Rings of Power Episode 8 -Season finale - HONEST REVIEW | Lord of the Rings on Prime

Hello friends and foes of Middle-earth and welcome to this last breakdown of Amazon's Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Episode 8. In this review I'll go through some of the worst things in episode 8 and breakdown some of the many issues this series has. At the end I'll give scores for various elements like story, lore, cinematography, dialogue, acting etc. And in this last review of the Rings of Power I will also give points for the season overall.
As many of you know, I was not that optimistic about the show and many of my fears were confirmed as The Rings of Power seem more like a fan-fiction than a faithful adaptation of Tolkien's works. Episode 8 Sadly confirmed many of my worst fears and even exceeded them at times.
[!SPOILERS!]
The Stranger is found by the witches in southern Mirkwood or Eryn Lasgalen as the forest was called before the darkness grew. They falsely believe he is Sauron. The Harfoots show up to save him and he sends the three witches into the wraith world, somehow. There are many indications pointing towards him being a young Gandalf, which makes absolutely no sense lore-wise. At the end he takes off with Nori/ Elanor possibly towards Rhûn to find the stars he has been looking for.
On Númenor not much happens. Elendil reveals himself to be a member of the Faithful. Míriel is still blind. And Tar-Palantír dies of old age or sickness. Elendil's made-up daughter Eärien also finds the Palantír hidden in the tower of Armenelos.
In Eregion Halbrand is healed with elven medicine in a few seconds. He then shows up at Celebrimbor's forge and give him some advice on how to melt the mithril and use it for crafting. Galadriel gets suspicious and ask a random elf to find a scroll about the lineage of the kings of the Southlands. When Galadriel confronts him about it he reveals himself to be Sauron.
Yes Halbrand is Sauron - hardly a surprise to anyone.
He then teleports her or something to Valinor and she talks to Finrod again, who is Sauron in disguise. Galadriel sees through him and then they are suddenly on the raft again. Sauron/ Halbrand tells him that he wants Galadriel to be his queen... But she's not having it.
Elrond drags her out of the the river Glanduin and then she suggests to make 3 rings instead of 2 objects. And then Celebrimbor crafts the 3 elven rings, despite the fact that they were the last of the rings to be crafted, except The One Ring.
[!SPOILERS!]
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__________________________________________________________________
Images from Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Map of Middle-earth - Amazon
Images from The Lord of The Rings Trilogy - New Line Cinema
Image of J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay
The Eagles of Manwë stand guard over a Númenorean coastal town - Pete Amachree
Grey Havens - Darrell Sweet
Rómenna - Greset David
Barad-dûr under construction - Jessica Rossier & Bastien Grivet (Shadow of War)
Music for the premiere trailer by Emil Mårlind Music
#theringsofpower #ringsofpower #lordoftherings

[@captainhurricane5705]

The 3 cultists were a waste of time, what was the point of them; they existed just to give Hobo-Gandalf his memory back, apparently. The Harfoots' carts are so important to them that taking the wheels off a cart is a death sentence, yet now all their carts are destroyed they don't need them any more. Adar's storyline was also pointless, because Sauron is now going to take over Mordor. Celebrimbor, the grandson of Feanor, is taking smithing advice from a human from the 'Southlands'? That is the biggest joke of this episode. They needed Galadriel's dagger to make the rings? What if she went to Valinor and didn't jump off the boat? Or it was lost in the volcano or whatever? I guess the story would be over at that point. Celebrimbor just happens to have 3 gems sitting in a box; how convenient, and a small plug of mithril is all they need now, apparently. The 3 rings are made in less than a day. Halbrand says 'mithril' yet Celebrimbor didn't tell him it was called that. The Numenoreans cross the sea in a day yet again.

[@palantirlotr5623]

You nailed it!

[@mythic_snake]

Halbrand didn't even have to admit to being Sauron. WTF was even the point of admitting that so quickly? He could have just said "you're right, I'm a nobody, but I told you that from the beginning. I TOLD you I took the pouch off a dead man. You invented all that stuff about me being king all on your own." And then they wouldn't have had to completely destroy the ring timeline by rushing it through in a matter of days and getting it all out of order. They could have taken their time while we watched Halbrand weasel his way into the elves' ears and chipped away at their defenses with his guile and charm and gifts. We could have GRADUALLY seen glimpses of his true nature, the way we did with Breaking Bad. I'm not even a writer, but I think I could have done a better job with half the budget.

[@giveandtake8428]

You put more thought into it than the writers did for free.

[@esquilax5563]

03:40 there's zero reason for the stars to be strange in the east. On a round Earth, people at the same latitude see the same stars. On a flat Earth, as Middle Earth was at this time in the 2nd Age, you'd be able to see all the stars from anywhere in the world

[@dw620]

Hush.... don't expect the showrunners to use logic!

[@sebastianwittmeier1274]

Depends on their distance from Middle Earth.

[@CULatte]

This BS is the Silver Timeline they are trying to feed us over in Halo

[@nalublackwater9729]

It was Halbrand all along 🎶🎶🎶

[@Pearleace]

i was not convinced by him. it would've probably been better had he been one of the nazgul. but it was indeed predictable the way they went with him. they missed every opportunity they had with the show, big and small.

[@alvaro.martinez]

Saddest part is, he didn't really perform any evil deeds. He even wants to be a good guy, which is pathetic and the most lore-breaking aspect of the whole season.

[@garyheighway7635]

One of the very few on KZbin that are actually telling it like it is about this show.

[@paulsheridan7408]

The Elves not having long hair is making me irrationally annoyed. It’s just a basic fact, when not adhered to ruins their whole magical aura. Come on!!!!

[@meesterexit1969]

The reviews: 10 out of 10! The show itself: If 'zero' was the lowest number of valuation of god worshipping mankind...I would pray the gods for even far more lower numbers to valuate this.

[@srenkibsgaard9136]

I tried to watch this episode, but realized, there were no CHANCE, of me finishing it. So i watch you instead. The fact you actually managed the whole season is so impressive. So THANK YOU for the very hard work.

[@SamuelBlackMetalRider]

And once again thank you so much for your videos. Every week I was eagerly waiting for them and your awesome blasé tone & spot on scorching of this DISGRACE & TRAVESTY. I will be following YOUR storyline for the Second Age. There is only one good thing about RoP: Adar. He was pure made-up fan fiction but he was very cool in every way & I rooted for him from the get go

[@FullFNCode]

He rode six days straight for 135 miles a day. Ignoring Sauron has a mortal wound, he also now has a giant blister covering his entire taint. Thank god for the Elvis medicine.

