Streaming Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

I saw today on X that the show has rated 2nd on Neilson Ratings in America for streaming shows watched, with over a billion minutes watched of Season 2. Yes, that's a billion. Apparently, this is down on Season 1 which was 1.2 billion minutes, but still a pretty good result for the show.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

There's no doubt about it: this series is a hot mess. I completely understand why some people hate it, as it messes with canon so badly that you have to laugh at times. However, I don't know why, but I just kind of dig it for some reason.

It wasn't the worst TV battle I've ever seen in ep 7 even if neither the Orcs or Elves fought with any kind of actual battle tactics. It was like one big bar brawl with swords. But it was OK. I did enjoy the troll part.

The controversial kiss was odd, considering Galadriel is Elronds mother-in-law. That was one of those moments that made me laugh.

We always have to remember that Prime never actually got the rights to The Silmarillion or The Fall of Numenor, so this is basically fan fiction based loosely on the original story. I guess that's why I'm more forgiving of its flaws than some others.

 

[GreyCrow]

I dont follow canon so I didnt know about the relationship. But then again

Spoiler

I dont think Adar did and that was the maguffin to pass on the object

Not sure why the spoiler as I dont think too many are watching. Well the ones that admit they still are.

We know you watch it still

Was that the last episode for this season? I'm not sure and the story wrap didnt feel like an ending - but it could also possibly be one

I'm along for the ride and whatever happens I will judge at the moment

 

[eth-dog]

I dont follow canon so I didnt know about the relationship. But then again

Spoiler

I dont think Adar did and that was the maguffin to pass on the object

Not sure why the spoiler as I dont think too many are watching. Well the ones that admit they still are.

We know you watch it still

Was that the last episode for this season? I'm not sure and the story wrap didnt feel like an ending - but it could also possibly be one

I'm along for the ride and whatever happens I will judge at the moment

Nah I think three more

 

[Brick Loosener]

Not sure why the spoiler as I dont think too many are watching. Well the ones that admit they still are.

We know you watch it still

Tapped out after the 3 episode dump. Missus is still watching it but waits until i go to work. Not even worth hate watching.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Tapped out after the 3 episode dump. Missus is still watching it but waits until i go to work. Not even worth hate watching.

Do you mean the first 3 eps of s1? Didn’t you watch the first season?

 

[Brick Loosener]

Do you mean the first 3 eps of s1? Didn’t you watch the first season?

Watched the first season. First 3 eps of season 2 was what i meant.

 

[Father Jack]

There's no doubt about it: this series is a hot mess. I completely understand why some people hate it, as it messes with canon so badly that you have to laugh at times. However, I don't know why, but I just kind of dig it for some reason.

It wasn't the worst TV battle I've ever seen in ep 7 even if neither the Orcs or Elves fought with any kind of actual battle tactics. It was like one big bar brawl with swords. But it was OK. I did enjoy the troll part.

....

TV battles are almost uniformly bad, The Last Kingdom was good in the early seasons but even that devolved into the stupid mass brawl all-in melee nonsense that makes no sense but I guess allows for TV-friendly one-on-one duels. I'm also not sure how Elrond managed to pull up that cavalry charge in the beginning so easily, but then maybe elves are just really really really good at horses or something

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

TV battles are almost uniformly bad, The Last Kingdom was good in the early seasons but even that devolved into the stupid mass brawl all-in melee nonsense that makes no sense but I guess allows for TV-friendly one-on-one duels. I'm also not sure how Elrond managed to pull up that cavalry charge in the beginning so easily, but then maybe elves are just really really really good at horses or something

The best one I've seen was probably GOT Battle of the Bastards. But I agree, in general, they just seem to turn into one big brawl.

 

[Frank Bunn]

The best one I've seen was probably GOT Battle of the Bastards. But I agree, in general, they just seem to turn into one big brawl.

I suspect many of the historic battles were fairly chaotic and descended into big brutal brawls. Then, after the event, the story would be embellished and written into history by the winners.

