Lord of the Rings TV Series Purchased by Amazon

[Raisei]

That's quite presumptuous, considering they've also produced quality work like Critical Role, Invincible and The Boys, which are all adaptations in their own right.

Yep, I have only seen two of those, but they were excellent so I am not blaming amazon for the overall quality of the show. They just gave those showrunners all the money in the world and probably expected them to do good with it. Sadly that is just not what happened.

I am still not sure where all that money went. Better shows have produced entire seasons for the price of a single episode of this one. It isn't the actors, who are largely unknown newbies. So did they blow millions on costume, CGI and sets? Feels... unrealistic. I would not be surprised if in the future we hear of a big scandal of one of the showrunners embezzling some of the money, or them paying themselves an insane wage.

In the end I am not even blaming the actors. They usually just do what they can with the directions they are given. Maybe Galadriel really was told to look like she was constipated for 6 episodes straight (probably not).

Nah, the blame for this mess lies with the writers and showrunners. They had the audacity to take Tolkiens world and use it to pander to the Twitter Justice Warriors without ever worrying about writing a good plot, fleshing out characters or making them engaging even.

As a big fan of female protagonists I am simply dumbfounded how bad this take on Galadriel is. There are so many good female characters in the history of series and movies that they could have used as an inspiration and yet... this is what happened.

If you wanted her to be a badass with a more complex character under the surface, take Buffy Summers for example. Seven seasons of that show portray a woman that is strong but still engaging because she went through tons of hardship, much of which is simply "being human", dealing with emotional baggage, love, friendship and all of that.

Galadriel is a cardbox cutout in comparison. She seems to be constantly pissed at everyone around her and that is the only emotion she seems capable of. She talks about her husband as if he barely matters to her at all, she tells people to be humble while being arrogance personified... and different from a character like Buffy who does get the appropriate response when she behaves like a bitch, Galadriel is just proven right and everyone loves her for her terrible character.

Then we have the Proto-Hobbits. Oh my god. They are the worst. They sing loudly about not leaving people behind while leaving people behind if the slightest problem arrises and for no reason. They aren't being pursued, they are in no danger, they just travel because they live like locusts...
It is such a horrible irony and self-delusion, but instead of calling them out for it, the show doesn't even seem to be aware of what it is portraying here. There should be a cost for being this terrible, but all we had is some wagons burning.

The most relatable character I would say is Adar. He at least cares about his people and at the end of the day, he was a victim. When Galadriel leaned over him and claimed how she would murder all his people and only then kill him so he would suffer as much as possible I really have no idea how I am supposed to relate to her. It's not like he chose to be tortured by Morgoth...

[Syegfryed]

Internet is on fire about this, didn't watch yet, but people can't stop posting about it, but funny, not in a good way, this show sure will be remembered, as one of the most clusterfucks ever.

Nota gonna talk abou Gandalf and Sauron reveal, because it was known the moment they appear, perfect opportunity to make Saruman, but nah.

And they even come up with Galadriel as the one with the idea to make 3, like fuck, sure she is the protagonist, but she needs to take credit for nearly everything? jesus.


And at least the sociopath hobbit died

[Rennadrel]

Characters like Galadrial in this show just come off as clearly obvious self-inserts of insecure Twitter feminists who think that being a toxic heel is what makes women strong. It's like they are over compensating for something that they lack, kind of like when men do it. Just because we like to dickwave, doesn't mean women should do that. And most men don't even do that anyway and it certainly isn't entertaining when we do it, it is always cringe.

[Orby]

Episode 8 review

My first take away from this show now season one is over: It was all Galadriel's fault, remember that the next time you all watch or read Lord of the Rings. Also this was one of the weakest episodes. the finale, one of the weaker episodes. Its so sad. Despite my already existing issues with the show that I will not repeat, this had many more to add, too many member berry lines taken from the books and movies, the episode felt rushed and slow at the same time, basically an episode that was a over one hour epilogue.

the creation of the rings itself was very rushed, That could have been the point of he whole show. Also the Slim Shady cultists, we knew nothing about them, I hoped we'd find out more about them, like why they have magic, who are they, where they came from. We got their plan, obviously they were to find Sauron which they were mistaken, but they were killed off and now assuming that's it. What a waste, i actually was interested in learning more about these as the show went on, but nope, they were there and now they are gone, literally everything around this Harfoot storyline could have been scrapped and you wouldn't have missed anything.

