Drinker's Chasers - Rings of Power Is Pure Torture

[@cygnus618]

The wonderful thing about not having a subscription to Disney + and Amazon Prime, I contributed absolutely nothing to these terrible companies.

[@petrastein2531]

Downloading is the only way to go. :) I would recommend you a safe local website, but yt would cancel me for days.

[@andrewmawdsley3512]

Dude. I had to subscribe to Disney+ so that I could watch Mr In-between again. Genuinely gutted, but I'd do it all again if I had to.

[@ImotekhtheStormlord-tx2it]

even subscribers dont watch it. including me. amazon prime has many good tv shows and movies. vox machina, grand tour, the boys, genv, good omens and more. dont let one shit stain on a couch burn entire room

[@RCAvhstape]

I have Prime, mainly for the free shipping, and I give them credit for saving The Expanse.

[@roberthiggins8234]

@@andrewmawdsley3512 mr inbetween is also on binge.

[@pdm881]

This show won't be complete until you have a dragon being voiced by Awkwafina

[@frocat5163]

And singing, Iluvatar willing.

[@chasehedges6775]

Darth Vader: NOOOOOOOO!

[@purefoldnz3070]

dont give them ideas!

[@Ihavehadmanynames7779]

I’m scared.

[@TealWolf26]

Why does this make sense?

[@Elayzee]

It's not torture. It's a perfect cure for insomnia. I've taken every drug out there for insomnia and none of them have ever put me to sleep like Rings Of Power has!

[@edelmantoamendola]

Happy for you, but don't read the side effects of this miracle drug.

[@MexxProtect]

Try luetins 40k lore instead, it’s less brainrot inducing

[@donniedeville5102]

No way is this a cute for insomnia. As the blind man on this panel said 🕶️ it's too aggravating

[@nersesgarabed781]

I agree. This aggressively put me to sleep right after Sauron’s “blood” got run over. Wide awake to fast asleep in that short period of time.

[@My2CentsYall]

I find the show entertaining.... Its not for everyone. People want it just like the books and we all end up with nothing because they complain. LOOK you are 50 some years old of course your want the experience of your youth...well its not gonna happen. These series just like star wars is being written for a new group of fans... let it go!

[@chance_ondriezek99]

Congratulations, Amazon. You gave The Acolyte competition for worst show of the year

[@chasehedges6775]

The Acolyte and Rjngs Of Power are some of the shows ever made 😂😂😂😂

[@1_underthesun]

@@chasehedges6775 Wait, they're different shows?

[@jodi2847]

Otherwise known as an Emmy contender.

[@SecondBreakfastAndThreeH-zo3jp]

S2 of House of the Dragon sucked too. Not as bad as these 2, but still garbage. It’s been a weak year for cinema in general.

[@declanjones8888]

​@@SecondBreakfastAndThreeH-zo3jp Thank you, I thought I was the only one who didn't like S2.

[@donaldneill4419]

I don't know which I like better - "Feminem" or "the Real Grim Shady". You guys are hilarious.

[@archmage_of_the_aether]

Who were they referring to, though

[@bjornh4664]

@@archmage_of_the_aether The androgynous person with the close-cropped white/blonde hair, who together with two other mystics search for... something in S1. They were turned into moths.

[@archmage_of_the_aether]

@@bjornh4664 ha! Gotcha, thanks bjorn

[@AbdefFable1]

Grim Shady was the one that got me, feminem is a classic tho

[@Kadejones01]

​@@archmage_of_the_aetherThe Nazgirls

[@loki3378]

Prediction: Ciaran Hinds' character will be a villain. That's why they cast "the whitest guy ever."

[@regiman222]

If he's who I think they're talking about, he's Feminem's boss, so yeah he's a villain. Hence why the character is played by a white guy instead of an asian or arab.

[@Trygvar13]

He will be the Witch-King.

[@rhymeswithorange6092]

OK, that would explain a lot.

[@crazyralph6386]

Bingo!

[@chadthunderstroke]

It's like that for everything. White guy bad.

[@mintybadger6905]

They lost me at “the sea is always right” last season. I was like, pack it up, we’re done here.

[@lewisaspden3217]

One of the worst lines in fiction

[@kauetadaieski3131]

O dont even remember that lol

[@wd2989]

😂

[@Rastenn]

I mean, the sea WAS trying to kill Galadriel....

[@aleksander8497]

Something no seafaring culture in antiquity would ever utter

[@Navonex]

Sauron being voted out of anything is hilarious. OK, I guess we've been dealing with despots all wrong.

