Lord of the Rings TV Series Purchased by Amazon

[Nebron]

What boggles my mind is that this is a $700 million show. This is like, the most expensive show in the history ever, since Game of Thrones. You'd think that there would be top of the line talent on this show. Good cinematographers. Good actors. Writers who would make the dialogue not cringe. The best costume designers. The best in the CGI industry. Good musicians. Where did the money go?

Haven't seen it yet, but just the quoted part - not only did it cost more than Game of Thrones... a single episode of Rings of Power cost exactly as much as an entire 8th season of Game of Thrones altogether

Nevertheless, trailer looked absolutely "overpolished" - lacked that realistic grittiness. The armor reminded me more of a Warcraft movie / the Witcher series cosplay trash than a proper, worn armor. Is that really what we get? I guess I'll find out on today's evening.

[Kumorii]

Not a fan of Galadriel and the actress. Easily the worst part of the show.

They kept the troll fight choreography which is surprising and I surely hope the rest of the fights aren't as stiff or ridiculous.

Visually most things looks good at a first glance, but you see more and more problems when you look. The Elven boat was horrendous though. Not sure what happened there, no texture on the wood. Everything looks flat.

Most young adult actors seem to deliver their lines a bit over the top for me. Like they try to sound so important. Celebrimbor was a treat however, felt more natural and not as forced. Princess Disa surprised me, though the eyes are jarring to me.

what has my curiosity so far is who the meteor man is. I assume Gandalf for now.
Celebrimbor
Theo and the sword.

The main characters just seems like the typical "cool" people. Uninteresting. Except Nori who is the stereotypical curious naive character.

I will keep watching, I hope Galadriel changes sooner rather than later. She acts a bit like a defiant teenager. Which is odd to me.

Side note:
Audience score is dropping fast on rotten tomatoes.

[s_bushido]

Is that really what we get? I guess I'll find out on today's evening.

I'm extremely tired of quibbling over opinions on the design of this or that piece of costume, but as for the presentation, that poster is basically completely full of shit. If you told someone these screenshots were from the Jackson's trilogy, and not this show that people were convinced was terrible months before anything was even shown...they wouldn't bat an eye.

Which is silly. Does anyone really subscribe to Prime for the streaming alone? It's a nice bonus but I'm mostly looking to save on shipping.

Eh. Even if the number of people who subbed like that was small, it would probably still be worth it for them to do it. And like I said, it's not just Amazon that does it this way. Every streaming service does with their original shows.

[tikcol]

Not a fan of Galadriel and the actress. Easily the worst part of the show.

They kept the troll fight choreography which is surprising and I surely hope the rest of the fights aren't as stiff or ridiculous.

Visually most things looks good at a first glance, but you see more and more problems when you look. The Elven boat was horrendous though. Not sure what happened there, no texture on the wood. Everything looks flat.

Most young adult actors seem to deliver their lines a bit over the top for me. Like they try to sound so important. Celebrimbor was a treat however, felt more natural and not as forced. Princess Disa surprised me, though the eyes are jarring to me.

what has my curiosity so far is who the meteor man is. I assume Gandalf for now.
Celebrimbor
Theo and the sword.

The main characters just seems like the typical "cool" people. Uninteresting. Except Nori who is the stereotypical curious naive character.

I will keep watching, I hope Galadriel changes sooner rather than later. She acts a bit like a defiant teenager. Which is odd to me.

We all know who meteor man is and I wish I didn't because I don't want it to be true. It's not slightly lore friendly and it's plainly ridiculous. I hope they pull the rug from under my feet but I doubt it. If they do, props to them.

Pretty visuals only go so far when the background music is so weak and the dialogue so dull.

The mystique isn't there.

[Orby]

Not a fan of Galadriel and the actress. Easily the worst part of the show.

They kept the troll fight choreography which is surprising and I surely hope the rest of the fights aren't as stiff or ridiculous.

Visually most things looks good at a first glance, but you see more and more problems when you look. The Elven boat was horrendous though. Not sure what happened there, no texture on the wood. Everything looks flat.

