The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - Season 1

sol_bad said:
I have to wait another 11.5 hours for my wife to finish work.
:'(

I'll probably stay out of this thread until after I watch it.
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I too have to wait until much later for my better half to get home, she's currently on a flight. Knowing her she'll fall asleep halfway through episode one, leaving me to binge the first two episodes alone then I'll be back to discuss as well :)
 
watched episode 1. i thought it was brilliant! i can't wait to get home and watch episode 2.

some absolutely stunning shots. the scene at the end was beautiful. and that one of sauron...can't wait until we see him again.

so far so good but still very early. so excited :D
 





www.instagram.com

Alice X. Zhang on Instagram: "A timelapse of my latest digital painting! This piece was created entirely in Adobe @Photoshop, and features a scene from the upcoming series The Lord of the Rings: #TheRingsOfPower (as well as a cameo from Stella! 🐱)

5,011 likes, 23 comments - alicexz on September 1, 2022: "A timelapse of my latest digital painting! This piece was created entirely in Adobe @Photoshop, and features a scene from the upcoming series The Lord of the Rings: #TheRingsOfPower (as well as a cameo from Stella! 🐱) Some process...
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
 
i've only read LOTR. i have a copy of Silmarillion but never managed to read it except for a little of the beginning.

is the show based on a story in there or does it just take events and make its own thing? i know only two episodes have been released but maybe someone has said something about this?

i might just find myself starting silmarillion now. i've only watched one episode but i'm so interested in the young galadriel/elrond, morgoth, early sauron, the story behind valinor and the two trees, etc.
 
nightmare-slain said:
is the show based on a story in there or does it just take events and make its own thing? i know only two episodes have been released but maybe someone has said something about this?
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It's based on the forging of the Rings, the fall of Numenor, and the Last Alliance. From the LOTR Appendices and the last 20 pages of the Silmarillion.
 
Aggelos said:





www.instagram.com

Alice X. Zhang on Instagram: "A timelapse of my latest digital painting! This piece was created entirely in Adobe @Photoshop, and features a scene from the upcoming series The Lord of the Rings: #TheRingsOfPower (as well as a cameo from Stella! 🐱)

5,011 likes, 23 comments - alicexz on September 1, 2022: "A timelapse of my latest digital painting! This piece was created entirely in Adobe @Photoshop, and features a scene from the upcoming series The Lord of the Rings: #TheRingsOfPower (as well as a cameo from Stella! 🐱) Some process...
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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The first one literally just looks like a filter over a picture lol.
 
ManaByte said:
It's based on the forging of the Rings, the fall of Numenor, and the Last Alliance. From the LOTR Appendices and the last 20 pages of the Silmarillion.
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ok. i have never read the appendices either :messenger_grinning_smiling: ihave only ever read the hobbit and lotr. over the years i've been telling myself i'd read everything but never do it.
 
Huh surprised I actually enjoyed the episode. I haven't watched episode 2 yet. I watched the Lord of The Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit Trilogy, I wasn't a fan of either. So far I'm enjoying this one
 
Watched both episodes, best thing was the visuals. Can't say I really care about any of the characters or the story yet. It's certainly not the dumpster fire people were projecting.
 
I'll never trust you motherfuckers ever again. The first episode is just shit happening without anything of significance really happening, with often cringe-worthy dialogue (not Wheel of Time bad but bad) and good GCI with generic art. I don't even want to watch the second one right now.

imdb and RT are currently hiding the ratings btw. Pathetic
 
Konnor said:
I'll never trust you motherfuckers ever again. The first episode is just shit happening without anything of significance really happening, with often cringe-worthy dialogue (not Wheel of Time bad but bad) and good GCI with generic art. I don't even want to watch the second one right now.

imdb and RT are currently hiding the ratings btw. Pathetic
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Literally everyone who isn't a shill being paid to defend this said it was going to be trash. A few held out hope. But most knew deep down it wasn't going to be good.
 
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Konnor said:
I'll never trust you motherfuckers ever again. The first episode is just shit happening without anything of significance really happening, with often cringe-worthy dialogue (not Wheel of Time bad but bad) and good GCI with generic art. I don't even want to watch the second one right now.

imdb and RT are currently hiding the ratings btw. Pathetic
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It lacks focus for sure, and the pacing is pretty bad. I didn't latch onto a single character.........Galadriel is boring as hell. The dwarves in episode 2 I enjoyed the most probably; the dynamic between Elrond and Durin felt like the only real character interaction.
 
