The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Prime)

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I fataing hated the books (couldn't get through them...I made it to some part where the Hobbits were singing the worst song ever and I had to slam it shut in disgust) and I thought the movies from - what 15 years ago or something - were absolute boring trash. Like, I was looking around the theater because I thought we were all going to start throwing our Cokes at the screen. It was infuriating sitting there watching the ####iest most boring movies ever.

This TV show, though, is not bad. Half decent little watch. Not sure how people can complain about the dialogue and stuff - it's always been terrible.

I only saw the first Hobbit movie. It was absolutely terrible. The best part was when I fell asleep in the theatre. The worst part was waking up and realizing the movie was still on. It was like being stuck in a nightmare.

I agree with your point about the dialogue in this show. It's pretty on point to what we got in the LOTR movie. Pretty standard for the content.

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Fatain called it back in September.

Good finale!

lol, called, it gonna snow in Calgary next month!

Gandalf is far and away the biggest guess.

[Sr. Mints]

I've been mulling it over. In lore, Sauron forges the rings for Dwarves and Men before Celebrimbor forges the Elven rings. Sauron then forges the One Ring in Mordor.

As is the case, part of me wonders if Halbrand might have the rings of Dwarves and Men in his back pocket already - or do the Dwarves already have theirs? I suspect the show's going to keep doing their own thing, and the Rings are not yet part of the the story--the show's called The Rings of Power, after all.

Also, I noted at the of the finale the show made a point of showing the Istar and Nori were in Greenwood (also later known as Mirkwood in later ages, and the forest we see in one of the Hobbit movies). Perhaps season two sees an elf join them.

[Fuzz]

It will be interesting to see if Sauron can sneakily get to the dwarves and make rings with them as he did with the elves, without Elrond spilling the beans. Possible he also makes the rings for men then.

[octothorp]

Yeah, for the dwarven rings, the crafter doesn't matter as much, at least in terms of lore, because they were ultimately a failure in terms of giving Sauron any domination over them; dwarves were just too independent and secretive of heart to be corrupted the rings. It's maybe more interesting to have Sauron crafting those rings or working with the dwarves to craft them.

[Fuzz]

Maybe they just all get made in the Mt Doom forge they discussed back in ep 3 or 4.

[Nyah]

Finally getting around to watching this (four episodes in). I can definitely say that it's gorgeous, and I am absolutely in love with the soundtrack. I think they really nailed it and it's definitely reminiscent of Howard Shore's LOTR soundtrack.

I really like the plot between Arondir and Bronwyn, and the way the orcs are being presented. They look great! Using the peoples of Middle Earth as hard labor and slaves was something briefly touched on in LOTR and I like that they're expanding on that a bit.

I also really like how we get to see more of Khazad Dum and what it was like prior to LOTR. Although the dwarves are also a bit much.

I couldn't care less about the hobbits/Brandyfoot's or whatever they are. I'm pretty sure I know who the 'mystery wizard' that fell from the sky is, and I can't figure out why they're keeping that a mystery box. Or is it just that he has no memory still? Either way I'm entirely uninvested because

Spoiler!

It's obviously Gandalf, right?

My biggest gripe so far though, is with the characterization of Galadriel. She is an atrociously written character. A handful of her line deliveries are pure cringe. The character is also just super, super unlikable and arrogant. I just can't get on board with her quest to avenge her brother or root for her when she's objectively a colossal ####### all the time. Why would I root for a character who's willing to sacrifice those under her command, never actually earns anything and just coasts through the story bossing people around the whole time and getting what she wants anyway? Again, nothing is earned for her which doesn't make her very compelling or relatable. I really hope her character improves as the series goes on.

Hoping to get through a handful more episodes this weekend. I'll probably jump into a LOTR marathon afterwards. I just love this world.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Nyah

Finally getting around to watching this (four episodes in). I can definitely say that it's gorgeous, and I am absolutely in love with the soundtrack. I think they really nailed it and it's definitely reminiscent of Howard Shore's LOTR soundtrack.

I really like the plot between Arondir and Bronwyn, and the way the orcs are being presented. They look great! Using the peoples of Middle Earth as hard labor and slaves was something briefly touched on in LOTR and I like that they're expanding on that a bit.

I also really like how we get to see more of Khazad Dum and what it was like prior to LOTR. Although the dwarves are also a bit much.

I couldn't care less about the hobbits/Brandyfoot's or whatever they are. I'm pretty sure I know who the 'mystery wizard' that fell from the sky is, and I can't figure out why they're keeping that a mystery box. Or is it just that he has no memory still? Either way I'm entirely uninvested because

Spoiler!

It's obviously Gandalf, right?

My biggest gripe so far though, is with the characterization of Galadriel. She is an atrociously written character. A handful of her line deliveries are pure cringe. The character is also just super, super unlikable and arrogant. I just can't get on board with her quest to avenge her brother or route for her when she's objectively a colossal ####### all the time. Why would I route for a character who's willing to sacrifice those under her command, never actually earns anything and just coasts through the story bossing people around the whole time and getting what she wants anyway? Again, nothing is earned for her which doesn't make her very compelling or relatable. I really hope her character improves as the series goes on.

Hoping to get through a handful more episodes this weekend. I'll probably jump into a LOTR marathon afterwards. I just love this world.