Most young adult actors seem to deliver their lines a bit over the top for me. Like they try to sound so important. Celebrimbor was a treat however, felt more natural and not as forced. Princess Disa surprised me, though the eyes are jarring to me.

what has my curiosity so far is who the meteor man is. I assume Gandalf for now.
Celebrimbor
Theo and the sword.

The main characters just seems like the typical "cool" people. Uninteresting. Except Nori who is the stereotypical curious naive character.

I will keep watching, I hope Galadriel changes sooner rather than later. She acts a bit like a defiant teenager. Which is odd to me.

Side note:
Audience score is dropping fast on rotten tomatoes.

She is very much the weakest part of the show for me, and I cannot point out why? Everything else around her was great, The Dwarf stuff was perfect, and the half foot stuff was very charming, I assume Nori is going to be that Frodo type of character the person we see through the eyes of to help guide us through the world. I also really am really liking Arondir character more than I thought I would, he hasn't had much screen time as the rest of the arcs shown, but I am intrigued to want to know more

We all know who meteor man is and I wish I didn't because I don't want it to be true. It's not slightly lore friendly and it's plainly ridiculous. I hope they pull the rug from under my feet but I doubt it. If they do, props to them.

Pretty visuals only go so far when the background music is so weak and the dialogue so dull.

The mystique isn't there.

you didn't like the score? I thought he musical score was epic. usually when a score is pretty bad or not good, I barely notice it, or its too distracting, but I found the score really fitting to the scenes, and everything had its unique sounds and feel. the musical accompaniment around the dwarfs blew me away.

[Kumorii]

We all know who meteor man is and I wish I didn't because I don't want it to be true. It's not slightly lore friendly and it's plainly ridiculous. I hope they pull the rug from under my feet but I doubt it. If they do, props to them.

Pretty visuals only go so far when the background music is so weak and the dialogue so dull.

The mystique isn't there.

Ah yeah the music. Forgot about that.
I found it a bit overbearing at times. Best example would be when Halbrand rescued Galadriel and they came up to the surface. That music was so over-the-top epic and loud compared to what happened.

[s_bushido]

Ah yeah the music. Forgot about that.
I found it a bit overbearing at times.

Yes, this is true. They could stand to tone the score down in a lot of places.

As for dialogue, it only really seemed to be a problem among the elves. Everyone else sounded like they weren’t trying so hard to sound “Tolkien.”

[Kumorii]

She is very much the weakest part of the show for me, and I cannot point out why? Everything else around her was great, The Dwarf stuff was perfect, and the half foot stuff was very charming, I assume Nori is going to be that Frodo type of character the person we see through the eyes of to help guide us through the world. I also really am really liking Arondir character more than I thought I would, he hasn't had much screen time as the rest of the arcs shown, but I am intrigued to want to know more

I think it's because we know she is right, but so far the only reason why she believes what she believes is because "Why don't I feel the evil is gone in here?".
Think the character so far feels pretentious, and the acting isn't exactly helping. Her stares at people when they defy her or try to talk her out of it just reinforces that feel.

When It comes to Arondir I'm more curious about what he finds, rather than him. Haven't shown much of his character except he loves a human.

- - - Updated - - -

you didn't like the score? I thought he musical score was epic. usually when a score is pretty bad or not good, I barely notice it, or its too distracting, but I found the score really fitting to the scenes, and everything had its unique sounds and feel. the musical accompaniment around the dwarfs blew me away.

I think because they overuse it it feels like they are trying to tell you what to feel rather than having the pictures do so and the music reinforces it. Music isn't bad, they spent lots of money on it, I can tell that, so they probably want to use it :P

[Nebron]

I'm extremely tired of quibbling over opinions on the design of this or that piece of costume, but as for the presentation, that poster is basically completely full of shit. If you told someone these screenshots were from the Jackson's trilogy, and not this show that people were convinced was terrible months before anything was even shown...they wouldn't bat an eye.