[@sweeperboy]

I don't think this was the _very_ worst episode in the series, but I agree as a season finale it feel very much flat on its face. I didn't buy the feint at the beginning of the show of "Meteor Man = Sauron" and I'm surprised the Ascetics / Witches (or, as another reviewer called them, the "Nazgals") made that mistake. It's tiring to list all the failings of this episode but one glaring one was that having been rejected by Galadriel, Sauron departed Eregion but left Galadriel alive despite her knowing the truth about him - why would he do this? Celebrimbor did not look like he had a clue what he was doing despite being the second-greatest Elven craftsman ever, nor did he even _look_ like a craftsman to be honest. And why he felt the only way to make the Rings was for Galadriel to give up Finrod's dagger is beyond me: firstly, there's an implication that Valinorean gold and silver is somehow superior to Middle Earth equivalents, which I'm not sure is written anywhere. Nor should it be necessarily purer (the technology to make 24 carat gold existed in ancient human societies in Real Life). Fair enough though: but then he himself is a former Valinorean Noldor Elf, the grandson of the great Feanor, a craftsman in his own right - did he not have any Valinorean gold or silver of his own? Of course, he did - he had Feanor's hammer but I'm sure he had plenty of other things too. It's a small point but just highlights the internal inconsistencies of the storytelling. The biggest problems though remain the same issues that have plagued the series - the near-total bonfire of Canon lore, poor storytelling and some very poor acting (the actress playing Galadriel whenever she pulls any kind of non-neutral expression, be it happy as in in the infamous slow-mo horse-riding scene or angry as in her confrontation with Halbarad/Sauron, looks insane). They didn't get us to care about any of the characters and the whole Sadoc dying thing made me feel nothing because Lenny Henry really didn't convey a dying person realistically at all. The only one bit of effective acting in this particular episode I thought was Will Fletcher as Sauron-pretending-to-be-Finrod. He started out seemingly as Finrod but through the dream sequence morphed gradually into Sauron's personality, and he did something with his eyes and lips in his attempted manipulation of Galadriel which was simultaneously seductive but also incredibly gross and nauseating. Especially considering Finrod is Galadriel's dead brother, maimed by Sauron himself, it was a virtual "rape" of his memory and quite disturbing. The showrunners missed a huge opportunity to show Sauron's shapeshifting and in particular the "character" of Annatar, rather replacing that with Halbarad, because apparently they know better than JRRT. But this is yet another example of the mass throwing-out of Canon for no apparent reason. It was a terrible show overall and a travesty to the memory of JRRT and his wonderful son. I agree with your decision not to review any future seasons of it, I won't be watching either. Thank you though for enduring the season for us though; I found your sigh-groans to be especially entertaining - more than the show itself.

[@FlyfishermanMike]

I think the only reason it had to be her dagger was it was their attempt to show some growth on her part. She's never been able to part with it but now she can for, reasons? Like all the writing it was poorly executed. I certainly felt an emotion when Sadoc died but I don't think it was the one they intended. That scene with Finron (Saurod?) was brilliantly acted, probably the best in the show. That was a properly executed callback.

[@Rommulo35628]

LOL! I'm happy this cancer is finally over!

[@niallgaffney2475]

“Nothing much was happening in the Second Age. But then one day in Eregion, like, EVERYTHING happened!” - J.R.R. Tolkien

[@garrettgsf8849]

Let's imagine the same principle for our human history: 1492 until 2020 - nothing. 2020: Black Death, 30 years war, reformation, imperialism and new ideologies emerging. 2021 - 1st and 2nd World War + Cold War. 2022 - The Internet, War on Terror, rise of Asia. political unrest, etc etc.

[@tigerstorm]

@@garrettgsf8849 Excuse you, Asia saw the peak of humanity way before the Industrial Revolution, but you are semi correct that the downfall of the West gives the East a chance to rise again, but I wouldn’t be so sure now that a prolonged parity could last a long long time.

[@mafuletrekkie]

@@tigerstorm Funny, I don't remember China going to the moon before the steam engine was a thing... I must have missed that.

[@iz9744]

You mean J.R.R. Wokeien, right?

[@CBourn48223]

@@balder4295 I suppose if you classify the mass production of garbage humanities peak then sure, why not? Our greed, vanity and willful ignorance is on full display, at our fingertips. We were given the greatest inventions we have ever known, offered all of humanities combined knowledge and look at what we've done with it. Our degenerate primal tendencies shine far brighter than our intellect.

[@Bubele_]

Catacombs in a city of immortal beings cracked me really😂

[@CounciloftheRings]

Yeah I wonder who came up with that idea 😄

[@chadleach6009]

I know this is a stretch but what happens to elven bodies after they die? Assuming these arnt the same elves that can survive a pyroclastic flow, they should still die from time to time. My question is what happens with those bodies once the elves spirit is sent back to the undying lands to be brought back? Does it just rot like a humans corpse or dissappear magically?

[@SiriProject]

@@chadleach6009 I don't quite remember the volume but Tolkien addresses this in his writings about fëa and hröa (soul and body), along with questions like how long does an elven pregnancy or childhood last for. I think elven bodies corrupt and return to the elements after death such as men's, but unlike theirs these are linked to Arda itself, and are an extension of their spirit and temperament so to speak. That's why reincarnated elfs tended to receive a body similar to the one they previously had, and some "affected" the world with their spirit (such as Fëanor, who had a fiery spirit that consumed his mother at birth). This explains why even bodyless elven fëa that rejected mandos became "dwelling spirits" or tricksters and others could feel their presence. They are "magical" to men in that their mind is fully present in the world and affect it, while men's spirit is a stranger passing by and does not belong in Arda. This is why when their spirits grew old, burdened with sadness or even by the passing of the ages, their power and capacity to affect the world (even to sustain their body!) could diminish or even dissapear.

[@Goranh]

Oh man, I've been watching you since episode 1, and it feels like I'm witnessing the slow decent of a man into madness as each episode was aired. Thank you for your sacrifice

[@BrainDamageComedy]

👍👍

[@ConchienceClothing]

😂😂😂😂 you can hear it in his voice

[@mikestanmore2614]

Yes, you can hear first his hope, then his interest in life slowly fading away.

[@jennyjustjenny7634]

I watched all episodes and believe me.. it's like a trip to madness town. I also feel very empty since new viewers will see this as their first entry to Tolkien and they destroyed my favorite world.

[@oscarstainton]

"Then this has all been in vain. The fandom has failed." "Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Middle-earth to torment and death, not while we have strenght left!"

[@angryman2406]

"Let's hunt some plot!"

[@jamiek1714]

To the King!!!

[@TETASARAIVACS]

Oscar, just now I realised they stole another quote from the LOTR. Nori’s father used that Aragorn line when ge gave the pep talk to the other Harfoots. “We stay true to each other”, he said.

[@oscarstainton]

@@TETASARAIVACS So they did... They may take lines from our beloved trilogy, but they will never take the depth and innate magic from the story they come from.

[@NovRen19]

And we have not failed, Join us for our counter ROP series. Mae G'ovannen! Now the evidence is clear, and none can deny that "ROP" is not of Tolkien. Take heart for our EXSURGE TOLKIEN that makes robustly clear the heresy of Tolkien's Canon displayed out of the showrunner's mouths and hearts. They probably know nothing of Tolkien's masterpiece, as evident from their interview in the Vanity Fair Article. For "they who proclaim to loveth Tolkien, yet understandeth, not his world view can neither hope to create a new film, show, or series of his secondary world." "Auta i lóme!" and" Aurë entuluva!"

