- Based on the novel The Lord of the Rings and its appendices by J. R. R. Tolkien
- Developed by J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay (Showrunners)
- September 1, 2022 to Present
- Prime Video
Series Cast
- Galadriel-Morfydd Clark
- Elanor “Nori” Brandyfoot-Markella Kavenagh
- Poppy Proudfellow-Megan Richards
- Elrond-Robert Aramayo
- The High King of the Elves Gil-galad-Benjamin Walker
- Arondir-Ismael Cruz Córdova
- Celebrimbor-Charles Edwards
- The Stranger-Daniel Weyman
- Prince Durin IV-Owain Arthur
- Sauron / human Halbrand / the Elf Annatar “Lord of Gifts”-Charlie Vickers
- Disa-Sophia Nomvete
- Elendil-Lloyd Owen
- Queen Regent of Númenor Míriel-Cynthia Addai-Robinson
- Pharazôn-Trystan Gravelle
- Isildur-Maxim Baldry
- Eärien-Ema Horvath
- Adar-Sam Hazeldine
- Kemen-Leon Wadham
- Círdan-Ben Daniels
- The Dark Wizard-Ciarán Hinds
- Estrid-Nia Towle
A long-feared evil returns to Middle-earth.
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To say The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season One was polarizing would be kind. Yet numerically it succeeded so here we are at another season. Will it get better and unite the fans?
Probably not given what I have seen so far.
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Elven Kings Under the Sky
- Directed by Charlotte Brändström
- Written by Gennifer Hutchison
- August 29, 2024
Two years between seasons and a large cast are two major things that can be difficult to overcome. Not everyone is going to go back and watch the first season before the second season. I bring this up because the episode starts with a flashback to before Season One that explains certain aspects of the story between Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Halbrand/Sauron (Charlie Vickers). Not that we needed it since it was all pretty much info the viewer should be mostly aware of.
Once the flashback ends, they begin the new season and it’s hard to tell when the flashback is over and the elements of the new season begin. I was left confused for a few moments. A brief recap of the significant events of the last season should’ve occurred before launching into any of the narrative of the current season. Something overtly obvious like a series of clips since it’s been about two years.
And what was with switching between Elvish and English in a single conversation? Pick one or the other. With any science-fiction TV show when you have a group of the same species hanging together and they’re all speaking in English you can think to yourself that you’re hearing the language translated. But when they start switching between words in their own language and English it just becomes confusing and your brain cannot create that head canon.
The most surprising revelation in all this is it sounds like orcs have children and families. It is uttered in a passing line. Based on what I have read of the source material this sounds possible. I really hope they do not try to humanize the soldiers of evil whose purpose in the stories is to be slaughtered and the audience be able to not care.
The Harfoots return. Specifically Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and Poppy (Megan Richards) who now are travelling with the Stranger (Daniel Weyman). They are a pointless subplot at this point and two of the three characters in this subplot border on intolerable. I am not sure why they are friends nor why Poppy and Nori have any real trust for a man that fell from the sky.
I guess they wanted a cool and edgy bit of action here so Elrond (Robert Aramayo) takes a leap into some water from very high up. Elves are immortal, but not indestructible. And from all indications, eventually just stop aging. Elrond takes a leap off of a high waterfall and survives unscathed. It is all to get to the oldest and wisest Elf named Círdan (Ben Daniels) who has some grey hairs which appears to contradict the implied halting in aging of the Elves. Why spend eternity in an older body?
I have no idea about Galadriel’s personality. She seems to react as needed for the plot rather have a distinct set of motivations. At least here. She stands her ground briefly but gives in to move the story forward since they need to develop newer dropped in elements and characters.
As a start to Season Two I give this with a shrug. Season One was proof that the characters in a story are only as smart as the people behind them. Season Two looks to be off to a mediocre start.
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Where the Stars are Strange
- Directed by Charlotte Brändström
- Written by Louise Hooper and Jason Cahill
- August 29, 2024
One thing I notice in this concerns the makeup of the dwarf wife. I don’t recall noticing it before but she’s at the minimum sporting porkchop sideburns. Seriously! The hair on her head seems to be extending down to her chin now. One of the complaints I recall from the last season was that Tolkien fans noted their women had beards. Methinks this could be a change to make THOSE fans happy.
