The Rings Of Power. Wait, come back! It has the Tolkien seal of approval!

[andersonh1]

It's like a depressing game of telephone reading these discussions. I started writing something, but gave up. I abandoned most social media years ago because of how preoccupied I became thinking I could articulate my point on these issues in a reasonable way, but that never matters.

I'm enjoying the show because I have no loyalty to Tolkien and I tend to accept adaptations as their own thing anyway. No point in talking about it though since nobody wants to talk about the actual show.

I'd be interested in opinions from viewers like you, who are not Tolkien fans, because I have been one for most of my life and I cannot view the show as it's own thing. I'm constantly comparing it to the books, and finding it lacking. You have a point of view that I am incapable of having, so I'd enjoy hearing what you like and dislike about the show.

[Wandering_Wand]

It's like a depressing game of telephone reading these discussions. I started writing something, but gave up. I abandoned most social media years ago because of how preoccupied I became thinking I could articulate my point on these issues in a reasonable way, but that never matters.

I'm enjoying the show because I have no loyalty to Tolkien and I tend to accept adaptations as their own thing anyway. No point in talking about it though since nobody wants to talk about the actual show.

Internet forums and social media are largely one sided from a political/social point of view. They become echo chambers. Reason doesn't matter to people who use emotions as their logical argument rationale. This has been a long known truth to many...

Why don't you show me where anyone has said that the majority of complaints are from racists?

It's literally underscored (edit: and even outright accused in many examples) in most online conversations and responses to the negative reviews. Even your responses can be interpreted by some as you thinking this is some major issue when I'm trying to highlight that it isn't, but is mere gaslighting and trying to throw a red herring against legitimate complaints.

You are playing games now because people such as yourself refuse to concede any point because in your mind you are always right and have the high ground. People like you are all over the Internet. I am done responding to you at this point because you aren't bringing anything worthy to this discussion. I wish you the best, have a pleasant day.

End transmission.

[80sbaby]

I'd be interested in opinions from viewers like you, who are not Tolkien fans, because I have been one for most of my life and I cannot view the show as it's own thing. I'm constantly comparing it to the books, and finding it lacking. You have a point of view that I am incapable of having, so I'd enjoy hearing what you like and dislike about the show.

as someone who's only a "casual" when it comes to Tolkien (as in only read the Hobbit when I was younger and seen the LOTR films), my biggest gripe with the series is the pacing. The first 2 episodes took me a couple of days to finish because it felt so "dense(?)"

Now I LOVE the visuals and the characters are interesting, so I am looking forward to seeing where it all goes but it's still very early. I think I'd enjoy it more overall as a binge (or maybe after we get deeper into it.)

[Username taken]

Regardless of where LoTR is based off of, dwarves and elves aren't real races and there's zero reason they should be solely coded as a single particular race.

If I write a story based off of African geography BUT featuring fictional mythical characters they don't have to be coded as any particular race. If they are played by African actors fine, if they aren't, its also fine. Interestingly, the Harfoots were described as darker in skin most likely suggesting they weren't as white as previously thought (something Neil Gaiman recently pointed out).

I dont say this to be funny but I never even thought of dwarves or elves (and elves were described as being really bright or something) in particular as being of any race in particular. Yes, they've been played by mostly white actors but these races aren't real.

[Username taken]

as someone who's only a "casual" when it comes to Tolkien (as in only read the Hobbit when I was younger and seen the LOTR films), my biggest gripe with the series is the pacing. The first 2 episodes took me a couple of days to finish because it felt so "dense(?)"

Now I LOVE the visuals and the characters are interesting, so I am looking forward to seeing where it all goes but it's still very early. I think I'd enjoy it more overall as a binge (or maybe after we get deeper into it.)

My thoughts too.

This is a series that should have been dropped all at once.

When it comes to these massive cinematic series, the release schedule seems to be at odds with the TV format. Its like they are shot as one big movie but chopped up and released in bits. Because of this some episodes don't seem to have proper openings and endings.

[80sbaby]

My thoughts too.

This is a series that should have been dropped all at once.

When it comes to these massive cinematic series, the release schedule seems to be at odds with the TV format. Its like they are shot as one big movie but chopped up and released in bits. Because of this some episodes don't seem to have proper openings and endings.

You literally read my mind, especially with that last part! I feel the same about some of the Disney+ shows. The issue is that they aren't shot as episodic and are instead serialized, which plays out differently for a weekly release. She-Hulk is episodic and you can fell the difference, imo.

[andersonh1]

as someone who's only a "casual" when it comes to Tolkien (as in only read the Hobbit when I was younger and seen the LOTR films), my biggest gripe with the series is the pacing. The first 2 episodes took me a couple of days to finish because it felt so "dense(?)"