Also what's up with this show and not betraying mourning? does this show not wan to dwell on death? Sadoc Burrows died and everyone kinda gets over it. The lack of emotional attachment in this show is non existent.

The reveals were predictable, I was hoping they'd serve us, but it was pretty much who everyone predicted, and that's fine, i have no issue with predictability, but they didn't really make up for it being throwing a curve ball in there.

This episode left a bitter taste in my mouth, it really did. Especially as I have been very defensive about the show... I may not have loved it, but I never hated it for the most part, I thought at best the show was just 'ok', but this episode by the end had me defeated.

I really did love this shot though.


Like the show has some really good cinematography, there is effort there, but my god its being weighed down by alot of problems.

3/10

Past reviews.
Episode 1: 6/10
Episode 2: 7/10
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...1#post53897065
Episode 3: 4/10
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...1#post53904070
Episode 4: 6/10
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...1#post53910372
Episode 5: 5/10
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...1#post53916644
Episode 6: 7/10
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...1#post53923548
Episode 7: 6/10
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...1#post53930495


EDIT: Additional Season review will be out later this week. I gotta reassess my scores and then come up with an overall score.

[InfiniteCharger]

It doesn't matter. They were published and their rights were sold by JRR Tolkien. You've established several times that means he was okay with them being adapted. You are the one that argued the rest of the legendarium doesn't matter as in the past you made a distinction between published and unpublished. Now that your argument includes published work they can be included. When it was my argument that included them you excluded them. You flip flop on what matters depending on the argument of the moment.

If it doesn't matter what he intended because he is dead then why are you still arguing that it matters? Isn't it strange how you keep contradicting the points you make? Including saying how much you want to stop discussing but apparently can't actually stop.

Dude. We already went over the fact that he sold the rights for 2 books. You are just retreading and backtracking. Tolkien wrote those two books as part 1 and 2 of a continuing story. That is simply a fact no matter how you keep claiming they were piecemeal. They are not piecemeal standalone stories. The 2nd age was intended to be part of that same story and continuity and not something separate or piecemeal. These are simple facts.

The fact that it doesn't matter means that you sitting here defending this show as if it depends on what Tolkien wanted is illogical. What is happening with this show has absolutely nothing to do with what Tolkien wanted and you arguing for pages that it does is is the issue. It is almost as if you are trying to argue that somehow and someway this show represents what Tolkien wanted, which is absurd.

[Shadowferal]

‘The Rings Of Power’ Season 1 Finale Recap And Review: A Dreadful Mess

The Rings Of Power has wrapped up its first season and all I can say is . . . shame on everyone who had a hand in this travesty.

I’ve never seen an adaptation of a major work so badly abused, so fundamentally altered or so disrespectfully handled as the creators of The Rings Of Power have treated The Lord Of The Rings. Tolkien’s creation barely shines through the dreck.

I gave this show a chance. I went in with low expectations and for a moment was charmed by what I saw, but quickly the cracks began to show in the story and its heroes. Of Mithril, this show is most certainly not crafted.

Nearly everything that could have gone wrong has done so. Even my worst fears about this show’s quality could not match what we were actually given.

But it’s comforting to know that the Rings Of Power and Mordor were all created within about a ten-day span! Nothing says epic fantasy like condensing thousands of years into a week and a half.

That’s quality writing, folks.

