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

[Chaplin]

Holy crap, is episode 7 good. Also started liking some of the characters more. The dwarves are stealing the show.

 

[carrrnuttt]

That was another great episode.

I'm actually starting to care for some of the characters.

 

[Chaplin]

That was another great episode.

I'm actually starting to care for some of the characters.

Borg?

 

[ajcardfan]

That was another great episode.

I'm actually starting to care for some of the characters.

Yes. I even got all the names right this time! I am really looking forward to the next episode.

 

[Chaplin]

I so want to know who the tall stranger really is.

 

[ajcardfan]

I so want to know who the tall stranger really is.

I have a hypothesis.

 

[Chaplin]

I have a hypothesis.

So do I. Assuming he’s a character we know.

 

[Cheesebeef]

So do I. Assuming he’s a character we know.

I mean… if we’re all talking about someone’s who’s stature rhymes with the name of a Dairy Queen desert, that was my first thought the second he stood up in his first appearance.

Good back to back episodes. I like the Dwarf, Elrond and the lot of the Hartfoot’s. The tracker’s last line made me chuckle out loud.

 

[Covert Rain]

Watched the finale. This show has been pretty great. Started kind of slow but I love Nori, Durin and most of the cast. The acting has been great. Sad to hear Season 2 could be more than a year away. Season 1 took 18 months to film. I am sure the Pandemic played a role, but they are saying it will be more than a year away.

Hopefully, after Season 1 it's less wait time between seasons.

 

[oaken1]

Epic finale!!

If there was ever any doubt as to who the stranger is it should all be gone now.

The actual Sauron reveal was fantastic.

Damn episode had me choking up several times.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Epic finale!!

If there was ever any doubt as to who the stranger is it should all be gone now.

The actual Sauron reveal was fantastic.

Damn episode had me choking up several times.

I feel bad for Tolkien fans who can’t get into this show.

I thought the beginning captured all the feels of the book and LOTR trilogy, was a little bit bumpy in the middle, but closed so damn strong.

Now, I’m not some Tolkien die-hard who poured over the books a billion times, but I read them multiple times, ROTK is one of my favorite movies that I saw at least 4 times in the theater AND was skeptical of this show coming in. And I’m all the way in.

 

[oaken1]

I feel bad for Tolkien fans who can’t get into this show.

I thought the beginning captured all the feels of the book and LOTR trilogy, was a little bit bumpy in the middle, but closed so damn strong.

Now, I’m not some Tolkien die-hard who poured over the books a billion times, but I read them multiple times, ROTK is one of my favorite movies that I saw at least 4 times in the theater AND was skeptical of this show coming in. And I’m all the way in.

agree...

RotK movie actually surprised me... I thought the book was kinda dull but I loved the movie... I think its the huge epic battle thing. I just cant seem to get into reading them but I love watching them.

I took season one as mostly an introduction to everything... world, setting, primary characters, etc... I expect more from future seasons.

I hear, the show writers are focusing more on movie canon than book canon and I am cool with that. they basically want the series to be a prequel to the peter jackson movies.
that, and so many things left unclarified by JRR, leaves them a lot of leeway for creative story telling.

 

[ajcardfan]

I feel bad for Tolkien fans who can’t get into this show.

I thought the beginning captured all the feels of the book and LOTR trilogy, was a little bit bumpy in the middle, but closed so damn strong.

Now, I’m not some Tolkien die-hard who poured over the books a billion times, but I read them multiple times, ROTK is one of my favorite movies that I saw at least 4 times in the theater AND was skeptical of this show coming in. And I’m all the way in.

I agree with all of this. The last three episodes were epic. My main disappointment is that there were only 8 episodes and it's looking like a long wait for season 2.

 

[TRW]

It took me half the season to start warming up to a lot of the characters. Almost said to heck with it about episode 3 and am so glad I didn’t. The second half of the season was really well done. My wife and I give it two thumbs up

 

[Stout]

Holy crap, is episode 7 good. Also started liking some of the characters more. The dwarves are stealing the show.

Agreed on all. Well, awful surviving a clear death situation, but I ascribe that to Episode 6. Like 1-5, Episode 7 was nails.

 

[Stout]

I so want to know who the tall stranger really is.

Really? I thought that one was obvious, despite...well, I must go to spoiler land:

Spoiler

I figured it was Gandalf from the get-go, because I figured this is what endeared the hobbits to him. I wasn't fooled by the early Episode 8 attempt at a gotcha--which was a good attempt, I must say--and figured out that Halbrand was Sauron. Now, I can't take great credit for that. It was only once Galadriel whispered a repeat of the whole binding the spirit to flesh thingie, which is rather late in the game.

I think they tried to sucker the audience into thinking Gandalf might be Radagast, what with him healing the trees, as well.