Representing a battle on screen needs to have the same story telling elements. Critical Drinker thinks in order for a battle sequence to work effectively it needs to deliver three main elements

• a logical battlefield that the audience can easily keep track of
• understandable objectives for both sides
• a logical sense of progression

He also points out that you need characters you care about and that are put in jeopardy. That all seems reasonable. He goes on to compare the battle in Rings of Power S2 Ep7 with the Battle of Helms Deep from The Two Towers.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

 

[eth-dog]

Enjoyed season 2. They've advanced the plot a lot more than I expected. Have honestly felt that the arrogance of Numenor is overwhelmingly the weakest part of the show.

Sauron has more depth to his character than pretty much anybody else.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

The Finale was pretty good. Brought together a few storylines to set up for next season. We all suspected The Stranger was Gandalf, but I didn't mind that whole storyline. They were setting stuff up for the future. The same the the Numenor stuff, just setting things up for a payoff in future seasons. I got goosebumps when the Queen gave Elendil Narsil. So many future ramifications with that sword. I have enjoyed this second season overall. A few odd moments here and there that make you laugh at how they've mucked up lore, but entertaining nonetheless.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

I did love the arrows under mortally wounded Celembrimbor’s arms ..was like a school production.

But really enjoyed season 2 ..they’re like classic infamous scenes from old lore. Don’t mean they’re greatest ever type of way but like famous stories that have been passed on. Such as a ‘heavyweight’ bout between Sauron and Galadriel. Oh and there’s Tom Bombadil with Gandalf. Maybe just me

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Wow. That was one of the worst things I've ever seen. Really felt like it was written by ChatGPT. Like it looks like a show but it's barely coherent.

Arondir is mortally gutted. Then fine next episode.
Gil Galad is present at the first charge, then disappears, the returns and Elrond is shocked.
The trebuchets can't break down Eregions walls but can destroy a mountain more than twice the same distance away.
The orcs turn on Adar because he is putting them in danger then immediately follow Saurons orders to go back into battle.
Adar takes Nenya then gives it back to Galadriel for.. reasons.
King Durins dwarves turn on him for no apparent reason other than the plot calls for it.
The orcs who couldn't walk in sunlight now fight in the middle of the day no issue.
Elves can throw bags of explosive oil / gunpowder 40m away and explode it with arrows but are also simultaneously all as weak as humans and run screaming from orcs as if they are peasants.

And that's not to mention all the lore insanity like the Balrog, the mithril, the Elrond-Galadriel kiss, Saruman being evil etc etc.

Honestly one of the worst things I've ever watched.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Adar takes Nenya then gives it back to Galadriel for.. reasons.
King Durins dwarves turn on him for no apparent reason other than the plot calls for it.

Adar hates that the ring he took from Elrond has transformed his appearance, making him look less scarred and more as he did back when he had “a meaningless name … a name I was given.”

Thought it was obvious why the dwarves turned against their King

 

[MC Bad Genius]

Adar hates that the ring he took from Elrond has transformed his appearance, making him look less scarred and more as he did back when he had “a meaningless name … a name I was given.”

Thought it was obvious why the dwarves turned against their King

Yeah there were a few parts of that rant that were a bit misguided. Some very valid points too, but some of them are a bit silly. The other one is that the Orcs turned on Adar because the Great Deceiver got into their ears.

There was a pretty hilarious conversation I saw on Reddit when someone was complaining about the showrunners going against everything Tolkien had written and used the orcs having families as an example. Another super fan pointed out a letter Tolkien wrote where he confirmed that orcs DO have families. The first person doubled down and said that was an example where they should diverge from Tolkien. The hypocrisy and lack of self awareness was quite impressive, actually.

People are just primed (pun intended) to hate EVERYTHING about the show. It just makes some of the more rational criticism get lost in the noise.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Yeah there were a few parts of that rant that were a bit misguided. Some very valid points too, but some of them are a bit silly. The other one is that the Orcs turned on Adar because the Great Deceiver got into their ears.

