Lord of the Rings TV Series Purchased by Amazon

[druchii5]

Still halfway into the first episode, and it's really not terrible. Only thing I'm bothered by so far--why is it that like 90% of the Elves are sporting trendy Millennial haircuts? It just feel so damn off and distracting. I feel like long, silky hair has always added to the ethereal characteristics of Tolkien Elves. Really wish they just went a more traditional direction for it.

[PACOX]

Leagues ahead of WoT.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Only watched the first episode but so far Its pretty good with the only real negative being the funky Fight with the Snow troll.

Really wish it showed more of the war with Morgoth though the eagle bit was a awesome opening for it.

[Triceron]

Quarter-way through the first episode.

It's actually not bad so far. The landscapes are breathtaking, and really get me back into the LOTR mood. Well worth the money they've spent on this, and I'd rewatch this just for the setpieces.

Acting isn't too bad. Dialogue works for me so far. Just have to turn my brain off and enjoy the ride.

The short haired Elves are a bit disconcerting, but I think it'll grow on me in time. No qualms on the costuming so far otherwise.

I like what I'm seeing far more than what I've seen in the trailers.

[Biomega]

First episode done, and it's... not looking good.

Funnily enough, the snow troll fight many people have problems with I found quite well executed - it establishes the character as an expert fighter, it sets the scene for her matter-of-fact attitude and show how driven she is, and it doesn't drag on or uses egregious choreography (save the sword launch at the start which I do agree is a bit borderline).

My main problem so far is with two things.

1. Dialogue. Tolkien-level writing this is not, that's for sure; granted, it is a show, not a book, but still. A lot of the conversations feel wooden and ill-paced, and the diction is a little off - half is colloquialisms half makes an attempt at sophisticated prose, but the depth never goes beyond the shallow and feels stilted and artificial. It's especially bad for the humans and harfoots, where half the time it's the most stereotypical country drawl, only to switch over into theater-like stage delivery at a moment's notice. It feels out of place and poorly fit together.

2. Emotion. It's all over the place, and way too overdrawn. Galadriel especially never quite finds a line; she's supposed to be driven, instilled with a centuries-long never-forgive-never-forget kind of determination. Yet somehow she looks like she's ready to burst into tears or shouting half the time; the problem is how mismatched these things often are with what's going on. There's a constant disconnect between the acting and the narrative for her, which creates a feeling of unease that makes you feel uncomfortable watching her for all the wrong reasons. Similarly with Arondir, whose facial expression of perpetual annoyance just doesn't quite have a place with what he's doing. It's like the script goes in one direction, but the actors go in another - very disconcerting.
Additionally, the emphasis on emotionally evocative visuals borders on the pathetic (as in its literary sense). The journey to Valinor that has them all standing like statues and then burst into choral song? Dear gods. That's the kind of scene a high-school student director might come up with for a play. It feels completely over the top and out of place, in fact that entire sequence feels like a 1980s aesthetic nightmare where someone discovered the gold color filter and went nuts. I could go on, there's more offenders.

The visuals as a whole are okay so far - but only okay, really. The landscapes are fine, and there's some nice details (love the Silvan elves' breast plates, for example), but a lot of it feels way too inorganic and artificial for a AAA-budget series from 2022. The harfoot village props, Gil-galad's court, they all look way too much like theater stages and not enough like a living, breathing world. It's not, like, terrible, but it doesn't wow me, either.

The actors I found okay so far. The cocky village youth (didn't catch the character's name, if it was mentioned) stuck out a bit, but the rest were mostly fine. I cannot unsee Elrond's chin every time he's in the frame, but that's unfair of me - the actor does a fine job. Then again it's episode 1 only and not enough has happened yet, so we'll have to see. The short hair on a lot of the elves doesn't really bother me. I always found the whole Legolas-style stereotype with flowing manes a rather stale cliché to begin with, so it's nice to see them give things some variety.

I'll watch episode 2 tomorrow and see how I like the dwarves, which some people have said were a lot more interesting than the elves. Time will tell. But this does not so far smell to me like a new hit series. The writing just isn't there, and it's VERY painful to someone versed in the lore to see them gloss over so many important story bits of the larger mythology because of copyright reasons (like the entire thing with the silmaril and the rebellion of the Noldor). An unfortunate necessity of the arrangement, but a bitter taste nonetheless. I want to see where things are going, but I do not expect to be blown away by the story.

[s_bushido]

Oops. I guess all the petty whining was meaningless, and it's actually a pretty good show so far.

It's a small thing, but I like intro being sound waves forming patterns in sand, given the creation myth of this world.

Highlight for me for those episodes was Elrond and the Dwarves.

[Askyl]

Oops. I guess all the petty whining was meaningless, and it's actually a pretty good show so far.

It's a small thing, but I like intro being sound waves forming patterns in sand, given the creation myth of this world.

Highlight for me for those episodes was Elrond and the Dwarves.

Petty hating for no reason was.... For no reason? Who knew

[jonnysensible]

pretty good wish they would drop the season and not do this bullshit weekly thing. What am i watching cable tv?

[tikcol]

Whoaa this is looking terrible.

The mystique instilled in the books and to some extent the trilogy is all but lost. I hope the people responsible for the background CGI were generously compensated because looking at it objectively it's the only reason this fantasy trash show was so expensive.

The dialogue is so cheesy it borderlines being uncomfortable to listen to. Guyladriel as a character is just plainly annoying, to be honest it's both the writing and the personal interpretation of the character by the actress.

What's even worse about all this is that even if you forget this is supposed to be inspired by Tolkien, it would still be generic trash. Which doesn't make it any favors. I could only bear to finish it because I convinced myself midway through that I wasn't watching anything connected to Tolkien, which worked to some extent but it still made it seem terribly dull and uninspired.