[@FlyfishermanMike]

The title of this episode should have been "Suddenly." Suddenly everyone is in Eregion at just the right moment. Suddenly Halbrand's wound is healed. Suddenly Celebrimbor has a senior moment and forgets his craft. Suddenly Saurbrand has all the answers. Suddenly Galadriel is suspicious after hanging out with Halron for weeks. Suddenly the three elven rings are forged. Suddenly, suddenly, suddenly...

[@ameerkherbawi8466]

@@brad7836 I honestly feel bad for him..

[@revoltzzz1178]

@@ameerkherbawi8466 lmao, feel bad for your non-redeemable hours watching this woke shitfest, rather.

[@demondog45]

@@brad7836 Always cracks me up seeing comments like this. If the only way you can cope with people not liking a T.V. show you like is to convince yourself that only super depressed people recognize things like terrible pacing and lazy writing, it's probably not a very good show.

[@brad7836]

@@mr.uthamaputhiran9790 bot, bot ? Cu nt go ask your parents to leave some syllables for the rest of us 😂. I'm Indian born in SA no clue what to call you. So stand to one side and shut up. Ok great grandparents left India Catholic so forgive me if I say if you believe in any Indian gods it's strange that you find this series hard to believe?

[@mr.uthamaputhiran9790]

@@brad7836 Thank you for showcasing the collective intelligence of the people who love this series

[@AngryBlackDogger]

Even if it was not a Lord of the Rings series, it's still immensely bad written. It's absolutely absurd how dumb the dialog and the writing is. What a sad pathetic piece of garbage.

[@rogermoreno1152]

The two most important factors that make or break a show is absolutely atrocious in this one

[@Earendil_1510]

They better start season 2 with galadriel waking up from a bad dream and finding celeborn next to her. And her telling that everything that happened in season one was just a dream and nothing is true. That’s the only way to save this garbage show.

[@Exit_343]

Lol!!!

[@benrichardson3031]

It's not that garbage

[@heorhii_veinapok]

Then they laugh about stupid idea of vile nomadic Harfoots

[@alicewonder5688]

I totally agree, maybe they ate some bad mushrooms on the evening before...

[@alicewonder5688]

@@benrichardson3031 sadly it is - complete and utmost garbage (the chemical one not the biological fertiliser... just to be clear)

[@furiousangel6508]

"the showrunners are beyond dreadful" "the show works best as a torture device that if I am indeed the new dark lord, I would not force my enemies to watch it" HARSH!!! (but true)

[@dw620]

Unfortunately we still have ongoing work to do to ensure this is never taken as canon, or complimentary to canon, in any way. Too many lazy minds out there just "consuming the product" and too many "academics" using it to push culture war agendas and their blinkered, toxic ideology such as Anna Smol's "‘The Rings of Power’: Every adaptation is re-interpretation so ignore the haters" recently published in The Conversation.

[@ConchienceClothing]

Lol when I want to discipline my kids I will make them watch the entire season

[@bottlethrower1544]

I know, I love it with that dry Nordic delivery

[@bottlethrower1544]

@@ConchienceClothing sorry, but that is abuse and should be illegal

[@boomingbob1579]

@@ConchienceClothing too far

[@kategamgee]

Lore breaks aside. You're telling me the woman who was hell bent on finding Sauron learns he has been right there beside her the whole time, but let's him walk away? Doesn't go after him? Then lies to Elrond and convinces Celebrimbor to complete his evil plan? WTF.

[@cjtrules1]

You must have missed the part where she was unconscious and he left by the time Elrond pulled her from the river.

[@rexcroatorum7654]

@@cjtrules1 Assuming he cant teleport as he rode for 6 days with a wound, he would still be close when Erlond pulled Galadriel out of the river. They couldve tracked him down.

[@giveandtake8428]

@@cjtrules1 Still could have told them. They even asked what happened and didn't say anything but Halbrand can't come back.

[@mr.uthamaputhiran9790]

True, diversity can't be used to mask shitty writing. I am not even a white male but even I am unable to digest all the cringe. Nothing is happening most of the time in this show except virtue signaling. Entire southlands (one shitty village) is lead by a tavern healer who was hated by all in the first episode for being elf lover. Dwarves woke up Balrog because they wanted to help elves rub mithril all over themselves? Numenorians revolt that elves will take their jobs? Wat? And the writing was like a video game where all events only happen when Galadriel triggers it. Like Sauron only wanted to fish in the middle of the ocean until Galadriel finds him. The whole so-called "epic" battle was like 24 orcs vs 30 southlanders + 25 Numenorians in their 5 ships. We see long shots of grand cities sometimes but after that it is very linear, you barely see 20 people in a scene. It never gave the sense of grand fantasy that we have known LoTR for. What did they even use $1 billion for? Its pretty clear that it has nothing to do with racism and the script is just crap.

[@dkingsbury]

@@cjtrules1 ok so you addressed the first question but not the other 2? Lmao cope

[@wiseblackowl]

What kills me is that Galadriel was able to recognize a CREST but she didnt know the line ended THOUSAND YEARS AGO. I don't get it lool

[@belegur8108]

guess the scroll from Numenor only had the info about it being a royal sigil, not about any time period... riiiiiight

[@wiseblackowl]

@@belegur8108 Anything to make her blameless i swear.

[@irena4545]

So, in the show called Rings of Power, the creation of the Rings comes almost as an afterthought. Not Sauron's masterplan all along, but something he randomly came by because he happened to be at the right time and place. /slow clapping/ Greeeeeeat writing there, Amazon!

[@lostmarimo]

if anything that should have been the shows focus. Sauron infiltrating the elves and making the rings and all that. Not Galadriel running around killing Orcs. She could have been one of the main opposing forces sure, one of the elves that didn't trust Sauron etc. But nah we need discount hobbits and discount lotr

[@MaXiMoS54]

The masterplan instead was to get into Galadriel's pants, the rings made for a nice plan B

[@RoninDave]

@@MaXiMoS54 the rings are engagement rings for the Second Woeing of Sauron

[@RoninDave]

Yeah all those expecting 8 to save the season must have been sorely disappointed or doubled down on their delusions. WTF did the Harfoots and Stranger add to the story? It was just there for mystery box, member-berries, and misdirection of "is he or is he not Sauron?"

[@irena4545]

@@RoninDave Yeah, those were completely and utterly pointless, along with the creepy cultist ladies. Cut them all out, and nothing, absolutely nothing, changes in the story!

[@leegray72]

"If you like your life though, and want to change that, well, maybe this show is for you" , BRILLIANT lol

[@caindarin9665]

I wish I could unwatch all this series. It is corrupting my reading of Tolkien like a relentless cancer. I would gladly take an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind remedy for this. Galadriel was the catalyst for Sauron to commit to his plan of Middle Earth conquest? These "writers" are beyond belief.

[@wesltall1]

Plot summary: "And EVERYTHING was Guyladriel's fault."

[@dw620]

Sauron tempting Warrior Galadriel to be his queen because of her latent evilness was the icing on the cake... ; )

[@bottlethrower1544]

And Guylandriel can take credit for EVERYTHING (even the rings!)

