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

[Cheesebeef]

It would be nice if they actually showed the reviews. When you click on "View All Critic Reviews (92)" it brings you to a page with only 2 reviews. One from TV Guide and one from a YouTuber I've never seen before. RT has been doing this a bit lately with new releases. She-Hulk and a couple other shows had the same thing happen when they first aired.

Do you think… they are making up reviews?

 

[Devilmaycare]

Do you think… they are making up reviews?

No, check the follow-up posts with Covert. It's a bug on their site that keeps hitting new releases. It's frustrating but malicious or them making up reviews.

 

[Covert Rain]

No, check the follow-up posts with Covert. It's a bug on their site that keeps hitting new releases. It's frustrating but malicious or them making up reviews.

I think it's just a bug because it was working. I see many of the exact same reviews by the exact same critics I read before. So, I don't think its either malicious or made-up reviews. They just don't have as many posted up yet on Metacritic which is normal. They usually lag behind other aggregation sites. You can check out MetaCritics site to see some of the same reviews.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power critic reviews

Metacritic aggregates music, game, tv, and movie reviews from the leading critics. Only Metacritic.com uses METASCORES, which let you know at a glance how each item was reviewed.

www.metacritic.com

 

[Cheesebeef]

and here's the thing... I get being skeptical after those first couple images dropped. it looked like they were doing a real low rent version of Tolkein, but the trailers and images and reviews that all came after the initial marketing faceplant have all been much better.

to go in "knowing" it will be awful just doesn't make sense to me. Skeptical? Totally get. But calling it awful and the producers “toxic” without seeing a single actual minute of the show is just bizarre to me. I mean… they’ve been working on this season for three years. I’m guessing the overwhelming majority of the writers are HUGE Tolkien nerds.

 

[Stout]

Reading reviews at this point is just dumb, if for no other reason than massive spoiler problems. Watch it and form your own opinions on it, or don't watch it.

 

[Covert Rain]

Reading reviews at this point is just dumb, if for no other reason than massive spoiler problems. Watch it and form your own opinions on it, or don't watch it.

I am always careful when reading them. Most are pretty good at letting you know if there are spoilers. I like to skim the headings or the conclusions at the end of the review just to be safe.

 

[Covert Rain]

No, check the follow-up posts with Covert. It's a bug on their site that keeps hitting new releases. It's frustrating but malicious or them making up reviews.

I found out the issue. I was looking at the Episode page originally which is why I could see them all. The page you are likely looking at is the general one. Because it's a TV show they align the reviews with the episode reviewed. So, there was not an error after all. They are all there. You have to look at each individual episode. Try this link:

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 1, Episode 1

Galadriel is disturbed by signs of an ancient evil's return; Arondir makes an unsettling discovery; Elrond is presented with an intriguing new venture; Nori breaks the Harfoot community's most deeply-held rule.

www.rottentomatoes.com

 

[Chaplin]

I liked it a lot. Felt like the trilogy without overly relying on references and Easter Eggs.

Plus it’s super cool to see a friend playing one of the many leads. Interested to see where this all goes.

 

[Covert Rain]

I liked it a lot. Felt like the trilogy without overly relying on references and Easter Eggs.

Plus it’s super cool to see a friend playing one of the many leads. Interested to see where this all goes.

Which one? By the way really thought it felt like LOR. The money they are throwing at this thing is insane.

 

[Chaplin]

Which one? By the way really thought it felt like LOR. The money they are throwing at this thing is insane.

Bronwyn, the healer and only human lead.

 

[SpokaneCardfan]

I watched the first episode and really enjoyed it. very high quality!

 

[Covert Rain]

All that "trailer" nonsense about the show being cheap was garbage. Also, the canon concerns were garbage too. The only real canon issue I see here is the compressed 2nd age timeline but that is not a big deal. You can't replace a ton of characters every single season and this age was uncharted anyway. Neither of those things has me worried about the show. What really has me worried is the show from a budget perspective. They are saying for Amazon the budget is equivalent of 5.1 million new subscribers.

It's obvious why this show is so expensive. It had movie quality imagery throughout. How the hell is Amazon going to maintain a budget of $715 million? They paid $250 million for the rights. To put that into perspective. Netflix's Stranger things cost $270 million this season and Sandman $160 million.