Now I LOVE the visuals and the characters are interesting, so I am looking forward to seeing where it all goes but it's still very early. I think I'd enjoy it more overall as a binge (or maybe after we get deeper into it.)

I agree about the visuals, that's the one thing about the show that I thought was very good. There's no denying that it looks great.

I wonder if they didn't "write it for the trade" so to speak, one story broken up into eight episodes, meaning that it will benefit from binge watching all episodes back to back?

Trying to step back from my inner Tolkien fan here and just focus on the storytelling, I'm not sure they set up the threat well enough in the first episode. If I'm to sympathize with Galadriel and her near-obsession with finding Sauron, I need to see what he did (other than kill Galadriel's brother) to make him so dangerous that she would spend centuries hunting him. I don't think they did a good job with that. How did the montage with Valinor and the war work for you?

[hyped78]

My thoughts too.

This is a series that should have been dropped all at once.

When it comes to these massive cinematic series, the release schedule seems to be at odds with the TV format. Its like they are shot as one big movie but chopped up and released in bits. Because of this some episodes don't seem to have proper openings and endings.

HBO (look at Game of Thrones), Prime Video and Disney+ do it on purpose to release one episode per week, to generate more engagement, and also because they haven't had - to this point - as many marquee TV series to release as Netflix does, so they need to milk it a bit

[80sbaby]

I agree about the visuals, that's the one thing about the show that I thought was very good. There's no denying that it looks great.

I wonder if they didn't "write it for the trade" so to speak, one story broken up into eight episodes, meaning that it will benefit from binge watching?

Trying to step back from my inner Tolkien fan here and just focus on the storytelling, I'm not sure they set up the threat well enough in the first episode. If I'm to sympathize with Galadriel and her near-obsession with finding Sauron, I need to see what he did (other than kill Galadriel's brother) to make him so dangerous that she would spend centuries hunting him. I don't think they did a good job with that. How did the montage with Valinor and the war work for you?

I can kind of agree with the Galadriel thing. I still sympathize with her because she's one of the main protagonists and her motivation is pretty basic. However, I do think it would have worked a bit better to actually see more of Sauron and the war.

But I get why they didn't do that from a storytelling standpoint. They want Sauron to be a big reveal and the Valinor bits are just prologue/backstory. They wanted to get to the real story quicker.

I'm guessing the Stranger the hobbits found is either Sauron or Saruman.

[MichaelC]

I figure Halbrand is Sauron. The name being a composite of "hal" and "brand" is pretty strong foreshadowing, and the first obviously helpful person the hero meets turning out to be the villain is an old trope.

[HollowSage]

I figure Halbrand is Sauron. The name being a composite of "hal" and "brand" is pretty strong foreshadowing, and the first obviously helpful person the hero meets turning out to be the villain is an old trope.

So Sauron can see the future? I honestly don’t know if he has that power or not. However he would need it to set up this meeting with Galadriel out in the ocean if Halbrand is Sauron. Otherwise it’s too much of a coincidence.

[Scott Taylor]

It's like a depressing game of telephone reading these discussions. I started writing something, but gave up. I abandoned most social media years ago because of how preoccupied I became thinking I could articulate my point on these issues in a reasonable way, but that never matters.

I'm enjoying the show because I have no loyalty to Tolkien and I tend to accept adaptations as their own thing anyway. No point in talking about it though since nobody wants to talk about the actual show.

Thanks for your level-headed response among all this bickering. I'd much rather just talk about the show than some barely related ideological flag on a pole.

[Username taken]

Thanks for your level-headed response among all this bickering. I'd much rather just talk about the show than some barely related ideological flag on a pole.

Same here.

[Scott Taylor]

So Sauron can see the future? I honestly don’t know if he has that power or not. However he would need it to set up this meeting with Galadriel out in the ocean if Halbrand is Sauron. Otherwise it’s too much of a coincidence.

Interesting idea if that dude does end up as Sauron. Giving Galadriel a love interest certainly seems pointless, and he's gotten too much screentime to be some unimportant villager. While watching it, I assumed that Halbrand was just going to be the key to how Galadriel finds Sauron's hiding place and discovers his plans.

[HollowSage]

Interesting idea if that dude does end up as Sauron. Giving Galadriel a love interest certainly seems pointless, and he's gotten too much screentime to be some unimportant villager. While watching it, I assumed that Halbrand was just going to be the key to how Galadriel finds Sauron's hiding place and discovers his plans.

I doubt Halbrand has any connection to Sauron. Galadriel spent centuries hunting for any trace of Sauron and then she just happens to run into a random guy out in the ocean who is the key? I just don’t think the writers would make it that easy.

As for a pointless love interest. These kind of shows love a tragic romance because a large portion of the audience will eat it up.