[@pamelajessup7931]

If you were new to Tolkien you should really be thinking that Galadriel corrupted Sauron with her arrogance, callousness and viciousness instead of the other way around.

[@mythic_snake]

I've seen people spell her name like this in other places. What does it mean?

[@wesltall1]

@@mythic_snake Morfydd Clark was posing "manspreading" in a publicity photo for 'The Rings of Power', like a guy, and since this representation is basically Galadriel-in-name-only, this imposter character has been dubbed GUY-ladriel, the opposite of GAL-adriel. This, among reasons...

[@myrddinqwert]

I have "watched" this mess of a show through reviews because I refuse to support Amazon anymore. I want to thank you as most reviewers have so much vitriol in their videos. You are calm and collected with a soothing feel. I can still feel the frustration but you aren't screaming and are obviously are trying to be objective. You have my sub for life good sir.

[@rogerwilcojr]

Also his reviews are only about 20 minutes, not 2 or 3 hours.

[@stevenv2190]

Same here - still listening (now) to the Men of the West live stream review. I only watched reviews and still will not watch it on Amazon.

[@bradleymac1031]

Well said

[@sebastianwittmeier1274]

For a collected, fair and insightful review, the Tolkien Lore channel can also be recommended.

[@JensJBauer]

Why have a forge in a tower? I thought Galadriel was banned from any library in Middle Earth - she just takes any scroll she likes with her and they end up lost or damaged. And the song for the ending titles is to prepare us for the musical, isn't it? Please comment on the coming seasons as well. I enjoyed your observations very much. It is like watching "Plan B from Outer Space" with a comment track.

[@FlyfishermanMike]

I threw up a little in my mouth at the thought of a LotR musical...

[@ValHazzard]

@@FlyfishermanMike They're gonna get Lizzo to play Galadriel in the musical

[@wojtek1582]

Well, the show is called "The Rings of Power". Yet, we spend a lot of time watching Harfoots marching while the rings creation took just a few minutes. The more so from numerous rings that were made we see only 3 being created. They completely ignored the 16 rings (so laters 7 for dwarves and 9 for humans) which were the ones made together with Sauron and which had corrupting powers. They also ignored the lesser rings made before them during centuries long process of learning how to make rings of power. So the show titled "The Rings of Power" absolutely ignored most of the rings and ignored Saurons corruption of the rings (as the 3 Elven rings we see in the show were free from his corruption). Unbelivable.

[@hans471]

And then Sauron in the show even touched the stones for the three rings, basically corrupting them...

[@sebastianwittmeier1274]

Probably they have no rights to anything about the rings.

[@wojtek1582]

@@sebastianwittmeier1274 16 rings of power are many times mentioned in the LOTR. In case of lesser rings there is at least one mention in LOTR when Gandalf tells Frodo about history of rings. So they do have rights to use them.

[@sebastianwittmeier1274]

@@wojtek1582 They probably missed the rings, when they drafted the contracts and allowed topics for The Rings of Power. Or the Tolkien Estate negotiated to exclude them from the series. Would have cost more.

[@wojtek1582]

@@sebastianwittmeier1274 Usually in such deal you buy rights to the whole book. The limitations are in the media types in which you can use it (like just for movie, or just for a computer game).

[@ozi618]

Halbrand is Sauron - we knew that. Stranger is Fake Gandalf - but we cannot call him Gandalf, why? Because he came too early, I guess. Three mysterious figures in white cloaks think that Fake Gandalf is Sauron - No, he is not, 'He is goood!' Galadriel finds out that Halbrand is Sauron and confronts him - We definitely think that Sauron is right about everthing he says and she is responsible of everything happened and she is still insufferable. Harfoots try to help Fake Gandalf and Papa Harfoot dies - He was going to be 'decaravaned' soon due to his age anyway. Celebrimbor is stupid and tries to look smart. - Halbrand teaches him how to forge. Celebrimbor mixes all the MacGuffins in the show (except for Adar's sword) and makes three rings with instructions from Galadriel (Because nothing happens without Galadriel’s instructions in Middle-earth). - OMG those rings don't reflect the subtlety of elven designs at all. No Isildur - I think they will replace him with his non-canonical sister Eärien.

[@rogermoreno1152]

It’s just an absolute mess. I cannot believe that this was approved at all. The writing and dialogue alone are so bad, not to mention the lore changes. It’s just all so so bad.

[@GrafPathygoras]

Galadriel hunts for hundreds of years for Sauron. Then she finds out, he is right among them in the middle of Eregion and decides to tell nobody??? Instead he's allowed to take a nice little walk back to the southl... sorry Mordor. So I guess, season 2 starts at the same point as season 1

[@hans471]

Also the peculiarity of the three rings: sky, fire, light is completely lost...

[@anna_luin]

Yes the rings look like cheap trinkets. Isidur will be back - I suspect Halbrand will find him S2E1 and takes him back to Numenor, as they don't know who he really is yet... will be lifted up and celebrated for bringing him home sighhhhh

[@crimzonempire4677]

The show is terrible and still, to me, makes little sense as to how Sauron is halbrand Like, really, somewhat predictable But at the same time a bunch of bullshit

[@dw620]

The showrunners repeatedly broke lore with no consideration for the CONSEQUENCES. For example, if mithril now heals corruption why is Durin's future Bane still evil after being trapped in a mithril mine for thousands of years? Far less, that it should also now be possible to "uncorrupt" the orcs, Adar, etc. "Don't know, don't care" say the showrunners? ;p~

[@josephcosenza9366]

If the elves only need a little bit of mithril and used what they had to make 3 rings then why would the dwarves mine it at all at this point and release the balrog?

[@dw620]

@@josephcosenza9366 Well, the excuse of "greed" has been done away with because they've changed the lore on that by having the mithril known-but-avoided and of no previous specific value. And because they also changed the lore on it being needed for the rings, why indeed do they continue to delve? So.... yeah; well done again, showrunners! (/sarc) Totally careless on lore changes creating plot holes, indeed.

[@josephcosenza9366]

@@dw620 I was left with way too many questions at the end of this first season. So many unnecessary choices and story lines with no apparent reason for it.

[@HT-fo4kh]

Exactly. And why do the elves even need the rings in the show? Just shove that lump of mithril into the tree and it'll heal itself like the leaf did.

[@Odysseus59YT]

And what will happen to the elves when they have to stop using the rings because Sauron has forged the One? Will they resume fading as fast as before?

[@unitedstatesofmordor]

As a lifelong Tolkien fan, I just want to thank you for creating these honest and accurate reviews of the show, thus sparing the rest of us the additional anguish and pain of having to sit through them ourselves.

[@unitedstatesofmordor]

I imagine, at certain times in your viewing, you must have felt not unlike young Alex, while he underwent The Ludovico Technique. Thank you again, for your sacrifice in sparing us Tolkien fans that grim fate.

[@unitedstatesofmordor]

Which, BTW, celebrates it's 60th (book) and 50th (film) anniversaries this year.