Trazyn the Infinite said:
Literally everyone who isn't a shill being paid to defend this said it was going to be trash. A few held out hope. But most knew deep down it wasn't going to be good.
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I was talking about the first impressions I read here, they gave me a glimmer of hope so I made the mistake of watching it. The best way I can describe it in one word is soulless.
 
Bros, I just watched these first 2 episodes and this show is HILARIOUS.

Every single line of dialogue is delivered with the gravitas of a Shakespeare play. Every single thing that happens is the most serious thing ever. Everyone looks super serious at all times about how serious everything is. Despite this, the dialogue is some of the most generic banal shit I've ever watched hammy actors look very serious while saying.

If there is going to be a story, it's hard to tell at this point. Almost nothing has actually happened after 2 episodes, other than recycling every fantasy trope that can be thought of. The script writers must be gamers, because I saw the snow troll mini-boss fight and the rock breaking main quest during these 2 episodes.

There is almost nothing actually Lord of the Rings about this. It's just a bunch of fan fiction in a generic fantasy setting starring people who have the same names as Tolkien's characters but they have nothing to do with Tolkien's characters or his world. Considering they spent $250 million on these rights, it could just as easily have been World of Warcraft and nobody would have noticed the difference.

They spent $1 billion and so far it feels like I just watched a bunch of really high budget Final Fantasy cutscenes strung end to end starring some generic elf warrior princess who for some reason is named Galadriel, some generic pretty boy who for some reason is named Elrond, some black elf and his human waifu, and some curiously filthy proto hobbits because apparently the future hobbits won't invent bathing for another few centuries. Also the Archangel Tyrael appears in this for some reason, and yes he even falls out of the sky just like at the beginning of Diablo III.

Seriously though, what the fuck did I just watch?
 
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First ep down.
  • Production values are obviously through the roof. They're going to win every wardrobe-related, prop-related, and set-related award there is
  • Even with the high production values, while watching in 4K, HDR, Dolby there's some parts of scenes that feel a little too hyperreal. It's difficult to explain, but it just looks off
  • The writing for Galadriel is a little bit CW heroine tier, while the writing for Elrond makes him seem unwise. Going to have to give this more thought and return to the topic later to expand on, but it's lacking. That said I don't think anyone would accuse either of the actors of these two characters of being bad at their craft
  • After the amazing score of the trilogy, which had the perfect music for the Shire, how it boomed at times to impress upon the viewer dread and urgency, etc, the music here is very forgettable. It's actually a huge let down when paired with the amazing visuals. It makes the entire production feel a little uneven - as if I was watching an unfinished cut. I know Howard Shore had some kind of input, maybe composed the main theme? But the overall score is just, ugh. Furthermore, the audio support isn't great. Every other show I've watched that purportedly supports spatial audio of any kind sounds far, far better than this show through my sound system
  • I'll give the Harfoots time to develop, but so far they just seem included for kids and the casual fans who love hobbits
  • The pacing is sometimes broken by overlong, dialog-heavy scenes. I feel like they didn't quite find a good balance but hey, first episode and all
  • So satisfying how they highlight the different regions as they guide the viewer through Middle Earth. As a lover of the books and Tolkien's art they did a hell of a job
  • The elf dude Rondir or whatever his name is, feels like a stand-in for Aragorn, only elven rather than human (also mirrored in the obvious love story to come). I like him, and the guy they chose is a hell of an actor
Despite those criticisms I liked it! 3.5/5 maybe. It's definitely a cool tale being told in Middle Earth. Judging from some reactions here I get the feeling it's actually more a treat for the book lovers than it is for casual viewers of LotR.

Going to have to give it a second watch after I finish ep2, but it feels like a much better show than many of the reviews I've seen would lead one to believe.


ManaByte said:
The Trees

Morgoth destroying the trees

The elves leaving Valinor

The War of Wrath.

Damn
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Was disappointed to see they didn't reference Ungoliant there. But still grateful to see the Two Trees.

Edit: I see Gennifer Hutchison of Breaking Bad fame wrote ep2, so, looking forward to this.....
 
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Watched the first episode and it was ok. Amazing visuals, plot not super interesting.

The biggest take away from the episode was the statue of Galadriel's brother looks like Robert Patrick.
Fa-YLQTb-Xw-AE4sjm.jpg


intenserobertpatrick.jpg
 
Not for me. This is just a personal opinion, but the series does a piss poor job of respecting Tolkien's legacy. Visually it's stunning. Can't argue with how good it looks, although that's not really surprising considering the insane budget. However, the plot, poor writing and messing with the cannon are huge negatives for me.
 
