The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

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Season 1
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
3.0

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 2938 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 711 out of 2938
  2. Mixed: 141 out of 2938
  3. Negative: 2,086 out of 2938

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  1. KJ_20
    Nov 12, 2022
    6
    Amazing cinematography cant save the Rings of Power from its bleak, dull and unlikeable plot and character arcs. 'Udun' is the only episode where the series really shines. Overall, it could have been much better. Entire characters could have been dumped or significantly changed, and some storylines feel to dragged on to satisfy the viewer. The scriptwriting is even worse. It's a real pity.
  2. MetacriticOnur
    Oct 14, 2022
    6
    admirable
    [ ad-mer-uh-buhl ]

    adjectiv
    worthy of admiration; inspiring approval, reverence, or affection.
  3. VicFerrari
    Sep 4, 2022
    6
    Mega-budget eye candy that fails to connect intellectually or emotionally. Snoozeville.
  4. jovincen
    Oct 2, 2022
    6
    I think this series is a solid 6. Plot is a bit slow and boring, action is exaggerated and drawn out and the payoffs are too small.
  5. GotHeeeem
    Sep 4, 2022
    6
    Sad to see a show with so much funding to make a good product, instead go their own self righteous way and ruin it. Example: The strongest Mage (Gandalf), Warrior (Aragorn), Tank (Boromir), Archer (Legolas) in all of Middle Earth, struggle in one of the most epic fight scenes in the Franchise to defeat a cave troll. But here in the Rings of Power, one small elf whos not supposed to use aSad to see a show with so much funding to make a good product, instead go their own self righteous way and ruin it. Example: The strongest Mage (Gandalf), Warrior (Aragorn), Tank (Boromir), Archer (Legolas) in all of Middle Earth, struggle in one of the most epic fight scenes in the Franchise to defeat a cave troll. But here in the Rings of Power, one small elf whos not supposed to use a sword but magic, happens to all on her own with a sword and not magic, three shot an ice troll in 5 seconds as if it were a helpless baby. Well, that fight scene told me I don't need to watch any more episodes cause that girls got Middle Earth covered.… Expand
  6. FrankStounn
    Sep 8, 2022
    6
    Not so bad as I expected, but the plot is boring, the main actress is playing bad
  7. pooriaha
    Sep 3, 2022
    6
    Storytelling in first 2 episode is so weak and confusing.
    The only positive point of the series is its gorgeous visual effects.
  8. leonel5142
    Sep 6, 2022
    6
    Beautiful scenarious, but only this, the chacarters construction and person it's empty and without unic things.
  9. DariusTowers
    Sep 5, 2022
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Tengo algunas cosas para decir sobre la serie. Parto de la base de que todo lo que es efecto especial, fotografía, escenario y diseño de la indumentaria es genial. Pero es lo único bueno de la serie. La trama zafa, se siente como que las distintas tramas las unieron como pudieron y hay algún que otro agujero argumental, lo cual asumo que como son los primeros dos capítulos serán respondidos con el avance de la serie.
    El mejor arco argumental es el de Elrond y el enano, no le tenía fe, pero me sorprendió. En cuanto a Galadriel, es la clásica heroína cabeza dura, no piensa mucho las cosas, es obstinada y llega a un punto en que su actitud parece molesta. Con respecto a la parte del elfo y la humana, va bien y quiero saber para donde apunta.
    La trama de los "hobbits" es la más densa con la de Galadriel, la verdad no me interesa en lo absoluto, por lo que no voy a poner nada.
    En términos generales, más allá de todo lo que se viene diciendo de la serie y todo esto que estuvo pasando en los últimos días con IMDB, es regular. Yo le tenía fe por los avances y un poco me decepciono, aunque pudo haber sido peor.
    ¿Soy el único que tiene la sensación de que los Elfos de la serie no parecen Elfos?    … Expand
  10. Paper_Kay
    Sep 14, 2022
    6
    It's very very pretty to look at and I do enjoy LOOKING at it, but the narrative is awful, the plots are off, characters are unpleasant or unconvincing (Has that guy who plays that elf with dark skin and blue eyes ever played anything that isn't sulking and brooding in EVERY scene? It gets really old, dude, pouting isn't character depth). Namely, everyone is a major downer for some reason,It's very very pretty to look at and I do enjoy LOOKING at it, but the narrative is awful, the plots are off, characters are unpleasant or unconvincing (Has that guy who plays that elf with dark skin and blue eyes ever played anything that isn't sulking and brooding in EVERY scene? It gets really old, dude, pouting isn't character depth). Namely, everyone is a major downer for some reason, depressed, depressing and unpleasant. There is no excitement, no joy, adventure, passion, a sense of wonder - everyone just whines, sulks and whines some more. Still, at least it's better than watching House of Dragon, where ugly people do even uglier things to one another.… Expand
  11. RowanBlack
    Sep 3, 2022
    6
    Defiantly beautiful and majestic in some of the scenes. The writers are certainly going to have a challenge bringing these stories together....which is what you can expect crunching 2000 years of story together. What feels like several movies chopped up and spliced together relies heavily on the audience believing in the connections. With characters whos lives span centuries makes forDefiantly beautiful and majestic in some of the scenes. The writers are certainly going to have a challenge bringing these stories together....which is what you can expect crunching 2000 years of story together. What feels like several movies chopped up and spliced together relies heavily on the audience believing in the connections. With characters whos lives span centuries makes for difficult connections with the audience, they point out those facts several times but tend to ignore them where plot is concerned.
    I hope as the season continues it will feel more connected and personal. However, I worry that the historic weight will be to much and they will be unable to pull off a convincing time crunch to make the story resonate with fans.    … Expand
  12. ThoughtfulScore
    Sep 4, 2022
    6
    This shouldn't be shocking, but the writers at Amazon don't possess the authorial talents of Tolkien. The story isn't as well crafted as the books, or previous movies. Elves are less relatable than hobbits or humans and, since we know they're going to survive, focusing on Elrond & Galadriel maybe isn't the best choice, but clearly a lot of love went into making the show.

    The CGI is    This shouldn't be shocking, but the writers at Amazon don't possess the authorial talents of Tolkien. The story isn't as well crafted as the books, or previous movies. Elves are less relatable than hobbits or humans and, since we know they're going to survive, focusing on Elrond & Galadriel maybe isn't the best choice, but clearly a lot of love went into making the show.

    The CGI is incredible, yet the difference in technology between 2001 and 2022 doesn't completely make up for the drop off in storytelling between JRR & Amazon. The stakes don't feel well-balanced when characters get into sticky situations, resulting in diminished tension. There is still a great opportunity to tell a cool story about the forging of the rings here, and the show is extremely well executed from a technical perspective, so there is still hope.    … Expand
  13. darkistorrik
    Sep 2, 2022
    6
    A solid 6 for me. Yes, it's not what the fans expected, but it's still interesting, better graphics and special effects. Good music (just good, not the best). But it's certainly not 10/10. The plot is too simple, the series wants to please everyone, but it doesn’t work out (no nudity, not enough blood and dirt, everything is too clean, there are no emotions of the actors, except for aA solid 6 for me. Yes, it's not what the fans expected, but it's still interesting, better graphics and special effects. Good music (just good, not the best). But it's certainly not 10/10. The plot is too simple, the series wants to please everyone, but it doesn’t work out (no nudity, not enough blood and dirt, everything is too clean, there are no emotions of the actors, except for a couple)
    But I would love to watch the whole season. Perhaps it will get better.    … Expand
  14. Godfryd
    Sep 4, 2022
    6
    I'll premise this by saying that I love LotR (books and movies), but I have never read Silmarilion or other Tolkien books than LotR and Hobbit.