[@Firesoul001]

Predictions for season 2 : - Númenor is going to keep the black flags of mourning on their ships, and become a pirate nation who will venerate the skull and bones of their dead king. Their motto will be : “This is the isle of the dead, and the dead keep it”. - Galadriel will realise that despite everything, her love for Sauron is too strong, and therefore must be right. They will get married, and adopt an orphaned orc. Their wedding rings will be two new rings of power : “Two rings for the dark lord and his dark queen, to teleport them wheresoever they wish”. That way the show can keep messing with time and space, and feel it is justified in doing so. - Simon Tolkien will have a cameo role as his grandfather, somehow finding himself in his subcreated world, after having stepped through a wardrobe. He will walk around with an enchanted look on his face, marvelling at everything he sees, and repeatedly saying : “Yes, this is exactly as I imagined it.”

[@hapt-di1pq]

A much better plot than season 1! I would definitely watch it!

[@Firesoul001]

@@hapt-di1pq Hahahaaa, thanks. Those were just the silliest ideas I could come up whilst being sleep deprived. I guess it's still better than some people whose job it is.

[@hapt-di1pq]

@@Firesoul001 :)

[@Baddad36]

Wouldn't it be great if it WAS cancelled and HBO or Netflix made a version that was true to Tolkein's world and wasn't offensive or insulting or racist or just dreadful in every possible way. If only.

[@roland1912]

You mean like the first LOTR book, the Fellowship of the Ring? That took 157 pages before Frodo and Sam even left the fucking Shire?

[@Baddad36]

@@roland1912 you are aware that covered a period of around 17 years and loads happened.

[@stormdragon2529]

netflix would make it worse probably

[@user-lh5my4ws8j]

Yeah Netflix, Black Sauron and Asian Galadriel.

[@coloneldusty4476]

No.

[@pyropulseIXXI]

The stars cannot even be 'strange' yet, since Arda is still flat. It doesn't become spherical until after Numenor is sunk

[@jean-philippeX]

The craft of the rings is ABSOLUTLY RIDICULE!!! They didnt even use the dwarf forge to craft the rings!!!!! Half of this series is Elrond crying for dwarf help…. (The dwarf forge is suppose to be a giant tower and they actually craft the rings in the workshop of Celebrimbor) Also… they said they need the purest gold and silver from valenor…. They melt a whole dagger made not only of gold and silver… but surely STEEL, and some sort of material like wood or leather for the handle…. It is impossible to have a good weapon fully make of gold and silver because those are too soft… if we struck a 24c gold sword on anything ITS going to bend or broke!!!!! So they melt the whole thing and make a mess worst than taking normal gold and silver to craft the mightiest powers of middle earth…. Juge by yourself if this show is good for you… but surely not for me

[@jasondowns940]

Elrond “I was there Gandalf, I was there two and a half thousand years ago. It should have ended that day. Which reminds me, where were you?” Gandalf “my alarm didn’t go off”

[@FlyfishermanMike]

You're not far off. Check out Charlie Hopkinson. He does deep fakes and impressions of characters reviewing RoP.

[@dragoonzen]

Where did all those ships comes from? If two ships were destroyed by fire, why couldn't they easily get two more ships since they have so many...Before going to Middle Earth...

[@linkidge]

This review was the best part of the whole series. Laughed out loud many times - the ratings were spot on

[@heorhii_veinapok]

Galadriel: didn't give 3 pieces of her hair to Feanor cuz he was an arrogant guy Guyladriel: Introduces Sauron to Elven and Numenorian society, he is such a sweetie. Somehow misses, that there are no kings of Southlands for one thousands years of her life.

[@hans471]

But she recognized the "emblem of the king of the southlands" 😄

[@RoninDave]

Galadriel's arc was fantastic! She was revealed to be the Keyser Soze of Middle Earth. She brought the Dark Lord back while simultaneously getting the Queen of Numenor blind in futile expedition that accomplished nothing except to give Ar-Pharazon the fuel he needs to seize power and eventually destroy Numenor. She even let Celebrimbor carry on with Sauron's plan ensuring his death and a war with Sauron that in the end in LOTR will cause the Elves to have to finally leave Middle Earth when those rings lose their power. Never has there been a villain of this caliber in Tolkien. Bravo!

[@gabrielcook2007]

She was deceived by the greatest deceiver active in Tolkien's universe. One MUCH older than she and who had literally transformed himself into a fair looking, completely unrecognizable form that even Uruk could not recognize. Kind of like he does in.....you know.....the book. How do you think he gets the other races? By wearing his dark armor and forcing them? Read again bud.

[@lexnight8345]

I like the Soze comparation.

[@RoninDave]

@@gabrielcook2007 Yeah, some masterful deception there from Salbrand. 🙄 The old Nigerian Prince email scams were more deceptive. 🤣

[@hoffy1955]

TROP is the kind of show you expect to get from first time showrunners, who continue to say they respect the lore but don't. When Peter Jackson decided to make the Lord of the Rings everyone in a high level position on the film crew had read the books over and over and loved and respected Tolkien's work. They were always mindful of the thematic content and didn't put any of their baggage into the movies because they loved the mythology as Tolkien wrote it. J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay are NOT fans of Tolkien's work and it shows everywhere throughout this billion dollar dumpster fire. Their intent was to do the exact opposite of what Jackson did. No one in a high level position on this show is a dedicated fan of Middle Earth. The few true experts they hired like Tom Shippey were fired for disagreeing with Payne and McKay and what they were doing to the mythology. They have not respected the thematic material, canon or lore in fact, they have completely disrespected it. The unmitigated gaul of these two amateurs believing THEY know better than Tolkien how to write the second age of Middle Earth have produced a show that is bad across the board. Bad directing, editing, pacing, storytelling, acting, dialogue and generally all aspects of cinema except the CGI, and a billion dollars worth of that SHOULD be decent. If this story had nothing to do with Tolkien it would still SUCK! That they, in their infinite lack of wisdom, decided to dump ALL their PC and Woke baggage into the singularly greatest work of fantasy fiction of all time shows just how clueless they are. They wanted their story to reflect the world we live in today. Just one problem with that boys and girls, no one reads or watches fantasy fiction to be reminded of the world they live in. In fact, it is loved because it provides an ESCAPE from the world we live in today! Middle Earth is a fictional account of an English/Northern European pre-history. There were no black elves, black dwarf women without beards, black Harfoots/Hobbits or black or asian humans because those races did not live in this English/Northern European geographic location! Diversity has to make sense within the story parameters. The showrunners are total "Bad Reboot" untalented, uninspired and unsuccessful Hollywood hacks! The season ending "big reveals were laughable. Everyone knew Meteor Man was Gandalf even though he wasn't due to appear in Middle Earth for another thousand years or so. Everyone knew Halbrand was Sauron from the moment he appeared on screen. Warrior "Guyladriel" did not exist.....ever. Tolkien's Galadriel was so much more powerful than TROP's Guyladriel because she used her intellect and sorceress powers of persuasion to get what she needed. What she didn't need was to be a sword wielding, "Mary Sue/Karen", Zena warrior princess! Bezos must certainly be feeling buyers remorse for having hired Jar Jar Abrams incompetent production team. A billion dollars for a show that could have been great but for the clown car of talentless hacks that were put in charge of it. I hope the other 4 seasons get cancelled before the next 2 years pass. Let this abomination pass into history with all the fanfare accorded an unmarked grave. That's all it deserves. RIP TROP....you suck!

