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[Ulysses 31]

Agreed. Rings of Power is best viewed as a tool to understand why Tolkein is CORRECT, that his characterization and mythbuilding are so superior. Almost any deviation just leads to breaks elsewhere.

Or the EFAP breakdowns also go into detail of the idiot writing in this show...

 

[Tams]

Hey to each their own, but HotD just dragged on about heir this and heir that, you can only watch so many episodes about the same thing before you get tired of it.

At least it didn't shit on its source material, has a coherent story, good writing, good acting, and decent CGI.

 

[jason10mm]

At least it didn't shit on its source material, has a coherent story, good writing, good acting, and decent CGI.

Oh, HotD ABSOLUTELY shat on the source material, and s3 will only get worse, I fear.

 

[Tams]

Oh, HotD ABSOLUTELY shat on the source material, and s3 will only get worse, I fear.

In comparison to The Rings of Power, lol no.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

Oh, boy. We're in for one serious shitshow if IGN can't even bring themselves to give it a 7 at least.

And more ...

‘The Rings of Power’ Makes ‘Lord of the Rings’ a Boring Slog in a Lifeless Season 2: TV Review

Season 2 of Amazon's 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' is a boring, lifeless slog.

variety.com

 

[Revolutionary]

Reviews are rolling in. Currently has a 'fresh' on Rotten Tomatoes but so did the first season, and we all know how that went. I couldn't even force myself to finish the season.


When it comes to this show, I'm going to trust the more critical reviews than the perfect 100 from Empire


Also:

What a memorable show!

 

[EverydayBeast]

Loved the lord of the ring movies, and I completely understand the hobbit movies, I just don't know how they came up with a tv show.

 

[NecrosaroIII]

Loved the lord of the ring movies, and I completely understand the hobbit movies, I just don't know how they came up with a tv show.

There is material there to make something out of, but they dont have the rights to ir

 

[ManaByte]

There is material there to make something out of, but they dont have the rights to ir

Annatar is not mentioned anywhere in LOTR or the Appendices, but he’s in S2 and on the poster. They have rights to use stuff from the Silmarillion now.

 

[freefornow]

Oh, boy. We're in for one serious shitshow if IGN can't even bring themselves to give it a 7 at least.

And more ...

‘The Rings of Power’ Makes ‘Lord of the Rings’ a Boring Slog in a Lifeless Season 2: TV Review

Season 2 of Amazon's 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' is a boring, lifeless slog.

variety.com

Dayum! A 6 from IGN is a 3 from other sites. They must have really stretched any remaining thread of review integrity they had to get it to 6!

 

[Lord Panda]

Agreed. Rings of Power is best viewed as a tool to understand why Tolkein is CORRECT, that his characterization and mythbuilding are so superior. Almost any deviation just leads to breaks elsewhere.

Yep he poured decades of his life thinking and crafting and forging the mythology and his books.

Then you have the writers of Rings of Power who ... fuck it, nevermind.

 

[AJUMP23]

this is going to be a pretty disaster.

 

[clarky]

this is going to be a pretty disaster.

Already was.

 

[Lord Panda]

Oh, boy. We're in for one serious shitshow if IGN can't even bring themselves to give it a 7 at least.

And more ...

‘The Rings of Power’ Makes ‘Lord of the Rings’ a Boring Slog in a Lifeless Season 2: TV Review

Season 2 of Amazon's 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' is a boring, lifeless slog.

variety.com

This is the real surprise here - was expecting mainstream outlets to just shill for this show like they did for Acolyte.

 

[AJUMP23]

Already was.

Always will be.

 

[clarky]

This is the real surprise here - was expecting mainstream outlets to just shill for this show like they did for Acolyte.

Which means its worse than you could possibly imagine. If thats actually possible.

 

[GloveSlap]

I'm past the morbid curiosity phase for most modern slop. It's just not worth the time.