6.5/10

[Makabreska]

Whoaa this is looking terrible.

The mystique instilled in the books and to some extent the trilogy is all but lost. I hope the people responsible for the background CGI were generously compensated because looking at it objectively it's the only reason this fantasy trash show was so expensive.

The dialogue is so cheesy it borderlines being uncomfortable to listen to. Guyladriel as a character is just plainly annoying, to be honest it's both the writing and the personal interpretation of the character by the actress.

What's even worse about all this is that even if you forget this is supposed to be inspired by Tolkien, it would still be generic trash. Which doesn't make it any favors. I could only bear to finish it because I convinced myself midway through that I wasn't watching anything connected to Tolkien, which worked to some extent but it still made it seem terribly dull and uninspired.

6.5/10

Hmmmm, so you call it trash, yet score it above average?

[Flurryfang]

I have this odd feeling about the show, that it should be "too big to fail".... Its really a challenge in some ways, and it makes it hard to like it, because...its kinda expected that you will, since it is so expensive to make and has some of the best source material on the market.

That all put together makes expectations really high. This is not a show, that can just be okay, it has to be great or it is a failure upon itself. If i am not getting my socks knocked off by the show, then the question is where all the money went?

When it then comes to the show, the show is sadly...just alright. Its just like a show i watched resently, the Wheel of Time, as it is a show that really leaves little impact. It's fantasy, it has a beautiful production, but at the same time, it feels rushed, the plot is odd and trying to reinvent the wheel and all in all just feels quite bland in television stage with many fantasy shows.

Its proberly a show, that will find some success when it comes to viewership, but its also a show i don't see going past 3-4 seasons, atleast not with the same bombastic fanfare as this first season will hit. Because unless they find a sudden second wind at some point with a new direction, i don't see the show having much interesting to say or tell, that will set it apart from its competitors. It's a modern show for modern viewers and thats quite a shame.

5/10.

[Kumorii]

Hmmmm, so you call it trash, yet score it above average?

Ratings are often mishandled. When people say average they give stuff 7 and anything below 7 is often considered trash. It's weird, but it's how it is, been like this for ages now.

[Makabreska]

Ratings are often mishandled. When people say average they give stuff 7 and anything below 7 is often considered trash. It's weird, but it's how it is, been like this for ages now.

Well then, it is time to correct them how 1-10 rating really works!

[s_bushido]

pretty good wish they would drop the season and not do this bullshit weekly thing. What am i watching cable tv?

/shrug They can get two months of a sub out of people by not releasing it all at once. Pretty much everyone does that these days.

[Specialka]

/shrug They can get two months of a sub out of people by not releasing it all at once. Pretty much everyone does that these days.

Does not mean it is a good practice customer wise and that we should be ok with that.

[s_bushido]

Does not mean it is a good practice customer wise and that we should be ok with that.

If you don't like it...just wait until every episode is out. Obviously.

[Romanthony]

I find it funny that actors like Morfydd Clark (who plays Galadriel) Said before the show came out that critics and "Haters" should all Shut the F up if they didnt like how it was portrayed are now coming out and saying "I was confused by the direction they took Galadriel Like wat? Funny how she is doing a 180 now that "Real critcs" can rate the show

https://boundingintocomics.com/2022/...ings-of-power/

[Orby]

The show so far, isn't as bad as I thought it would be, and the problems I do have with it are very minor. The minor problems being the pacing and the some camera shots.

For a first episode it was pretty good, in a lot of the parts it felt very LotR. During the half foot scenes, seriously all of them are great. If it was just about them it'd be 10/10 . Its a great start I thought. I just want a half foot/hobbit TV show now. lol

I still think some of the elf casting is a bit bewildering to me, but the show makes you forget it when it gets going. I do not care for the Galadriel side of the story and I know she is supposed to be the main focal point of the show, but as far as what draws me in its the rest of the story arcs, her arc just doesn't interest me. I am not sure if its the writing or the casting of the actress, but I prefer the rest of the show, except the parts around the raft and the giant worm thing, that was awesome.

The Dwarf bits in the second episode had me happy, I love dwarfs in fantasy, and Tolkien dwarfs have always been the best to me, so seeing them here it felt like they were plucked straight out of the Tolkien or Peter Jackson works, the designs and setting go into more detail over what we have gotten from the movies and delve further into their culture and I love that.

Also the score, OH MY GOD THE SCORE. SO GOOD! I need to own this music.

Overall thoughts. The show is pretty good, I had my concerns after the disappointing Wheel of Time show, but I was surprised, maybe my expectations were so low, but I was entertained. The show isn't perfect, but it does give me Tolkien vibes and knowing that's the bare minimum that's all I was asking for. Great designs, good sweeping shots, some good acting, and Dwarfs and Half foots are awesome.

So yea, overall my episode rankings

Episode 1: 6/10
Episode 2: 7/10


Already some quotable scenes too

"Durian, have I offended you?"
"To do that we would need a longer lift"

LMAO

[s_bushido]

boundingintocomics

Does anyone take this rag seriously?

[Warning]

Didn't like the first half hour or so, but it got better after that. All the elves in Galdariels party being poor fighters and weak willed felt like trying too hard to make her the hero right away. They could show her competence without making others incompetent. Similarly I didn't like the bigoted elf talking with Arondir, elves should overall be wise and patient.
Aside from those issues I think most characters are pretty good so far. I like the dwarven couple a lot and Arondir too. He's a perfect representation of an elf. Elrond also grew on me and so did Galadriel to a slightly lesser degree. Think they did a good job showing a realistic disagreement between the dwarves and elves borne out of understandable differences and misunderstanding, and thankfully solved it in a nice way without dragging it out needlessly.