And I am not. Apart from the visual world presentation, costumes are the biggest part of immersion for me. If they feel unnatural, it kills the whole magic. Witcher's costumes are probably the worst thing I have seen in TV series so far - these are just laughable and I couldn't stand any mages scenes for that reason alone.
Actually, funny you've sent these three stills, since they fked up the lighting

[PACOX]

Finished the 2nd episode. Liked it even more than the first. First episode should be called the prokogue, 2nd the real 1st episode.

[molliewoof]

it was ok, first episode below average second a lot better.

minor spoilers

i think maybe the first ten minutes spoiled the first episode for me, galadriels a dick 'theres a snow storm can we camp for the night?' 'no', have they just been walking for hundreds of years at that point? .. 'why isnt my torch warm?' 'this place is too evil' fuck off lol, i actually stopped and phoned a mate to laugh at that, shes a dick all of the second episode as well.

the human story was a little predictable, her kids a nob and i worked the reveal out in the first episode.

the hobbit story line is ok, a bit tired of that guy making everything dark and pulling trees in already.

who'd have thought the black dwarf that everyone was complaining about would be the best thing in the show, the side dwarfs were a bit over the top but i think that was meant, the dwarfish segments were the best overall

really liked the visual and the music most of the time

episode 1 - 4/10
episode 2 - probably a strong 7, remove everything to do with galadriel and its an 8

im looking forward to the next episode

[Rennadrel]

You'd think for a character who by the Second Age is already a couple thousand years old, Galadrial wouldn't be a pretentious twat and she'd have wisdom and proper leadership skills. Not that I wasn't at all surprised by this, because it's exactly what these hacks do to established characters, is attempt to rewrite them in their own image rather than how the creator intended them to be.

[cocomen2]

Fan of Galadriel, only her part of story interesting to me. 7/10 show

1. kid found cursed sword handle - and didn't told a thing to his mother, bad boy wants to ruin his village = MEH...boring

2. dwarf and big-head Elf are friends and acting like spy warriors against each other = boring

3. hairfoot female version of Elijah Wood trying to provoke wolf and nurse Lucifer Morningstar, who knows maybe her girlfriend Sam gonna explain how it ends badly.

4. GreyWolfWorm trying to be Gerald and seduce human single mother, kinky - but boring.

[BigToast]

You'd think for a character who by the Second Age is already a couple thousand years old, Galadrial wouldn't be a pretentious twat and she'd have wisdom and proper leadership skills. Not that I wasn't at all surprised by this, because it's exactly what these hacks do to established characters, is attempt to rewrite them in their own image rather than how the creator intended them to be.

This sort of thing is called a character arc. There has to be somewhere to go, some lesson to be learned to get to the Third Age Galadriel.

[DarkAmbient]

I think I like it just enough to see what happens next, despite some poor casting and dodgy dialogue. Visuals were sumptuous as expected, the music was great. Lenny Henry's cod Irish accent was terrible, but he's always just Lenny Henry in everything. Most of the elves don't feel particularly elfy to me, more like humans with pointed ears, particularly Arondir. I don't think the haircuts help, those hair-sprayed and blow-dried bouffant styles look like something out of a 1980s male catalogue. The characters I enjoyed the most were Poppy and Nori, although I thought Elrond was played particularly well. Galadriel's portrayal was fine. I've seen people complaining about her being portrayed as a she-warrior but that's how Tolkien described her, a commander and fierce fighter of 'Amazon disposition'.

It's obvious the one who fell from the sky is a Maiar, but it better not be Gandalf, although signs point to it being him. That would be the biggest middle finger to the lore so far if it's true. It might be one of the Blue Wizards, except he's not clad in blue and there's only one of them. So really that leaves Gandalf or a new Maiar invented for the show. Ugh.

Overall, I'd say 7/10.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Man some of y’all really sound like you’ve never seen a “consumed with revenge even at there own determinate” character before. Galadrial I’d a pretty perfect Portrayal of the archetype while also holding onto the elf nobility and not throwing a shit fit when she’s more or less banished in the firs episode.