 

[NecrosaroIII]

Annatar is not mentioned anywhere in LOTR or the Appendices, but he’s in S2 and on the poster. They have rights to use stuff from the Silmarillion now.

Do we know if hes actualpy refered to as Annatar in RoP? They can dance around it. Him assuming fair form and trying to seduce the elves IS mentioned in the text of LotR and its appendices.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Annatar is not mentioned anywhere in LOTR or the Appendices, but he’s in S2 and on the poster. They have rights to use stuff from the Silmarillion now.

Isn’t he mentioned in the Fall of Numenor, which is one of the Appendices (B I think) of LotR?

 

[Dazraell]

Do we know if hes actualpy refered to as Annatar in RoP? They can dance around it. Him assuming fair form and trying to seduce the elves IS mentioned in the text of LotR and its appendices.

If I remember correctly, even WB's Shadow of Mordor game briefly included Annatar's form and they also never had rights to Silmarillion

 

[Artoris]

I think some much better writers/producers have to do something with Silmarillion

 

[Toytown Assassin]

Boring, stupid, badly written, pretty and occasionally unintentionally funny. Just like season 1 really.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

There's a lot of desperation to get someone to care about this show. Amazon is contracted and committed to producing 5 seasons of this at a cost of over $1 billion

My Samsung Smart TV was offering Season 1 of this show to me for free on the home screen, streaming via Samsung TV+, no sub to Prime required. For those who don't have a Samsung TV, the Samsung TV+ is a bunch of free streaming TV channels that Samsung gives for free to buyers of their TV's and naturally when it's free most of the stuff is useless trash. I've never seen anything resembling a less than 30 years old and not completely obscure show being offered for free through Samsung TV+ until I saw Rings of Power

I still didn't bother watching it LMAO

 

[Ironbunny]

Watched the first two episodes. Visually it does look great but not being familiar with Silmarillion i have no clue what these charecters are or are they just made up. Half-wits are back again sadly. Biggest gripe is how stupid the Elves are and how the Orcs are not evil to the core. They are potrayed more like unwilling slaves that would live a different more normal lives without Sauron. I dont mind that they try pull in some familiarity with Jacksons LOTR especially with how it looks or tries to sound.

 

[Lord Panda]

Do we know if hes actualpy refered to as Annatar in RoP? They can dance around it. Him assuming fair form and trying to seduce the elves IS mentioned in the text of LotR and its appendices.

Yeah i believe (memory is hazy) it's mentioned in LotR that Sauron took the form of a fair seeming elf and did some consulting for the Elven Smiths of Eregion. Though the name Sauron is using at the time is never stated. If I can be arsed I can look for the passages in the books later.

There's a lot of desperation to get someone to care about this show. Amazon is contracted and committed to producing 5 seasons of this at a cost of over $1 billion

I wonder if there's an escape clause in there somewhere. Or a UN Human Rights Convention they can use to end the show.

Watched the first two episodes. Visually it does look great but not being familiar with Silmarillion i have no clue what these charecters are or are they just made up. Half-wits are back again sadly.

I'll probably watch a bit of it later to see how will it matches up with the leaks because said leaks depicted events (characters?) from Silmarillion.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

Watched the first two episodes. Visually it does look great but not being familiar with Silmarillion i have no clue what these charecters are or are they just made up. Half-wits are back again sadly. Biggest gripe is how stupid the Elves are and how the Orcs are not evil to the core. They are potrayed more like unwilling slaves that would live a different more normal lives without Sauron. I dont mind that they try pull in some familiarity with Jacksons LOTR especially with how it looks or tries to sound.

It's not based on the simmarilion. It's not based on much of anything that Tolkien wrote

 

[Ironbunny]

It's not based on the simmarilion. It's not based on much of anything that Tolkien wrote

Well thats how it kinda looks like too. Everything is just somewhat off.