There was a pretty hilarious conversation I saw on Reddit when someone was complaining about the showrunners going against everything Tolkien had written and used the orcs having families as an example. Another super fan pointed out a letter Tolkien wrote where he confirmed that orcs DO have families. The first person doubled down and said that was an example where they should diverge from Tolkien. The hypocrisy and lack of self awareness was quite impressive, actually.

People are just primed (pun intended) to hate EVERYTHING about the show. It just makes some of the more rational criticism get lost in the noise.

The point is not that they have families. Of course they reproduce. And Tolkiens letter is basically saying "well yeah I guess they need to reproduce in some way but I never thought of it". The point is that the orcs in this show are portrayed as downtrodden slaves who are exploited, sort of like a take on the noble native myth, like they just want to be left alone, raise their families and be good people and they're just forced to commit all these acts of war and genocide. That's not the point of Tolkeins writing. He intentionally doesn't explore their reproductive tendencies and familial structures because they are a representation of evil. They are more of a theme than a character and shouldn't be humanized or anthropormorphized.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Adar hates that the ring he took from Elrond has transformed his appearance, making him look less scarred and more as he did back when he had “a meaningless name … a name I was given.”

Thought it was obvious why the dwarves turned against their King

No I don't think that's why he gave it back and if it was that doesn't make any sense. His primary goal is to defeat Sauron and return his orcs to Mordor. He marched an Amry half way across Middle Earth to do so. I don't think "this ring made me look like what I was before I was corrupted" is an overriding influence than his primary goal - or at least in good story telling shouldn't be?

And as for the Dwarves, I didn't get it. When they first came I thought it was a double cross, like he was pretending that Durin had attacked them to lure Durin Younger away from the cave. I didn't feel that turn was earned at all. I dunno, maybe that's just because I took about a three week break between Ep 6 and Ep 7 and maybe I've forgot some context.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

The point is not that they have families. Of course they reproduce. And Tolkiens letter is basically saying "well yeah I guess they need to reproduce in some way but I never thought of it". The point is that the orcs in this show are portrayed as downtrodden slaves who are exploited, sort of like a take on the noble native myth, like they just want to be left alone, raise their families and be good people and they're just forced to commit all these acts of war and genocide. That's not the point of Tolkeins writing. He intentionally doesn't explore their reproductive tendencies and familial structures because they are a representation of evil. They are more of a theme than a character and shouldn't be humanized or anthropormorphized.

Why though? It just feels like really weird gatekeeponge.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Why though? It just feels like really weird gatekeeponge.

Gatekeeping or understanding the purpose of Tolkein?

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

This was amazingly well done.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

‘The Rings Of Power’ Season 2, Episode 8 Review: A Truly Dreadful Season Finale

An embarrassingly bad end to one of the worst seasons of fantasy TV ever made.

www.forbes.com

Sums it up pretty well I think. Not much to like throughout this season. Season 1 was all visuals, confusion and boredom. Season 2 was disgust and irrelevance.

 

[GreyCrow]

Wow. That was one of the worst things I've ever seen. Really felt like it was written by ChatGPT. Like it looks like a show but it's barely coherent.

Arondir is mortally gutted. Then fine next episode.
Gil Galad is present at the first charge, then disappears, the returns and Elrond is shocked.
The trebuchets can't break down Eregions walls but can destroy a mountain more than twice the same distance away.
The orcs turn on Adar because he is putting them in danger then immediately follow Saurons orders to go back into battle.
Adar takes Nenya then gives it back to Galadriel for.. reasons.
King Durins dwarves turn on him for no apparent reason other than the plot calls for it.
The orcs who couldn't walk in sunlight now fight in the middle of the day no issue.
Elves can throw bags of explosive oil / gunpowder 40m away and explode it with arrows but are also simultaneously all as weak as humans and run screaming from orcs as if they are peasants.

And that's not to mention all the lore insanity like the Balrog, the mithril, the Elrond-Galadriel kiss, Saruman being evil etc etc.

Honestly one of the worst things I've ever watched.

Pretty good take for someone who refused to watch it

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Pretty good take for someone who refused to watch it

You must be confusing me with someone else.