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A Long-expected Review: The Rings of Power Season 1

Nerd of the Rings・67 minutes read

The reviewer found strengths and weaknesses in Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, praising the music but criticizing aspects like geography and writing. While the show had its highlights, it struggled with comparisons to Peter Jackson's films and missed opportunities in adapting Tolkien's works.

Insights

The music composed by Bear McCreary in the series is highlighted as a major strength, with themes that are on par with Howard Shore's iconic work.
The portrayal of Khazad-dum storyline, particularly focusing on Durin IV and his relationships, is praised for its depth and strong character development.
Elrond's character in the show is well-received for staying true to his literary roots, showcasing complexity and relatability, contrasting with Galadriel's one-dimensional portrayal.

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What are the strengths of The Rings of Power?
The music by Bear McCreary stands out.

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Summary

00:00

Mixed Review: Lord of the Rings Series

The reviewer took time to detach from discussions around Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power before writing a review.
The show was a mixed bag for the reviewer, with aspects they enjoyed and others they didn’t.
The music, composed by Bear McCreary, was a major strength of the series, with themes that stood well alongside Howard Shore’s iconic work.
The geography and fast-travel in the show were criticized for lacking believability, with characters moving vast distances with little time passing.
The sense of scope and population in various realms like Lindon, Eregion, and Khazad-dum felt small and underdeveloped.
The reviewer appreciated the tone of the show, noting a lack of gratuitous violence and nudity, but expressed concerns about certain violent scenes.
The show struggled with how it wanted to handle comparisons to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, with many references that felt more like imitations.
The writing was deemed uneven, with some moments falling short, such as awkward dialogue and questionable plot choices.
Specific instances of poor writing were highlighted, like the portrayal of Numenorean prejudice and the lack of depth in establishing Galadriel’s importance.
While the writing had highs and lows, the reviewer felt that the smaller scenes often succeeded where the big, rousing speeches fell short.

12:29

"Khazad-dum: Strong Relationships, Balrog Criticism"

Khazad-dum storyline is the strongest segment of the show, with Durin IV at its core, showcasing deep relationships with Elrond, his father, and his wife Disa.
The inclusion of the balrog in the dwarven storyline is criticized for feeling tacked on and potentially pulling elements from the Third Age into the Second Age.
Relationships among the dwarves, especially Durin IV, his father, and Disa, are highlighted as strong and well-developed, adding depth to the storyline.
The relationship between Durin III and Durin IV is explored, with hints that their names may not be their true identities, leaving room for potential future revelations.
The friendship between Durin and Elrond is a significant highlight of the show, offering a fresh and original dynamic that resonates with viewers.
Disa completes the trifecta of characters in Khazad-dum, contributing to the depth and richness of the storyline.
The Southlands arc features a successful elf-human romance that avoids clichés, with characters like Arondir standing out for their depth and development.
Arondir's character is praised for his unique qualities, reminiscent of a First Age elf, and his relationship with Bronwyn and Theo is commended for its solidity.
The elves' storyline involving Mithril is critiqued for its convoluted and elaborate plot, with discrepancies in the logic and reasoning behind the elves' actions.
The portrayal of the elves' quest for Mithril and survival raises questions about the coherence and consistency of the storyline, especially in relation to Valinor and the two trees.

24:33

"Galadriel's Character Development Falls Short"

The central plot point of the series was a big miss for the writer.
The casting of the show is considered a huge positive, with the performance of Will Fletcher as Finrod and Sauron being particularly praised.
Galadriel and Elrond are key characters in the show, with Galadriel's character development being a major focus.
Galadriel's character is criticized for being one-dimensional and lacking depth, with her vengeful warrior persona overshadowing her other traits.
The relationship between Galadriel and Elrond is explored, with a new backstory of Galadriel saving Elrond as a child being introduced.
Galadriel's transformation throughout the season is questioned, with her wisdom and actions not aligning at times.
Galadriel's dark path and lack of consequences for her actions are highlighted, with potential repercussions hinted at for future seasons.
Elrond's portrayal is praised for staying true to his literary roots while adding depth to his character.
Elrond's journey in the show involves repairing relationships and navigating his allegiances, showcasing his skills and wisdom.
The show's portrayal of Elrond contrasts with Galadriel's arc, with Elrond's character development and relationships being more positively received.