 

[Ironbunny]

This is a show I would _love_ to watch with a friend who has high knowledge of LOTR. Even if the show shits itself a couple of beers or hard alcohol with that friend sighing along would make it fun

 

[Warspite]

I think Warner still have the rights to the trilogy, this is base on something like the appendices to the Lord of the Rings books. I believe that Amazon bought just enough of something Tolkien to use the Lord of the Rings name.

 

[Dazraell]

I think Warner still have the rights to the trilogy, this is base on something like the appendices to the Lord of the Rings books. I believe that Amazon bought just enough of something Tolkien to use the Lord of the Rings name.

To my understanding, both WB and Amazon have similar rights which covers LotR and Hobbit. The primary difference is in format as WB had rights for movies, while Amazon has rights for episodical format. WB recently renegotiated that deal for new movies and I'm not sure if these conditions have changed

Amazon's series is based on the appendices from Return of the King. I don't think it was ever directly confirmed by Amazon they obtained rights to Silmarillion

 

[ManaByte]

Do we know if hes actualpy refered to as Annatar in RoP? They can dance around it. Him assuming fair form and trying to seduce the elves IS mentioned in the text of LotR and its appendices.

Yes he’s actually called Annatar in ROP.

 

[Melon Husk]

I think I'll "watch" this show on my phone when I'm in the gym or in the background while doing something productive.

Biggest gripe is how stupid the Elves are and how the Orcs are not evil to the core. They are potrayed more like unwilling slaves that would live a different more normal lives without Sauron.

So many layers of awful, I can't even unpack this out loud because it would be a long, ranting off-topic essay.

 

[ManaByte]

To my understanding, both WB and Amazon have similar rights which covers LotR and Hobbit. The primary difference is in format as WB had rights for movies, while Amazon has rights for episodical format. WB recently renegotiated that deal for new movies and I'm not sure if these conditions have changed

WB rights come from the film rights that Sal Zaentz bought in the early 70s. WB has LOTR and MGM actually has The Hobbit distribution (which is why those movies are a co-production). They didn't re-negotiate the rights, there was a lawsuit between the Estate and them dealing with LOTR slot machines that was resolved. They're required to use the IP within a certain amount of time or else they lose the rights; that's true with everything including Sony and Spider-Man. Meaning they have to produce movies to keep the rights. That's why they made the anime and they have Jackson and Serkis returning for the Gollum movie.

Amazon's series is based on the appendices from Return of the King. I don't think it was ever directly confirmed by Amazon they obtained rights to Silmarillion

Except unlike with Jackson's movies, the series is being overseen by the Tolkien Estate and Trust and Harper Collins (their publisher). So if they want to use Annatar going to Lindon and being turned away by Gil-Galad or other stuff from the Silmarillion that's not mentioned in the Appendices, then they can.

Isn’t he mentioned in the Fall of Numenor, which is one of the Appendices (B I think) of LotR?

Sauron is, Annatar is not. Sauron taking on the form of Annatar and attempting to get into Lindon but being turned away by Gil-Galad who recognizes him as evil is from the Silmarillion and not mentioned in the Appendices of LOTR.

 

[AJUMP23]

Here comes Tom Bombadil. And I guess we will know what Wizard fell out of the sky, and maybe those pre-hobits will establish the shire.

 

[Ironbunny]

Here comes Tom Bombadil. And I guess we will know what Wizard fell out of the sky, and maybe those pre-hobits will establish the shire.

They should go full left field with half-wits make Sauron turn them into goblins in the end.

 

[LordCBH]

Season 2 is shit. Shocker.

 

[ManaByte]

Here comes Tom Bombadil. And I guess we will know what Wizard fell out of the sky, and maybe those pre-hobits will establish the shire.

The final episode of S1 confirmed what Wizard it was.

 

[AJUMP23]

The final episode of S1 confirmed what Wizard it was.

well I forgot.....Or didn't want to remember. I just assume it is not Gandalf.

 

[Ulysses 31]

I just assume it is not Gandalf.

 

[ManaByte]

well I forgot.....Or didn't want to remember. I just assume it is not Gandalf.