 

[Chaplin]

Really? I thought that one was obvious, despite...well, I must go to spoiler land:

Spoiler

I figured it was Gandalf from the get-go, because I figured this is what endeared the hobbits to him. I wasn't fooled by the early Episode 8 attempt at a gotcha--which was a good attempt, I must say--and figured out that Halbrand was Sauron. Now, I can't take great credit for that. It was only once Galadriel whispered a repeat of the whole binding the spirit to flesh thingie, which is rather late in the game.

I think they tried to sucker the audience into thinking Gandalf might be Radagast, what with him healing the trees, as well.

Your spoiler tags aren’t correct…

I still don’t think it’s who you think. To me it doesn’t make sense. He wasn’t around this early in the history of Middle Earth. If they are going to drop those kind of hints then why didn’t they just reveal him and his name? I think it’s more misdirection.

 

[Stout]

Your spoiler tags aren’t correct…

I still don’t think it’s who you think. To me it doesn’t make sense. He wasn’t around this early in the history of Middle Earth. If they are going to drop those kind of hints then why didn’t they just reveal him and his name? I think it’s more misdirection.

I don't know the lore of that era, so I'm just going off what the show is showing us. It could be more misdirection, but I don't think that's what it is. Either way, isn't it nice to have a show with misdirection that isn't just dumb schmuck bait level stuff? More good fantasy content is excellent as well.

 

[Chaplin]

I don't know the lore of that era, so I'm just going off what the show is showing us. It could be more misdirection, but I don't think that's what it is. Either way, isn't it nice to have a show with misdirection that isn't just dumb schmuck bait level stuff? More good fantasy content is excellent as well.

I disagree. Saying it’s you-know-who is too easy. There is still a lot of story left in this series and to me, that would hurt the show.

LOTR isn’t just 3 wizards and that’s it. Show us more.

 

[Stout]

I disagree. Saying it’s you-know-who is too easy. There is still a lot of story left in this series and to me, that would hurt the show.

LOTR isn’t just 3 wizards and that’s it. Show us more.

Hey, you could be right. I had a thought earlier in the series that they might be trying to trick us with, but I stuck to my guns and still think I got it right. I don't think I mentioned this one yet, so to the spoilers I go again.

Spoiler

What with the nature magic, I thought they might have been making him too obviously into Gandalf so it might have been a bait and switch and making him into Radagast the Brown. I didn't buy it, though, but great subtle writing.[/spoiler}

 

[Chaplin]

Hey, you could be right. I had a thought earlier in the series that they might be trying to trick us with, but I stuck to my guns and still think I got it right. I don't think I mentioned this one yet, so to the spoilers I go again.

Spoiler

What with the nature magic, I thought they might have been making him too obviously into Gandalf so it might have been a bait and switch and making him into Radagast the Brown. I didn't buy it, though, but great subtle writing.[/spoiler}

The one thing that still sticks in my mind is the fireflies. Looks like he could talk to them, but I didn't get why they died after he did.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Your spoiler tags aren’t correct…

I still don’t think it’s who you think. To me it doesn’t make sense. He wasn’t around this early in the history of Middle Earth. If they are going to drop those kind of hints then why didn’t they just reveal him and his name? I think it’s more misdirection.

It’s him dude. They aren’t making a TV Show for the masses and gonna have the reveal be he’s some Wizard no one’s ever heard of.

He’s even said dialogue lines that the character said in the movies. Think you’re over thinking this.

 

[Chaplin]

It’s him dude. They aren’t making a TV Show for the masses and gonna have the reveal be he’s some Wizard no one’s ever heard of.

He’s even said dialogue lines that the character said in the movies. Think you’re over thinking this.

You want to talk about violating canon? That would be a MAJOR violation. I can't see the Tolkien estate being ok with that.

It's ok to disagree. If it is him, then why bother with the hints? Just say it's him. And even in the Third Age, he wasn't some all-powerful being. It wasn't even until he "died" that he became The White.

 

[Cheesebeef]

You want to talk about violating canon? That would be a MAJOR violation. I can't see the Tolkien estate being ok with that.

It's ok to disagree. If it is him, then why bother with the hints? Just say it's him.

My guess is they probably didn’t want MASSIVE backlash right off the bat and thought it was an interesting origin story way to go with the character.

Also, it would have robbed the show of one of their big Who Is Sauron red herrings which was the big question they played with all season.

 

[ajcardfan]

Your spoiler tags aren’t correct…

I still don’t think it’s who you think. To me it doesn’t make sense. He wasn’t around this early in the history of Middle Earth. If they are going to drop those kind of hints then why didn’t they just reveal him and his name? I think it’s more misdirection.

I agree with Stout, but, based on season 1, you are also right. There could be a twist.