Rhun. It’s my understanding that this area is only hinted at in the Lord of the Rings written material. I don’t recall it ever coming up in the filmed material. And this is probably a wise move on the creators’ part to explore an area of which little to nothing is known about rather than delve into areas with tons of material supporting them. Weirdly where it would make sense to explore/display diversity they are markedly Caucasian.
We finally get a look into those Slim Shady looking characters from last season. They show up but what is all going on is still not completely revealed. We had no idea what was going on with them and mercifully that is mildly corrected here. They are connected to a character known as the Dark Wizard played by Ciarán Hinds who with a total number of lines that would fit comfortably on a Post It gives the best performance of the episode if not the series.
Not to say this is well written. Nori and Poppy use some of the crappiest possible camouflage and remain hidden from some baddies working for the Dark Wizard. The dude looks right at them and never sees a thing. Were they using magic unbeknownst to them or the audience or was this lazy writing?
Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) has gone from a take charge girl boss to somebody who’s just getting pushed along by events. Gone is the certain and headstrong character from the last season and in her place is somebody who has absolutely no idea what to do.
Where the Stars are Strange is not bad. I can’t call it great. But I enjoyed myself well enough.
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The Eagle and the Sceptre
- Directed by Louise Hooper and Charlotte Brändström
- Written by Helen Shang
- August 29, 2024
I’m guessing some of the characters we see in this episode were important on some level last season but I honestly cannot recall because this show has so many and the last time we saw any was two years past. I keep going back to the time since last we saw ANY of this. If anything this episode is a demonstration that the featured cast needs trimmed with the detritus moved to minor supporting roles of removed completely. Anywho…
Isildur (Maxim Baldry)-featured here-was important but a great deal of time is spent reestablishing the character rather than developing the machinations of Sauron’s plot. He looked dead at the end of last season but nope! Plus Isildur meets up with a new character named Estrid (Nia Towle) so more time gets taken from the story to deal minimally with a new item.
The orcs, rather than being the embodiment of evil, have babies and families and don’t wanna fight anymore. They just want to be nice and love each other. Hold hands and go Kumbaya. The orcs were meant to be an embodiment of evil. The unsympathetic villain that you could slaughter in mass numbers in a battle between good and evil. But now they have feelings?
Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) working with Sauron-as-Halbrand-now-posing-as-the-Elf-Annatar (Charlie Vickers) sends out an invitation which summons Durin IV (Owain Arthur) who brings his wife Disa (Sophia Nomvete). The thing is Disa takes a far more involved hand in the negotiations than Durin IV does. She is the Plus One on the invite! It is not in a subtle way, but in a rather overt way that denotes her husband is not important at all. Why is he even there?
I was reminded of the movie Wish while the episode was on Númenor. Why? Much like in Wish a young girl-here Eärien (Ema Horvath)-decides to upend the social order because she is not happy with the Queen Regent of Númenor Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) because of the failure in Middle-earth and her now being blind. No plan beyond kicking her off the throne much like the girl in Wish. Compared to the complexity of Tolkien this is childish thinking. It’s the petty lashing out of a child written by someone without maturity to think through the ramifications of the actions or make the character intelligent enough to do so. A character is only as smart is those writing them.
The best and most interesting elements of the show, though are the recap scenes to remind the audience of the assorted characters that will be appearing in this episode. It was a lot more action and movement than when we got here. It promised a thrill ride rather than the casual trip that we ended up with.
I can’t say I was blown away, but I wasn’t totally bored either.
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So far it’s a slow start to the series. Not too much happens as they are forced to do more world building as well as remind everyone why the assorted members of this very large caste matter to the story. And because of that the first three episodes suffer. Time that could be used to build the narrative and give a feeling that we are heading to something is used to recap and remind as well as introduce new characters. As American fantasy it’s not bad. Compared to LOTR it’s subpar. Only time will tell.
Warren Watched A Movie 