We could have had an entire season devoted to the actual forging of the rings. To Annatar/Halbrand’s deception. To the elves and their vanity. We could have waited to tell the story of Numenor until later—a story of the quest to cheat death, and the pride that cometh before the fall. So many ways this show could have taken what Tolkien actually wrote and fleshed it out into a TV series worthy of the source material. Ironically, it seems pride has been the downfall of Amazon’s Lord Of The Rings as well.

They added too much and cut too much when they had a perfectly good story to flesh out that Amazon spent hundreds of millions of dollars to purchase. Why not tell that expensive tale? Why make this other one up? I don’t understand.

What an absolute disaster.

And that's all folks...

[Alanar]

i cant believe i was fucking right about halbrand. fucking called it.

You were right like pretty much everyone.

[Flurryfang]

‘The Rings Of Power’ Season 1 Finale Recap And Review: A Dreadful Mess

The Rings Of Power has wrapped up its first season and all I can say is . . . shame on everyone who had a hand in this travesty.

I’ve never seen an adaptation of a major work so badly abused, so fundamentally altered or so disrespectfully handled as the creators of The Rings Of Power have treated The Lord Of The Rings. Tolkien’s creation barely shines through the dreck.

I gave this show a chance. I went in with low expectations and for a moment was charmed by what I saw, but quickly the cracks began to show in the story and its heroes. Of Mithril, this show is most certainly not crafted.

Nearly everything that could have gone wrong has done so. Even my worst fears about this show’s quality could not match what we were actually given.

But it’s comforting to know that the Rings Of Power and Mordor were all created within about a ten-day span! Nothing says epic fantasy like condensing thousands of years into a week and a half.

That’s quality writing, folks.

We could have had an entire season devoted to the actual forging of the rings. To Annatar/Halbrand’s deception. To the elves and their vanity. We could have waited to tell the story of Numenor until later—a story of the quest to cheat death, and the pride that cometh before the fall. So many ways this show could have taken what Tolkien actually wrote and fleshed it out into a TV series worthy of the source material. Ironically, it seems pride has been the downfall of Amazon’s Lord Of The Rings as well.

They added too much and cut too much when they had a perfectly good story to flesh out that Amazon spent hundreds of millions of dollars to purchase. Why not tell that expensive tale? Why make this other one up? I don’t understand.

What an absolute disaster.

And that's all folks...

That is really on point O.o

Like, i was expecting it to end quite anti-climatic, but this.... I had not foreseen, that they would just rush the "Halbrand is Sauron" and make the rings in a minute. Ain't that the entire point of the show? That they make the rings? Why conclude the first season with it all done?? O.o

And also, why make the black Numenor plot happen now??! O.o

It feels like the show, which was supposed to go for 5-8 seasons, is being rushed to be done in little more than a few seasons. Because what is left now? A battle with sauron? But then what? The numeanors are already corrupted it seems, so it does not seem like he has to do much. The rings are also already made and its obvious they are a bad idea, so why keep using them? O.o

So many questions about this show being alive sprouts up everywhere :O

[minteK917]

You can go back to when this thread was on episode two. My complaint was that its clear to me this show would rush to make an entire era in a few days or weeks. Guess what is happening, the entire story of this age will take a few weeks at most. Congrats amazon you did it.

[rhorle]

Dude. We already went over the fact that he sold the rights for 2 books.

So then an adaptation of the appendices from one of those books is covered. They were piecemeal from the whole legendarium. As in two of four things published by him prior to his death. If the second age was intended to be part of the same story then that implies he is okay with second age stuff being adapted even if he didn't publish second age stuff prior to his death. As he sold the rights to some of his story yet intended it to be a whole. You again prove that you are wrong lmao.

Of course the story of this show isn't canon. I'm not sure why you are now bringing that invention of yours back into this discussion. The question of discussion is adaptations and if Tolkien wanted adaptations.

[Trollhammer]

Who would have thought Amazon would solve the energy crisis harnessing the energy created from Tolkien spinning in his grave..

