Lord of The Rings - New Amazon Series

[Wretchedest]

The new episode is certainly a little tougher than the other two. The many concurrent plots are operating at dramatically different tempos which makes for jarring juxtaposition. Galadriel is still the funnest character, being so intense, and dimensional, but the turn to Numenor in this episode provides for too many additions and tangles, in my opinion, burdening the writing with a bunch of exposition in a small period of time that never feels natural. At the end of the day it feels tacked on because it is tacked on to what was already our introduction to the show.

Elsewhere, every thing is fine. The Hobbit plot continues to go in a direction that supports at least a benevolent role for it's stranger, even if it doesn't turn out to be Gandalf. But if you just pretend it's Gandalf for a second, and remove the mystery from the equation, you have a pretty sweet origin story for his relationship with hobbits and it works great.

[Alexandros]

Numenor is one of my favourite parts of the lore. It was actually my first guess as to what they would film for the Amazon series (before I found out they didn't have the rights to the Silmarillion or Unfinished Tales). I would love a version of its full history, at least the key elements, but that would mean a span of 3000 years or so. Still, the final part is the most dramatic, so I'm hoping they do it justice. Hopefully in a following episode they will at least make a summary of Numenor's role in the Second Age, I think it would help the audiences realise what a big deal this kingdom is.

[Alexandros]

I'm still enjoying it, though petulant, abrasive Galadriel is starting to slightly put me off. She's like one of the oldest Elves around, she should act a bit more wise to the ways of the world. I'm thinking less trigger-happy and more imposing and otherworldly as a presence. Her hair was supposed to be the inspiration for the creation of the Silmarils, looking as if they are a reflection of the light of the Trees more or less. If you're not gonna make her outward appearance more awe-inspiring, at least have her behaviour reflect the fact that she is basically a living reminder of elvish glory (and tragedy).

Also, relegating the deep resentment of elvish immortality by some of the Numenoreans of those years to a simple "they're gonna take our joooobs" is somewhat...simplifying it.

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

Still enjoying some of it... But it's honestly starting to lose me a little bit. The last two episodes have been kind of a mess, and the scale feels incredibly small in such a large world.

[Wretchedest]

I think it's still very good. Episode 3 was a bit of a hiccup for pacing and Numenor just still isn't doing it for me as a setting, but 4 and 5 picked it up and the show continues to hold on to the parts of it I initially liked. That guy is definitely Gandalf btw

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

I thought 4 and 5's pacing was pretty bad as well. They're taking way too long to get anything substantial going. Everyone is Sauron, and nothing matters.

The only good subplot here is Elrond and Durin atm. For every good scene, 3 bad ones follow afterwards. I dunno, it's just a mess so far for me.

[allegate]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv...ng-1235231978/

The first season of the show was filmed in New Zealand over an epic stretch of 18 months during the pandemic. For season 2, which will consist of eight episodes, Amazon switched the show’s production to the U.K., which is considered more economical and is also where the company is establishing a multi-show hub.

[allegate]

watched the last two episodes today since I was on vacation and didn't stream anything the entire time.

I cannot say a single nice thing about the episodes except that I'm glad they're over. it was like watching a Charlie Brown holiday special because there were entire scenes that meant nothing put in between scenes that might - eventually? - become something. maybe...possibly? who can say. and then suddenly afterburners because holy shit we forgot this was about the Rings of Power so we better do that right?

Entire story threads that went nowhere except to burn time. they knew this going in that it was a prequel so there are things that we know are inviolate, like Ilsidur, and yet they still give you the "oh I wonder if he's still alive teehee".

I take it back, there was one good part: the scene where they reveal whatshisface (spoilers just in case) was actually pretty good. Like a little grain of gold in the middle of a sand storm. However right after that you get Elrond suddenly very interested in what happened at the river and he has a couple scenes interspersed here and there in the metallurgical porn (no one was sweating during all the metalwork with the actual molten bits? really?) where he's looking for something. and lo! he finds it! and he runs in on the Rings of Power reveal and just stares at Galadriel and it goes back and forth and there's a lot of eye acting but I haven't the foggiest what was said. "I know the secret that you know?" But how would he know that? other than what the scroll actually says there's nothing for him to know.

I might hate-watch season 2 but there's lots of time for me to change my mind either way on that.

