The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

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Season 1
Season #: 3, 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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User Reviews

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  1. Boyofonix
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Disgracing Tolkiens legacy, shame on you Amazon. Evil cannot create, it can only corrup what is already good.
  2. Merinid
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    That's a complete disaster. Better read the books or watch the LotR movies by Jackson
  3. urbina_snt
    Sep 2, 2022
    10
    It was full of Tolkien references for the ones of us who read the books. Seeing Celebrimbor taking life in other media than the videogame and the books was a pleasure.

    The visuals are astonishing and very powerful. It really resembled the vfx the LOTR trilogy had. The photography direction did a great job and gifted us beautiful scenarios. These are the results of caring for a project    It was full of Tolkien references for the ones of us who read the books. Seeing Celebrimbor taking life in other media than the videogame and the books was a pleasure.

    The visuals are astonishing and very powerful. It really resembled the vfx the LOTR trilogy had. The photography direction did a great job and gifted us beautiful scenarios. These are the results of caring for a project and doing an effort for bringing up a really good product.

    The actors were, imo, very fond of their roles. Specially Elrond and Galadriel. Aramayo's and Clark's works were sublime.

    Production and Direction: although it was not directed by Peter Jackson, it is good to know that the books ideas were respected.    … Expand
  4. Gowron
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Overall very disappointing as expected
    This is nowhere near the levels of the films by Peter Jackson
    Sadly this is a trend in theese times
  5. AgentoftheBat
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Terrible writing, boring characters, awful dialogue. This was even worse than I expected. A disgrace to Tolkien. The sooner this is cancelled and memory-holed, the better for all Tolkien fans. AVOID!
  6. tastesbad
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Where this series has come to has completely stunned me. Disgusting cast, disgusting agenda. 0/10
  7. Sokalic
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    It destroyed all story. Really sad that they did it :(
    Hope to foget that I watched
  8. LeoZamprogno
    Sep 2, 2022
    10
    Loving everything I've seen so far. Amazon does not have the rights to use the Tolkien's texts strictly, so it had to make some adaptations, but the entire universe is consistent with the writer's work and the events reported beyond what is described are believable.
  9. timingrab
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This is a heinous abomination, a desecration of Tolkien's vision, and an insult to his work. Even if one ignores the fact that this show is supposed to be based on Tolkien's Legendarium and judges it as a stand-alone show, it is mediocre at best.
  10. vitalii2101
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Not Tolkien, not Lord of the Rings. I'm disappointed.
    Don't waste your time on this show. Read books people)
  11. Piter123
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Tragedia, odradzam oglądania, tyle możliwości i pieniędzy a zrobili coś takiego, masakra.
    Mam nadzieję że twórcy stracą na tym jak najwięcej.
  12. Pure_Hardstone
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This is Tolkien in only name alone, I gave the show a chance, and was met with generic fantasy soap opera garbage.
  13. Grumpy_Old_Man
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    A bitter disappointment for a Tolkien devotee. Strays from Tolkien’s legend. Amateurish direction, poor acting, forced dialogue, little backstory, poor plot development, slow pace, and seemingly disjointed scenes. The Peter Jackson LoTR cinematography and musical scores were much better. Attempts to force feed you strong female characters in a legend where few females played much of aA bitter disappointment for a Tolkien devotee. Strays from Tolkien’s legend. Amateurish direction, poor acting, forced dialogue, little backstory, poor plot development, slow pace, and seemingly disjointed scenes. The Peter Jackson LoTR cinematography and musical scores were much better. Attempts to force feed you strong female characters in a legend where few females played much of a role. Representative casting in keeping with the 21st Century wokism principle of social equity. Bah Humbug!… Expand
  14. Mystic8b
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    “Evil cannot create anything new, they can only corrupt and ruin good forces have invented or made”
  15. Pega25
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    You can really see that budget in the visuals, but everything else falls flat.
  16. WolfiPL
