Lord of the Rings TV Series Purchased by Amazon

[Khaza-R]

But that's just it - there aren't really "legit" criticisms because there's nothing to watch that's "a legit episode" to give actual criticism about. Its just screen shots, trailer shorts, little few minute tidbits they've released to get the 'hype train' going. But because all of these 'teaser' bits can only really be about what things 'look like' (because that's all you're going to get in a bunch of trailers and screenshots heh) then the only REAL thing people can bitch about is all surface/appearance stuff.

So when everything people have to go on amounts to little to no dialogue and a bunch of pretty pictures - you can only get positive or negative feedback about PICTURES without any actual 'content' or even 'context'.

Making none of it "legit" outside of "I don't like how it (the scene/costumes/building/character) LOOKS." And/or "I don't like what XYZ claimed in an interview."

And people who know better than to assume they know 100% about something based on five minutes of screen shots and pretty colors - have the same opinion we've had our entire lives of watching movies and tv shows. (Because this never changed.) To wait until something actually gets released to find out what it REALLY is. Good or bad. Whether that's going to your favorite "reviewer" who now actually has SOMETHING to review (rather than 20 minute rants about screenshots - lol), or seeing who around you watches it/likes it/doesn't like it, or yeah - the final act - watching something oneself and deciding from there. (shocker! =D)

I mean I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes die-hard fan and back when CBS released their last "Sherlock Holmes" series and made him modern-day, with Watson a girl, I thought for sure I'd hate it. Not because its bad to flip the characters or that I'm sexist - but because I like my Sherlock "original". But I ended up giving the show a shot and ended up watching it for its entire run. I don't say its the best thing I ever watched or anything, but I certainly ended up entertained well enough for several years worth of tv watching. And didn't feel they "Butchered" a favorite character or "ruined" anything for me. So yeah, even if you think you might hate one adaptation or another - you might end up surprised if you give it a chance.

A lesson some denzien haters on the internet will never learn - because their mind gets made up over 3 screenshots and listening to 5 people bitch about nothing factual for months on end until release. That's how you sour a well. Oh well - it takes all types! =D

Have to disagree with most of your post. Art is subjective at the end of the day, so people are fully within their rights to dislike something they see based on a promo or based on seeing the entire series. We make quick decisions like this all the time in deciding what entertainment we want to consume or pass by.

The issue is you're assuming all criticism is based on nothing but a few screenshots but that isn't the case. At this point we have interviews from the film makers and from cast and crew. Some of the intention and direction is known at this point.

If someone raises concern over the altered timeline, that is entirely a valid criticism. And I say that because no piece of cinema has every been deemed good or bad based on trivial things like someone's costume or because of the physical appearance of an actor. Adaptations are deemed good or bad based where they decide to follow source material and where they decide to take creative liberties however.

[Triceron]

Let's not go too far. WoT sits at 62% audience score on RT which is close to Book of Boba Fett at 57%. I wouldn't consider either "successes".

Would you consider any type of critic scores a way to define success at all? Be it critic or audience?

[Xath]

You've had several back and forths now talking about the popularity of the WoT Books vs the Series. You can have those arguments in the Wheel of Time thread.

This thread is about the LotR series, which isn't directly based on any of those books. Keep it to that.

And, to be clear, I'm making this statement to everyone involved on that needlessly derailing conversation...not just you.

This thread is about a beloved fantasy franchise being helmed by the same studio that was okay with rafe of time. Yes the most recent example of them taking death of the author to an extreme is absolutely relevant. I will talk about whatever I please especially when it's connected to the topic at hand feel free to put me on ignore if you don't like my discourse.

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It doesnt matter how many series a show gets or how many films something gets, also books are a fraction of the viewerbase so you dont need to lie because you have been proven wrong time and time again, LOTR series will also not rely on fans of the book either and it will still be a good series regardless of any and all possible changes required, Wheel of Time book fanbase is a few million, not tens of millions like have already watched the series.

Citations dearly needed considering we know viewership went down from the start and at the start it was around 9 mil an episode that doesn't equate to 10s of millions in any universe.

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Difference between Wheel of Time and Rings of Power is that the first was a clearly established story in the books (which got Rap[h]ed in the series, pun intended) and that the second is just outlines of events during the Second Age of Middle Earth. That means that every liberty the show producers take with the stories could be considered as warranted, since there is already an almost white canvas.

As i said before, i don't agree with the artistic interpretations and liberties the producers seem to have taken with the characters and races, but i'll wait to watch the show before i formulate any opinion. I do hope the show is good and my only complain will be the one mentioned above. Something WoT didn't succeed, because it was just ok, trending to mediocre.

It's less blank than you think. LoTR's world is incredibly fleshed out as people would know if they read outside just the main 3 and the Hobbit they are also straying into stuff that will directly connect to to the main three books over time rather than focusing on part of the world that hasn't had much fleshing out.

[kenn9530]

Citations dearly needed considering we know viewership went down from the start and at the start it was around 9 mil an episode that doesn't equate to 10s of millions in any universe.

There was an average of 10 million min per episode for the first 3 of the series, its been a long time since then so numbers are far higher that have watched the show by now, not everyone watches a show day 1 its released, many wait till a show is fully released before watching it. You have been proven wrong yet again that the tv series has more viewers than the book series has readers.

The same is going to be true for just about any series, book readers are rare especially when you compare to tv/movie audiences because more ppl want something to watch rather than read, its also very wrong to insult a tv series before it has even released which is what many are doing.

[MCMLXXXII]

This isn't the WoT discussion thread. Keep those boring back-and-forths in that thread.

