Lord of the Rings TV Series Purchased by Amazon

[bledgor]

Watched the first episode, initial thoughts:

As an adaptation of Tolkien 1/10.

That is pretty boring so let us pretend it is just some Fantasy show, in that case: be warned spoilers do follow in details

First of all starting with the bullying of Galadriel is pretty eye roll, like really? The trees of Valinor looked good, still sad we never saw Ungoliant eat them. The helmet stack was unironically funny. They made Galadriel into a Karen, which I never expected. Also guess we can rename Elves into lore/information dumpers, geeze.The sword-fu was pretty bad visually, like oof the trailer wasn't just a bad first pass. The hobbits (sorry Harfoots, fucking idiot producers) did nothing for me, the shit in their hair was really distracting. Elrond being mistreated (not a lord) felt old considering in lore he was the hand of Gil-Galad the king, but whatever. Also hearing the word politician, UGH that one really bothered me, especially aimed at Elrond who was a leader and a warrior. The back and forth between Harfoots and the Elves was disjointing. Also seriously, expected Karen, I mean Galadriel to start bitching for a manager at some point. Also the whole conversation with Elrond about Valinor ugh, 1. she came to middle-earth to find a realm to lead 2. Gil-Galad wasn't the one to give people the right to travel to Valinor, that belong to the Valar... as Elves that partook in the kin slaying were exiled. The first scene with the southern men was bad, the dialogue felt so forced and badly paced/cut. Adding a new elf/human pairing when throughout the entirety of Tolkien's work there was only 3 annoyed me. The elves all at attention on the boat to Valinor, it looked sooo damn tacky lol. Ugh the line about not knowing till we touch the darkness, felt anti-Tolkien. Then Galadriel at the gates of Valinor, some hundreds of leagues from land jumping into the water, fucking eye roll.

So thoughts overall on the big ticket items though episode 1?

Music: LoTR had iconic music that fused with the scenes to present something greater. The music hear isn't bad, but is lacking something, I think it might be because the scenes aren't as good so it can't elevate them leaving the music feeling out of place. It is a bit in my opinion like having a hype man for a snail race.

7/10, if the show had better dialogue/acting/post production work it could have been higher.

Acting: None truly unforgivable, but it wasn't particularly strong either, this is always hard to measure for me because unless an actor is/pulls off an amazing performance it is largely up to the dialogue/plot and those both did not help. Some of the pronunciations were a bit rough but again can't tell if that was what they were told so. Overall no one impressed, a few were pretty bland, and nothing in the show helped elevate this. Morfydd Clark as Galadriel was particularly bad for me, but again not sure if that is her or the script she was given.

4/10

Visuals: The costumes weren't that inspiring sadly, felt a beat down from the OG trilogy, and some of them were at least in my opinion quite bad (really dislike what they did to the hobbits/crap filled hair). Some of the green screen/backgrounds worked/looked really good, others did not. Not a Rings of Power problem, but a modern media/movie/show problem, where they just fucking abuse the shit of VFX/green screen. Also damn do those elf ears look bad, felt more like bat ears on a human than elf ears on an elf.

6/10

The dialogue: This was pretty bad, like prequel SW bad. A lot of awkward lines that didn't feel Tolkien in the least, probably the weakest part of the show to me. The trailers once again show cased the quality that was throughout the show and it was a disappointment. It felt more like people reading lines for a movie/show than natural conversations people would have.

2/10

Overall 5/10. For the most expensive show ever produced, I didn't feel it so far, and the quality overall isn't anything special. Honestly if this wasn't related to Tolkien I still wouldn't have felt impressed or though it amazing, just okay. I'll get to episode 2 tomorrow because I heard the Dwarfs are really good, and I hope so, cause with the current quality I don't see myself making it past episode 3.

[VMSmith]

As much as I'd like to at least check out an episode or two because of my life-long adoration of Tolkien's work (The Hobbit was literally the first novel I ever read as a kid), the trailers and whatnot have not managed to interest my wife, who loves fantasy and the LotR movies, in the slightest. They actually pushed her away from wanting to watch it at all and I have little interest in watching anything without her, it's always much more fun to watch things together.