I'm digging this. Looks great!

Wife never wanted to give lord of the rings a chance. Turn this on without her being aware of what it is.

"Oh I like this! What is it?"

"Lord of the rings prequel"

"Oh I guess I do like it!"

dammit women.
 
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IDKFA said:
Not for me. This is just a personal opinion, but the series does a piss poor job of respecting Tolkien's legacy. Visually it's stunning. Can't argue with how good it looks, although that's not really surprising considering the insane budget. However, the plot, poor writing and messing with the cannon are huge negatives for me.
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What did you feel messed with the canon
 
Unknown Soldier said:
Every single line of dialogue is delivered with the gravitas of a Shakespeare play. Every single thing that happens is the most serious thing ever. Everyone looks super serious at all times about how serious everything is.
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Sounds like solid Middle-Earth world; You read the books, right?
 
I am still on ep2, paused for the moment, but I loved every scene with the dwarves and the way the dialog got much more casual. Shades of the Shire scenes from Fellowship.

Edit: back to watching, pretty sure this is Gandalf. Some allusions like the blue eyes and grey clothing, but the main one may be his fascination with the fireflies (like fireworks) and how he seems to be able to commune with wildlife. It would also be fitting that he was introduced to them by the predecessors of the hobbits. Could be one of the blue wizards finding his way though I thought they entered Arda together. Not sold on the Eonwe predictions, as in my mind Eonwe would have entered the world with his very clear purpose in mind. I guess we'll see.
 
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This article resonated with me.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/01/opinion/rings-of-power-amazon-tolkien.html

If viewers find themselves disappointed by "The Rings of Power," it will probably not be because the computer-generated imagery is second-rate or there are not enough fight sequences. It will be because the new adaptation lacks the literary and moral depth that make Middle-earth not just another cinematic universe but a world worth saving
 
I have to agree with the dialogue. It wasnt Tolkien and just felt off. Other then that I like to show so far and the woke cancer seems to be reigned in. Sounds, effects and the whole cinematography is level higher then most of the movies these days. Introduction of harfoots is handled well enough to have their place in the show. I would love the main harfoot have some bloodline to Pippin. I mean the curiosity of her fits the bill. Glimpse of tree shepherds gives hope we see them too in the series. Galadriel is fine as a warrior and her backstory to revenge her brothers death will work enough for me. Its not deep but whatever atleast its not a feminist power trip over patriarchy. Show sits well into the Jacksons movies from to the looks of it.

I will take these two episodes as an introduction and hope the show finds it heart. So far there isnt a hook other then that its based on Tolkien.

The bastard kid of elf and huuman with the sword seems to have enough elven blood to envoke the magic out of it. Is this saurons sword?
 
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My review of the first 2 episodes:

Pros:
The Elrond/Dwarf city scenes
Actress who plays Galadriel
Gandalf(???)
Decent enough CGI
Brownwyn is the first truly "hot" chick in the history of LOTR.

Cons:
Where is this story going? I'm confused because I thought most of the Second Age is about Numenor and how it got corrupted by Sauron. But instead we seem to be nowhere near that. They haven't even introduced Numenor yet.
Why did they decide to make Galadriel a warrior-princess? Why her? It makes no sense since she is completely different in the LOTR movies. Why not just create a new character? And the worst thing is since it's Galadriel, we know she won't die so there's zero suspsense.
Elrond looks like Doogie Howser
Again none of the plot threads introduced so far seem good enough to keep my interest. I might keep watching it just to see if it's really Gandalf, but otherwise seems like it's going to be a slog until we get to Numenor.
 
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Ironbunny said:
The bastard kid of elf and huuman with the sword seems to have enough elven blood to envoke the magic out of it. Is this saurons sword?
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WARNING: Possible book-ish spoilers!

I know the thread doesn't have a book spoiler tag but I'm just being safe:

There's a few directions they could go with that artifact. But it is certainly looking to be Sauron's sword. It would also be fitting that a halfbreed finds it, as discord - or disharmony - is what Sauron's master Melkor sang into creation - and few things would be more disharmonious in his eyes than an elf and human child. Because Melkor is trapped into the destiny his god sang for him, while these "lesser" creations get to make their own fate. Absolute abominations in his, and Sauron's, eyes
 
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pramod said:
My review of the first 2 episodes:

Pros:
The Elrond/Dwarf city scenes
Actress who plays Galadriel
Gandalf(???)
Decent enough CGI
Brownwyn is the first truly "hot" chick in the history of LOTR.