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    I don't know what to say. This series is overloaded with political correctness, with Tolkien only linked to him by names and characters...
  17. santiagaraga
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    What did I just watch, the sequel to The Wheel of Time? This is an absolute abomination. Rings of Power is a masterclass in sanitized corporate writing, reflected in every ounce of dialogue it pushes out of its utterly uninspiring anus.
  18. Pech_SOG
    Sep 2, 2022
    10
    Fantastic! Incredible cinematography, scale, and scope. The world feels real with beautiful locations, lore, and world building. Great sense of mystery and wonder in almost every scene. Great casting. The dwarves finally look like dwarves! Perfect casting for Galadriel. She is amazing. Love the map and every place shown so far...including the sense of growing danger! A tour de force andFantastic! Incredible cinematography, scale, and scope. The world feels real with beautiful locations, lore, and world building. Great sense of mystery and wonder in almost every scene. Great casting. The dwarves finally look like dwarves! Perfect casting for Galadriel. She is amazing. Love the map and every place shown so far...including the sense of growing danger! A tour de force and great achievement for all stakeholders.… Expand
  19. Apolloo
    Sep 2, 2022
    10
    Es wirklich sehr gut gemacht, in den ersten beiden Folgen passiert schon mehr als in einer ganzen Game of Thrones Staffel.
  20. Ezio_Morte
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    This is a disgrace. Its even released at Professors death anniversary. I watched the first 2 episodes, its even worse that expected. If you like the works of Tolkien STAY AWAY.
  21. mothes1987
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This is disaster in Tolkien world! Absurd, epic fail. Nothing related to original lore.
  22. Game_Critical
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Compared to the Peter Jackson trilogy it's absolutely awful. The CGI is great, which is expected from a billion dollar company, but the characters, the script, the tone of voice and the costumes are a disaster. I have very little hope for the future of LOTR.
  23. Locust69
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    they approached Tolkien like your everyday action fantasy flick. They race swapped few characters (or better say they added new characters but race swapped these mythological creatures based on european myths that should have been played by white actors with african actors), put in some mary sues, cheesy combat and dull one liners.... if this was your ordinary modern day fun fantasy lorethey approached Tolkien like your everyday action fantasy flick. They race swapped few characters (or better say they added new characters but race swapped these mythological creatures based on european myths that should have been played by white actors with african actors), put in some mary sues, cheesy combat and dull one liners.... if this was your ordinary modern day fun fantasy lore people may get over it.... but this is Tolkien, and you dont f with Tolkien. He is not just father of modern day fantasy but actual intellectual and his books are worth study at Universities... not to mention he was christian and patriot who loved his country and language. Rings of power is just globalist tool of the lowest consumption level with bad casting, dialogues and absolutely generic CGI when the CGI isnt even that good to be honest.
    House of dragon may be meh but this is total disaster and we really dont need this type of adaptations at all...    … Expand
  24. BudSchwartz
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    what happened to the elves? it's not worth encouraging the creators to mock the classics by watching this ****
  25. Yudra
    Sep 2, 2022
    3
    De momento los dos primeros capítulos me parecieron aburridisimos. El casting de personajes muy malo y no me refiero al elfo negro. Pues es el ke mas me pega de elfo ya ke todos los demas son viejos y muy feos. Galadriel insufrible. Tipico protagonista femenino con cara de ajo frustrada y amargada. Es el resuldado de hacer una serie con muchísimo dinero pero sin talento. El hobbit es muchoDe momento los dos primeros capítulos me parecieron aburridisimos. El casting de personajes muy malo y no me refiero al elfo negro. Pues es el ke mas me pega de elfo ya ke todos los demas son viejos y muy feos. Galadriel insufrible. Tipico protagonista femenino con cara de ajo frustrada y amargada. Es el resuldado de hacer una serie con muchísimo dinero pero sin talento. El hobbit es mucho mejor adaptación del mundo de tolkien… Expand
  26. EFRAM