[Xath]

There was an average of 10 million min per episode for the first 3 of the series, its been a long time since then so numbers are far higher that have watched the show by now, not everyone watches a show day 1 its released, many wait till a show is fully released before watching it. You have been proven wrong yet again that the tv series has more viewers than the book series has readers.

The same is going to be true for just about any series, book readers are rare especially when you compare to tv/movie audiences because more ppl want something to watch rather than read, its also very wrong to insult a tv series before it has even released which is what many are doing.

This is basic math it was less than 9 mil viewers an episode and it dropped hard. There is a reason basically the instant the series was done it stopped being promoted on the prime video front page.

Now stop making me despair for the future of a humanity that can't do basic division. The Books sold 44 million copies many of those to libraries I should know I read the entire first half of the series via the school library before I was buying my own books.

Back on topic the worries I have about this series are largely based off interviews not stills. It feels like they might try to humanize orcs given some of the answers which goes against the entire idea of them being corrupted beings. Orcs are arguably the greatest of Morgoth's sins and if the showrunners don't get that it will be a problem.

[Iain]

This is basic math it was less than 9 mil viewers an episode and it dropped hard. There is a reason basically the instant the series was done it stopped being promoted on the prime video front page.

The Wheel of Time fans I heard weren't disappointed with the faithfulness of the show but rather the production value and acting. Makes me think we really lucked out with Game of Thrones as the acting and production values were as good as it could get. Makes me quite excited for the new GoT series.

[Greyfang]

Folks can bitch and moan, as they will, but I'm actually more interested in seeing this now.

Yeah this looks awesome. No way it looks cheap. I didn't expect so many flashbacks to the 1st Age, but it looks like we're getting a lot of stuff covered, even if its just in prologue/flashbacks.

[kenn9530]

This is basic math it was less than 9 mil viewers an episode and it dropped hard. There is a reason basically the instant the series was done it stopped being promoted on the prime video front page.

Now stop making me despair for the future of a humanity that can't do basic division. The Books sold 44 million copies many of those to libraries I should know I read the entire first half of the series via the school library before I was buying my own books.

Back on topic the worries I have about this series are largely based off interviews not stills. It feels like they might try to humanize orcs given some of the answers which goes against the entire idea of them being corrupted beings. Orcs are arguably the greatest of Morgoth's sins and if the showrunners don't get that it will be a problem.

You lack all basic common sense, you do know there are millions of ppl that wait to watch something until the whole series is available, the early numbers are but a fraction of who actually watches the show. You fail at basic math and the ability to understand there are millions of ppl more that will still watch most tv series.

You have failed yet again to provide a valid point.

[Shadowferal]

...not impressed.

[Myradin]

CGI looks great, though does give me The Hobbit vibes.

The costumes and practical elements look less so.

[eschatological]

For such a weak attack you sure did take it personally and felt the need to explain yourself, please accept my sincerest apologies.

My ontopic take is shows by Amazon are garbage and this is no different.

The Boys is one of the best shows of the year, and is an Amazon show. There's plenty of great stuff on Amazon.

[gamz247]

What things, exactly, are Galadriel claiming she has seen? She wasn't there for the Kinslaying. She didn't help in the battle against Morgoth. Are they creating some horrible new events just for this show?

[tikcol]

What things, exactly, are Galadriel claiming she has seen? She wasn't there for the Kinslaying. She didn't help in the battle against Morgoth. Are they creating some horrible new events just for this show?

Yes. Lots of new things in this show. She's a great warrior/commander. Very brave and involved. They're making a fanfic with a budget of hundreds of millions, I'm sure it will have lots of special effects and beautiful clothes and the "ugliest orcs so far". Don't judge too much

[quras]

What things, exactly, are Galadriel claiming she has seen? She wasn't there for the Kinslaying. She didn't help in the battle against Morgoth. Are they creating some horrible new events just for this show?

Yes, lots of fanfic work with new creations, new characters never heard of in any material etc... If you wanted Tolken work, this show isn't it. From all I can read, watch and come across, this is fanfiction based very loosely on someone elses material. It's about the best way to describe this show from what I can tell and good fanfics are rarely seen. Time will tell of course but I don't have high hopes.

[Shadowferal]

The script and the acting can make this show. The actors can be charismatic if the script is there. And that needs to be shown. Because there's not a lot of physical appeal in any of the leads. (Yea, I'm shallow at times) Can't judge things though from the flashy shit in the trailer.

[DarkAmbient]

I don't know if it's because I've not seen more of her in the role but I'm not feeling that Galadriel actress at all. She just doesn't seem like a Galadriel. Cate Blanchett had an otherworldly quality about her in the role but this one seems like she belongs in a daytime soap as a primary school headmistress. And wtf was that hobbit accent? She managed Jamaican, Irish, American and English in the space of a few seconds. Some of the casting decisions are... oof. That said, the visuals are impressive, clearly some money has been spent. It has promise, but I'm feeling a bit meh about it at the moment.

[Nurasu]

Yes, lots of fanfic work with new creations, new characters never heard of in any material etc... If you wanted Tolken work, this show isn't it. From all I can read, watch and come across, this is fanfiction based very loosely on someone elses material. It's about the best way to describe this show from what I can tell and good fanfics are rarely seen. Time will tell of course but I don't have high hopes.

Not much choice, they don't have license for any actual, written material, iirc. If Tolkien fans want something better or would prefer nothing at all, tell the estate to stop selling scraps.

[saixilein]

Most generic, and boring trailer ive ever saw.

[infinitemeridian]

I really don't know what people hate about this, it looks fine. Looks like lord of the rings.