[Alexandros]

While I get your points, @allegate , I'm actually fine with the series overall. There are enough grains of gold as you put it to keep me happy enough. It is clumsy often, there is no doubt about that. But there is also some heart in the show in my opinion that makes up for it. They can do better, they should do better in the following seasons in terms of setting up stories and avoiding pointless "cliffhangers", I agree. But it's not a deal breaker for me.

[Wretchedest]

Yeah I disagree with you guys pretty strongly. For once a show wasn't driven by petty twists and cliffhangers or interested in checking boxes in broader momentum of it's world and was instead interested in the motivations and relationships of it's characters and I think that was pretty refreshing for a big franchise show. It had a couple of twists, I guess, it had cliffhangers, because it had continuity, like any other show. It never mattered whether that dude was Gandalf, it mattered if Nori's compassion would overcome the dangers of his struggles or the isolationist traditions of her people. It never mattered if that dude was Sauron, what mattered more was Galadriel's hubris and narcissism, the sheer privilege of the elves to push their agendas and plans through, consequences to the mortals be damned. Sams with elrond.way more than whether the rings are made or not, what matters with him is his relationship with Durin, and how they manage to maintain it despite their other loyalties. I liked how this Elrond is so warm in contrast to the one on the screen, giving the impression that these constant tests make him colder over time.

In general I found the characterization and the thematic depth of this story to exceed those in either iteration of it's source material. Even the acting and the cinematography I thought were just better, though I have a pretty mixed opinion on the original movies. It also felt fresh in the post game of thrones landscape. I've always felt like Game of Thrones was a dumb, shallow show that had to resort to cheap shock value and teenage variety edginess to get people talking. It never had command over depth or allegory or it's thematic elements, which is why it's such a problematic chore of a show. Rings of Power felt to me like the antidote to all of that. I like it all the way throw except for it's clumsy third episode.

I guess the one element I really hated were the acolytes of Sauron. Every other character was pretty well realized but it's impossible to understand where they're coming from, how they're motivated, and in the end they just pick on a bunch of hobbits and are ultimately totally wrong. And I hated their costuming.

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

Game of Thrones was good up until a certain point because of its amazing writing and well driven main and side characters. This show lacks any form of interesting writing and makes the main characters the most unlikable of the bunch. I was literally rooting for the Orcs after the 4th episode or so and the show feels so tiny in the large landscape it fails to portray. To say Game of Thrones basically relied on cheap shock value for people to talk about it is kind of odd for me to read to be honest, but to each their own.

I've never had a show pull me back and forth so drastically like this has; that was so meh to me in the beginning, being pulled back in for a moment, then gives me hours upon hours of predictable, meandering nonsensical plot points and stupid decisions from our main characters...

Imagine being a character that is supposed to be wise as hell, 5 star General, over 1500 years of age or so
... warned that the enemy running away has something he cannot escape with... Gain said item, carry it around with you for I dunno, a few hours, and not ONCE do you inspect the contents of what you were warned about until a mere side character decided to look instead? That was where I officially checked out and knew what they were going to give us at the end.

It did matter who Gandalf may have been, it did matter who Sauron was because that was what the show wanted its viewers to debate from the start, and all it had going for it to be honest. While Nori's compassion and Galadriel's teenager attitude may have been what some attached to... It was poorly executed. Elrond and Durin's relationship was pretty well fleshed out, but it just isn't enough to overtake the banality this show is cursed with.

I'll stick with the Trilogy if I want fond memories, because this ain't doing it for me... I tried.

[Wretchedest]

To each there own of course, but in this case I've but unusually bothered by the tepid response by audiences hard to say why. For me this feels like the Lord of the Rings show I always wanted or thought it could be, so I want it to succeed. Maybe also given how warmly stranger things 4 was received or something and I'm feeling too far away from the zeitgeist. I'm not sure

[stankeybearlover]

I enjoyed it for what it is, but it seemed to me they squandered a lot of potential for good storytelling. Which I think is mostly because they went through about two-and-a-half seasons worth of story in just eight episodes. But I guess because of the name of the show and with the general audience's expectation of Sauron as an active antagonist, they wanted to get to where they concluded this season as quickly as possible.