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    What was amazon thinking? This mish-mosh ham-fisted retelling of Tolkiens oeuvre through the exploration of the appendices of his books was boring, banal, devoid of action or drama or emotional heft. Besides the overlong totally unnecessary prologue which made the device of exposition into a cudgel, the storytelling, which should have been mesmerizing, and engaging was flat and stale. TheWhat was amazon thinking? This mish-mosh ham-fisted retelling of Tolkiens oeuvre through the exploration of the appendices of his books was boring, banal, devoid of action or drama or emotional heft. Besides the overlong totally unnecessary prologue which made the device of exposition into a cudgel, the storytelling, which should have been mesmerizing, and engaging was flat and stale. The acting was passable at best, but the writing and direction were what really sank the 2 hours I viewed. How the mucky-mucks at Amazon high command allowed this 58 million dollar embarrassment to see the light of day is beyond me. nothing to see here. I yearn for a fantasy drama that really brings a new light on a world that is created with excitement, and emotional meaning and TROP is not that.… Expand
  27. julia1996
    Sep 2, 2022
    10
    What an absolute work of art! Immersive, big, cinematic!
    The first 2 episodes took me back to middle earth and the works of Tolkien.
    It delivers depth to the characters presented and leaves us wanting more. Good dialogues, a great explanation of what happened and the motivations (especially Galadriel), and impeccable scenarios, with drama, comedy, action and a bit of horror. Great    What an absolute work of art! Immersive, big, cinematic!
    The first 2 episodes took me back to middle earth and the works of Tolkien.
    It delivers depth to the characters presented and leaves us wanting more. Good dialogues, a great explanation of what happened and the motivations (especially Galadriel), and impeccable scenarios, with drama, comedy, action and a bit of horror. Great performances! Morfydd, Markella, Ismael and Nazanin, Robert and Owain and all the other cast members did a great job! I'm excited to see the Numenor arc too.
    It's a series to rule them all!    … Expand
  28. ElXocas
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This series is the total corruption of Tolkien's universe, it feels like Sauron made this show instead the ring of power, a tv show to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
  29. Cutloso
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Beautiful outside, hollow inside
    I liked the Durin and Gil Galad. But that's pretty much it.
    I won't mention lore accuracy here, since the show for the most part is completly lore inaccurate. Galadriel is awful as the elves are generally. They are more or less eternal beings and e.g. Galadriel is 1000s of years old, but still they behave like not fully grown up humans. Also the Elves    Beautiful outside, hollow inside
    I liked the Durin and Gil Galad. But that's pretty much it.
    I won't mention lore accuracy here, since the show for the most part is completly lore inaccurate.
    Galadriel is awful as the elves are generally. They are more or less eternal beings and e.g. Galadriel is 1000s of years old, but still they behave like not fully grown up humans. Also the Elves world/court seems to be kind of a modern politicians, don't like that.
    Landscape shots are fine, but often too much editing/CGI. The music isn't bad, but does not feel like a consistent piece, more like different themes mixed together. Also it often is to overpowered and kinda in your face.
    Well I kind of did accept the black elf and all, but the mixture of different ethnicities really stands out negatively. It just doesn't work like that. It would be quite easy to have all skin colors and ethnicities represented in the show but each as their own people. But they do it the lazy / bad way and it is not even like they got many ethnicities covered, only black/latino so weird way of "representing everyone".
    In terms of what happens, well not much in the first two episodes. But Galadriel swimming thousands of miles from Valinor to middle earth is really ridiculous.
    Hobbits (or not actually Hobbits, but Harfoots :/) are a bit annoying. They try to replicate the charme of the shire and very shortly it gives a bit of the warm feeling. But they spend too little time with it. Also why on earth (or rather on Arda) should they look like Hobos who rolled themselves in mud?
    The dialog often isn't very good. Often it feels like they tried, but often the result is poetry without substance, nice words but not wisdom in it.
    So yeah not great not at all. As a generic fantasy series it could be something average, but clearly it isn't what they aimed for and for Tolkien anything short of Great isn't good enough.
    Episode 1 feels like a beautiful but hollow shell, just not much substance. And in episode 2 the shell starts to break apart.    … Expand
  30. Rafia
    Sep 2, 2022
    7
    I'm not a big fan of fiction. But i know a little bit about the LOTR from video game and story teller channel on YT. Overall I like it. Amazing visual work, looking forward to the next episode.
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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]
    Read full review
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