Cons:
Where is this story going? I'm confused because I thought most of the Second Age is about Numenor and how it got corrupted by Sauron. But instead we seem to be nowhere near that. They haven't even introduced Numenor yet.
Why did they decide to make Galadriel a warrior-princess? Why her? It makes no sense since she is completely different in the LOTR movies. Why not just create a new character? And the worst thing is since it's Galadriel, we know she won't die so there's zero suspsense.
Elrond looks like Doogie Howser
Again none of the plot threads introduced so far seem good enough to keep my interest. I might keep watching it just to see if it's really Gandalf, but otherwise seems like it's going to be a slog until we get to Numenor.
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Numenor is actual Second Age material from The Silmarillion which they do not have the rights to. They will not be going to Numenor. It might as well not exist in this version of Tolkien's world. Everything in The Silmarillion is not in this show, in fact the story goes that they had to ask for permission even to mention Morgoth. That's why you never see Morgoth, nor does Ungoliant seem to exist in this world.

So where is the story going? No one knows. They can't have the story from any Tolkien works except The Lord of the Rings and the related appendices. Basically they are making this entire series up from almost nothing. It's fan fiction, and I'm genuinely curious what kind of story they can tell that doesn't touch upon works that they do not have the rights to.
 
Unknown Soldier said:
Numenor is actual Second Age material from The Silmarillion which they do not have the rights to. They will not be going to Numenor. It might as well not exist in this version of Tolkien's world. Everything in The Silmarillion is not in this show, in fact the story goes that they had to ask for permission even to mention Morgoth. That's why you never see Morgoth, nor does Ungoliant seem to exist in this world.

So where is the story going? No one knows. They can't have the story from any Tolkien works except The Lord of the Rings and the related appendices. Basically they are making this entire series up from almost nothing. It's fan fiction, and I'm genuinely curious what kind of story they can tell that doesn't touch upon works that they do not have the rights to.
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Uhm but i thought there is footage of scenes from Numenor in the previews? They also casted Pharazon and his wife.
 
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I really hated it to the core. I expect better. A stunning visual is not enough. Don't let me pick up on little things intentional/unintentionally.
 
Unknown Soldier said:
Numenor is actual Second Age material from The Silmarillion which they do not have the rights to. They will not be going to Numenor. It might as well not exist in this version of Tolkien's world. Everything in The Silmarillion is not in this show, in fact the story goes that they had to ask for permission even to mention Morgoth. That's why you never see Morgoth, nor does Ungoliant seem to exist in this world.

So where is the story going? No one knows. They can't have the story from any Tolkien works except The Lord of the Rings and the related appendices. Basically they are making this entire series up from almost nothing. It's fan fiction, and I'm genuinely curious what kind of story they can tell that doesn't touch upon works that they do not have the rights to.
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Right, but at the same time they can't write anything that contradicts the portions they do not own. But it's showing that they can only play their hand in small ways. At least so far.

Besides that, I think they were able to work some things out because they own the rights to the entire history of the Westlands, which includes the original home of what would be hobbits. Hence the Harfoot. They also own the rights to the lineage of the king up to Elessar / Aragorn, and everything that may have happened to that line of men in the intervening years, etc.

I think they found loopholes in that Galadriel, Celebrimbor, and Elrond went unmentioned for large gaps of time by Tolkien.
 
As expected, people have exaggerated, it is far from being a disaster. There are things to complain about, but I honestly enjoyed it.
 
That was honestly fantastic. Not quite as good as HotD, but a SOLID fantasy entry.


I'm sold.
 
Unknown Soldier said:
Despite this, the dialogue is some of the most generic banal shit I've ever watched hammy actors look very serious while saying.
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The dialogue is indeed horrific. The show comes across as generic fantasy. There were hints of interesting things in there but they only get touched on briefly.
 
JCK75 said:
RT User Score currently - 38%
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I thin it's fair to say that in this day and age, user scores on Rotten Tomatoes should be ignored, whether they are good or bad. Way too much review bombing or hyping from the idiots who want something to fail/succeed, regardless of its actual quality.
 
FunkMiller said:
I thin it's fair to say that in this day and age, user scores on Rotten Tomatoes should be ignored, whether they are good or bad. Way too much review bombing or hyping from the idiots who want something to fail/succeed, regardless of its actual quality.
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I think it's fair to say that in this day and age user scores should be taken way, way more seriously than critic reviews.
 
1st episode dragged a little, but the 2nd was great!

I'm not 100% convinced that's Gandalf yet.

Love the show so far. Amazon definitely spent some money and it shows
 
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