Last week, I rewatched the first season over three or four days and found myself enjoying it more than I expected. While I liked it the first time around, I tend to get much more critical on repeat viewings. For context, I've read everything Tolkien, and choose to look past discrepancies and glaring omissions.
While the first season effectively tries to capture the grandeur of Tolkien's Middle-earth and the technical brilliance Peter Jackson's films while carving its own path, the show's narrative suffers from pacing issues and unnecessary subplots that ultimately detract from the core storylines and characters that could have made it truly compelling.
First off, the Harfoot storyline really dragged the show down; almost every scene involving them stank. Bronwyn and Arondir's forbidden love felt tedious and pointless—they're no Aragorn and Arwen, and their storyline didn’t need to be included or highlighted to the degree it was. The Southlands plot mostly felt like a chore, though the third act had some redeeming moments. I understand why it was included, but I just wish it had been, y'know, better.
Now that the show is done teasing us with the Stranger/Gandalf/Sauron mystery, Mordor established, and I hope the travelling circus of Harfoots is left behind while Nori goes east, allowing the story to pick up some momentum.
There was just so much going on in season one. Tightening things up would benefit the show immensely. They should focus on the Elves, Sauron, and the Numenoreans, with some Dwarven encounters thrown in for good measure.
On a positive note, some of the characters are genuinely likeable and charming. Elrond and Durin are fantastic, and their relationship feels believable. Elendil embodies the stoic king we all expect him to be, which I recall thinking two years ago when the show first aired. I’m not yet sold on Isildur, but we’ll see how his character develops.
I just can't get past Sauron looking exactly like Jamie Tartt from Ted Lasso. While his character had some moments, overall, I wasn’t that impressed. Galadriel was hit or miss; there were scenes where I didn’t believe for a second that she was a wise elven leader—or even an elf.
The show certainly excels in visuals, costumes, and sets, but its potential is undermined by a bloated narrative and distracting subplots. By focusing on Elves, Sauron, and Numenoreans, with some Dwarves for good measure, the show could tighten up its storytelling and more effectively capture the epic scope of Middle-earth.
As it stands, the series struggles to balance its ambition with coherent, engaging storytelling.
|