[@spartakos3178]

Coming from people who are all about "muh democracy" though, it makes perfect sense.

[@frocat5163]

Right!?! Why didn't the Soviets just vote Stalin out of office?!?

[@Yarblocosifilitico]

It's actually impressive that they managed to double down and make S2 even worse than S1.

[@brandonm4550]

I love they try to emote sympathy for pure evil whom previously mentions how he wants all of humanity to bend to his will.

[@mrpuss2519]

Now that is another kind of talent right here.

[@AerinstadasChronicler]

​@@brandonm4550Write what you know

[@northstar6920]

Season 2 was filmed before the dumpster fire that was S1 got lambasted... so changes weren't exactly possible at that point.

[@TheFourthWinchester]

​@@northstar6920Let's not make excuses. They had 2 years.

[@DAZzler3K]

Morgoth wasn't killed, you can't kill what it is immortal. After he was defeated, the Valar bound him with the chain _Angainor,_ his Iron Crown was beaten into a collar for his neck, and he was taken from Middle-Earth and thrust through the _Door of Night_ into the _Timeless Void,_ from where he couldn't return anymore. Sauron getting crowned with Morgoth's crown is impossible to do, since Morgoth wearing it around his neck! The writers of this show are deeply incompetent!

[@TheSleepLes]

@@DAZzler3K Only far right ,fringe elements of sexist,fascist, misogynistic and transphobic ilk read books. Are you sure you want to be cast betwixt such scum and be known as one who partakes in the conservative thought crimes and hate speech? Do you not realize that knowledge, competency, lore ,critical thinking and ability to observe are not going to forward any ambitions of professional advancement, financial security or sexual fulfillment? Do you really want to be ‘ one of us’?

[@joemeatballs3694]

​@@PeterSTIHLyeah, that could be one of many large spikey iron crowns kicking around middle earth

[@woodwyrm]

well Morgoth is returning for Dagor Dagorath, the battle of battles at the end of Middle Earth, whence Morgoth shall breach the Door of Night and the final battle commences. Perhaps Eru will sing another world into being after that.

[@lisboah]

Not to mention that Morgoth, in his Dark Lord form, was as tall as a tower. He crushed Fingolfin with his foot. There's no way that crown was worn by Morgoth.

[@EvilDoresh]

Getting kicked out of reality is so much more badass than being "dead". A sad thing to screw up.

[@MiguelGasRa]

conspiracy theory: amazon forced season II rings of power, because they knew people like drinker, platoon, mauler, nerdrotic had to watch it; its intentional torture directed at them, no one else watches it, we just wait to have fun on them commenting on their torture sessions

[@mrkeogh]

Jeff Bezos is watching this, laughing his ass off 🤭

[@SterileNeutrino]

The most expensive torture in the universe .. yes yes YES

[@kaykay4455]

Absolutely! It's not like there are TV shows worth watching out there which are also worth talking sessions about such as Justified, Sopranos, whatever the FFF but star wars failures and rings of power.

[@Sentinel82]

​@@kaykay4455 Those shows ended long ago and have already been talked about and continue to be referenced.

[@ZenMonkeyGod]

Orcs in LOTR: "Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!" Orcs in TROP: "Must we go to war...? I was trying to finish my vegan salad with my orc-wife AND her boyfriend..."

[@Herr_Affe]

Sauron in that one scene is literally a sentient dog turd getting stepped on by someone and being taken along for the ride until he gets scraped off.

[@denisl2760]

"Remember that god-awful spiderman 3 movie from 20 years ago? Yeah let's do that." - Amazon

[@typerexc]

Sometimes I come across comments that I will never get out of my head when I see a particular thing again. This is one of those.

[@Sonny_McMacsson]

Remember those sticky octopuses you'd toss on the wall and they'd roll down?

[@typerexc]

@@Sonny_McMacsson That's really one of the first things that came to mind when I saw this.

[@TikkiNikki]

And he would've died from *checks notes* BEING COLD! If that cart didn't deus ex show up, the "great lord" would've dued

[@chrisgaines7574]

With all of these rings you're like a lord, like a lord with rings, like a lord of the rings.

[@serberus5233]

I'm confused... Amazon needs to dumb this down for me.

[@ggallin2187]

this is more like "the rings of fanfiction : the screwing around for the cockring"

[@robertagren9360]

​@@serberus5233 long live the king

[@TheNikoNik]

@@serberus5233 I'll simplify for you: men bad, women good

[@JACorvin]

Please tell me that’s not an actual line in the show.