So, I'll be giving this a complete pass, regardless of any other issues with the show. From what I'm reading, it doesn't sound like I'll be missing much.

[Triceron]

As much as I'd like to at least check out an episode or two because of my life-long adoration of Tolkien's work (The Hobbit was literally the first novel I ever read as a kid), the trailers and whatnot have not managed to interest my wife, who loves fantasy and the LotR movies, in the slightest. They actually pushed her away from wanting to watch it at all and I have little interest in watching anything without her, it's always much more fun to watch things together.

So, I'll be giving this a complete pass, regardless of any other issues with the show. From what I'm reading, it doesn't sound like I'll be missing much.

The trailers suck and aren't very indicative of the series. I'd say you'd have to go both episodes to get a good gauge of it. The first episode is quite slow and doesn't have strong hooks, it feels more like a prologue with the second episode feeling more like what a first episode should be.

[Hypasonic]

I've only seen the first episode but on first impression I would say: Loved it. Visuals are stunning, the actors are really great (Even though I've never seen/heard of 90% of them) I felt it started off a little, I dunno, cheesy? I'd say the W word but that's probably not allowed. But as it went on and we were introduced to more characters and scenes it really started to feel more and more like LOTR.

Looking forward to watching the next episodes!

[meganite]

just watched first 2 eps. loved it. cant wait for the rest.

[Binks]

I just watched the first two episodes.

I didn't like it. I know most people have not read Tolkien, not even after the movie hits. I can see the quality in most things money can buy so I can understand people liking this.

To me, LOTR is very special and ironically that is what stops from enjoying this series. As an adaptation of Tolkien is terrible, really terrible. I don't care about skin colours as that is only minor cosmetic deviations but this feels like a generic fantasy world, they mangled so many things about the lore, details, characters....I cannot think about anything while watching and thus there is no enjoyment.

It didn't bring me to Middle Earth, and that was the only thing I wanted from it.

[Northern Goblin]

Watched both episodes and I'm fully bought in. Visually it's stunning, I know some of that has to be green screen, some of the sets are too impossible to do, and yet I cannot percieve where the CGI begins.

The world building is excellent, very solid "show, don't tell" storytelling, and although you can see the various intertwining plot threads and have some idea based on the books and Tolkein's notes, I still cannot see where it all leads to exactly.

The most I've been hooked on an Amazon series since The Man in the High Castle. I look forward to next week.

[Veggie50]

As much as I'd like to at least check out an episode or two because of my life-long adoration of Tolkien's work (The Hobbit was literally the first novel I ever read as a kid), the trailers and whatnot have not managed to interest my wife, who loves fantasy and the LotR movies, in the slightest. They actually pushed her away from wanting to watch it at all and I have little interest in watching anything without her, it's always much more fun to watch things together.

So, I'll be giving this a complete pass, regardless of any other issues with the show. From what I'm reading, it doesn't sound like I'll be missing much.

Hmmm would be sad if the vitriol of the vocal few would make you miss out. I loved it.

[Orby]

people crying that the reviews are bad but all in all the reviews are quite favourable. 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 71% Metacritic and 6/10 on imdb

Personally I align more with imdb since that's been my platform for reviewing things since 2001. With that said, I am not putting my review of season 1 up until season 1 is finished, I don't like that they make you put reviews up right away. At least wait until the season is over.

[Veggie50]

I just watched the first two episodes.

I didn't like it. I know most people have not read Tolkien, not even after the movie hits. I can see the quality in most things money can buy so I can understand people liking this.

To me, LOTR is very special and ironically that is what stops from enjoying this series. As an adaptation of Tolkien is terrible, really terrible. I don't care about skin colours as that is only minor cosmetic deviations but this feels like a generic fantasy world, they mangled so many things about the lore, details, characters....I cannot think about anything while watching and thus there is no enjoyment.

It didn't bring me to Middle Earth, and that was the only thing I wanted from it.

