Lord of the Rings TV Series Purchased by Amazon

[Biomega]

I'm not sure who to trust anymore. If they hand-picked people and invited them for a screening, what are the odds that they vetted them in ways that made it likely they'd have a favorable opinion? And isn't it a conflict of interest if those people want to be invited to future screenings, and wouldn't be if they voiced a negative opinion now? And that's not even going into territory where they might have signed contracts precluding them from being negative in the first place.

It's really hard to get objective information these days, what with "influencers" having their livelihood depend on those with the most vested interest in skewing their honest opinions.

I guess we'd have to wait until everyone has access, and collate from a bunch of sources to arrive at some sort of approximation of objectivity. This is really annoying.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

If they hand-picked people and invited them for a screening, what are the odds that they vetted them in ways that made it likely they'd have a favorable opinion? And isn't it a conflict of interest if those people want to be invited to future screenings, and wouldn't be if they voiced a negative opinion now? And that's not even going into territory where they might have signed contracts precluding them from being negative in the first place.

It's really hard to get objective information these days, what with "influencers" having their livelihood depend on those with the most vested interest in skewing their honest opinions.

I guess we'd have to wait until everyone has access, and collate from a bunch of sources to arrive at some sort of approximation of objectivity. This is really annoying.

100%. @Biomega you are describing a junket. This has been industry practice for decades. Even the Peter Jackson film trilogy had junkets. I would recommend reading The Frodo Franchise by Kristin Thompson. It went into detail about the business side of the LotR film trilogy and the marketing, and how junkets worked. Youtubers and other virtual influencers have simply joined journalists as mouthpieces of Hollywood.

For a journalist working in the world of infotainment, the EPK is a godsend. You know only what the publicists want you to know, but you know enough to appear well-informed. You can cover the film as if it were news, illustrating your piece with images and footage, all the while hitting the notes that the marketers want hit. Like brand partnerships and making-of documentaries, the EPK demonstrates the full range of control that a modern film enterprise can exercise over the image of its product. And like other publicity artifacts, the EPK itself has value. Wait a few years, and sell your Towers kit to an avid collector prowling eBay.

A junket brings the reporter to a central site—the studio, a location, a rented hotel meeting room in a city where a premiere is occurring—for intense but orchestrated exposure to the film and its stars. The company provides transportation, lodging, and a per diem (in the $150 to $200 range). Junketers receive goodie bags, known cynically as swag bags, full of licensed products, some promotional items for the film, and perhaps a costly gift or two. The reporters get brief access to the stars and key behind-the-camera talent, and in some cases they visit the set. Such junkets have been widely criticized as pressuring reporters and reviewers to create favorable stories so that they will be invited on future junkets.

...

Above all, the junket situation allows the studio’s publicists to guide the interview process. Reporters may agree in advance to avoid certain topics. Hints that an actor may be gay or references to arrests or marital discord can get an interviewer ejected and banned from future junkets. In June 2005, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie appeared at two thirty-minute press conferences for Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Rumors of a romance between the two that had damaged Pitt’s marriage led lawyers to warn the roughly one hundred international journalists present that if they asked any personal questions, the event would terminate immediately. When publicists demanded that the published stories “not be used in a manner that is disparaging, demeaning and derogatory,”
24 reporters complained. Still, information about new films and their stars is the coin of infotainment, and news media have a vested interest in remaining in the favor of movie companies.

The mechanics of most junket interviews are standardized. A star or a small number of stars will sit in a hotel room, a film location, or a set throughout one day, perhaps joined by the director or other key crew members. Batches of print and radio journalists come in and spend perhaps fifteen minutes asking questions in the manner of a news conference. As soon as one group leaves, another takes its place. A second day is devoted to TV reporters, who receive one-on-one face time. This privilege is balanced by the brief exposure—around five minutes, ordinarily—that the reporter has. The cameras filming these interviews are run by the studio, which may request retakes or edit the results. Tapes or discs are then given to the reporter.

Anyone who followed media coverage of the Rings saw the same photos and clips over and over and heard familiar answers to familiar questions. We might think that a studio publicity department would want more variety, to keep spectators interested while following such coverage. The studio’s goal, however, is to link each main character, each major plot line, and other important components of the film to one or two simple concepts that will “brand” the film and help it float above the clutter of competing publicity. Diversity of coverage matters less than keeping journalists on topic.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I mean...it's not out of the realm of possibility. Thing that comes to mind first (because I saw a YMS review of it recently) are the ridiculous over-the-top reactions to the trailer for the Lion King remake. /shrug

Maybe, I'd wait and see until the movie

P.S I'm one of those weirdos that always wanted the Lion King remake(Live action).