[@TheSleepLes]

This was SAURON! He should be practically invincible. A bunch of orcs KILLS him using … cutlery? Really?

[@TheSleepLes]

@@chumpchange1517 A lobotomy patient,are you?

[@roel.vinckens]

​@@chumpchange1517 Not just LOTR fans, but those who appreciate world building, depth of character and staying true to the logic of the universe in which the story was supposed to be created. But if you're just here to enjoy noise, movement and colour go ahead. And when your mom is finished riding that tier you can have a go.

[@Gathaeryx]

@@chumpchange1517 What do you mean by "chill"? If you mean "just turn your brain off", that is really disingenuous. And is caring about the lore, meaning and messages within the story "bitchy"? If you only watch RoP or LotR for fun and action, just say so, but don't belittle the fans who actually care about the world that Tolkien created.

[@ranzizam]

​@@chumpchange1517 to enjoy something, that something must be enjoyable.. this show isn't that..

[@chumpchange1517]

@@Gathaeryx I'm saying dont get your paties twisted over a tv show. Let go of all that hate and just sit back and enjoy the ride - its a good one! Or if you care that much about it, why not purchase the rights off amazon and do your own version, I'll enjoy that too, and not cry myself to sleep over how bad it is.

[@dbsommers1]

Pinhead: Your suffering will be legendary, even in Hell. Drinker: I watched Madame Web, Rings of Power, Borderlands, The Acolyte, and the Crow remake within an eight month period. Pinhead:... well, not that legendary.

[@korphaeron4251]

:)))))))))

[@anton6686]

don't forget the crow remake

[@KrazzeeKane]

Sadly, besides Madame Web, all of those others were experienced within just 1 to 2 months lol, that's how awful it's been

[@dbsommers1]

​@@anton6686added it. I successfully expunged it from my memory until you brought it up.

[@perunarieska9182]

I can't believe these all came out the same year

[@TheCharlesAtoz]

I find it amusing to watch The Rings of Power and how confused the world is, but, what adds to the drama is watching Amazon battle Henry Cavill over the direction of Warhammer 40,000 with the DEI casting. They are calling attention to themselves, "Hey world, we can't leave anything alone, and, we're bad storytellers."

[@xenosmoke8915]

I’m not sure Henry understands 40K. I once heard him suggest the Horus Heresy could be made into a series of screenplays. That statement alone shows he perhaps hasn’t even read the novels. Personally, as a big 40K fan I really do not want to see anyone attempt it. Everything so far has been awful. The only good thing to hit the screen since DoW is Astartes and that was made by a fan.

[@SunTzu176]

@@xenosmoke8915 Id go even farther, the creation of the Horus Heresy series of novels was a deathblow to the franchise. An utter desecration of something that SHOULD HAVE NEVER been explained. Every new HH book is another needless over explanation of things better left to myth and legend, every new book adds new characters and lore that poison the series, such as Astarte, Erda, the Emperors true name BEING FUCKING NEOTH. If anything id hope Cavell HASNT read the awful canon destroying legend descrating slop that is the HH novels.

[@fuhkyu8146]

But you cant call them out for it cuz "das raysis!"

[@bradylow5196]

@@SunTzu176I’d wouldn’t totally agree with that. The Horus heresy book series itself has some seriously strong additions to the lore. There are some pretty bad books, but Horus rising (along with books 2-4), legion, know no fear, and many others are amazing books that have brought tons of people to 40k and make great additions. The siege of terra and end and the death is where it takes a turn for the worst with Dan abnett going crazy and throwing everything he can possibly think of at the wall of lore

[@sheerbeauty]

"We will make stories SO BAD that any parody attempted will actually be closer to canon"

[@archstanton1966]

The goo scene is clearly meant to evoke emotion. Pity, fear, awe, or even disgust. Certainly not *comic incredulity*! How badly they misjudged us. Never again, Flop Monster.

[@vaishnoo1168]

Wow, you actually watched it.