 

[AJUMP23]

I know its Gandalf by a different name. Olórinor I believe.

 

[SJRB]

If the first season was an unmitigated disaster why would the second season be any different? Surely no one expected this to suddenly be good?

 

[ManaByte]

If the first season was an unmitigated disaster why would the second season be any different? Surely no one expected this to suddenly be good?

Like it or not, you're getting 5 seasons. That was the Estate's requirement upfront for whoever won the bidding war for the show.

Amazon won the bidding war by bidding LESS than Netflix (they wanted to do Marvel LOTR with multiple series joining up into LOTR Avengers which freaked out the Estate), but letting the Estate and Trust oversee the series. HBO was rejected when they just wanted to remake LOTR but in HBO style with lots of sex and nudity.

 

[Ulysses 31]

 

[diffusionx]

It's crazy how much (artificial IMO) hype the first season got and how now absolutely nobody gives a shit about this season 2. It's going to be a total disaster in terms of audience. I don't know if they have to do season 3+ or whatever but they are not going to be happy about spending money on it.

 

[EviLore]

Are we even hate watching season 2? I'm not feeling very motivated about it. It was fun to do back in S1 when Amazon was in full marketing blitz mode and there was all that artificial hype from shills and astroturfers and looney internet people, but I don't think they'll be able to sustain any of that energy this time around.

 

[FunkMiller]

Are we even hate watching season 2? I'm not feeling very motivated about it. It was fun to do back in S1 when Amazon was in full marketing blitz mode and there was all that artificial hype from shills and astroturfers and looney internet people, but I don't think they'll be able to sustain any of that energy this time around.

I have zero intention of watching it. You only get so much time on this planet, I’m not wasting any on an overblown piece of shit, based on a sliver of backstory for another story completely.

 

[NecrosaroIII]

Are we even hate watching season 2? I'm not feeling very motivated about it. It was fun to do back in S1 when Amazon was in full marketing blitz mode and there was all that artificial hype from shills and astroturfers and looney internet people, but I don't think they'll be able to sustain any of that energy this time around.

I'm gonna watch it, but I'm trying to mentally shut off my Tolkien fanboy side. I'm hoping it is at least a funnish fantasy show that is vaguely tolkien-esque

 

[Kraz]

Like it or not, you're getting 5 seasons. That was the Estate's requirement upfront for whoever won the bidding war for the show.

Amazon won the bidding war by bidding LESS than Netflix (they wanted to do Marvel LOTR with multiple series joining up into LOTR Avengers which freaked out the Estate), but letting the Estate and Trust oversee the series. HBO was rejected when they just wanted to remake LOTR but in HBO style with lots of sex and nudity.

Those others do sound more superficial. Although all are following trend, not leading.

Prequel material leading into established stuff has been done intensely for decades with established IP, tired method. This character could've been another wizard opening up the south and east of ME. Setting up the world for future storytelling. Southern nations and further east. Even just using the map of the Earth as a guideline, from evolutionary history to overlapped with colonialist and current geopolitical events gives so much sublimated inspiration to distill from. Even go as far as Australia to introduce new sentient species.

Maybe since they're locked in contractually they'll take more risks in the upcoming seasons. Develop a concurrent storyline with new characters to test response a set up to a series that takes place in other parts of future ME.

I get the sense the younger generations want more sophisticated ideas reflecting a better understanding of the natural world. These don't necessarily have to be launched from the fictional worlds of these IPs, but can encompass and evolve them. Not prequels on rails leading into stories they know, like older generations did.

If there was some hint it would be leading into new territory on ME it would make it more appealing to watch.

 

[Melon Husk]

Are we even hate watching season 2? I'm not feeling very motivated about it. It was fun to do back in S1 when Amazon was in full marketing blitz mode and there was all that artificial hype from shills and astroturfers and looney internet people, but I don't think they'll be able to sustain any of that energy this time around.

Yes we are. Let me enjoy my slop