I have read tolkien (hobbit, lotr, silmarillion, unfinished tales) and I loved it.

Yea they didn’t follow the lore 100%. That doesn’t make it BAD though.

I loved touches like the dwarves referencing Aule, or the elves relinguishing their armour/weaponry before entering valinor.

[Triceron]

Review aggregates are all over the place though.

Wheel of Time critic reviews sits at an 85% and it was mediocre at best.

[Dhrizzle]

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.

In had Prime for over a year before I put 2 and 2 together and realised I could use it to watch shows.

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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.

I would have loved it if they'd leaned into Lenny more and made all the Harfoots speak with a brummy accent.

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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.

This is basically the side of Galdriel that she finally banishes in LotR when she refuses the One Ring, her speech to Elrond about not wanting to take the darkness she carries to Aman basically confirms it. I do think the show has suffered slightly from their licensing agreement, lots of what happened with a telling lack of how and why. Still I loved their allusion to the First Kinslaying and it was nice to see the brief glimpse of the Oath of Fëanor.

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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.

I'd be extremely disappointed if it is Gandalf and a little bit if it's Sauron or Radagast. I'm hoping it's Sauron pretending to be an Istari sent to oppose himself, but I'll happily accept a Blue Wizard.

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The trailers suck and aren't very indicative of the series. I'd say you'd have to go both episodes to get a good gauge of it. The first episode is quite slow and doesn't have strong hooks, it feels more like a prologue with the second episode feeling more like what a first episode should be.

Only seen the first episode so far but things I worried would look a bit goofy like the Harfoots turned out alright. I did get massive Peter Rabbit vibes from Nori, especially as they showed someone carrying a huge bunny just before she scrabbled through Farmer McGregor the abandoned farm's gate.

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Overall I just love how much this feels like Arda. Yeah the events aren't going to be 100% "canonical" but the feel of the setting is spot on and it's completely recognisable to someone who has read the Silmarillion and delved into HoMe and NoMe.

[Northern Goblin]

I think the death of all the fireflies around him was a strong hint that it is Sauron, perhaps in Annatar form (though he needs a bit of a wash and shave first)

Would explain how Galadriel could never find him, if he had removed himself from Middle-Earth.

[VMSmith]

Hmmm would be sad if the vitriol of the vocal few would make you miss out. I loved it.

I said my wife is completely disinterested because of the media that Amazon has released, nothing to do with any "vitriol" or anything. She doesn't read forums online and knows nothing about this show other than the released trailers and teasers.

It is possible for people not to like something of their own free will, you know.

Now that I've read a plot synopsis of the show I also lack interest, as both a fan of Tolkien and an enjoyer of cinema in general. Just reading the dialog gives me severe cringe vibes.

[Unforgivenn]

Would be nice if it was a Netflix series, releasing one episode per week is stupid

[Festisio]

Watched the first ep and it wasn't complete shite.

[StillMcfuu]

It's not a bad show, but it's not Tolkien. They took names and places familiar to people from the movies and made their own story.

They probably would have been better served not calling this Tolkien and making their own property, but I doubt they would have gotten the funding without the name recognition.

[s_bushido]

I think the death of all the fireflies around him was a strong hint that it is Sauron, perhaps in Annatar form (though he needs a bit of a wash and shave first)

Would explain how Galadriel could never find him, if he had removed himself from Middle-Earth.

I don't know the timeline, but my first thought was that he's actually Melkor (or a part of him) that somehow managed to escape banishment/imprisonment. But it would probably make more sense if he's just a Maiar of some sort. No point in having two cosmic baddies (Sauron and Morgoth) around in the same story like this.

[Triceron]

Would be nice if it was a Netflix series, releasing one episode per week is stupid

The series would literally be forgotten in a week if they did that.

As much as I like Netflix's model, it does terribly for the longevity of a series. If there wasn't a one-month gap between Stranger Things 4 release, no one would have continued talking about it after a couple weeks.

[DarkAmbient]

IMDb has deleted every single user review that gave a score of 5/10 or below. Fucking lol.