Lord of the Rings TV Series Purchased by Amazon

[Bakis]

Well, what I don't understand is what Galadriel's plan for hunting down Sauron was exactly

First step is to prove he is still around, that is all we know.
It's been 2 episodes in a probably multi season serie so your question is a bit early

[Specialka]

I don’t know that I agree with that. I think they decided to diversify the world because it’s 2022 and it actually makes sense to do that.

But they then did a huge disservice to everybody by not spending enough of that $1bn budget on proper writers, actors, and directors.

It makes sense to do that when it suits the settings and the story. Pro tip, it does not here.

[Triceron]

On top of that Tolkien made it clear that these ages of Middle-earth were removed from any recognizable time period of our history, so not at all a medieval setting.

Talk about “death of the author”…

It's still rooted in a setting where a certain level of technology places them comparably to periods of our own history.

Even if magic is involved, it's not like you could swap in a smartphone in place of the Palantir and just pretend it works in a setting where people are travelling on foot and horseback and still wield swords in combat, just because 'it's not comparable to our history'. Well, certain things absolutely are. Like catapults could be considered reasonable weapons of war in the setting even if they aren't directly mentioned in the books, because they are still comparable to our own medieval history which the world loosely draw inspiration from.

[Bakis]

It makes sense to do that when it suits the settings and the story. Pro tip, it does not here.

But the counter argument (I presume about black actors, which i guess is the is the point of contention in Middle Earth lore.
They existed but not like in the serie where its mixed 1 here and there with no consistancy or logic.

But, blond longhaired elves, bulky orcs towering over all races, dwarf females that has to have beards, etc.
Wouldnt it feel too much of the same old?

[Specialka]

But the counter argument (I presume about black actors, which i guess is the is the point of contention in Middle Earth lore.
They existed but not like in the serie where its mixed 1 here and there with no consistancy or logic.

But, blond longhaired elves, bulky orcs towering over all races, dwarf females that has to have beards, etc.
Wouldnt it feel too much of the same old?

What is the counter argument here ?

[Bakis]

What is the counter argument here ?

That most people got their Middle Earth experiences from the Jackson movies.
So I'm speaking in general with that in mind. Is it bad to deviate with some minor thing (tbh only "big" one are the random black character out of place) in order to make the serie as a whole feel more apart from the movie?
Their serie would feel more in touch with the times I guess I want to point at. Not just the black actors but short haired elves, female dwarvs with no beards, ugly elves even.

If from a purist point of view, I wont claim the above argument though but thats a niche at least as far as the aim of the serie goes.
Any production has to make money or at worst not lose money. Not sure having a 1h of Treebeard talking would have been fun which is basically what the book throw in your face.

[rogoth]

Isn't Middle-Earth flat and there's a certain 'magic' about it that would actually allow the world to see the meteor(s) at the same time?

yes, middle earth is flat, but even that wouldn't allow a person stood on one end of the map geographically to see the exact same place of a celestial event happening compared to someone geographically on the other side of the map, and as far as i know there's no 'magic' fuckery that would rewrite the laws of physics for such an event.

[Specialka]

That most people got their Middle Earth experiences from the Jackson movies.
So I'm speaking in general with that in mind. Is it bad to deviate with some minor thing (tbh only "big" one are the random black character out of place) in order to make the serie as a whole feel more apart from the movie?
Their serie would feel more in touch with the times I guess I want to point at. Not just the black actors but short haired elves, female dwarvs with no beards, ugly elves even.

If from a purist point of view, I wont claim the above argument though but thats a niche at least as far as the aim of the serie goes.
Any production has to make money or at worst not lose money. Not sure having a 1h of Treebeard talking would have been fun which is basically what the book throw in your face.

Then they should have create their own fantasy settings. If they use one existing, they should do their utmost effort to respect it or make "logic and sound" decision which is not the case here.

[Bakis]

Then they should have create their own fantasy settings. If they use one existing, they should do their utmost effort to respect it or make "logic and sound" decision which is not the case here.

Well they bought the rights for it and as LOTR/Bilbo movies did Amazon production felt they had to deviate in some areas to make it economically and/ord good and viable.
That is my take.
A purist wont ever get a movie or serie.

[Specialka]

Well they bought the rights for it and as LOTR/Bilbo movies did Amazon production felt they had to deviate in some areas to make it economically and/ord good and viable.
That is my take.
A purist wont ever get a movie or serie.

Sure, we do agree on that and I guess we do not agree about those choices to make it viable or even good (as it is far from good, the writing is terrible and the acting is subpar).

[Bakis]

Well they bought the rights for it and as LOTR/Bilbo movies did Amazon production felt they had to deviate in some areas to make it economically and/ord good and viable.
That is my take.
A purist wont ever get a movie or serie.