[eschatological]

Junkets are always suspect. But money and opportunity will never be fully removed from the critic's who need access to critique, so you just gotta...yanno, see for yourself.

I've never watched a show and then consulted others to see if I liked it.

[Xath]

you are so entitled it hurts. wheel of time was fine. This will probably be fine too.

Rafe of time was absolute trash tier and an embarrassment to the name wheel of time.

[Adamas102]

Junkets are always suspect. But money and opportunity will never be fully removed from the critic's who need access to critique, so you just gotta...yanno, see for yourself.

I've never watched a show and then consulted others to see if I liked it.

I think the role of critics has been a bit muddled with things like Rotten Tomatoes and other aggregate scoring sites. What people SHOULD do (if they want to rely reviews to narrow down media that they might enjoy) is find a small number (1-3) of critics/reviewers whose opinions consistently match your own and ignore any other ones.

If you have the time and/or desire to just watch anything and everything that looks interesting to you then that's great as well.

[Biomega]

What people SHOULD do (if they want to rely reviews to narrow down media that they might enjoy) is find a small number (1-3) of critics/reviewers whose opinions consistently match your own and ignore any other ones.

Easier said than done. There's basically no one I agree on a large variety of things with when it comes to popular media (mostly films/series and games). Some of their takes I'm totally on board with; while for others I think they seriously missed the boat.

"Just" searching for my doppelganger critic is a tall order.

[RobertoCarlos]

Could always you know...watch it. And decide for yourself.

Its not like you're deciding weather or not to splash out 100+ cash on a family night out to the movies. You either have amazon or you dont.

[Koriani]

I'm not sure who to trust anymore. If they hand-picked people and invited them for a screening, what are the odds that they vetted them in ways that made it likely they'd have a favorable opinion? And isn't it a conflict of interest if those people want to be invited to future screenings, and wouldn't be if they voiced a negative opinion now? And that's not even going into territory where they might have signed contracts precluding them from being negative in the first place.

It's really hard to get objective information these days, what with "influencers" having their livelihood depend on those with the most vested interest in skewing their honest opinions.

I guess we'd have to wait until everyone has access, and collate from a bunch of sources to arrive at some sort of approximation of objectivity. This is really annoying.

Well, what do you mean by "objective information" you're trying to get?

Because no - no one's opinion is *ever* objective. Its not a factual statement - its an opinion.

You don't need to worry about who to trust? Just decide for yourself if you're going to watch two or three episodes of ANY show and figure it out from there? Why make this more complicated than it has to be?

Why do you need an aggregate opinion to decide for yourself? Or perhaps - need an aggregate opinion to decide if you're going to decide for yourself?

I don't get it?

[Biomega]

You don't need to worry about who to trust? Just decide for yourself if you're going to watch two or three episodes of ANY show and figure it out from there? Why make this more complicated than it has to be?

Well being a poor humanities professor I just don't have the disposable cash to subscribe to every streaming service out there to watch a series I MIGHT like only to find out it sucks 2 episodes in.

You seem to have that kind of money and that's cool, I myself do not.

[Ausr]

Pretty sure The Wheel of Time got similarly said reviews and we know how fuck awful that turned out.

[Orby]

Pretty sure The Wheel of Time got similarly said reviews and we know how fuck awful that turned out.

It did, they were shown the first two episodes though which is like a hell of alot more, and even though I did not like those two episodes they were the best episodes of the show. But that's the point of these viewings of course you are going to show your best work.

I am still sceptical, I am going to wait for another trailer and I'll watch the first episode and see for myself.

[Koriani]

Well being a poor humanities professor I just don't have the disposable cash to subscribe to every streaming service out there to watch a series I MIGHT like only to find out it sucks 2 episodes in.

You seem to have that kind of money and that's cool, I myself do not.

Oh I don't either - I use a jailbroke Firestick (fully legal); I actually don't pay for any streaming service outside of basic cable-internet (while watching all of them).

I also rarely watch any show 'on launch' - many times I'm starting or watching shows weeks if not months after release. And by then we (you, me, everyone) has a better idea about what IS perhaps worth the time to see if I like it and what is "total trash." (heck even if I don't want to know and haven't bothered to read a single review about something, I still hear about it - lol)

If you already know you aren't going to sub-up to Amazon "just" to check out LOTR then that 'grace window' is to your benefit anyway and not something you need feel frustrated by (?). If you're having to 'wait anyway' then you'll just have a better idea if its worth checking out - whenever you decide its worth it to subscribe. IMO - Before a show goes live there's just too few 'reviewers' (legit or otherwise), or too little content they are judging (like the handpicked 20 minutes in this example) to really 'count on' anyone's take unless that person was already vetted by you; I agree, you can't "really trust" any of it.