[@dronesclubhighjinks]

In like 1987, in the first season of Star Trek: the next generation, there's an episode, where a black, tar-like, sentient puddle is on some tacky, featureless planet. It's called "skin of evil" and it kills Lieutenant Tasha Yar for no reason, thus proving it is evil. That low-budget (think TOS-quality) special effect evil puddle is what I thought of when I saw the reviews of that ROP scene. Oh, and the story surrounding it was at least philosophical and moral, and it was the first time we see the crew deal with the death of a crewmate. So it had a lot more gravitas than this ROP Gong Show lol

[@calummacritchie7840]

​@@dronesclubhighjinksthe Oogie Boogie Puddle

[@KCOCxFINGER]

I thought they were trying to copy what happened to the Balrog of Moria after being extinguished was like a thing of slime. Tbh the goo sack was the only thing I like about the episode and only because it made me think of the books

[@KCOCxFINGER]

I thought they were trying to copy what happened to the Balrog of Moria after being extinguished was like a thing of slime. Tbh the goo sack was the only thing I like about the episode and only because it made me think of the books

[@ChilleDINJerseY]

“There’s a barrier between this show and me caring” 😂

[@1_underthesun]

Yep. That barrier is called "bad writing"

[@victorcates9330]

The dialog is excruciating and a constant barrier to scenes working or having an emotional connection. Telling all the story thread simultaneously and just dropping in on important moments for the tiniest slivers of time. So you have a horseback scene that reduces presumably days of chase. After Elrond's escape, they omit how we survived, and then have Galadirel magically know where she needs to go. You have an introduction to the shipwright that establishes him as saintly and devout - so he can jump from claiming that perfection only exists in heaven to having a view that is heresy. But again, you cut into a new character, get dialog that needs to do heavy lifting (establish theme, make the character more than a cardboard cutout), and then they have to plough on. It's fragmentary and perfunctory. They can't waste a couple minutes show developing characters or trying to build tension. They've given themselves a huge challenge in terms of telling a massive story. The budget should really be good enough if the billion dollar for 5 season figure is to be believed. The first LOTR film cost about 100 million. I'd assume that figure should be adjusted for inflation. But you'd hope that special effects would have gotten cheaper given advances in techniques and computational power. So if Jackson can hand in a masterwork at 100 million and 3 hours, then a competent team should be able to use 200 million (let's say) to produce something that doesn't feel small. But it feels terribly small. Jackson tried to cover up the seams between shots in a warehouse and CGI. This this has CGI establishing shots and overt seams before you're in a smallish space with 10ish extras. The barrier is constant.

[@docwithagun]

When Drinker talked about feeling like 'being there' in the original LoTR movies, it reminded me of the scene when Aragorn looks back at the camera, says "For Frodo", and charges at the Black Gate. They way it was shot over the shoulders of those behind him, it makes you feel like you are standing there with him. That scene gives me goosebumps every time I watch it.

[@zoebaggins90]

Plus, Viggo Mortensen is such an amazing actor that you can sense the emotion he has.

[@Gillymonster18]

Someone wrote this. Said “Yep, it’s good,” and turned it in. Someone else read it, said “Yep it’s good” and put it on camera. Still more people acted it out, edited the results and said “yep, it’s good” and put it into circulation. This is what one calls a crippling case of the corporate dumb-shits.

[@underthepale]

I've been saying it for years: "I have trouble believing that anyone looked at it and said, 'This is good. We can print this.'"

[@podrickfookinpayne2329]

The idea of Sauron having to convince orcs that are right in front of him to follow him is hilarious. I could see if maybe they were on the other side of the world, or whatever, but no orc would resist a command from him if he's right fucking there.

[@TeleologicalConsistency]

If I'm not mistaken, Morgoth wasn't dead, he was just defeated and locked away to return during the Dagor Dagorath. So they got even that point wrong. The writers couldn't even be bothered to take 2 minutes to google this key lore.

[@TheSleepLes]

@@TeleologicalConsistency Ha. At last someone noticed.

[@davidmoore1253]

And Sauron is the last person who would say Morgoth is dead. On the contrary, in Akallabêth when Sauron is brought to Númenor he teaches them to worship Morgoth as a god who will return.