    For me, the first two episodes were 6/10, it's a little above mediocre fantasy. Galadriel was better than I expected, Elrond is pretty good, but elves overall feel too human - there's nothing magical about them which is a little disappointing.    I'll premise this by saying that I love LotR (books and movies), but I have never read Silmarilion or other Tolkien books than LotR and Hobbit.

    For me, the first two episodes were 6/10, it's a little above mediocre fantasy. Galadriel was better than I expected, Elrond is pretty good, but elves overall feel too human - there's nothing magical about them which is a little disappointing.
    Dwarves are fantastic, and honestly, if the whole series was about dwarves, it would be 10/10 for me. The only story part I am excited to see further. However, on the other end of the stick are harfoots, which almost put me to sleep, I wouldn't be watching at all if it was about them.

    There are many stupid scenes that don't make logical sense, but there are also some really pretty shots. Sometimes things go super fast, and people teleport all over the world, and sometimes things slow down to boredom.

    If you just want to relax and shut your brain, watching this costly fan fiction might provide some fun, but don't overthink what you're seeing.    … Expand
  15. bertobellamy
    Sep 2, 2022
    6
    Everything looks amazing, but it's kind of hard to feel drawn by this, especially when you have a more engaging story in 'House of the Dragon.' There are more interesting characters than others, and the pacing is not that good, but the potential is there. Let's see what the rest of the season has in store.
  16. Killandkillary
    Sep 5, 2022
    6
    I’m not so shocked by the review-bombing, but I am shocked by how many negative reviews refer to Tolkien as a writer who produced “timeless works of world literature” or whatever. The source material is total pablum. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with pablum but it’s kind of embarrassing when one tries to earnestly claim that said pablum is actually a rich tableau of intellectualI’m not so shocked by the review-bombing, but I am shocked by how many negative reviews refer to Tolkien as a writer who produced “timeless works of world literature” or whatever. The source material is total pablum. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with pablum but it’s kind of embarrassing when one tries to earnestly claim that said pablum is actually a rich tableau of intellectual treasures. Also, I read a review in which some dude referred to himself as a “Tolkienist” and then proceeded to type up an interminable number of sentences full of misspelled words and grammatical errors. If you’re going to feign being some kind of scholar you should probably at least hold yourself to the barest of academic standards. Seriously, complaining about this is like complaining about Mountain Dew flavors. Have some self-respect.… Expand
  17. ObjectiveKD
    Sep 5, 2022
    6
    Y'all hardcore haters need to be real: the show is not THAT bad. Now, it's definitely not perfect.

    Galadriel is an entire issue on her own, but no intellectually honest person can claim she's a true Mary Sue (it's like calling a cat a cheetah just because it has spots). There are pacing issues, which are somewhat alleviated in Ep. 2. The plot is slow so far, but we're only TWO episodes    Y'all hardcore haters need to be real: the show is not THAT bad. Now, it's definitely not perfect.

    Galadriel is an entire issue on her own, but no intellectually honest person can claim she's a true Mary Sue (it's like calling a cat a cheetah just because it has spots). There are pacing issues, which are somewhat alleviated in Ep. 2. The plot is slow so far, but we're only TWO episodes in. There is a lot of wasted screen time on awkward stares as well as pointless high-stakes situations.

    Again, this show has many issues. No show or movie is perfect. But those issues don't make it unwatchable or incapable of being improved.    … Expand
  18. Laemoth
    Oct 15, 2022
    5
    After seeing it all, All I can say is...Meh.
    The beginning was really promising, but promises shatters against a story that has nothing to tell, with characters that constantly act inconsistently or even contradictory, storylines abandoned and events that happens almost comically (without wanting it).

    Not as bad as many says, but definitely a lost chance.
  19. MadMax09392
    Sep 2, 2022
    6
    Amazing VFX , Costumes , Soundtrack and Cinematography Can't say much about the story yet and since it's adapted from an appendix that is more of an overview of the history of a Fantasy world than a story it could go both ways. Is it more engaging and well made than Netflix's Witcher Yes it is it's on a completely other level of production design.
    But a series can not rely on production    Amazing VFX , Costumes , Soundtrack and Cinematography Can't say much about the story yet and since it's adapted from an appendix that is more of an overview of the history of a Fantasy world than a story it could go both ways. Is it more engaging and well made than Netflix's Witcher Yes it is it's on a completely other level of production design.
    But a series can not rely on production value alone the future will tell what it ends up being.    … Expand
  20. raorian
    Sep 2, 2022
    4
    They completely missed the mark with galadriel, which should have been stoic and majestic. they could have made her battle oriented, but they should have given her light armor and a spear... galadriel is the worst part, but they also did a lot really well, and overall it's worth a watch. obviously not as good as lotr proper.
  21. BrianDavid94
    Sep 30, 2022
    5
    5 episodes in and it doesn't seem like it's following the lore. Big budget company just in it for the money. Still decent but a big let down.
  22. ckgamer
    Sep 2, 2022
    6
    its certainly better than what I expected without the sjw elements could be much better and get 8 instead of 7 I gave it 7 instead of 6 because of the very good cinematography and visuals ... like I said its better than what I expected though I'm anti sjw so I can only give it 7

    Well scew sjw and woke I’m giving it 6 anyway **** hate sjw terrorists
  23. Dee-Jay_Deli
    Nov 21, 2022
    5
    Update after the end of season 1: Yes, the review bombing and hatred directed towards the show is absurd and exaggerated. But after the conclusion, much of the criticism is justified. Maybe not the vitriol, but the show isn't well-written, the narrative not compelling, the characters, mostly bland and unsypathetic.

    As beautiful as it is, and as well-produced it may be...the core    Update after the end of season 1: Yes, the review bombing and hatred directed towards the show is absurd and exaggerated. But after the conclusion, much of the criticism is justified. Maybe not the vitriol, but the show isn't well-written, the narrative not compelling, the characters, mostly bland and unsypathetic.

    As beautiful as it is, and as well-produced it may be...the core narrative and characters are boring. The few highlights of the show are often butchered with poor editing, leaving the audience confused.