And I also agree there's not a single show on air (today or in the past) - that by itself - would be 'good enough' for me to pay a streaming subscription for. I'd at least wait until a streaming service has 3-4-5+ shows I'm behind on before I'd go paying a monthly subscription long enough to catch up; and then bounce to the next service once I'm caught up on that one, etc. There ARE way too many (at least for all the tv I watch) shows for me to keep subscriptions on all of them active at once.

And I do hear you on trying to find a reviewer, any reviewer, who shares a similiar 'movie brain' to you - it is a struggle when you're on the fence about a show and whether to bother watching. Up until two years ago when I randomly stumbled upon a youtube streamer/reviewer who, over time, I realized DOES share that same "movie brain" with me - I would have said the same thing as I'd never read/watched a reviewer that did. And I certainly didn't put forth any time/effort to find that one; just stumbled on him (Chris Stuckmann is the reviewer/streamer in case anyone wonders or is looking for one who might be a good match. He definitely shares my movie brain on everything except our opinions on the Alien series =D; but hey no one is perfect ).

[Biomega]

I actually don't pay for any streaming service outside of basic cable-internet (while watching all of them).

Okay so your answer is "just pirate things lol". I guess that's a take. You do you, I suppose.

[Koriani]

Okay so your answer is "just pirate things lol". I guess that's a take. You do you, I suppose.

Well I mean I spent the next few paragraphs talking about how having to 'wait anyway' turns out to your advantage and how I don't watch shows when they first release anyway... (as your original complaint was about wanting some sort of 'trustworthy' review system for things that haven't even aired yet...) And I talked about the idea of cycling streaming services when they have built up multiple shows to "catch up on" before paying out of pocket (again, a positive in the idea of not watching/paying for things immediately on launch). And none of that has anything to do with pirating.

But that can be your only take away if you want. *shrugs* We all gonna do us! Who else would we do?

[Maximus Testiculos]

I wonder if there is any possibility of battle for middle earth 3 coming out of this?

[Gumble]

Rafe of time was absolute trash tier and an embarrassment to the name wheel of time.

As a Wheel of Time fan, I wish you LOTR fans mental stability as you watch Amazon trash the thing you love. It will be just as bad as you think and probably worse.





As far as the idiot saying that paid "fans" and websites that rely on LOTR for their viewers can't POSSIBLY be paid shills to say they like a show that turns out to be shit........ Wheel of Time says hi.

Never believe someone whose financial interest overrides their ability to tell the truth. The Depp trial showed this well with that dude from TMZ explaining that amberheard scheduled all her pictures so that they'd be there when she faked them. The BEST way to actually get people to believe you is when it it is legally and financially NOT in your interest and you tell the truth anyway.


If the LOTR producers came out and said "Actually this show is going to be quite divisive and the only people that will be happy with it are people who A) hate LOTR and B) aren't going to watch the show anyway. You should probably not watch it if you're a LOTR fan because it will just make you upset."

I'd believe them.

[Orby]

I saw some new images on line that I cannot find, so if anyone knows where they are would be kind enough to link them

there was one with elves around a table with a dwarf at the head which I think looked very Tolkien/peter Jackson and looked pretty good.

[kenn9530]

Rafe of time was absolute trash tier and an embarrassment to the name wheel of time.

The wheel of time was good that is the facts, the worst ppl are the hardcore fans of a series as they have the opinions that matter the least because they think they know best and any deviation from thier veiw of what it should be is bad.

LOTR series will be another good solid series, too many whine about everything and cant just be happy there is more stuff coming.

[Super Kami Dende]

The wheel of time was good that is the facts, the worst ppl are the hardcore fans of a series as they have the opinions that matter the least because they think they know best and any deviation from thier veiw of what it should be is bad.

LOTR series will be another good solid series, too many whine about everything and cant just be happy there is more stuff coming.

You mean People most committed to the lore of something get annoyed the most when it gets shit on?

Wow dude, amazing insight.

The Amazon LOTR looks like straight up trash so far.

- - - Updated - - -

I couldn't find that one, but I did find a new shot of Celebrimbor.

God damn he looks fucking horrible. I sincerely hope he has just been mislabelled as Celebrimbor. because the Elf at the right end of the Table in this Picture looks far more like Celebrimbor.



I.e. Tall, Long Dark Hair.