[@paulvmarks]

The series was terrible. It was typica "Bad Robot" company nonsense - which is where the Show Runners came from.

[@carstenwagner3355]

This channel offers the most sober and down to earth criticism of this...äh..show..or whatever it pretends to be. I am reading Tolkien`s work for 3 decades now. Over and over again. Because it is deep and every time I find something new. Seeing something from a different angle than before. That is what Tolkien delivers to his readers. This show is nothing less than an abomination of his works. You want to sue Amazon because of this until the end of time? I would gladly join!

[@kalm6872]

I couldn’t watch because of their blundering and bull shit at comic con. I would petition for them not to continue to season 2

[@0905gutten]

I agree with your assessment of RoP. It is no epic tale like Tolkiens. The elves were not ethereal beings, but just pointy eared humans. Even Sauron was just a man and not a demi god. The magical power of the rings was not shown, they are just shiny tokens. The grandeur of fights and battles in Tolkiens stories was reduced to neighborly dramas in RoP, that were more fitting for a soap opera. I really, really, really hope the second season will be canceled.

[@twood1uis]

I think Joseph Mawie as Adar was a standout. He’s a fine actor and has real presence. His character was a red herring of course, ( maybe HE’S Sauron!). I hope he survives this wreck of a show and lands some good roles in the future.

[@ladyfantastic765]

honest review: it burns us, precious!

[@tobsw3802]

I believe that Sauron was genuine in his desire to get away from his past. In Numenor he dedicated time and effort into trying to become an ordinary smith. A move which no one else saw and brought him no closer to forging the Rings of Power. He also begged Galadriel not to take him back to the South Lands/Mordor but she forced him. He even told her that he wasn't the Lost King of the Southlands and that he had just found the seal on a dead man. She's the one that lied to the Numenoreans about his heritage and he just went along with it because revealing the truth at that point would have been bad for both of them. If you argue that it was all an act and he was manipulating Galadriel's actions then that says more about how evil she is rather than him because he "manipulated" her by begging her to let him live in peace and not return to the site of his former evil. He could have only done this if he knew she was so sadistic, selfish and manipulative that she would force an unwilling man to go to the one place he begged not to be taken and that she would gladly lie and deceive the numenoreans to get her way. Mind bogglelingly awful writing.

[@Maehedrose]

I suspect what they're going to do is have the Elves create the rings for the Dwarves as an attempt to fix their broken relationship in season 2 and the human rings in season 3 because the Numenorians are demanding immortality. Then at the end of season 3, or maybe in season 4, we see that Sour-Ron has secretly forged the One Ring and it has power over the others because of Galadriel somehow. Then season 5 is everything they have to stuff into the end because they forgot to do it sooner.

[@militant_daisies2194]

when Gandalf yelled "Im good" i left the room

[@kevincarson9201]

The guy who galadriel gets to look for the history of southern kings, he looks like a vulcan rather than an elf lmao

[@nehrothrehr9967]

I don't watch the series after episode 3, and go straight listen to all reviewers on KZbin when another episodes came out. Listening to you all is better than watch the actual series 😂

[@johncurtis6815]

There is no way this abomination doesn’t get canceled before season 2. Mark my words.

[@corpsefoot758]

Never underestimate the hubris of billionaires 😅

[@CNNBlackmailSupport]

They are already filming season 2, so I guess that answers that.

[@mr1skali]

saeson 2 started filming

[@jirdan4870]

I think season 2 and 3 are already greenlit. And as long as Amazon will spend money to somehow shift the óopinion. It will not be cancelled. I just hope it's expensive failure.

[@anwynoakenshield]

They committed to 5 seasons when they bought the rights.

[@pdjinne65]

I'm not watching any of this until the harfoots take a bath. Being nomads doesn't mean you can overlook hygiene, little folks!

[@alvaro.martinez]

The whole dream scene on the raft is the more anti-Tolkien bit imaginable. It's exactly the opposite of how Tolkien saw his world and his characters. It's not just that they are contradicting the original story... they are contradicting the original CONCEPT itself.

[@deanzaZZR]

I'm glad it was included in the review. I have no recollection of the scene as I must have nodded off.

[@mrcat3493]

It was so tiring how much RoP stole from Peter Jackson's films. The way Feminem-Nazgul uses her staff to fight Dollar-Store Gandalf was a total rip-off of Saruman attacking Gandalf. The show runners even undercut their own "Strong Female Character" by making Galadriel incredibly stupid to be duped by Sauron in disguise; something that the real Galadriel would have seen right through.

[@stephenrice2063]

My main comments for the show were "Wait! What?!" and "Even *they* wouldn't dare.... Oh. Okay, I guess they would."

[@Nescafard]

Another thing that is absurd: the non-Hobbits do not think of asking the powerful Istar to heal Sadoc who has only been wounded, but they thought of begging him to resuscitate an entire orchard of burnt trees. -_-

[@thranduiloropherion7256]

they probably wanted to kill him off. i would if he were my leader.

[@GreatGreebo]

“As a Tolkien show though, my score would be -10/10” ……I laughed so hard that I shot my coffee out my nose laughing when you said this. Thank you for taking one for the team and watching this abomination so we didn’t have to. It is greatly appreciated. I’ll be back for your future videos on what a Second Age show should look like. Cheers 🤘

[@odd4824]

I had a similar response. lol

[@aotearoaaudio]

Yes! Looking forward to hearing what you would have done for a second age show. Amazing! Thank you 🙏🏼

[@KingBarnaDuke]

Well. That finished. Now all it's fans can get back to watching "Love Island". 😬

[@alicewonder5688]

or the peter jackson trilogy - or better reading the books...

[@KingBarnaDuke]

@@alicewonder5688 one can only hope Alice! The more the merrier. Then shows like this might actually get done right! The road goes ever on. ☺

[@lordgrashaun9367]

When Sadoc died and no one mourned I realized then that death is a happy thing in Harfoot culture.

[@sunsin1592]

As I've said before, Morgoth showed more respect for Middle Earth than Amazon. We can only hope they change their minds and cancel it, but I doubt they can admit failure like that. So we'll likely be subjected to another season, but it's hard to see it doing well given that they've alienated the real fan base and normies will have forgotten it by 2024.

[@jonbbbb]

There is absolutely zero chance that season 2 comes out and you don't review it! Too much good content there lol.

[@lastedain450]

Hail new Dark Lord! Great review as always. We thank you for your suffering on our behalf.