[InfiniteCharger]

So then an adaptation of the appendices from one of those books is covered. They were piecemeal from the whole legendarium. As in two of four things published by him prior to his death. If the second age was intended to be part of the same story then that implies he is okay with second age stuff being adapted even if he didn't publish second age stuff prior to his death. As he sold the rights to some of his story yet intended it to be a whole. You again prove that you are wrong lmao.

Of course the story of this show isn't canon. I'm not sure why you are now bringing that invention of yours back into this discussion. The question of discussion is adaptations and if Tolkien wanted adaptations.

Tolkien never sold rights to the appendices piecemeal. This was a "loophole" that the Tolkien Estate came up with to justify the idea of selling the rights to a television series based on them. You keep trying to argue this has something to do with what Tolkien intended when it does not. Everything about this series is bound up by legal rights between Warner Brothers, the Saul Zaence Company (now Embracer Company), the Tolkien Estate and Amazon. And because of that, this series only has limited rights to Tolkien's works, which means they are making up alternative stories and changes because of it. Therefore, because of all those rights issues, we are no longer talking about what Tolkien sold which were rights to two complete books, not parts of a book or parts of a story. You just do not accept the reality that this series is a totally made up story that only exists because the Tolkien Estate wanted to find a way to make some money off the IP and has absolutely nothing to do with JRR Tolkien and what he wanted. If that was true, then the Tolkien Estate would not have needed to find a loophole to sell these rights and Amazon could have just made a TV series without buying them. But they couldn't because what Tolkien sold were film rights and television series less than 8 episodes. Those rights did not include television series covering multiple seasons (or at least more than 8 episodes) were never included in those original rights. Therefore, Tolkien never literally sold rights to make a multiple season television series for any age from the universe of lord of the rings based on anything he wrote. So you are just wrong and should just accept that and give it up. This isn't a theoretical issue, it is a legal issue and not a "what Tolkien wanted" issue.

And if you are defending the existence of the series, then why are you constantly running back to Tolkien when he is long dead? By definition, defending this as an "adaptation" means you literally are arguing they have the right to do their own thing, but at the same time you keep going back to Tolkien. Why? By being its own thing, that literally means they no longer are bound to Tolkien and therefore should stand on their own merits based on the decisions they made for this show. But you keep trying to include Tolkien into this when Tolkien has nothing to do with this series. He is dead and whatever rights he sold have been transferred numerous times. The Tolkien Estate doesn't even have control over those rights which is why they came up with this idea to use the appendices to justify a multi season television series, because they got money directly from those rights. This absolutely in no way reflects anything to do with what Tolkien wanted when he sold the rights to his books for film adaptations. Notice that when people talk of the films, they call them the Peter Jackson films, because he was the main one behind getting those films made. And therefore he gets the credit or blame when those films succeed or fail. Yet here, you refuse to admit that this series is its own thing and succeeds or fails on its own merits, not because of Tolkien.

[rhorle]

Tolkien never sold rights to the appendices piecemeal.

I never said he did. He published his legendarium in pieces even though the entire thing is to be taken as a whole. The rights to appendicies would have been sold with the rights of the books they appear in. Hence why they would be fine to be adapted because he sold those rights so people could make adaptations. I have never once claimed that Rings of Power is canon. I'm not sure what delusion you operating under to once again start claiming that. Stop. Discuss only what I say and not what you invent as a strawman.

Amazon couldn't have made the story without buying rights. This shows that you have a fundamental lack of understanding on this topic and that you will ignore and argue anything in order to remain right in your own mind. You are the one that keeps using Tolkien to say why the Adaptation never would have been. I've used to Tolkien to show where you are wrong and that he was fine with adaptations. Again you ignore things just so you can remain right because you say Tolkien's intent when he sold rights has nothing to do with discussing if he would be fine with adaptations of his work. That is the core of the issue. Lmao.

Also Peter Jackson wasn't the main person behind getting those films made. He was the director. New Line Cinema (now part of Warner Brothers) and the Tolkien estate were the main people behind getting those films made. You can't even get the facts straight about that.

[InfiniteCharger]

Amazon couldn't have made the story without buying rights.