    At the end of the day, it's just "not good" and "fine" at best.    … Expand
  24. QlachPL
    Dec 27, 2022
    6
    After two Episode i am so extremely exited. The show is unhurried, wonderful atmosphere reflecting the Middle-earth fully. Very good acting, Morfydd, Markella and Ishmael - bravo. Extremely interesting montage combined with sound design gives us the atmosphere from Peter Jackson's LOTR. Soundtrack could be better
  25. Daermon
    Sep 2, 2022
    4
    This ruin Tolkiens legacy… Its not true Tolkien adaptation. Just a big budget random fantasy sh*t… :( If you need the true Tolkien lore: read the books! Far better.
  26. Prosmooth
    Sep 2, 2022
    4
    Have only watched the first episode. Just a casual Tolkien fan. Read the LOTRings once. Really enjoyed the Jackson trilogy. Hated his Hobbit trilogy. This is better than that, but not by much. It's dull. Really dull. So dull, that I'm not bothering to continue with the show.
  27. Android18
    Sep 2, 2022
    4
    Boring.. Annoying music at all times. Zoomed in close up faces so you can see every pore. This whole show is just 2020 election retold in LOTR universe. Elves are progressives who defeated Morgoth (Trump) but Sauron (MAGA voters) are coming back in 2024 to spread evil on Earth. Its so blatant its like a 13 year old wrote this fanfic. Human says something like "Our true king will be backBoring.. Annoying music at all times. Zoomed in close up faces so you can see every pore. This whole show is just 2020 election retold in LOTR universe. Elves are progressives who defeated Morgoth (Trump) but Sauron (MAGA voters) are coming back in 2024 to spread evil on Earth. Its so blatant its like a 13 year old wrote this fanfic. Human says something like "Our true king will be back soon" and calls the black elf "knife ears"... Its all so tiresome... While looking over human city in a tower one elf says "it has changed much..." the other elf says: "But the men who live here have not. The blood of those who stood with Morgoth still darkens their veins.". So basically Trump voters are demons... 1 billion dollar budget. I got bored and surfed the web at times. I tried to give it a chance... If you replaced every black character with a white character and had that scene shot 100 percent the same.. it would still be terrible. I don't care who played each character this show is just awful. Hobbit sniffs air??? The whole thing is soo goofy. Why was that goblin soo strong? I will watch next maybe 2 episodes... If something interesting does not happen I am done.… Expand
  28. desertwayne
    Sep 2, 2022
    4
    Beware! Dangerously high levels of wokeness! They should put that as warning label. Otherwise it does feel like generic fantasy with LoTR named slapped on it.
  29. rodrigo666
    Sep 2, 2022
    4
    Bad casting, flat and highly dull plot with some absurdities, and no compromise with the original material. The direction has little to do with such poor written material.
  30. robert-omb
    Sep 12, 2022
    4
    Flimsy cardboard cutouts set in a diorama of superficial beauty. Inconsistent tone, inane dialogue, disregard for the source material, and an aura of soullessness. It's bewildering how something so expensive could feel so cheap. Stick with Peter Jackson or read the books.
  31. iskatu
    Sep 2, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Galadriel trying to swim across the ocean? Are you serious ? So this doesn't seem strange to anyone? I mean screenwriters. It's really a pity.… Expand
  32. Zhoasbull
    Sep 2, 2022
    4
    Great visuals, but no characters grabbed me. The writing was pure formula and the acting was wooden.
  33. zaclinmac
    Sep 2, 2022
    5
    I think Amazon made this show so you’d get bored while watching it and go on your laptop to browse Amazon. Big brain move.

    It’s not that bad, but it’s certainly not entertaining. Wouldn’t have watched it if it didn’t have LOTR branding on it. Super mid.
  34. Horsedog5
    Sep 12, 2022
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This show is super slow to develop. There are not a lot of actionable scenes. I am hoping that it will get better but so far I am an episode 3 and it is a struggle to keep going… Expand
  35. PotatoQueen32
    Sep 14, 2022
    4
    Pretty uninspired show, it feels like it was written by total amateurs trying to emulate other better shows. The acting, costumes and writing are comparable to CW shows and the writing alone is on par with GOT season 8. Amazon spent a lot of money just for pretty cgi but skipped out on everything else. It shows when all the 10 scores (ha!) can only talk about its graphics. If Amazon wantsPretty uninspired show, it feels like it was written by total amateurs trying to emulate other better shows. The acting, costumes and writing are comparable to CW shows and the writing alone is on par with GOT season 8. Amazon spent a lot of money just for pretty cgi but skipped out on everything else. It shows when all the 10 scores (ha!) can only talk about its graphics. If Amazon wants to do better they should hire seasoned writers… Expand
  36. Zaine6
    Sep 13, 2022
    5
    It's serviceable at best which isn't ok for such an IP and budget. This isn't just another show, this could should of been THE show of our life time. Additionally none of the changes that were made were necessary and just a slap in the face that takes us out of the immersion.
  37. Dodger
    Sep 7, 2022
    4
    The only thing going for this show at the moment are the visuals. The dialogue/script in genuinely aweful, every conversation is so stilted. I think everyone else have covered the issues with character developemnt the story and pacing so i'll leave that bit to them.
  38. GamingUnites
    Sep 14, 2022
    5
    A prime example of big business throwing money around to buy the rights to an IP they have no intention of respecting for the mere purpose of trying to 'buy' fans as if they are livestock; cattle to be herded into their corporate pastures so they can be milked like cash cows.

    Apart from the very high production values, this is a decidedly mediocre series made far worse due to its    A prime example of big business throwing money around to buy the rights to an IP they have no intention of respecting for the mere purpose of trying to 'buy' fans as if they are livestock; cattle to be herded into their corporate pastures so they can be milked like cash cows.

    Apart from the very high production values, this is a decidedly mediocre series made far worse due to its cultural insensitivity. Plot holes, nonsensical character behaviour, Marvel-esque (but executed poorly) action sequences, shallow characters and ofttimes woeful, secondary-school-level writing make this a great disappointment. There are even several instances that outright copy notable moments from the original trilogy of movies in a weak, vapid attempt to awaken the affection and nostalgia people have for those wonderful films in a vain push to buy goodwill. And we're only 3 episodes in. It's pathetic.

    A wizard getting angry and rising to his full height whilst the world dims around him? Check. People bickering and fighting while a lone, brave, quiet voice grows in power until it causes them all to turn in stunned silence? Check. It's so weak and derivative.

    If you enjoy dialogue that is constantly vague and constantly says cheesy things similar to, "Sometimes the wind that seeks to extinguish a flame, ends up inflaming it' then you'll be right at home here.

    Oh, and a note on their casting choices:

    If it were any other region's folklore that was being made into a TV show, people would be screaming for the creators to show respect and cultural sensitivity but it's based on white European heritage so it must, apparently, be abused and vandalised.

    Listen here Amazon (Disney etc,..), if you want to create worlds that fit into your cultural agenda then go ahead...but could you at least consider doing so by creating something new? Is that too much to ask? To ask for creative people to, er, you know, create? Don't just attempt to ride on the coattails of established IP's and their fandoms whilst not honouring the works in question. It's artistically bankrupt, creatively cowardly and outright dishonest.

    You can't take something people love, change it drastically and subsequently complain when they're not happy. As for those who complain the negative reviews are from bigots, well, how comes HotD is doing fine? That's as diverse as it gets. How comes there are even reviewers who said it's mediocre?

    Oh, and if you loved Cate Blanchette's ethereal, graceful and yet subtly powerful and awe-inspiring Galadriel then you'll probably be as crestfallen as I was to see the character reduced to what the modern world apparently refers to as a 'Karen'. It's as if they deliberately want you to dislike her, tremendously. She's almost always irritable, distrusting, constantly acting hard done by and treats people as if they're servants no matter how helpful and patient they are being.