[Triceron]

Galadrial feels so much like a Warcraft Elf character bent on revenge. I don't think she should have been Galadriel, I think they could have easily just made a completely new Elf character.

But I can see them wanting something to be recognizeable to the series, I just find it odd that this is how they choose to characterize her. I'd have zero problems if this were someone new.

Same with the meteor man. I'm already disconnected by their attempts on making obvious hints at Gandalf. I'm not sure where they are taking it and whether theres gonna be some big plot twist reveal, but I don't see it being a strong payoff. If it's Gandalf, it was too obvious. If it's any other wizard or a complete twist like being Sauron, then it'd feel like a massive bait and switch. I don't see the point of this plot arc really. Will wait and see what they do with it.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Same with the meteor man. I'm already disconnected by their attempts on making obvious hints at Gandalf. I'm not sure where they are taking it and whether theres gonna be some big plot twist reveal, but I don't see it being a strong payoff. If it's Gandalf, it was too obvious. If it's any other wizard or a complete twist like being Sauron, then it'd feel like a massive bait and switch. I don't see the point of this plot arc really. Will wait and see what they do with it.

I doubt it’s not Gandalf but a nice bait and switch would be to make it Saruman and actually show him when he was a good guy before his fall.

[Orby]

I will give a big compliment to the orc scene in the house. Holy shit was that scene tense. and they really made a single orc look terrifying by barely showing him at first, as well as making him looking like a big threat. Looked like somethign out of a horror movie when they revealed him.

[InfiniteCharger]

Unfortunately, this show just butchers so much of the lore that it is hard to consider it a part of Tolkien or related to Lord of the Rings.
This goes beyond cosmetic differences and other superficial changes.

And this is going to be a major factor in some peoples ability to like or dislike this series.

Compare to the shows depiction of Galadriel:

Indeed, "she was then of Amazon disposition and bound up her hair as a crown when taking part in athletic feats". This custom was the origin of her secondary name Galadriel, as it meant "Maiden crowned with gleaming hair". This gleaming of her hair was not a poetic reference: her hair was held a marvel unmatched. It mingled and surpassed the gold hair of her father and the starlike silver of her mother, so the Eldar said that both lights of the Two Trees were captured in her tresses. It was also said that this gave first the idea to her uncle Fëanor of capturing the merged light of the Trees, which would result in the Silmarils. He asked her three times one of her tresses, but she always refused. Fëanor and Galadriel were always unfriends, both being the greatest Eldar in Valinor; and if Fëanor was greater than her, she was wiser, and her wisdom grew with the long years. For she also had an outstanding gift to see into the minds of others, and she hated and feared the darkness in Fëanor.

There was still bliss in Valinor when she was born, but soon she was influenced by the unrest of the Noldor and lost her inner peace ever after. She was proud like most of the House of Finwë, and like her closest brother Finrod, "she had dreams of far lands and dominions that might be her own to order as she would without tutelage". But deep in herself, she had the noble spirit of the Vanyar, which did not allow her to forget the reverence to the Valar.

During the Darkening of Valinor and the rebellion of Fëanor, Galadriel was the only woman of the Noldor who stood among the rising princes. She swore no oath, but the words of Fëanor concerning Middle-earth kindled a desire in her heart, as she was eager to see those wide unguarded lands and rule a realm of her own. Like the rest of the House of Finarfin, she was also supportive of the Exile by the desire to aid their Sindarin relatives in Middle-earth.


......
Second Age

At the beginning of this age, Celeborn and Galadriel dwelt for a time in Lindon, south of the Lune, while Gil-galad ruled in the north.[27] Both left Lindon before the years 10-20, when Gil-galad became king in that land, apparently thanks to her influence.They entered Eriador and dwelt for a while around Lake Nenuial, being followed by many Noldor, Grey-elves and Green-elves. They were considered as the Lord and Lady of the Eldar in Eriador.[29]:234 Probably around S.A. 300,[note 3] Galadriel and Celeborn had a daughter: Celebrían.