[@GideonRavenor712]

Yea, Morgoth was taken and sealed away in the Void at the end of the War of Wrath by the Valar. Earendil also becomes his jailor, effectively. And yes, one day he is destined to be freed at the final war for Arda. Now, I can tell you WHY they couldn't say that even if they did care to look it up: AFAIK they can't directly reference anything in the Silmarillion. This is why they skipped over the Kinslaying, why the First Age was given a VERY bare cliff notes version, why Earendil and his critical role in effectively saving the world is not elaborated on (Which for Elrond being one of his sons, you'd think he'd be treated with more respect, but nope), why the Valar are not shown even though we briefly see one glimpse of Valinor, only vague references to characters like Feanor, etc. But even if they had the rights, I guarantee you they'd still screw it, just from what we see them do with the stuff they do have: -Rushed the Fall of Numenor because they can't be bothered to have it play out accurately (mischaracterizing WHY it occurs on top of that as well) -Are doing the forging of the Rings completely out of order -Characters in completely different roles than they should be (Elrond should be in Galadriel's position, and Celebrimbor should have been doing what Elrond was doing the entire first season just to name a couple) -Meaningless fakeout not doing Anatar first ("Because that'd be too predictable") because every Tolkien fan knew Halbrand had to be Sauron from the first episode he showed up in. But on and on we can go about this garbage.

[@harbl99]

The ROP drones can't use that lore (they don't have the rights), so they went for 25% legally distinct 'I-Can't-Believe-It's-Not-Tolkien' nonsense instead.

[@mittensbro]

Reading the lore would imply there was a way these writers could depict this work incorrectly, which would thus mean there was a "wrong" interpretation of "their" work. You have to understand, every one of these people is a complete narcissist, they don't see Tolkien as factoring into the creation of the Rings of Power at all, as in their mind, this is THEIR show, so they can do whatever they want to with it. If anything, these people probably think that they're actually improving Tolkien's work and refuse to hear any opinions to the contrary, as obviously only a bigot could ever not like the Rings of Power.

[@HunterZolomon]

Sauron in RoP: Corrupt small town politician, trying to sway a group of 20-30 orcs to join him. Getting stabbed to death by them. Sauron in LotR: The most powerful of the Maiar. His appearance should be biblical in scope. He wouldn't even need to speak one word and thousands upon thousands of orcs would bow to his power. They would instinctively know who he is.

[@asherking159]

The most powerful of the Maiar??? LMAOOOOOOOO You have literally no clue what you are talking about. Sauron was *barely* a Maiar. More powerful than the other Maiar that served Morgoth, sure, but only because of his knowledge about deception through dark magic. Literally that and his craftsmanship are all he has going for him

[@HunterZolomon]

@@asherking159 I think you're confused, or have little knowledge about this matter. Sauron was during the second age the most powerful and influential of the Maiar, especially after forging the Ring. Just like his master, Morgoth, was *the* most powerful of the Valar. Sure, you could argue that Eönwë could maybe best Sauron in direct battle. Or that Olórin's wisdom would prevail in the end. But at this point in time, Sauron's power compared to other Maiar was arguably formidable. LMAOOOOOOOO.

[@DisapprovingPigeon]

Acolyte: "I'm the most donkey shit show made in recent memory" Rings of Power: "Hold my supermarket brand bleach"

[@RustCole01]

Is the bleach for drinking or cleaning the sh1t?

[@awesomehpt8938]

Mauler: you have not seen what we have seen Audience: we have seen our share Mauler: YOU have not seen what we have seen!

[@chasehedges6775]

😂😂😂😂

[@chasehedges6775]

And that was in the first episode of S1😂😂. Morfyyd Clarke is such a bad actress as Galadriel

[@iamthewizardwhoknocks2845]

😆

[@michaelgarrett139]

​@@chasehedges6775no she isnt lolol wtf are u seeing? U acting like shes amandla stemburg. Christ u ppl r weird

[@chasehedges6775]

@@michaelgarrett139 She’s not a good actress and neither is Stemburg

[@iankane1733]

I wonder if a large portion of the budget went to paying “critics” to praise it. Some of the 10/10 reviews on IMBD make it sound like a masterpiece.

[@michaelgarrett139]

Thats been the "quiet" standard practice for allllll projects for decades and decades lolol been a thing foreverrrrr

[@JoeSyxpack]

They shoulda paid the reviewers to write the show.

[@budwyzer77]

@@JoeSyxpack Defending this garbage *does* demand some creativity...

[@tkps]

Do they think we've forgotten the likes of The Guardian sang S1's praises when it first aired then admitted once finished it was actually downright bloody awful? What makes them think we'd ever listen to media or reviewers that tell us this show is good? We already learned the first time around what a pack of lies they're prepared to tell. The Acolyte was another example. Surely by now they know WE know better?

[@TJRymer89]

I appreciate you, Drinker (and the rest of you guys) for watching this and relaying to the rest of us just how horrible it is but I console myself with the fact that for me I don't need to watch it for the simple reason that it is not and will never be part of Tolkien's lore.