    I know it's many years before the Galadriel we know from Jackson's trilogy but still, she's horrible.

    In summary, they had no intention of keeping to the feel of the original books and movies. They wanted the money-making potential of the IP, but nothing else. They also seemingly wanted the material, story and characters to fit their 'culture-war' agenda and so hired writers (I use the term loosely) based on that rather than talent. This is the result. A creatively poor mess with mixed up priorities.    … Expand
  39. RubyMouse
    Sep 4, 2022
    4
    I'm disappointed at the use of old fashioned stereotypes of Irish people in this show and the US centric assumption that because several are POC that makes it less offensive. I'm also disappointed at the clunky dialogue and exposition and at the depiction of all who fail to be impressed as toxic review bombing bots. It simply is not that good although I really hope that it improves.
  40. hammbone18
    Sep 4, 2022
    4
    I don’t remember/care about what happened in the show. The only character whose name I remember is Galadriel. This show is pretty blah and mediocre at best. Feels like it was written in a Tuesday afternoon meeting, in a stuffy conference room. That is probably the most honest review I can give so far.
  41. bjmetacritic
    Sep 16, 2022
    5
    Halfway through season 1, I think we have a fair picture of this show.
    The Good
    -CGI and practical effects are mostly good. -The portrayal of the dwarves is mostly good. The Bad -The pseudo-Tolkien dialogue comes off as amateurish and breaks immersion. -The portrayal of Galadriel as a rude, impulsive super-soldier is annoying. -The elves do not look or act like the elves in the books,    Halfway through season 1, I think we have a fair picture of this show.
    The Good
    -CGI and practical effects are mostly good.
    -The portrayal of the dwarves is mostly good.
    The Bad
    -The pseudo-Tolkien dialogue comes off as amateurish and breaks immersion. -The portrayal of Galadriel as a rude, impulsive super-soldier is annoying.
    -The elves do not look or act like the elves in the books, which makes it feel like generic fantasy. -The hobbits are insufferable. -The plot moves at a snail's pace.
    -There are obvious plot holes and inexplicable decisions.
    The fact that I'm still watching means the show has some appeal, but there is a lot of room for improvement. I hope (but do not expect) that they will learn from the season 1 feedback and course-correct in coming seasons.    … Expand
  42. Laurezna
    Sep 2, 2022
    4
    Points in favor: The visual section is spectacular, it is beautifully filmed and the music is very nice. One or another scene is exciting, but not too much.

    Points against: The costumes are quite mediocre, the same with the performances, the canonical characters of Tolkien's work are unrecognizable, both physically (That Celebrimbor is an old man, when the elves do not age and Galadriel    Points in favor: The visual section is spectacular, it is beautifully filmed and the music is very nice. One or another scene is exciting, but not too much.

    Points against: The costumes are quite mediocre, the same with the performances, the canonical characters of Tolkien's work are unrecognizable, both physically (That Celebrimbor is an old man, when the elves do not age and Galadriel is his great-aunt, is unforgivable), as in her personality, for example Galadriel not only does not resemble the great Galadriel that fascinated us so much in Tolkien's universe (Wise, powerful and strong without requiring a sword), but she is simply insufferable, and they make the other characters look foolish to make her shine. Elves don't look like elves, they don't have that halo of beauty and wisdom, and I thought it was a bad decision that they mostly had short hair, the same goes for the lack of beards on dwarf women. The dialogues are embarrassing, in their attempt to be solemn and deep, they seem stiff. The harfoots have a lousy design, they look destitute. And perhaps a point that seems important to me is that it doesn't seem like a world taken from Tolkien's lore, they can't emulate that magic, it seems like a fan fiction that has no coherence with the original material, and although I understand that it's because they don't have rights of The Silmarilion, it seems to me that it was a bad decision to adapt the second age when there are so many important events that have to change. I think this series is disrespectful to Tolkien's legacy.    … Expand
  43. mastershay
    Sep 5, 2022
    4
    This makes the Lord of the Rings cartoons look like Gone with the Wind. Mediocre directors + mediocre writers + mediocre actors = mediocre show. Feels like it was written by kids in middle school. Why did they not hire veterans with proven track records? Also throw in the fad politics that permeates TV and movies these days for extra annoyance, along with characters that constantly makeThis makes the Lord of the Rings cartoons look like Gone with the Wind. Mediocre directors + mediocre writers + mediocre actors = mediocre show. Feels like it was written by kids in middle school. Why did they not hire veterans with proven track records? Also throw in the fad politics that permeates TV and movies these days for extra annoyance, along with characters that constantly make dumb decisions. All the money in the world means nothing if there's no soul. I want this to succeed and be good because I like LOTR, but so far it does not. Please upgrade the team for season 2, if it's not too late.… Expand
  44. Karma_police
    Sep 5, 2022
    4
    Woke of the Rings: Return of Mary Sue and the African Elves.

    This series reinterpret some things that should not be touched specially because there is already a cinematic representation of the books that people love, I know they might shield on the books, but even then some of the decisions they took are clearly ideological in the sense they probably have some kind of check list to fill    Woke of the Rings: Return of Mary Sue and the African Elves.

    This series reinterpret some things that should not be touched specially because there is already a cinematic representation of the books that people love, I know they might shield on the books, but even then some of the decisions they took are clearly ideological in the sense they probably have some kind of check list to fill with diversity and archetypes.

    I don't think it's worthless I actually had some fun watching, but most of the time I just feel this could have been a fan favorite representation of Tolkien's work, but as always with modern media, they just have to intentionally ruin what people love.    … Expand
  45. Hazan
    Sep 3, 2022
    5
    Beautiful visuals but an empty show. The dialogue, pacing and plot are particularly bland in this
  46. morales1992
    Sep 6, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The production value is GREAT. The show looks really good, WAY better than MCU stuff, and on par with Game of Thrones. The soundtrack is spot on, and I liked some characters, like Elrond and Durin. But here's when things start to go south for the show. The first two episodes are boring as hell. Galadriel's portrait is plain bad from the get go, and I've seen the "girl gets bullied by the other kids" scene a dozen times, at least, and it only gets worse. She behaves like she doesn't care for anything besides her revenge, even risking the lives of his fellow soldiers to achieve it. A little bit of wisdom would go a long way to make her character likeable, but she's just unbearable. I hope things get better, cause taking for the first two hours of ROP, this show doesn't live up to the Tolkien works in almost any way.… Expand
  47. Monkrag
    Sep 2, 2022
    5
    Visuals are amazing but there are some annoying choices like short hair elves

    Soundtrack is great Writers and dialogue pull down the show heavily With the first lines and scenes the writers show they do not understand Tolkien or LOTR as there is a strict diversion of Good/Evil. Gald Is poorly written as the vengeful, "can't get over it" warrior and feels far more like a Mary    Visuals are amazing but there are some annoying choices like short hair elves

    Soundtrack is great

    Writers and dialogue pull down the show heavily

    With the first lines and scenes the writers show they do not understand Tolkien or LOTR as there is a strict diversion of Good/Evil. Gald Is poorly written as the vengeful, "can't get over it" warrior and feels far more like a Mary sue/Karen critics are talking about.
    Writers annoyingly devote significant screen time to awkward racism against the black elf and interracial relations as a statement about race in US again shows lack of interest in writing a LOTR story and priority of sending a message rather then making a good show. Half foot Frodo copy n pasta is unnecessary but I will say I enjoy the chief shaman one.