Yep, I just never engaged with Galadriel. I wanted to like her so bad, because she is absolutely awesome in the films. Grace, power, wisdom, fury, humility all wrapped in one. I understand they were trying to portray the warrior side of her in RoP, but it fell flat.

By contrast, the way they portrayed Aragorn in the films was perfect. They were able to show his healer side, his wisdom side, his sensitive side, his leadership side, and yes his badass warrior side too. He seemed so real because he was multifaceted. Galadriel in RoP is so one-dimensional with stupid lines, and frankly the actress doesn't bring anything extra to the table.

I'm hoping S1 is kinda like The Force Awakens where not a ton happens, but it sets up S2 to knock it out of the park.

[McG]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Yep, I just never engaged with Galadriel. I wanted to like her so bad, because she is absolutely awesome in the films. Grace, power, wisdom, fury, humility all wrapped in one. I understand they were trying to portray the warrior side of her in RoP, but it fell flat.

By contrast, the way they portrayed Aragorn in the films was perfect. They were able to show his healer side, his wisdom side, his sensitive side, his leadership side, and yes his badass warrior side too. He seemed so real because he was multifaceted. Galadriel in RoP is so one-dimensional with stupid lines, and frankly the actress doesn't bring anything extra to the table.

I'm hoping S1 is kinda like The Force Awakens where not a ton happens, but it sets up S2 to knock it out of the park.

It’s amazing what a couple of thousand years can do to a person!

Fwiw, I liked her and her driven focus especially knowing that she had to go through these and other trials to learn balance. The characters’ flaws are apparent to me to help her grow and develop into something more. But YMMV!

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

ya that season has not aged well for me . like it was watchable but I haven't really thought about it much since

whereas house of the dragon got me to finally pick up the book fire and blood and research the history of the targaryen dynasty

there just wasn't enough to chew on with rop even though I'll tune in for future seasons

wish they could do more with tolkeins universe without having their hands tied

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by McG

It’s amazing what a couple of thousand years can do to a person!

Fwiw, I liked her and her driven focus especially knowing that she had to go through these and other trials to learn balance. The characters’ flaws are apparent to me to help her grow and develop into something more. But YMMV!

She's already thousands of years old in RoP. She's a slow learner if it took her that long to gain any wisdom.

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by Nyah

My biggest gripe so far though, is with the characterization of Galadriel... The character is also just super, super unlikable and arrogant.

In many respect, that's just how most of the elite Noldoran elves were before the Third Age. The original Tolkien characterizations of her were no different:

[Galadriel] was proud, strong, and selfwilled, as were all the descendants of Finwë save Finarfin; and like her brother Finrod, of all her kin the nearest to her heart, she had dreams of far lands and dominions that might be her own to order as she would without tutelage.

'After the overthrow of Morgoth at the end of the First Age a ban was set upon her return, and she had replied proudly that she had no wish to do so.'

[Nyah]

Originally Posted by accord1999

In many respect, that's just how most of the elite Noldoran elves were before the Third Age. The original Tolkien characterizations of her were no different:

There are countless ways to write proud & strong characters who have a chip on their shoulder without making them completely insufferable. In my opinion, the writers have failed her terribly so far (again, I'm only finished episode 4).

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by Nyah

There are countless ways to write proud & strong characters who have a chip on their shoulder without making them completely insufferable. In my opinion, the writers have failed her terribly so far (again, I'm only finished episode 4).

For the character, I think you'll find the remaining 4 episodes an improvement as there are more deeper motivations revealed and humbling moments for her. It may not be enough for you to like her fully as a character, but more than you do now.

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

She's already thousands of years old in RoP. She's a slow learner if it took her that long to gain any wisdom.

Maybe elves mature and develop emotionally like the Yoda species. Isn't Grogu like 50, but he's going to be the equivalent of a 4-month-old for the next 150 years.

[Erick Estrada]

A lot of people I talked to bailed on the show before the halfway mark. It’s too bad as the 2nd half of season provides what a lot of viewers were expecting. Unfortunately the ultra-slow early episodes were catastrophic in driving away viewers. At the end of the day this show got owned by House of the Dragon as it was simply more interesting.

[GreenLantern]

Damn I thanked your post then saw the end statement.

I really felt HoTD and ROP were neck and neck and I gave the edge to ROP.

I just felt like even with HOTD having these massive time jumps, ROP moved at a better pace and really took some big steps forward.

Great establishing season with some really cool ties to the Tolkien material we are all more familiar with.

Not saying HOTd wasn't great, because it was, but I would still give the edge to ROP especially the finale.

[Erick Estrada]

I thought ROP was pretty by the numbers Lord of the Rings right down to the Hobbit storyline that we have seen before. I thought the actors were kind of weak save for the guy playing Elrond (IMO he's the best part of the show). I feel the next season could be a lot better when they build on Gandalf and Sauron likely butting heads but I found this first season merely good/passable. House of the Dragon wasn't perfect either but I found it more interesting.

[GreenLantern]

I will agree that the acting in House of the Dragon was better. I just liked the pace better in ROP.

Patty Considine was hands down the best part of either show though.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

I will agree that the acting in House of the Dragon was better. I just liked the pace better in ROP.

Patty Considine was hands down the best part of either show though.

It's just opinions at the end of the day and there is no right or wrong. I can see why some people may prefer one show over the other as it's a matter of personal taste. I think the second season of ROP looks promising.