36:36

Elrond's Complexity and Heroic Portrayal in LOTR

Elrond is the favorite Second Age character for the speaker, despite initial reservations about his appearance.
Charles Edwards' portrayal of Celebrimbor was initially doubted but ultimately impressed the speaker.
Elrond's warmth in "Rings of Power" is highlighted, contrasting with his portrayal in "The Lord of the Rings."
The speaker believes Elrond should have been the main character of the series due to his complexity and relatability.
Imagined scenarios involving Elrond interacting with Numenor and its inhabitants are discussed.
The speaker praises Elrond's portrayal as a Tolkienian hero with a strong moral compass.
Morfydd Clark's performance as Galadriel is acknowledged, with the speaker attributing any shortcomings to the script.
The speaker expresses disinterest in the survival of characters during Mount Doom's eruption, focusing on Sauron's character development.
The speaker criticizes the decision to reveal Halbrand as Sauron, believing Sauron should have remained a straightforward evil character.
Despite disliking the plot twist, the speaker commends Charlie Vickers' performance as Sauron and the impactful reveal scene.

48:25

"Sympathetic villains and mysterious characters in show"

Sauron is portrayed as sympathetic, but the mystery box surrounding him may come at a cost for his character development.
The show introduces the possibility of other sympathetic villains manipulated by Sauron, like Adar, offering various storytelling opportunities.
Despite references to Morgoth, the primary focus remains on Sauron, akin to Darth Vader in Star Wars, with Morgoth being the Emperor.
The relationship between Galadriel and Sauron is debated, with a preference against a romantic angle.
The Stranger, a character with a unique theme and portrayed by Daniel Weyman, is speculated to be a blue wizard, facing challenges adapting to a physical form.
The show maintains a mystery around the Stranger's identity, potentially leading to a reveal of a character like Saruman for shock value.
The inclusion of hobbits in the Second Age storyline is questioned, with the Harfoots' portrayal lacking evidence of their renowned courage and heart.
The Harfoots are depicted as self-serving and lacking compassion, deviating from the traditional depiction of hobbits.
Adar, an original character, adds depth to the show by showcasing villains as pawns in Sauron's schemes, with orcs portrayed as formidable and scary.
The use of practical effects for orcs is praised for bringing a unique depth and life to the characters, enhancing the show's overall visual appeal.

01:00:36

"Rings of Power: Balancing Adaptation and Authenticity"

The show struggles with over-explaining magical elements like Mithril and the creation of the Rings of Power, deviating from the mysterious nature of Tolkien's world.
The Rings of Power creation process in the show feels rushed, compressed into the final episode, lacking the depth and time it deserved.
The showrunners aimed to introduce Annatar in an unexpected way, deviating from the book's portrayal, which led to mixed reactions from fans.
Numenor is a promising aspect of the show, with visually stunning scenes and well-cast characters like Elendil, Miriel, and Pharazon.
Pharazon's character development and interactions, especially his emotional moments, set the stage for significant storytelling in the future.
Miriel's character, balancing between the Faithful and King's Men factions, faces unique challenges, including unexpected blindness, adding depth to her role.
Despite some flaws, the show's depiction of Numenor and its political landscape offers intriguing storylines and character dynamics.
The show's adaptation of Tolkien's works is criticized for missing opportunities and not fully embracing the source material's essence.
The first season of Rings of Power is compared to The Hobbit films in terms of impact and quality, with room for improvement in future seasons.
While the show introduces new audiences to Middle-earth, it is urged to focus on authentic adaptation of Tolkien's Second Age for lasting impact and success.

01:12:33

Exploring Tolkien's world through his books

The best way to truly experience Tolkien's world is through his books, regardless of any adaptations, as they will always hold a special place. New adaptations bring in new fans, which is exciting, and the speaker looks forward to sharing these journeys with both new and old Tolkien enthusiasts.

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