Edit: I'm playing Overwatch atm, my replies has been in regards to black actors, short haired elves etc.
Just to be clear, you speak of plot deviations, geogrpahical ones, time lines or tha´t of which I'm babbling on about? Just so we are clear on that at least

- - - Updated - - -

Sure, we do agree on that and I guess we do not agree about those choices to make it viable or even good (as it is far from good, the writing is terrible and the acting is subpar).

Mm writing is too early but I definitly agree that some, actually rather alot of the smaller support roles has been subpar as of yet.
My biggest fear is that some of those smaller support roles might grow into a major role without improvement.
The entire halfing cast sucked donkey in my view.

[Specialka]

Edit: I'm playing Overwatch atm, my replies has been in regards to black actors, short haired elves etc.
Just to be clear, you speak of plot deviations, geogrpahical ones, time lines or tha´t of which I'm babbling on about? Just so we are clear on that at least

Again, a black elf among a people of fair skin elf is not logic. Same for a dark skin dwarf princess (and without beard!) among a white colored people. While those people are isolationist. That is just immersion breaking.

[Bakis]

Again, a black elf among a people of fair skin elf is not logic. Same for a dark skin dwarf princess (and without beard!) among a white colored people. While those people are isolationist. That is just immersion breaking.

Yea I agree that it was out of place (not deal breaker for me) but its a pill im willing to swallow to get a serie/movie made contrary to not.

[Specialka]

Yea I agree that it was out of place (not deal breaker for me) but its a pill im willing to swallow to get a serie/movie made contrary to not.

Yeah, not for me. "Forced" diversity for its own sake is always a deal breaker for me, especially when you pill up every other issue.

[shise]

Yeah, not for me. "Forced" diversity for its own sake is always a deal breaker for me, especially when you pill up every other issue.

It also, honestly, makes it a bit racist.

They say "diversity", but I only see them adding a lot of randomly black actors. WHat about all other races? For that matter, add them all?

The show looks good, but it´s hard not to see how hard they tried on this tho, which is pretty bad.

[Bakis]

Yeah, not for me. "Forced" diversity for its own sake is always a deal breaker for me, especially when you pill up every other issue.

Mm I can understand your argument cos its in fact wrong if compared to his works but as I wrote. We would not have had a serie without deviations.
Hopefully, what you and me also brought up the subpar actin in ep1-2 by alot of key chars, in at least those eps, wont be an issue that plague the entire series.
In terms of black charachters in an entire otherwise white population etc. that I got no issues with if faced with "want a serie or not?" line of question.

Bah will stop replying, cant type cos i alt-tab between the game and here. Have a nice day :=)

[Kumorii]

Again, a black elf among a people of fair skin elf is not logic. Same for a dark skin dwarf princess (and without beard!) among a white colored people. While those people are isolationist. That is just immersion breaking.

I read an article who interviewed a make-up artist who claimed "I was there working on it, they have beards, I've seen it".
If you watch the scenes with disa and durin, you can actually see small patches on each side of her chin, lower than side burns...

So technically they do have beard, but I would just prefer if they didn't have any at all if they just gonna half ass it like that. Just to be "technically correct". It's such a dishonest way to fulfil the description of them having beards.

At least if it was completely clean you could say "they just shaved it" (Although I'm sure that shaving as a dwarf is a no-no), but no one is gonna shave it like that.

[Specialka]

I read an article who interviewed a make-up artist who claimed "I was there working on it, they have beards, I've seen it".
If you watch the scenes with disa and durin, you can actually see small patches on each side of her chin, lower than side burns...

So technically they do have beard, but I would just prefer if they didn't have any at all if they just gonna half ass it like that. Just to be "technically correct". It's such a dishonest way to fulfil the description of them having beards.

At least if it was completely clean you could say "they just shaved it" (Although I'm sure that shaving as a dwarf is a no-no), but no one is gonna shave it like that.

If I recall correctly, female dwarf can't be distinguish from male dwarf. Because of the beard and that their physical trait resemble those of male dwarf.

A shaved beard is a great dishonor if I remember well.

[Kumorii]

If I recall correctly, female dwarf can't be distinguish from male dwarf. Because of the beard and that their physical trait resemble those of male dwarf.

yeah I know, hence the irritation with them just going for "technically having a beard" route.

[s_bushido]

So people are still banging on about the heinous decision to force us to see a black person on screen. Have we decided yet how, exactly, their skin color effects the story?

Which of Arondir's scenes, specifically, would have been improved if he was played by a white guy instead? Was it the one where he was patrolling the town? The one where he got the news that they'd be finishing their duty and going home? The one where he talked with the woman from the village about his feelings? Or maybe it was the one where he was searching for the orcs/source of the corruption in the tunnels.