    Another potential good show ruined by writers who just want use a IP and "correct" it as their new chief Tolkien expert says after they fired the other one who disagreed with their choices. Also as an extra I will say do not positive or negative review bomb as this obliviously isn't a 0 or a 10    … Expand
  48. kidcassidy14
    Sep 4, 2022
    4
    Many reviews written already and many of them might be a bit harsh. But its mostly because of the arrogance of Amazon and their political agenda. Anyway, now the show itself. Is it any good? The looks and design are not bad, neither is the music. They've done a pretty good job there. Those aspects are important, but more important is the level of writing and acting. If those aren't good,Many reviews written already and many of them might be a bit harsh. But its mostly because of the arrogance of Amazon and their political agenda. Anyway, now the show itself. Is it any good? The looks and design are not bad, neither is the music. They've done a pretty good job there. Those aspects are important, but more important is the level of writing and acting. If those aren't good, then a good looking show will fail. Unfortunately it looks like this will be the case here. The writing is pretty awful at times and so is the acting. Some of the actors need to look tough, but instead of looking touch, it makes me cringe how terrible it is at times. Of course, Amazon has an agenda and want diversity. That's fine, but at least make it work and believable. Lord of the Rings isn't Lord of the Rings anymore, if you don't respect the original book. That's the case here, they've done what they wanted to do, didn't care about quality, just released a statement and that's it. Too bad people look away now and don't care about the product you've released. So next time work on that and don't foll your customers!… Expand
  49. PatrykKeska4
    Sep 7, 2022
    4
    For now 4 stars this is the most what I can give.
    Ofcourse when we gonna ignore source material and Tolkien work, and treat this series as generic fantasy show.
    pros : * for soundtrack, not all of them but I belive it can be epic. * Dwarfs - yes dwarfs, atleast Amazon know how to create dwarfs, how to create location and right vibe. Still has nightmares after what netflix did with    For now 4 stars this is the most what I can give.
    Ofcourse when we gonna ignore source material and Tolkien work, and treat this series as generic fantasy show.

    pros :
    * for soundtrack, not all of them but I belive it can be epic.

    * Dwarfs - yes dwarfs, atleast Amazon know how to create dwarfs, how to create location and right vibe. Still has nightmares after what netflix did with Witcher series and dwarfs.

    * CGI, open world , some location feels a little bit plastic but overall we can see what costed a lot in this series. Honestly i preffer more dark and dirty characterisation

    cons:

    * a completely unsuccessful casting, most of the characters are not fit. Honestly I'm surprised, i thought it will be complete disaster but some characters are better than in trailers.

    * Logic - actually lack of logic,

    * Garadiel - Most annoying and wooden played character

    * poor dialogues - mother of god... Someone try to force make epic elvish Proverbs which actually has no sens at all...

    * for now poor writing - what can I say.
    I fell asleep in the first episode. Episode two is way better and this is the reason why Amazon dicided to release two at once, otherway most of the reviews should be around 1/2.

    * Actually there is no middle earth here, I'm mean this vibe which Peter Jackson bring on the screens.

    * Costimues - yes, When I did put a CGI and locations in pros, I'cant say same about outfits.All of them looks "clean" and feels plastic...

    * I did complain about casting, from a view an actor fitting to the role, right now i have even worse feeling about species overall looks except dwarfs.
    Don't get me wrong, But Elves should looks epic like "higher class" than humans. Exactly how Jacson show them. Most of them looks exactly like my neightbours... Most funny is there is one Elves which facial structure
    is right for Elvs and this characters is Arondir. Still i wish we had Elvs with long blond hairs.

    * diversity - yes... Best way to ruin the show becouse you have to mix everthing and evryone... Is it that hard to respect lore, and give everyone a right respect ?
    There is a lot of ways to do it right. I don't want to see "myself" as an Elf or Dwarf BECOUSE I don't have attributes which are specific for this species... Is it that hard to do it ? Where most of "diversity" beliver see the problem. EVERYONE DON'T HAVE TO FIT EVERYHERE... We all are diffrent and this make us special.    … Expand
  50. Gallandro1
    Sep 4, 2022
    4
    RoP struggles to find a rhythm over its two introductory episodes. Unfortunately the cast is largely forgettable outside of Elrond and the dwarves. Even more problematic, Galadriel is so one-note over these two episodes that she’s extremely unlikeable as a character.

    Gorgeous visual, but uninspiring story and script make for a very mixed bag.
  51. xareth
    Sep 4, 2022
    4
    I am not disappointed. After seeing trailers and actors saying what we should expect I was expecting the show to be below average. Also, I was expecting the same from House of the Dragon, however GoT sequel (after two episodes) was better than I anticipated. It is not the case of Amazon interpretation of Tolkien.

    I am a big fan of Tolkien's work and Peter's Jackson lotr movies. However,    I am not disappointed. After seeing trailers and actors saying what we should expect I was expecting the show to be below average. Also, I was expecting the same from House of the Dragon, however GoT sequel (after two episodes) was better than I anticipated. It is not the case of Amazon interpretation of Tolkien.

    I am a big fan of Tolkien's work and Peter's Jackson lotr movies. However, in case of Rings of power, it was a chore to see this world butchered. However, I decided to watch and rate first two episodes as regular fantasy..

    Positives:
    - actors are matched ok.
    - some views are nice looking
    - clothing is ok. Some armor look average, but it is not something really poor
    - music often is ok
    - race swap: i was worrying that it will be a problem with black elf but actor is fitting well there

    Negatives:
    - dialogues are awful. Each scene is a conflict between characters. They argue about anything..
    - Plot is not believable, however maybe in later episodes will be better.
    - Most of the scenes feel like fillers.
    - CGI.. everywhere CGI.
    - and when they want to make orc not cgi it looks not so great. It looks like human that is wearing orc makeup..
    - fight scenes.. Galadriel fighting troll.. it looks just stupid.. There is no impact when she attacks troll. Compare it to fight in Moria vs troll. You could feel that troll is dangerous enemy. That he has thick skin. You need spear to penetrate it, not slice and dice it with a knife..

    Probably I could write more.. But it is just bland below average show. It is not terrible. You can watch it and have some fun. However, if we take into consideration it costs $750, 000,000 and it was created based on Tolkien's work.. It is disappointing that they did not manage to give us great show.    … Expand
  52. Iyunzusto
    Sep 6, 2022
    5
    It's actually pretty entertaining and an absolute feast for the eyes. There's a decent amount of suspenseful writing.

    As for the diversity issue, here's the problem. It's that it feels inauthentic. It's forced. And that takes you out of the immersion which compromises the experience. People are not racist for questioning black hobbits. Why are black people black? It's a defense against    It's actually pretty entertaining and an absolute feast for the eyes. There's a decent amount of suspenseful writing.

    As for the diversity issue, here's the problem. It's that it feels inauthentic. It's forced. And that takes you out of the immersion which compromises the experience.