[@shabadooshabadoo4918]

I was impressed with the graphics for a "tv show" if that word still exists in 2022. I thought most of the actors were talented but probably given poor direction. Too much cgi was added where it wasn't necessary and not enough was added where it would have helped, like making the blind lady actually look blind. The orcs looked good, the dark elf guy looked coolish, the scene where Galadriel and Sauron looked into the water looked good even if it didn't add anything to the show, i really liked the dwarves, the balrog looked fine for the 2 seconds we saw him. Even most of the sets looked thought out and detailed. I ended up liking Elrond even though when i first saw him i didn't think i was going to, i liked the dwarven actors (pretty much all of them). Now the problem is, anything I didn't just mention above, was done poorly and i pretty much only mentioned how things LOOKED. The story was skin deep, and darted around like crazy, i couldn't tell you how any of the songs or themes went, Galadriel has this weird Mary Sue quality and thats even considering the fact we know she has to live for the rest of the story to exist, i predicted all the twists in episode 1 or 2, whenever we met the characters, which isn't really a problem IF there are other twists to keep me engaged, but those were pretty much it. I still dont understand why Galadriel is involved in numenor, it kind of makes her a bad person because she essentially helps him make the One Ring and then when frodo goes on his journey she's like "oh, heres some items, goodluck". Her brother dies she goes to the end of the earth killing orcs. She births a dark lord, then retires in comfort? I don't really get it.

[@jiks270]

Fully agree. Out of many, many issues I was most surprised how they managed to both make the show feel so small and a vast empty space at the same time. Obviously the worst aspect is that is was not merely untrue to Tolkein but more an anti-Tolkein with most of the characters being the opposite of their true selves. A ghastly abomination which made me abandon all hope for the human race. How did this ... thing get made?

[@namingwayrunningway295]

Look, the show sucks, I agree. But if with all that is coming from Amazon alone, let alone the world, this is what made you lose hope for the human race, there was none to be had.

[@paddywan]

Another thing that really bothered me is how suddenly Gandals changed his dialect from sounding more --Irish like the "hobbits" to suddenly switching to sounding more like Gandalf.

[@CounciloftheRings]

good point

[@SerginhoPMoura]

I'm betting Sauron will be saving Isildur in Mordor and the two of them will become close friends.

[@beltashazzar5277]

Hmmmm... might actually be something they choose to do - bring Isildur into Sauron's confidence, turn them into friends. Then, when they have the final battle and Isildur cuts the ring off Sauron's hand, he keeps it as a memory of the friend he thought he knew long ago?

[@Rik-B]

@Beltashazzar Isildur keeps the Ring because it corrupts him, just like it corrupts almost everyone who bears it, which is an important plot point that is central to the Lord of the Rings. We don't need another reason for him to keep it. This mindset of "well we COULD change it so let's do it" without much actual thought is the reason why so many of these adaptation are garbage imo

[@beltashazzar5277]

@@Rik-B I agree ^_^ But I am def curious about what they’ll do with the plot points they’ve established.

[@BernddasBrotB7]

RoP is what happens when a screenplay writer rolls a nat 1.

[@LohnPondai]

Another episode that makes no sense. Galadriel and Helbrand arrive at Eregion in 6 days. Nice Numenor steeds. "Take that, shadowfax!" Aparently Celebrimbor, the greatest elven smith since Feanor doesnt know about alloys, but he is illustrated by a stranger that he suddenly finds in his workshop. He also didnt create the rings in secret (or himself at all) as you can see other smiths giving them shape etc. They needed silver and gold from Valinor so they have to melt Galadriel's dagger (a token from her brother Finrod). I guess it would be an emotional moment... if we cared about her. What? The noldor came all from Valinor? Did no one bring any gold/silver with them, not even the smiths? Not a single earing, bracelet, etc. Also no magic involved so I guess with more gold, silver and mithril you can make as many rings of power as you want. O_o And I could go on and on.

[@62iq64]

It astounds me how some "tolkien experts" are still defending the show

[@JoeTheLion60]

Either paid by Amazon or not really Tolkien experts at all

[@MarkusMeridius]

I enjoy Lord of the Rings, but never read the books. I finally gave in and watched the show over the past few days and I gotta say. While I can't really comment on the lore stuff because I don't really know enough about it, Galadriel is an infuriating character. The complete opposite of who she is in the Fellowship movies. The show even makes note of the fact that she is already millenia old, and the 'General' of her military? How in the actual hell does she get to such a position with such a childish attitude towards adversity? I get the impression they were trying to make her 'develop' through the series as she sees herself reflected in Halbrand's attack on the Orc leader, and Theo's bloodthirst after the eruption of Mount Doom? But it makes zero sense at all being as old as she is, and so experienced in war. Really, REALLY irked me. Total disconnect between her character and her personality.

[@BadenBattleBase]

The credit songs of the movies moved me to tears, at the end of RoP I rolled my eyes when the song started.

[@florinnatu]

I have to repeat it: they did not care about Tolkien or the Lore. They use a very known name to push the modern message to as many as possible. Wokeness, feminism, progresosm. No content, miscasting, just trash. A shame a lot of people will think this is what Tolkien wrote. On the other side glad to see the fandom stood up and critiqued it everywhere possible. Hope it gets cancelled

[@danielracine1991]

Two part prediction for next season. 1) Isildur eats his horse to stay alive. 2) the horse is still okay and carries him back to Numenor.

[@facundovera3227]

Makes sense.

[@X525Crossfire]

This is really a nitpick, but the direction on this show is so bad they didn't even seem to realize they had Earien drawing the *left* side of Tar-Palantir's face while she was sitting on his *right* side.

[@FlyfishermanMike]

All the nitpicks add up to show the true lack of attention to detail.

[@broccolibeater]

those fn rings look incredibly cheap. they even fucked that up. lol

[@tomsether7831]

It is bad writing with a healthy dose of woke. And I’ve lack of caring. You would think a studio that invested as much money as it did would keep its actors and writers and directors on the title leash so they didn’t talk a bunch of walk nonsense and piss the fans off before the fshow even came out. And it’s not even like they’re trying almost no elf has long hair at all. Some of them look more like Vulcans from Star Trek. I hope to see more but I pray they correct course.

[@xBullzEye]

Thighs of Power.

[@CNNBlackmailSupport]

In a deleted scene, The Harfoots are almost noticed by an Elven messenger, but they hide under a log with the Stranger. Once the elf has passed, Poppy says, "Golly! I thought we were done for..." and points towards the rider, "...Take a gander at that elf!" Then the Stranger looks directly into the camera and says, "Gander...Elf...Gander Elf...?Yes...That will be what they will ca..." and it cuts to Muriel pegging Elendil.

[@mark9294]

So inspiring

[@spacejunk2186]

Im overflowing with emotions.

[@cy-one]

I'm so in for that last part. Cause it's still a better story than Twil, I mean ROP.

[@CleverGirlAAH]

Butterfly tears!

[@cy-one]

@@CleverGirlAAH Now I have to think of idiotic mystery-box moth-nazgul.

[@michelesilva9491]

I don’t understand why they couldn’t get good writers that understand Tolkien history and lore. Hell they could of hired any number of fans that could of done a better job at writing. I just don’t understand how it managed to be so bad. Even putting the history and lore a side there’s still so many plot holes and just stupid shit that makes no sense. I just don’t understand any of it.