It blows those Netflix budgets out of the water. Has this show's costs already doomed the show? If anything it pretty much guarantees this show is not going to have a 5 year run or anything like that.

 

[Chaplin]

2nd episode was fantastic. This is Tolkiens world and I get the same feelings now as when I first watched Peter Jacksons trilogy 20 years ago. Breathtaking. The dwarf stuff was incredibly well done.

Also helps the Bronwyn and her son had a pretty nice action scene.

Spoiler

And I believe technically the first orc in the show. Or at least the first not in a flashback.

 

[Covert Rain]

2nd episode was fantastic. This is Tolkiens world and I get the same feelings now as when I first watched Peter Jacksons trilogy 20 years ago. Breathtaking. The dwarf stuff was incredibly well done.

Also helps the Bronwyn and her son had a pretty nice action scene.

Spoiler

And I believe technically the first orc in the show. Or at least the first not in a flashback.

Great episode. I think if the rumor is true it gets better as it goes along that would be great.

 

[Stout]

In other words, don't listen to a bunch of naysayers that can have no idea what they're talking about because they haven't seen what they're commenting on? lol I could see complaints if the trailers showed awful things, but they didn't.

 

[oaken1]

Long time Tolkein fan
Hate amazon video after what they did to wheel of time.

1st episode. 4.5 stars

2nd episode. 6 stars


This show is fantastic. Obviously the best thing on tv right now, and a HUGE win for prime video.


I was really dreading what they might do...but they nailed it.

 

[carrrnuttt]

Here's another "industry shill" that likes it:

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[Devilmaycare]

Here's another "industry shill" that likes it:

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They actually are, that site and a couple other LotR sites sold out to amazon awhile ago. They started doing the different junkets that Amazon was offering, was was trip to England, and right after that they started towing the company line. It was telling when right after any even or release they were all posting the same marketing speak.

If we want to get into the review game I can start posting all of the negative ones but I'm guessing that's not going to be worth my time around here. It'll just be dismissed as toxic fandom or other gaslighting that the studios like to use to quell negative press.

My one line review for the first two episodes: Good visuals for a community theater telling of fan fiction. I can go through and rip it apart more but I really don't care to. If you guys enjoy then good for you. Go right ahead. I'll give it another episode or two to see if it improves but if it doesn't it'll be going into the same bin as Wheel of Time from Amazon.

 

[carrrnuttt]

They actually are, that site and a couple other LotR sites sold out to amazon awhile ago. They started doing the different junkets that Amazon was offering, was was trip to England, and right after that they started towing the company line. It was telling when right after any even or release they were all posting the same marketing speak.

If we want to get into the review game I can start posting all of the negative ones but I'm guessing that's not going to be worth my time around here. It'll just be dismissed as toxic fandom or other gaslighting that the studios like to use to quell negative press.

My one line review for the first two episodes: Good visuals for a community theater telling of fan fiction. I can go through and rip it apart more but I really don't care to. If you guys enjoy then good for you. Go right ahead. I'll give it another episode or two to see if it improves but if it doesn't it'll be going into the same bin as Wheel of Time from Amazon.

LMAO

Because this guy disagrees with you, he's now (BIM) "toeing the company line?"

Look, there is no right or wrong here: You're free to feel how you feel about this show, even though I completely believe even if this thing spewed gold bricks out from your TV, you'd rather throw it back than admit that your poorly preconceived notions about it might have been a tad premature.

But c'mon: You'd sit there and actually denigrate a guy who has devoted himself to Tolkien and his works because he somehow *gasp* likes this show?

 

[Covert Rain]

In other words, don't listen to a bunch of naysayers that can have no idea what they're talking about because they haven't seen what they're commenting on? lol I could see complaints if the trailers showed awful things, but they didn't.

Also, we asked for specific examples and nobody could come up with any.

 

[Devilmaycare]

LMAO

Because this guy disagrees with you, he's now (BIM) "toeing the company line?"