And that is the crux of the issue. They did not buy those rights from Tolkien they bought them from the Tolkien estate 5 years ago. Therefore they were never part of the rights originally sold by Tolkien otherwise, the Tolkien Estate would not have been able to sell them. And it was a loophole to begin with based on various details such as the distinction between film and tv and a story set in the 2nd age vs the 3rd age. That is the only time "piecemeal" comes into this, which has absolutely nothing to do with the rights to what Tolkien originally sold as he sold the rights to two complete books, not just a 'piece' of a book. So stop dancing around that fact.

Period.

So you can keep playing this game all you want, but those rights have absolutely nothing do with Tolkien, which you just confirmed.

So lets just end this discussion finally.

[Skulltaker]

Also Peter Jackson wasn't the main person behind getting those films made. He was the director. New Line Cinema (now part of Warner Brothers) and the Tolkien estate were the main people behind getting those films made. You can't even get the facts straight about that.

Ahm, no. That's just plain wrong. Jackson and Fran Walsh played around with an idea for an original IP fantasy epic in 95, but all their drafts turned out to be close to Tolkiens work. They then looked into the rights and approached Miramax and Harvey Weinstein. Their original draft was a concept for a trilogy, one movie covering The Hobbit, and two movies covering TLOTR. For budget reasons Weinstein wanted to reduce the number of movies and threatened to replace Jackson with, among others, Tarrantino, but Jackson stood his ground, approached New Line, who insisted on a proper LOTR trilogy.

Jackson was, very much, key into getting the movies made. He wasn't the only person, but he was there long befor New Line came into the picture.

[rhorle]

And that is the crux of the issue. They did not buy those rights from Tolkien they bought them from the Tolkien estate 5 years ago.

No one has ever claimed that the rights Amazon bought came directly from JRR Tolkien. Stop creating arguments in your head just because it is easier for you to defeat then the truth. The rights are complicated. Did you know that MGM had the rights to publish The Hobbit? As those were not sold to the Saul Zaentz Company but retained by UA? Rights also sometimes revert as New Line Cinema was going to have their rights to The Hobbit revert in 2010.

We were discussing if an adaptation would have been allowed. You've argued for pages that Tolkien was against adaptations and the second age never would have been approved. I've argued the opposite. That Tolkien was fine with adaptations and the second age wouldn't be an exception. Piecemeal comes into this because he didn't publish his entire legendarium yet it is to be taken as a whole. Hence it being published in 4 pieces. I never once said JRR sold the rights to a piece of a book. Once again you show that you need to invent delusions because you can't handle being wrong. Lmao.

- - - Updated - - -

Ahm, no. That's just plain wrong. Jackson and Fran Walsh played around with an idea for an original IP fantasy epic in 95

Right. For The Hobbit. New Line Cinema acquired the rights before Mr. Weinstein could and thus Peter Jackson went to work for them on LotR. Eventually MGM, who had the rights from UA, teemed up with New Line and Mr. Jackson to make The Hobbit movies. It was New Line Cinema that decided to go with Mr. Jackson. They were the ones behind developing LotR at the time and could have picked anyone.

[Kumorii]

Well, 5 episodes wasted on very little development. Which obviously means the finale has to be cramped and rushed af.
Called the final events in essence, didn't expect it to go so quick though.

I'm lost about the entire Sauron reveal as well. Galadriel who couldn't figure out to flip a mark 90 degrees to see it's a location on a map suddenly becomes a detective when hearing the "Over flesh" comment. Really confused about the entire talk Sauron and Galadriel had between all different times and locations. Not sure what they tried to convey by jumping through all those places. I assume to show he have manipulated her since she was a kid with Finrod? Which I don't see the point of. Why would Sauron want to manipulate Galadriel to be his queen over thousands of years?
Her entire "shock" about how he manipulated him also were kind of odd...because looking back he never really did. But doing a reveal like this is supposed to make it "click" about previous encounters and events, but it's mostly Galadriel doing things herself.
If Sauron have these powers, or can even look into her past, to take the form of Finrod in her mind to try and convince her of this. He should've be able to see her past when she met Elrond, so not sure if her question to determine if Elrond is who he is is that good