    People are not racist for questioning black hobbits. Why are black people black? It's a defense against equatorial sunlight. So why would there be black hobbits and white hobbits originating from the same northern-europe-analogue climate? Also why, if they're an insular society, are the black people still black and the white people still white? You mean they haven't cross bred for thousands of years?

    So because it's not believable, it comes across for what it really is - the ideological efforts of the casting team to inject diversity and inclusion for the sake of diversity and inclusion. Instead of thinking about the plot and characters, now I'm thinking of some diversity officer on the production team listing quotas for black hobbits.    … Expand
  53. Murphyslaw
    Oct 11, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I watched up to episode 6 and don't think I have any wish to continue. This feels like a generic tv show filled to the brim with mediocrity, with very little of the magic in the books or the movies.
    The music is ok, the visuals are nice and the acting from certain individuals is relatively good. I particularly enjoy the scenes with Elrond and Durin. The actress playing Galadirlel also seems to know her salt, it's just unfortunate she got stuck with such an unlikable, wooden, and single track character. I'd put a lot of the other cast in the same boat unfortunately. Good acting, badly written character. Sadly none of that makes up for the terrible writing and absolutely massive plot holes. Not to mention, despite the universe this is set in, in the end everything just felt... small.

    SPOILERS!

    Episode 6, a massive charge of horses is seen bolting at top speed to their destination to apparently save the village which is under attack. How on earth did they know it was under attack? Were they just running their horses hard for no reason and just happened to stumble across this? Why would they be doing this to their horses if they had no idea where they were immediately going, what they were up against, or even WHY they were charging in the first place? This scene just starts this way, there is no context given to explain ANY of the actions from the cavalry.

    Even worse is this sadly seems so easy to notice and fix. Add a scene before the charge. They are scouting/slowly making their way inland. They see a commotion in the distance. Galadriel has them prepare to charge, she spies orcs with her elven eyes. (she spotted land an hour before humans could see it not 5 minutes earlier in the episodes -_-) It is as if no one proof read this. This was a one and done, shipped out the door 'perfect' as is.

    This is but one example of many. Actions are taken that make no sense. Characters feel wooden and on rails. And the audience is left to fill in TOO many blanks (if that is even the writers intent and it's not just purely bad writing) The other elements of the show are then sadly left to pick up the pieces.

    TL;DR Not worth watching. For the massive amount of money they have spent on this, you'd think they would have hired competent writers.

    P.S. It is unfortunate this has been hounded by alt right extremists and this toxic "anti-woke" crowd, as it reduces the value of fair criticism. For what it is worth, I think Ismael Cruz Córdova is doing a fine job and I LOVE the woman playing Durin's wife, Sophia Nomvete. She had sass!

    Despite trying to give them leeway and not be a purist when it comes to established canon, I still can't stand what they did to hobbits or harfoots. Genuinely hate it. Ugh    … Expand
  54. tonto
    Sep 4, 2022
    4
    High production values leads to beautiful cinematography, but the writing leaves something to be desired. The show is a slow burn, with a lot of dialogue that's kinda clunky and it takes a while to get moving. It doesn't really feel like the original Lord of the Rings trilogy.
  55. Vertas
    Sep 3, 2022
    4
    It's not that the show is bad and probably would've been quite alright if it had been presented as a new IP. The problem here is the absolutely sacrilege way they've handled the established lore of Tolkien's world. Amazon have not shown any respect for what Tolkien created and only see his work as a cash grab from his fan base.
  56. MrFlyby
    Sep 4, 2022
    4
    Spending 1 billion dollars to make a show that employs c list actors, inexperienced and unintelligent writers, only to bastardize the lore of the source material marks a new era in corporate invasion of popular culture .

    It’s not hard to understand. We liked LoTR because it was good. The acting was good, the writing was good, and it honored the source material. Same with GoT. but this    Spending 1 billion dollars to make a show that employs c list actors, inexperienced and unintelligent writers, only to bastardize the lore of the source material marks a new era in corporate invasion of popular culture .

    It’s not hard to understand. We liked LoTR because it was good. The acting was good, the writing was good, and it honored the source material.

    Same with GoT. but this show fails at almost everything it sets out to accomplish aside from making pretty cgi.    … Expand
  57. Veska
    Sep 4, 2022
    5
    When you order LOTR from Wish...And elves with short hair look like humans with fake ears...
  58. KeirAndo
    Sep 4, 2022
    5
    Two episodes in and it's really not as "woke" as I was worried, but it's just badly written and acted.
    It looks beautiful,but the writing is just really over-egged and some of the acting is just totally overplayed. Poor Galadriel has been done a total disservice.

    And dwarf women are supposed to have beards and look like men!
  59. Peachboiii
    Sep 3, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a review for the two first episodes.

    I refuse to believe people with brains are behind those 10/10 reviews. This show was an insult of intelligence. But neither does it deserve a 1/10.

    Where to start? Lets start with Aman. Finrod, the dialogue between him and Galadriel is cringe and/or weird. Seems like they tried really hard to be profound. I really dislike his hair. Elf children behaving like thst in the undying lands too? It feels off. Valinor looked great tho.

    There are lot weird pacing/awful cuts.

    The ice climbing scene is awful. Galadriel is so far ahead and it comes off as arrogance. Yes, we get it. She is better than everyone. If they're trying show her determination, i feel they failed. And traveling in snow and ice in metal armor? That's profoundly dumb. Frostbite, she says. Yeah, no **** Her whispery voice was annoying. It annoys me that she is so annoying, because seeing the promo pictures, i thought the casting was spot on. But i guess its not the actress' fault, and more the writers/director. But by the time they reach the fortress, i really dislike her. Galadriel that is, not Morfydd. When they find the mark of sauron, one elf says why bother, it might be centuries old. So are you, you dumb stick. You're an elf ffs. Immortal. Whats a century for you?

    Then they encounter a troll. It kills some of them, then Galadriel comes and beats it singlehandedly. Without an effort. Mary sue much? And there's some crouching tiger hidden dragon matrix kinda **** It was the worst part about Legolas in Lotr, and they do it here too, literally 16 minutes in

    First meeting with the harfoots was ok. However, as a small traveling tribe, the ethnicities from around the world feels a bit weird. And they resemble gypsies or hobos, more than hobbits.

    There's some dialogue between Elrond and Galadriel in Lindon that feels clunky. You see what they're trying to do, but they dont really nail it. Again, i blame poor writing. And again some very noticable weird cuts.
    And fireworks? Really?

    Arondir bar encounter was cringe. I think the elves clothing were really nice, except fron the face on armor. I really hope they're not doing an elf/human relationship as an homage to tolkien, cause i feel that just stupid and disrespectful. Really, really hope its going to be more like Aegnor and Andreth.

    The sick cow black goo was extremely, i dont know, weird, stupid? And this really felt like it happened just to make the plot happen. Again, i blame poor writing.

    Gil Galad looks great. Really great casting, but the character/writing is bad/off.

    Celebrimbor is so far off from what i imagined, so thats a personal negative.

    The sail to aman was really good. Favourite part so far. Or the image of the two trees.

    By episode two, i really dislike the harfoots. And I hope by god meteor man is not Sauron or Gandalf.

    The map showing their trip to khazad dum was laughably stupid. And they're wearing the same clothes, and the whole seems like they took a 10 minute trip to their neighbour. Khazad dum looked great though.

