The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power-Season Two Pt. Two

• 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
• Tom Bombadil-Rory Kinnear

A long-feared evil returns to Middle-earth.

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Eldest

• Directed by Louise Hooper
• Written by Sanaa Hamri and Glenise Mullins
• September 5, 2024

So they finally make the Harfoots into proto-hobbits when Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and Poppy (Megan Richards)stumble across a desert harfoot named Nobody and Poppy develops an immediate crush on this new character for reasons making her more important to the narrative here than Nori who was the sole driving force of this disconnected to the larger story subplot. Coincidentally Poppy read something hinting at this new group in Lenny Henry’s books. In fact, Poppy takes centerstage often in this episode. The reference made indicates these beings journeyed to the new area from here. Poppy and pals are appearing more and more to be their own separate story from the main story of the return of Sauron and him building alliances of pure evil. How their story which is starting to diverge from that of the Stranger connects to the overall story cannot even be extrapolated.

Having been separated from the needless hobbit origin story, The Stranger (Daniel Weyman) meets Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear) and we get a little information on The Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds). That story actually moves a little better than the rest of the stuff. In a few sentences, we understand three characters and their current situation.

Estrid (Nia Towle), inexplicably trusted at random by Isildur (Maxim Baldry), is a threat as needed by the plot. Isildur’s trust is for speeding up events rather than part of anything developed. Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) provides nothing in this moment of this subplot other than muscle to cut out of the worm that eats he and Isildur.

While it makes some sense that Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo) go to see why they have not heard back, that they decide to do so on foot makes no sense. No horses or eagles or anything. There is some real importance to their mission and they take the slowest way possible. Not only that but they assemble a very small group of lightly armed individuals knowing that other groups that were sent out have not returned. Even in a world of magic this is implausible.

Three of the four elements of this episode rely on coincidence or dumb luck to keep moving. Galadriel conveniently finds Adar (Sam Hazeldine). The harfoots in a vast desert conveniently come across the other harfoot. The Stranger just happens to find Tom Bombadil while moving around aimlessly in that same arid land.

The bigger sin is that once you start caring about one story here it moves to the next and then the next letting any interest fade away. Then again with only eight episodes to tell multiple stories each and every one gets hurt because they cannot be given the attention they need. 

As Tolkien Eldest was bad. As American originating fantasy it was okay because the bar is much lower. But it could’ve been vastly better by focusing on one or two storylines rather than the multiple elements they had going on.

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Halls of Stone

• Directed by Louise Hooper and Sanaa Hamri
• Written by Nicholas Adams
• September 12, 2024

Halls of Stone really screws with your sense of time and distance. The characters come and go between areas like they had rapid transit rather than existing in a world where your choices were either by foot or by horse. It is a brief walk down the street and not a bit of travel. This show feels a strong need to get through the narrative quick and it’s starting to become more and more obvious. It has so much to do and not a lot of time to do it because there are three episodes left. The whole bit with the doors comes and goes in a flash.

Much like the Harfoots, the elements involving Númenor feels like it’s going nowhere in relation to the larger story. It’s going off in its own direction. And it’s a direction that’s much more Game of Thrones than it is Lord of the Rings. The story we get is all political intrigue and petty personal vendettas that exist for uncertain reasons such as Ar-Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle) and his son Kemen (Leon Wadham) gaining power not only cracking down on the Faithful but actively antagonizing them.

And Disa (Sophia Nomvete) is against the Rings now? She pushed for and negotiated for the whole situation! It does not appear out of jealousy since they take her and her girl group out of the equation. She now understands they are not a good thing. There’s no explanation given for her change of mind. We saw no indication of this change. It happened off screen. Then again this has not been big on character consistency. Or logic.

Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) is shown in the custody of the orcs. You would think a prisoner would be completely disarmed, but Galadriel apparently has a tiny little pointy thing on her that nobody took off. She didn’t steal it from someone. She pulled it out of somewhere.

While there were multiple stories told here, there were fewer handled in Halls of Stone than previously meaning that you could actually start caring about something. Your attention will be held. If the series could do more of this, it would certainly be much better.

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Where Is He?

• Directed by Sanaa Hamri
• Written by Justin Doble
• September 19, 2024

As an episode there’s not much here. It could be the multiple plots they need to explore or it could be just they are trying to stretch out this idea into a little bit more than it actually can be. Either way there isn’t too much to discuss for an episode set in a fictional universe known for its depth.

This continues the Númenor plot that still has no strong connection to the larger story. Eärien (Ema Horvath) seems genuinely surprised that her father Elendil (Lloyd Owen) is charged with crimes and facing death. Really? You need to be really dumb to set up your dad against a political opponent and think he will be okay. Characters are only as smart as the writers. And some of these writers can only do teen dramas which the Númenor plot often was last season.

So there’s a romance between former Queen Regent of Númenor Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) and Elendil? When did this happen? It certainly seems like there’s a romance going on. She is willing to risk her life for him when they decide to toss him to the local justice monster (basically what the sea creature is) and go in his place after a few longing looks. And is she back in office again? The crowd starts chanting for her much to the anger of Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle). No idea there.

Speaking of plots that are not connected to the larger story, the Harfoots Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and Poppy (Megan Richards) are back and still hanging around a settlement that their very presence is putting in danger. These people face death if they Nori and Poppy and an uncertain future if the whole settlement leaves. I guess the certainty of death is more appealing than starting over because they have no desire to leave their home but will not kick out the strangers. And worse these Harfoots demonstrate no plan to survive or desire to come up with one.

And the orcs just want to go home and be peaceful. Yep! Have kids and whatever else orc things they might do. Really? This is working really hard to water down the villains and make the remorselessly evil characters justified in what they do. Beyond that the scenes do little other than use Dutch angles.

Say what you will about the Stranger (Daniel Weyman)/Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear) storyline, but it feels like it is progressing though far too slowly with only two episodes to go after this. And it connects to the larger storyline. Not as well as the moments with the dwarves in this episode but there is a connection.

Where Is He? has no concept of distance and time. Was Annatar (Charlie Vickers) using magic to move between Eregion and Khazad-dûm? No idea but it sounds like a bad idea if you are the sum of all evil and trying to pose as a normal elf. I am more inclined to think this is poor thinking on the part of the writers.

A week episode in a declining series. This show could be something good, but it just doesn’t know how to get out of its own away.

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So far these three episodes I’m greeting with a bit of a shrug. It’s very expensive and very nice to look at but it pushes aside logic in order to get to the next leg of the plot as well as having stuff going on that doesn’t contribute to the larger narrative. Remove subplots and trim characters. I don’t have much faith in the remaining bit.