The three rings is also problematic. Galadriel is clearly worried about them because it was Sauron leading the forging. Which is an understandable fear without needing to have much knowledge in powerful rings. However, the solution was apparently not to stop making them, but to make a third ring of the same material?
"One will always corrupt, two will divide. But three will be balanced." - What does this even mean? Why did Galadriel have this wisdom whatever it means?
Celebrimbor didn't seem to be contributing to the forging at all really. Mostly going "oh shit, you are right".

Gil-Galad being against forging the crown because they are out of time seemed silly. He didn't even give a proposal on what to do instead. Even if you are out of time or too late, better to try it than just "nah, fuck it". I assumed he would say something in the likes of they need the mithril from the dwarfs in the right quantity and maybe even by force. Maybe I zoned out...

So now we have three elven rings that are clearly corrupted by Sauron and yet they will be used by them?... Ok, I guess.
I think it would be better if Sauron wasn't revealed to the elves of who he is. They could still reveal that to the viewers for the final EPIC reveal as the season finale. Forge three rings to begin with and they use them. Then have the 16 be forged by Sauron himself to give to the men and dwarfs. Think it would be better while also rewriting it because that's what they want to do. That way they have a reason why the elven rings aren't AS corrupted as the other 16 because it has the touch from Valinor. While the other 16 are just pure Sauron and thus they fall under his dominion.

It was so sad when Galadriel had to sacrifice her dagger though... real sad.
Moving on.


Gandalf is Gandalf, shocking twist I know. They even take the follow your nose line from PJ movies. They seem to take more inspiration from those movies than the books.
Even his line about shadows just made me think of the Balrog fight.

Anyway, cultists says "It's the other one" when it's revealed who he really is. So I guess there were 2 meteors happening, which is fine. Question I have though is why they were so certain he was Sauron? If they knew there were 2 of them then maybe they want to confirm who he is before spouting their plans to a stranger than can be "the other one"?.

Surprised they actually killed off a sort of main character. Then again considering the memorial he got from the harfoot gang of 2 lines, I guess he was a side/minor character.
Don't really have much to say about the Harfoots. It's really just the Stranger and I didn't mind a lot of what happened except the overall quality of how things plays out.



The choice of having Miriel have her eyes open even when she is blind and her eyes look perfectly fine is also odd to me. Especially when you can see her eyes move across the room focusing on things off camera in some scenes.... Have them closed at least or just wear the blindfold like she does in some other shots. It's such a minor thing but why is it done this way? That question bugs me more so than that it's done this way.


Hamfisted, forced and rushed is how I would summarize this episode.

[Xath]

Didn’t you post about how if some one skipped some parts of the novels they can’t be real Tolkien fans and shouldn’t be taken seriously in any thing they say?

He said he didn't finish the books lol not even sil lotr specifically

[Skulltaker]

Right. For The Hobbit. New Line Cinema acquired the rights before Mr. Weinstein could and thus Peter Jackson went to work for them on LotR. Eventually MGM, who had the rights from UA, teemed up with New Line and Mr. Jackson to make The Hobbit movies. It was New Line Cinema that decided to go with Mr. Jackson. They were the ones behind developing LotR at the time and could have picked anyone.

Nope. Jackson had the rights for LOTR from Zaentz, acquired through Weinstein/Miramax. At this point, and before New Line was even in the picture, they cut the Hobbit material from the project and set their target as two LOTR movies. It wasn't until after Miramax saw that New Line was approached by Jackson. He got into a room with New Line CEO Bob Shaye, he accepted the project. Until this point, New Line had nothing to do with it.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

He said he didn't finish the books lol not even sil lotr specifically

Yes skipped parts of volume 2 I believe, you then jumped into full gate keep mode just like jonnysensible maligned.