Circa the year 500, Sauron began to stir Middle-earth again,[27] but his name was not known. He was however perceived by Galadriel, who noticed there was a controlling evil, and that it was spreading above the world, coming from the East, beyond the Misty Mountains. She also thought this 'residue of evil' could only be fought with an alliance of all its enemies. Therefore she and Celeborn moved eastwards and establish the realm of Eregion near Khazad-dûm. Celeborn was not fond of Dwarves, but she saw the importance of getting close to them, to whom she even saw with military interests. Also, she was a Noldo, therefore close to them in mind and in the passion for crafts; and in Valinor she had learned from Yavanna and Aulë, the creator of the Dwarves himself.[29]:235

Some Noldor were also interesed on establishing near Khazad-dûm because they knew mithril had been discovered there. Therefore many Elven-smiths came to Eregion and created good relations with the Dwarves. Celebrimbor, a descendant of Fëanor (and therefore a distant cousin of Galadriel), was the greatest of the craft-men and the Lord of Eregion. He was its main builder and in 750 the main city of the realm was begun, Ost-in-Edhil. The power of Galadriel and Celeborn also grew: thanks to the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, they had contact with the Nandorin realm of Lórinand, at the other side of the Misty Mountains. Thanks to Galadriel's influence upon Lórinand, Sauron's machinations there were fruitless.[29]:236

About the year 1200, Sauron came in disguise to Eriador, but he was only welcomed in Eregion by Celebrimbor and the Elven-smiths, who were interesed on his advices of craftship.[29]:236 Galadriel was not deceived, and rejected him, saying that he was not in the train of Aulë as he claimed.[30] "He perceived at once that Galadriel would be his chief adversary and obstacle, and he endeavoured therefore to placate her, bearing her scorn with outward patience and courtesy". At the same time, without her knowledge, Sauron influenced Calebrimbor and his Gwaith-i-Mírdain against Galadriel and Celeborn. Finally, he moved them to rebellion and they seized the power of Eregion at some time between 1350 and 1400. Thus, Galadriel and Celebrían left through Khazad-dûm to Lórinand, although Celeborn would not enter the Dwarvish realm and remained in Eregion.[29]:237

When Sauron made the One Ring in S.A. 1600, his treachery was discovered by Celebrimbor.[27] The elven-smith came to Lórinand, seeking counsel from Galadriel. They did not find the strenght to destroy the Rings of Power, but she adviced him to hide the Three Rings of the Elves where Sauron could not find them. Therefore he gave her Nenya, the White Ring, and the other Rings were given to other Elven lords.[29]:237 This was done in 1693, the same year Sauron began the war against the Elves.

https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Galadriel

Sack of Eregion:

During the Second Age, Sauron planned to corrupt the Elves and put them under his dominion. In his guise as Annatar, he instructed the Elves of Eregion in the making of the Rings of Power. He returned to Mordor and then secretly constructed the One Ring of his own to enslave the bearers of the Rings.[1] Unknown to him, the Elves had made Three Rings of their own, so that when Sauron took up his own Ring, they understood his intentions and his centuries of planning came to nothing.

.....

When news of the invasion arrived to Gil-galad he sent a force commanded by Elrond from Lindon to reinforce Eregion as well as word to Númenor for aid.[1] Elrond's forces were held back by Sauron's greater host and Eregion was devastated. In S.A. 1697, Ost-in-Edhil fell, with Celebrimbor himself leading a last desperate defence on the steps of the House of the Mírdain. He was taken captive by the Orcs and Dark Lord demanded that the Rings of Power be turned over to him as well as the Three Rings. Celebrimbor yielded the Nine Rings and later even the Seven Rings, but was able to hide the identities of those who bore the Three. Later Celebrimbor was shot through with Orc-arrows, and by some accounts, Sauron used Celebrimbor's body as a banner as he turned to face Elrond's host.

https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/War_...ves_and_Sauron