[@game1st674]

The dialogues - no wonder they ghosted Peter Jackson.🤔

[@CounciloftheRings]

I thought the same

[@50043211]

"... now the rest of the Harfoots just have to die!" I laughed much harder then I should have but yes, bloody psychos begone.

[@michaelbing8991]

This is one of the very few shows I have seen where I give absolutely 0 fucks about ANY of the characters. They should all have died in the volcano eruption and called it a day.

[@laserloui2008]

So it turns out Sauron could have been a good guy, healing the world and making it a paradise, but instead we got thousands of years full of terror, deaths and sorrow just because stunning and brave Galadriel refused to bend down to the patriarchy as a Queen to a King. Got it!

[@in2it85]

*Horrible Writers.* *Mediocre acting.* *But some nice CGI.* *IGN 10/10. 😂*

[@pamelajessup7931]

Galadriel spent centuries searching for Sauron and couldn't spot him literally inches from her while every normie knew who it was before the show even aired.

[@lambchoppa3718]

Didn't watch after episode 3 just watch your reviews and I am sure I would dislike them even more than you

[@tomoflathead]

Yeah, I gave Galadriel's actress the benefit of the doubt for being subjected to bad writing in the first few episodes, but she's really not a good actress. Any scene she's in makes me visibly cringe or roll my eyes due to the one note facial expression or overly dramatic reactions. Can't believe this was the best they could do for a main character smh...

[@LesterBrunt]

It really boggles my mind how bad the writing is. The things that bother me the most are the illogicalities and irrelevancies. So often stuff happens and then 15 minutes later something happens that makes the entire thing irrelevant. Starts in E1 with the raft thing, she floats on sea, gets picked up, they all get eaten by a monster, she floats again on sea, she gets picked up by the same raft again, they float in the water again and get picked up by a boat again. The whole thing was pointless. It would have so much better pacing if she was picked up by the boat without the whole raft scene. Or what about the scene where wood elf dude goes into the tunnel and is turned into an orc slave only to be send back by Not-Sauron with the information. What is the point of the slave scene then? It would have the exact same effect and run 100% smoother and logical if the wood elf dude just followed the tunnel, spied on the orcs and head back without being seen. It would achieve the exact same thing, elf dude tells village that there are orcs coming, without all the irrelevant boring nonsense. Same with the whole Elrond waking her up from the river, she doesn’t want to tell him what happened, they go forge the rings and then he goes back to find some piece of paper that magically didn’t float down the river. If he is going to find out what was the point of the whole scene 10 minutes earlier? It is insane that the writers couldn’t come up with anything more logical, more organic. How about she wakes up but acts as if nothing happened, goes to forge the rings and THEN Elrond finds out she kept quiet about Sauron dude. And all the dialogue is so flat, there is nothing dynamically going on 99% of the time, just people standing opposite of each other rambling off paragraphs of lazy exposition. The opening scene between Bilbo and Gandalf would just be two dudes standing facing each other. In LOTR Bilbo is constantly darting around, Gandalf is hitting his head knocking everything over. Even when they are sitting down they are constantly grabbing stuff, drinking/eating, smoking, standing up, sitting down again, etc. LOTR is mostly people walking, fighting, riding horses or resting. ROP is mostly just two people standing still talking about mindnumbing boring stuff. Again, it is just pure insanity how this is possible for a billion dollars. I read some comment saying that this is something big corporations do on purpose to kill popular franchises in order to open up the market, the level of incompetence in the writing of the series is so high that I really think that isn’t even that unreasonable in this instance. I have never written any movie and I don’t know how much the writers cost but I’m certain that I could’ve done a way better job for 1/10th of the price. For this kind of budget this is just unacceptable. Even if they cheaped out on the writing, relative to the overall budget you should still be able to get S grade quality. It is just a couple of people you have to pay, that is not what is going to eat up your budget, that would be the production and post-production. You just get one actual good writer who has written these things called books and can actually write a proper story, then you get a guy to work with the writer to get his story into a movie script, somebody who has actual experience doing that kind of stuff. You give them both a million for a year, then you still got 998 million for the series, so that is being pretty conservative considering how vital the story is. There is no scenario where you can’t get high quality stuff for that kind of money. There are hundreds of thousands of writers world wide who could die happy and at peace after landing a project 1/100th the size of ROP. I’m getting mad just thinking about it. This goes beyond the opportunity of a lifetime, everything should be overflowing with passion and dedication. And it feels like this stuff was written in a couple of days max. Like they just put all the cliché selling points on a whiteboard and quickly slapped together something you can’t even call a story around that and called it a day as fast as possible. It all feels like a first draft that wasn’t even made well. I know a little bit about writing and I know one of the biggest parts of good writing is rewriting. You need to go back after at least a night sleep and rewrite everything, going down each paragraph trying to find mistakes, ways to make sentences run better, or even entirely new texts. You should do this several times if you want to make something that is coherent, intelligent and comprehensive. ROP feels like a first draft that was written around memorabilia. How can it be that nobody read that garbage and said something? It goes beyond any matter of taste or interpretation. I want to like this series but it is unbearable. It is enraging, depressing how bad it is, how it is possible that a billion dollars can be wasted on something as low quality as this, how nobody involved had the intelligence, taste or will to put a stop to the molestation of such a great story.

[@liyantop]

I was so confused as to why "Gandalf" was talking perfectly English all of a sudden

[@rpscorp9457]

Pre-ring wraith wraiths.......like..what the fuck, seriously?

[@ajmen2222]

I didn't think it was possible to blunder a TV as bad as GoT did in S8...guess I was wrong. This bad Tolkien fan fiction has reached new lows; I'm afraid it might awaken a Balrog.

[@spofaids]

"and I refuse to review more of this abomination"... Hahhahahah tks bro, your reviews are the best... Hahahahah.

[@ClubofInfo-Circulation]

as far as I know, not even Christopher Tolkien actually tried to add new content to Tolkien's world and in the content he did write, there was an almost worshipful commitment and deference to whatever JRR Tolkien had written, which is also the case with Peter Jackson. That isn't the impression we get from Amazon, they instead give the distinct impression that they disapprove of Tolkien and want to put him in his place and replace his work with their own

[@gabrielcook2007]

The Tolkien Estate approved of all changes....so maybe you are just....trolling 🤔

[@ClubofInfo-Circulation]

@@gabrielcook2007 there's always the possibility people are taking everything too seriously, the Tolkien estate probably just thought, 'it's just television, so what do we care?' I had the same view at first, my thoughts were that if I enjoyed the Goblin campaign of Battle for Middle Earth II then I can't possibly complain about this series.

[@pallando]

Not certain if you mentioned it as I watched your vid on my second screen and wasn't entirely focused, but what bothered me so much about this show, in addition to everything you've mentioned, was the excessive use of slow motion when it was just unnecessary. Galadriel horse riding being the most prominent one, but there were others that were just extremely weird. In any case, looking forward to your upcoming videos. :)

[@turbobutton1]

They even stole the " stronger than the foundations of the earth" line from Peter Jackson.

[@estebanacosta3385]

I wouldn't agree on episode 8 being the worst at all: ep5 (where we get to see Isildur trying to get to the ship for an hour) is unbeatable