[wizfan]

Welp, I am in the minority that enjoyed the hell out of the show as a whole. It will stay with me for a long time. HotD, on the other hand, still feels like a big chore to me... just a big, bland, ugly, grey thing that doesn't elicit any emotion from me other than boredom. Then again, I've lost all enjoyment on anything GoT related a long time ago... RoP felt right to me, despite its flaws.

[Alexandros]

Don't get me wrong, despite my criticisms I enjoy it thoroughly as well! I like most of their lore interpretations, given the source constraints, and I'm all in for their focus on the non-binary approach to good and evil in a high fantasy setting. Most of the characters are well-defined -again, given the limitations due to the sheer number of them and the limited time, and I can buy into their relationships (if not their motives at times). I even warmed up to Galadriel, who was my biggest issue, as the series progressed. I just think they need to find a better balance between moving the story forward and maintaining a consistent narrative, because the story did seem disjointed at times, and certain narrative decisions defy logic in favour of drama. This is nothing new in fiction of course, let alone fantasy, but there can be too much of it. So yeah, all in all, thumbs up and I'm excited to see more!

[wizfan]

Don't get me wrong, despite my criticisms I enjoy it thoroughly as well!

I forgot to ask you: did you check out the Greek dubbing? I switched it on for a few minutes just for fun. Elrond and Galadriel's voice actors are not bad at all. Halbrand's is terrrrrrible. They did some stereo/surround panning effects for the voices of the Mystics just like the original, which was cool.

[Alexandros]

I forgot to ask you: did you check out the Greek dubbing?

Hah! It never even crossed my mind to check the dubbing. Especially when it comes to non-animated films, I always cringe at the thought of dubbing. But now I probably will check it out. And I will hate you for it! :P

[Findus]

I forgot to ask you: did you check out the Greek dubbing? I switched it on for a few minutes just for fun. Elrond and Galadriel's voice actors are not bad at all. Halbrand's is terrrrrrible. They did some stereo/surround panning effects for the voices of the Mystics just like the original, which was cool.

Don't you mean Panning effects? Please, have some respect for the Greek gods, and capitalize that word in the future.

[wizfan]

Don't you mean Panning effects? Please, have some respect for the Greek gods, and capitalize that word in the future.

Bwahahah. Good one. Then again, nobody ever capitalizes the "P" in "pan flute"

[Findus]

Bwahahah. Good one. Then again, nobody ever capitalizes the "P" in "pan flute"

I'm sure Zamfir does.

[Alexandros]

Apparently Warner Bros. is set to produce new adaptations based on Tolkien's universe. If I understand correctly, they are not looking into re-making LOTR or the Hobbit, although they have the rights to these books as well, but will explore other aspects of the "the vast, complex and dazzling universe dreamed up by J.R.R. Tolkien". They don't go into further details yet, but I guess this means the Silmarillion etc.? It is strange that, if this is indeed the case, they didn't mention it specifically. But what else could it be?

[muad'nin]

Apparently Warner Bros. is set to produce new adaptations based on Tolkien's universe. If I understand correctly, they are not looking into re-making LOTR or the Hobbit, although they have the rights to these books as well, but will explore other aspects of the "the vast, complex and dazzling universe dreamed up by J.R.R. Tolkien". They don't go into further details yet, but I guess this means the Silmarillion etc.? It is strange that, if this is indeed the case, they didn't mention it specifically. But what else could it be?

Here’s a nice list of potential source texts -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._...n_bibliography
If we’re not talking The Silmarillion here, then my bet would be something like “The Children of Húrin”, “Beren and Lúthien’, or something similar. Both of which would be far more filmable than The Silmarillion (a faithful adaptation of which would need multiple films).

[allegate]

Only 37 Percent of U.S. ‘Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Viewers Finished Season 1 — Report

https://www.indiewire.com/2023/04/lo...te-1234825392/

that's not good Bob.

[Jinsai]

still better than that Willow bullshit...

[bobbie solo]

I loved the first season. ::shrugs::

Can't wait for season 2.

[Kodiak33]

still better than that Willow bullshit...

Willow was awful, I was really disappointed.

[allegate]

I loved the multi-episode arc on the tunnels and showing what they were used for, that was brilliant. The "everyone survived a lahar" scene though kind of killed that enthusiasm.