    Dwarves decent so far, but Elronds interaction with Durin and Disa felt queer. And Durin and Disa scenes felt more like a sitcom. I was really hoping to see dwarves being taken more seriously this time.

    The sea monster scene was good, but the Halbrand sea scene alone with Galadriel is weird. Off. Being secretive just for intrigue? I blame poor writing here too, because i haven't seen enough of Halbrand to judge his acting.

    The fact that Galadriel thought of swimming back to middle earth is so profoundly stupid. So utterly, profoundly stupid. What the... where the writers thinking?

    And maybe i zoned out, but it was weird how was she suddenly awake to start swimming when she was unconcious under water?

    Two durins??? Make it make sense
    The scene with the orc in the house was fun.

    Overall, the elves hair is effing laughable. Nitpicking but still, it all adds up to be annoying. They also feel alot like humans.

    Dialogue is very weird and clunky. I think the writers was trying to hard? And were out of their depth. The pacing is bad and there are some really weird cuts. The music is good and the acting isnok for the most part. The visuals are mostly stunning. Best part about the first two episodes. Other than that, i found them very boring. It might get better, but i will only review the first two as my subscription runs out, and I have no interest i watching the rest. To summarize, its a visually stunning turkey.    … Expand
  60. Marangoni13
    Sep 3, 2022
    5
    So far is mediocre. The only good thing is the production. You can see the money invested in
  61. 20comer70correr
    Sep 5, 2022
    5
    Review in Portuguese and English.
    Resenha em português e Inglês.
    Eu vi algumas coisas que não me agradam muito, eu vejo que progressismo está acima de tudo na série, eles querem enfiar as suas ideologias políticas nas nossas cabeças a todo custo. E, eu não duvido que o LGBTQHFGFGFGHW (todo ano há um novo tipo de sexo) apareça a qualquer momento. Todavia, em contraponto, eu gostei dos    Review in Portuguese and English.
    Resenha em português e Inglês.

    Eu vi algumas coisas que não me agradam muito, eu vejo que progressismo está acima de tudo na série, eles querem enfiar as suas ideologias políticas nas nossas cabeças a todo custo. E, eu não duvido que o LGBTQHFGFGFGHW (todo ano há um novo tipo de sexo) apareça a qualquer momento. Todavia, em contraponto, eu gostei dos gráficos e a nostalgia de ver o universo que eu gosto nas telas, mas disto apenas, por isso o meu 5; pois, se a minha avaliação dependesse de roteiro e fidelidade à obra original, eu avaliaria em 2.


    I saw some things that I don't like very much, I see that progressivism is above everything in the serie, they want to get their political ideologies in our heads at all costs. And, I do not doubt that the LGBTQHFGFGFGHW (every year there is a new type of sex) will appear at any moment. However, in contrast, I liked the graphics and the nostalgia of seeing the universe that I like on the screens, but I only liked that, that's why my 5; because, if my rating depended on the script and fidelity to the original work, I would rate it at 2.    … Expand
  62. davy420
    Sep 3, 2022
    5
    It lacks a lot of things, nothing like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, none of its vibe. The music is lacking, the acting sucks, the story is a mess, and the overall feel of the show is a dud. When I watch The Lord of the Rings it takes you away, to that magical but scary place. This show feels like Europe, 300 years ago, with monsters. It just lacks character. I don't get what's wrong withIt lacks a lot of things, nothing like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, none of its vibe. The music is lacking, the acting sucks, the story is a mess, and the overall feel of the show is a dud. When I watch The Lord of the Rings it takes you away, to that magical but scary place. This show feels like Europe, 300 years ago, with monsters. It just lacks character. I don't get what's wrong with the music, why is it so boring and uninspiring.

    The one good thing about it is the diversity of people, It's not just a sausage fest and their are people of color in this world. Which makes the world feel richer, but that's the only good thing about the show.    … Expand
  63. Natanloewen
    Sep 4, 2022
    5
    It's a slow burning, epic montage of
    majestic middle earth scenery. We are lucky to have this as fans. Though it's best to expect "fanfic" with lore references, it’s still thoroughly enjoyable thus far.
    Personally I want to see way more time showing life in elven Lindon and Eregion, and much less about the invented mortal Tir-Harad and Harfoot stories at this point - and less arbitrary    It's a slow burning, epic montage of
    majestic middle earth scenery. We are lucky to have this as fans. Though it's best to expect "fanfic" with lore references, it’s still thoroughly enjoyable thus far.
    Personally I want to see way more time showing life in elven Lindon and Eregion, and much less about the invented mortal Tir-Harad and Harfoot stories at this point - and less arbitrary jumping back and forth (like the Lindon ceremony scene, don't cut to Harfoots to see what they're up to while Elrond and the High King are preparing the most exquisite honors for an elf's lifetime for Varda's sake!). I'm excited to see how this unfolds and speculate based on the lore what is going to happen with regards to the mystery meteor-man character, and who's ending up as a Nazgûl, and what manner of skills the dwarves and elf-smiths can conjure up.    … Expand
  64. SeekDWay
    Sep 18, 2022
    4
    Average at best with too much appropriation and watering down of Tolkienian lore.
  65. Voodoo123
    Oct 15, 2022
    5
    I enjoyed watching season 1 for the sheer spectacle of its budgetary prowess but couldn't help feeling it was such a shame so much of the established visual style was sacrificed for diversity casting - I mean unattractive actors? Black elves, hobbits and dwarves? Adventurous alpha female hobbits??? It's just not honouring the original content. Entertaining as a a standalone fantasy butI enjoyed watching season 1 for the sheer spectacle of its budgetary prowess but couldn't help feeling it was such a shame so much of the established visual style was sacrificed for diversity casting - I mean unattractive actors? Black elves, hobbits and dwarves? Adventurous alpha female hobbits??? It's just not honouring the original content. Entertaining as a a standalone fantasy but deeply flawed production to have discarded the well established visual style of the cinematic lotr universe. The soundtrack was superb.… Expand
  66. NirvanaCrux
    Sep 7, 2022
    5
    Amazon Prime’s Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power is a truly beautiful experience that puts television programming on a cinematic scale. The show’s characters and story are authentically J.R.R. Tolkien in the best possible way. The first two episodes reeled me in and I am looking forward to premiere of the third episode on Friday. This show will appeal to lifelong fans of all ages who’reAmazon Prime’s Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power is a truly beautiful experience that puts television programming on a cinematic scale. The show’s characters and story are authentically J.R.R. Tolkien in the best possible way. The first two episodes reeled me in and I am looking forward to premiere of the third episode on Friday. This show will appeal to lifelong fans of all ages who’re readers and viewers of both the books and Peter Jackson’s timeless trilogy.… Expand
  67. RageoftheGODs
    Sep 20, 2022
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I’ll start off by stating I’m not a Tolkien lore or Lord of the Rings fanatic. So, I really don’t know if the show is staying true to the lord or not. I’m reviewing the show so far (through episode 4) simply for the writing, acting and visuals. The first thing to mention is the visuals are very well done. The world looks amazing and the character costumes (for the most part) all look great and believable; especially the orcs, the look awesome. The acting is fine, but the quality varies from character to character. The main character, Galadriel, is the one I like the least. She’s very bland and boring and not very convincing. Adar is the character I’m most interested in so far, he hasn’t been in the show much but he has been the one I’m most interested in. Durin and Elrond are also good character. Most of the others are forgettable. The plot so far leaves much to be desired. We’re 4 episodes into the show and I still really don’t feel like I’m being “pulled in” or like I have that feeling where I can’t wait till the next episode because I have to know what happens. Overall, it’s been a very slow progressing season so far with too many characters I really just don’t care about and not enough really happening to keep me invested and want to keep watching. 5/10 so far.… Expand
  68. Okicritic
    Sep 19, 2022
    4
    After watching half of season 1, it's clear the show is rich in style and poor in substance. Each episode barely moves the plot along, several characters feel completely unnecessary, the star character is insufferable, and the dialogue is borderline cringeworthy. The writers need a major course-correction in season 2 if this series has any hope.
  69. gargioni
    Sep 4, 2022
    4
    This review is for the 2 first episodes only - which I've watched yesterday.
    On a base 0-10 - with comments.
    Story Writing: solid 2 (it is genuine not good) 40+ here. I've watched a ton of movies and TV series for now. You know when it is good, it is good. Definitely not the case here, some of the actors are great, but the lines are too off, some naïve mistakes. There is no cohesion    This review is for the 2 first episodes only - which I've watched yesterday.
    On a base 0-10 - with comments.