Look, there is no right or wrong here: You're free to feel how you feel about this show, even though I completely believe even if this thing spewed gold bricks out from your TV, you'd rather throw it back than admit that your poorly preconceived notions about it might have been a tad premature.

But c'mon: You'd sit there and actually denigrate a guy who has devoted himself to Tolkien and his works because he somehow *gasp* likes this show?

That's based not on this review in a vacuum. It's based on everything over the last year. A bunch of these sites changed their tune after Amazon started sending them exclusives and took them on trips. After the last one that was to England where they got to tour Tolkien's home and got to see like 20 minutes of footage they all came back with articles giving the same talking points with the same verbiage. It was clear that they were regurgitating Amazon's PR that they were given on it. That's why I discount what they say now. I don't know if it's an honest review or one that's been bought and paid for.

 

[Covert Rain]

That's based not on this review in a vacuum. It's based on everything over the last year. A bunch of these sites changed their tune after Amazon started sending them exclusives and took them on trips. After the last one that was to England where they got to tour Tolkien's home and got to see like 20 minutes of footage they all came back with articles giving the same talking points with the same verbiage. It was clear that they were regurgitating Amazon's PR that they were given on it. That's why I discount what they say now. I don't know if it's an honest review or one that's been bought and paid for.

Which most turned out to be completely bogus. Most of the people pontificating had not seen anything outside of the public information. Even people who had seen 20 minutes of footage barely showed anything at all. Notice that the tune changed of the vast majority of critics once those full episodes were shown. I think the overall point is, it's so short sighted to form an opinion before you actually see the entire thing.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Which most turned out to be completely bogus. Most of the people pontificating had not seen anything outside of the public information. Even people who had seen 20 minutes of footage barely showed anything at all. Notice that the tune changed of the vast majority of critics once those full episodes were shown. I think the overall point is, it's so short sighted to form an opinion before you actually see the entire thing.

And now that I've seen it I think it's worse then what I was expecting. 100% honest on that. I was expecting them to mess up canon but be good otherwise. The writing and dialog ended up being CW level and that might be insulting the CW. A lot of the dialog is trying to sound smart but isn't when you break down what's being said, they keep trying to do epic pose shots instead of letting them happen naturally, they keep telling us person A has XYZ traits instead of showing us, etc.

My feeling is that a lot of people right now are falling for the jangling keys of a very pretty looking show and that that'll break down with multiple viewings. It's a lot of sizzle with little steak.

(I'm about to head out for the night, so this will be my last reply for now on anything)

 

[Cheesebeef]

And now that I've seen it I think it's worse then what I was expecting. 100% honest on that. I was expecting them to mess up canon but be good otherwise. The writing and dialog ended up being CW level and that might be insulting the CW. A lot of the dialog is trying to sound smart but isn't when you break down what's being said, they keep trying to do epic pose shots instead of letting them happen naturally, they keep telling us person A has XYZ traits instead of showing us, etc.

My feeling is that a lot of people right now are falling for the jangling keys of a very pretty looking show and that that'll break down with multiple viewings. It's a lot of sizzle with little steak.

(I'm about to head out for the night, so this will be my last reply for now on anything)

Lol… of course it is.

 

[Covert Rain]

And now that I've seen it I think it's worse then what I was expecting. 100% honest on that. I was expecting them to mess up canon but be good otherwise. The writing and dialog ended up being CW level and that might be insulting the CW. A lot of the dialog is trying to sound smart but isn't when you break down what's being said, they keep trying to do epic pose shots instead of letting them happen naturally, they keep telling us person A has XYZ traits instead of showing us, etc.

My feeling is that a lot of people right now are falling for the jangling keys of a very pretty looking show and that that'll break down with multiple viewings. It's a lot of sizzle with little steak.

(I'm about to head out for the night, so this will be my last reply for now on anything)

No it isn't. Read the start of this thread. The two primary complaints were the show looked cheap. BUSTED. This show has movie quality visuals like I have never seen on a TV show. The second complaint was that it destroyed canon. BUSTED. It doesn't.

Now many of you are moving the goal post. Now it's "dialogue" and "bought reviews". This could be the best show on TV and people are going to find a way to bash it because the two primary complaints by the naysayers online have been proven wrong.