how much heart he has from the beginning.

· 14:29 The Weasley family should fall into place now that we have Ron. Every one of them has a big part in the story and we should have them soon. Ginny might even be improved upon because of how fiery she was painted into the story, but how mild she came across in the film.

· 19:09 The Dursley family should be terrible. I want to watch the first season and really hate the Dursleys. In the films, they’re certainly mean, but we don’t dislike them as much as we could. The moment when Hagrid takes Harry to Hogwarts would be so much sweeter if he was escaping from a terrible family.

· 22:38 Voldemort. If the whole first episode is focused on Voldemort, that would be a major victory. He has an ancient air about him that suggests he has been through a lot, and he is willing to kill to achieve his goals. Ralph Fiennes is the perfect actor for this, and we need someone with the same deadly calm.

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In this episode, we analyze the larger implications of Fred's death. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:

· 2:14 Fred is killed in the Battle of Hogwarts in the seventh book. It really represents the death of Harry’s past, and puts into starker contrast the fact that he can never go back. Of course, Harry can’t go back to events that have already happened, but this is just a symbolic death that more absolutely illustrates the finality of this battle.

· 12:34 This is not a game. Fred is light-hearted and full of life and humor. He is a character who we except to live forever. We know that there will be some death, but Fred seems almost removed from this. So when he is killed, it is a shocking blow that really shows us that this battle will not be without blood.

· 15:48 The battle will not be without sacrifice. Voldemort has to sacrifice a lot to get where he is. Killing and making horcruxes is his MO. Fred’s death shows us that Harry and the others also have to make sacrifices in order to win. Those sacrifices will often be in the form of death.

· 23:13 The end of Percy’s arc. He returns to Hogwarts for the beginning of the battle, then witnesses the death of his brother. These are the two major events in the story that mark the end of his arc. He made choices in early books that he may come to regret, and the time he spent with the ministry took him away from his family and gave him less time with Fred. This is the fragmented ending he merits.

· 29:40 It makes it personal for the Weasleys. Seeing some members of the Order dead is terrible. But it’s not quite personal for other people. To see Fred dead in the Great Hall hits right at home for them.

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In this episode, we discuss the Battle of Hogwarts in the TV show. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:

· 2:09 The charge of the houselves. This moment is only in the book, but is impactful. Kreacher has finally found something that he believes in, and it would be a shame if his arc ends without that final resolution of charging into battle. This shows us that everyone is involved.

· 10:21 Fred’s death. This is one of the most shocking deaths in the battle because it represents the death of Harry’s past. Fred was full of life and humor with so much ahead of him, but that all came to an end. We don’t even get to see it in the film, despite the fact that it is a big moment in the book.

· 15:56 Peeves. He is famously left out of the films, but he has been cast in the TV show. Peeves in fighting on the front lines along with all the rest of the students. This is impactful because he was once the thorn in the side of the castle, but know he puts his jokes aside to stand and fight. It highlights just how important this battle is.

· 19:39 The epic final showdown. It is epic in the film, but it’s not the same as the book. As cool as it is to watch, I prefer the sequence in the book because of the symbolic nature of the Great Hall and the more final sense in the air.

· 24:23 Details that we should include, or not. The flying duel in the air is super weird. They crash into the castle and Voldemort squishes their heads together? I’m good. Harry breaking the elder wand in the film is a great detail that should be included in the TV show. I also want to have a more effective explanation for the transfer of ownership of the elder wand, because it was the motivation for Snape’s murder.

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In this episode, we discuss characters that don't deserve a second chance. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:

· 1:30 Umbridge. She will never deserve a second chance. She was an evil toad in the books and and an even worse person in the books. She likely didn’t have a good time of it when she was carried away by the centaurs, but it’s hard to feel bad for someone who was as horrible as her.

· 7:37 Bellatrix. She’s a hotshot in the death eater business ladder, and she is making her way up. That’s only because she is a terrible person who kills and tortures. In the third book, she breaks out of Azkaban and then kills Sirius in the fifth. These aren’t actions that we can forgive.

· 13:46 Lucius. This one isn’t as certain, and I might revise my original thoughts to say that he does deserve a second chance. He seems like a mean person on the outside, but as the story progresses, we realize that perhaps what he really wants is family. It becomes increasingly obvious that that is what he really desires.

· 17:55 Peter Pettigrew. Peter searches for power, and the biggest bully on the playground. This leads to his betrayal of James and Lily, and eventually why his hand exacts revenge on him in his last moments. He has no loyalty, and therefore no honor.