    Story Writing: solid 2 (it is genuine not good)
    40+ here. I've watched a ton of movies and TV series for now. You know when it is good, it is good. Definitely not the case here, some of the actors are great, but the lines are too off, some naïve mistakes. There is no cohesion direction and editing to make some scenes work, and most of the time you end up with a great pile of ketchup on top of a great potential amazing tasty pizza.

    Tolkien Lore: 1.
    Everyone here is correct. The disregard with some important things is there: Elfs with short hair, "not all" dwarfs have beard, armor choices, well known character aspirations are off, doesn't fit well here and there and it is very unfortunate because if those were fixed, a lot of backlash would have been prevented.

    Acting/Writing Main Story - Galadriel group: 2 (it is really not good)
    The actress does not perform good, the character is robotic and you got that feeling that something is off all the time. I have zero desire (yet) to know what comes next there.

    Acting/Writing Human Story - Elf, Lady, and others: 7
    The human/orc story is good. The actors involved in these scenes show good acting. It is not perfect, but it delivers. I'm interested in watching more.

    Acting/Writing Elf Story - Elrond, Durin group: 9
    The actors here are great. It would be perfect IF they added the beard on ALL dwarf ladies (multiple dwarf ladies are shown, no beard). Acting is good, story is good, editing is good, the Mines are interesting, the thing the Elfs want to create is captivating, the greedy way of the desire to build it is exciting to watch unfold.

    Acting/Writing Harfoots: 7
    I think the editing is very off. Some scenes are too long. The writing is too childish and sometimes it is you want to fast forward. The Wizard and the lady mistery is good. She is a good actress. The desire to explore, and see the world is done right. I want to see more of it. The downside is the writing for the villagers, the characters lines and decisions sometimes show disconnection.

    Editing: 3
    some scenes are too short, some are too long, it is not a good editing in general.
    There are many inconsistency with writing where decisions made by characters doesn't fit what they previously said a second ago. It seems rushed and very unpolished.

    Direction: 4
    Seemed rushed. There is no cohesion between music, writing, editing, story telling, pace. Most scenes are well made (some are bad) and the overall composition is not good.

    Music: 5
    The score is good. There is no theme to identify with (maybe the music will unfold later). The sound volume is sometimes too loud or too low for the scene. I would have given a higher score if the direction and editing was better.

    CGI VFX: 9 (it is good but not perfect)    … Expand
  70. jzathajenius
    Sep 3, 2022
    4
    Im sure it will only get better, but the first episode is a bit of a snoozer. Its pretty indefensible for Amazon to waste a billion dollars on a half baked IP spinoff series when that money can be put to such better use in the world.
  71. Icebow76
    Sep 4, 2022
    4
    Not the best thing I’ve ever seen, certainly not the worst either. It’s watchable. I would have left a 7 if only it had been just a new series with a different name… and didn’t clumsily alter the works of JRR Tolkien.
  72. TheLee
    Sep 8, 2022
    5
    Visuals are top notch. Too many characters. Really hoping they pick it up in episode 3
  73. All_ButTrU4
    Sep 3, 2022
    4
    What i did find exhausting woth the show is it's pace. It's a glacial slow burn that doesn't really excite during it's establishing episodes, sure it feels like the groundwork for a bigger story but given that hasn't unfolded yet i consider it a fault. It als feels lifeless,focused on the bigger things than the interpersonal which could make it so much more interesting. It should focus onWhat i did find exhausting woth the show is it's pace. It's a glacial slow burn that doesn't really excite during it's establishing episodes, sure it feels like the groundwork for a bigger story but given that hasn't unfolded yet i consider it a fault. It als feels lifeless,focused on the bigger things than the interpersonal which could make it so much more interesting. It should focus on scaling it's range and fleshing out it's key players.… Expand
  74. asm9855
    Sep 6, 2022
    5
    So far, really good. Good acting, engaging fight scenes and CGI. I’m hooked!!
  75. Brunacorpse
    Sep 4, 2022
    5
    Que produção linda, a abertura é genial, a trilha sonora está a altura dessa produção. Tudo muito classudo e lindo. Amei muito a representação dos pés peludos, o arco dos anões ficou perfeito.
  76. pozomarcelo
    Sep 3, 2022
    5
    The efforts in CGI in the very first episodes makes me want for more. I'm really eager to watch the following episodes. 100% recommended.
  77. Locke11110
    Sep 4, 2022
    5
    Incredibly well done. Great casting and great writing. Mostly faithful to the lore.
  78. Ltlombardi
    Dec 3, 2022
    4
    Didn't like the music, the scenery. It does not look like the movie series,. unfortunately.
    It's also too slow. But I did find myself wanting more.

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Most Discussed TV Season of 2022

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: Jo Livingstone
    Sep 16, 2022
    80
    Adar’s début drips with signifiers. ... When Adar informs Arondir in Episode 4 that he has been told many lies, some that “run so deep even the rocks and roads now believe them,” it is still a thrill. Tolkien succeeded in creating a mythic world, one that has now grown vast enough through acts of typological repetition and imitation to conquer television, too.
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  2. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Chris Barsanti
    Sep 16, 2022
    63
    With war brewing and the forging of the rings seemingly still far off, the first half of The Rings of Power’s first season constitutes little more than stage-setting for the struggle to come. Given the lack of quests and central commanding figures, it often makes for less-than-gripping drama. However, given that there are four more seasons already planned, and potentially dozens of new characters to be introduced, the slow and throat-clearing build is possibly a good sign.
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  3. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Sep 9, 2022
    90
    The Rings of Power is a reminder of what drew many of us to epic fantasy in the first place: wonder. ... This series set in an ancient realm displays one dazzling and painterly landscape after another. Power also doesn't skimp on action. [12 - 25 Sep 2022, p.10]
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