· 22:16 Quirrell. He isn’t pure evil like some of these characters are, but he still doesn’t deserve a second chance because I don’t think he would make the most of it. He only seeks power, and he certainly finds it. He succumbs to Voldemort’s draw.

· 25:25 Voldemort is not on this list. He has a complicated past with a lot of dark twists and turns, which leads to his complexity as a character as we know him. I don’t think we can fully understand him, so perhaps a second chance would give him the opportunity to choose a better path.

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In this episode, we talk about moments in the films that should be in the TV show. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:

· 2:10 Harry breaking the elder wand. In the book, Harry simply repairs his own wand then returns the elder wand to Dumbledore’s grave. It’s a nice message, but the film does this much better. Harry snapping the wand and throwing it off the bridge shows a much more powerful ending and a more finite ending to a painful journey.

· 10:04 McGonagall teaching the students to dance. This is a really funny scene and one that deserves a spot in the TV show. But it is also a perfect example of what is to come. Just as Harry has to learn to dance, he also has to learn how to fight and hunt Voldemort.

· 15:15 Harry and Hermione in the tent. After Ron leaves, Hermione wallows in sadness. Harry sees this and leads her in a dance. This illustrates Harry and Hermione’s relationship which is one we don’t get to see to often.

· 19:14 A weird Voldemort death. Voldemort isn’t human at the end, but in the book, he just dies and they put him in a room off the Great Hall. The film makes the wise decision of showing a weird death fitting of someone who has departed humanity, and the TV show should be taking notes. This moment should be more than an old man keeling over.

· 24:21 Neville’s bridge. He is always making progress, and this last sequence is the final test for him, a test he passes. This bridge scene where he takes down a hoard of death eaters is such an important scene that isn’t in the book, and the TV show should include it to finish off Neville’s arc in style.

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In this episode, we discuss places we need to see more of in the TV show. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:

· 1:37 Diagon Alley. In the book, this is the meeting point of the Muggle and magical worlds. It is the first place Harry sees that is truly magical, and also acts as a sanctuary for him later on. When it is taken over, that should mean something for the larger state of the wizarding world.

· 10:29 The Burrow. We get a lot of the Burrow in the film, but it’s not exactly the same feel. The Burrow is a representation of what Harry lost, and the life he could have had. That doesn’t really come across in the films, and the TV show should focus on that more.

· 16:30 The Hogwarts Grounds. We never really get to explore the grounds. Something standing in exploration’s way is the plot. With the limited time of a film, we have to have a reason to go out into the grounds. But with hours more in a TV, we should be able to walk about the grounds without a direct reason that relates to the plot.

· 21:32 The Ministry of Magic. This is a weirder one, but world building is important. The Ministry works in the shadows and has a big effect on the plot. We should be able to understand more about how it works and why Voldemort taking it over means so much.

· 27:04 Hagrid’s Hut. It is a magical house and a cool place, but it is also where the trio are in danger. If it’s being out of bed after dark or running from werewolves, they seem to be in peril in Hagrid’s hut. But I’d rather the hut be a place for them to decompress and feel safe. That would be much more valuable than fearing for their lives. When it burns down, it would be a stronger symbol if it was a warm, happy place.

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In this episode, we discuss some of the major castings that HBO recently confirmed. Enjoy!

Topics/Summary:

· 2:17 Still nothing on the trio? We’ve already heard a lot surrounding other characters, and now we have confirmed other casting. But the series revolves around Harry, Ron, and Hermione, not these others. They are still important, but why would HBO cast the trio last? Perhaps they are going to dive into the past more…

· 9:38 More past? If we have castings of characters that have an important role in the past events of the story, that might mean that the filmmakers are going to give us more of that backstory. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape are some of the most important people for the lore of Harry Potter. That must mean something.

· 16:29 These choices are overall good. They all have the look and their interviews and previous roles are in support of their choices. My only worry is with Paapa Essiedu. He has a very active energy that could be put to good use, but thinking of Snape, energetic doesn’t come to mind. Alan Rickman portrayed a very cool and stoic Snape to a perfect degree. I don’t want to put Essiedu in a box, but that portrayal is going to be hard to top.

· 23:45 I want Voldemort! There have been no whispers about who he might be, other than perhaps Cillian Murphy which will probably not come to pass. He is the center of the conflict of the story and the one who drives it forward. Without him, there is little to be had when it comes to backstory and plot. We should be afraid of him. He should be a deadly calm that breaks into madness. When will we find an actor like that?

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