[@calummacritchie7840]

Amen

[@riverswater5688]

They mislead you. Season 2 is so much better than the first so far.

[@Max_Kraft]

​@@riverswater5688 sounds like Gas lighting What exactly is better and why?

[@debanydoombringer1385]

​@@riverswater5688 I've seen and heard the dialog. No it's not. You can certainly enjoy it, but you having bad taste has zero impact on whether it's actually good or not.

[@DiCelloPiano]

When I saw the clip of "Sauron" sliding down the mountain and getting caught on a wagon wheel - I literally thought it was an SNL clip or something , like a comedy skit and I laughed- until I realized that REALLY was from the REAL "rings of power" show. Then I was thinking , me and my friends made funny clips in the garage in high school too - but for free :)

[@VainSoull]

The Rings of Power, Wow..... I never knew I was missing out on the marital relationships of an orc and his orc wife & baby... Sauron go ahead and burn my eyes out now thanks.

[@leonais1]

It's so much easier to tell a story when the villains can be killed with clear conscience, whether they be aliens, zombies, robots, incurable mutants, orcs, or anything else.

[@darthlaurel]

It's not about ""easier". It's about being true to the story.

[@PhilippeRoy-hi1yn]

​@@darthlaurel How is it not true to the story?

[@reek4062]

Orcs had wives and children

[@debanydoombringer1385]

​@@reek4062 No they didn't. This isn't WoW. LotR orcs are corrupted elves. Nothing Morgoth created could reproduce. That's why Smaug was the last dragon. He was the last remaining one from Morgoth creating them. Morgoth had no use for weak creatures since everything he created was done so to destroy and cause chaos.

[@awesomehpt8938]

Fans: cast it into the fire! Destroy it! Bezos: No!

[@All2Meme]

It's why we call Jeff Bezos "Dr. Evil".

[@Drakonis.Imperial]

I never thought that Hexxus would end up being a scarier villain than Sauron ... then again, I never thought that I'd feel nostalgic for Ferngully.

[@mytwosense9135]

Hexxus is badass villain.

[@Valmont334]

Hexus was my very first thought as well

[@lucymiau5700]

One of the main problems of this Show is that they bring all down to a human level. The Orcs become like a more dumber and uglyer version of humans, the Elves get downgradet from angelic appearing Superhumans to just normal humans with fancy clothings and hair. And even Sauron gets stripped from his demigod powers to humanize him. This procedure suck the fantasy-elements out of a supposed Fantasy Show.

[@inhthihoanglinh6858]

The elves don't even have fancy clothings and hair, their clothes _sucks_ . I'm not wearing these maternity gowns even for free. I don't understand how they got such great design in LotR to learn from and somehow ended up with this, and thank gods we haven't returned to printed cloth armor yet.

[@tkps]

@@inhthihoanglinh6858 All designed to HIDE the female form therefore males must be clad in the same sacks. It's really quite pathetic when you think about the lengths they go to and how bloody obvious they're being. I just can't picture Legolas prancing around in that gear trying to fight.

[@joemeatballs3694]

Its like creative Marxism or something

[@debanydoombringer1385]

​@@inhthihoanglinh6858 Oh, I'm sure it's coming. There's at least one battle.

[@2012sonora]

This is a trend in the overall fantasy genre. We don't get interesting transcendent beyond-human fantasy races anymore. The mystique is stripped out of everything and all fantasy creatures are basically ironed out into pretty boyfriend material by the mostly female authorship. I call it the Supernatural effect after what that show did to angels

[@sgtnatko]

Christ, I don't think I've ever seen Mauler laugh as much :D

[@WastingSanityGR]

The Slime Sauron reminded me of an anime called "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime".

[@Grubnar]

How? That show was actually entertaining (in my humlbe opinion!)

[@WastingSanityGR]

@@Grubnar Watch the first 1 or 2 episodes of the anime. The RoP was just simplified version of that, consuming rats, centipedes etc. in a cave.

[@Grubnar]

@@WastingSanityGR Oh, OK, now I understand what you mean. I thought you meant the slime itself, not what he did. The two look nothing alike. But you are correct.

[@AlexBehemot]

Dark Rimuru😂

[@rustkarl]

Reincarnated as a slime is your standard Isekai on Easy mode. It’s not exactly inspired but it’s fine as another formulaic example of its sub-genre. What little I have seen of this anal fissure on the entertainment industry is a far cry from ‘just mediocre’ its abysmal, both on its own merit and with the material it’s bastardising.

[@rangerone8813]

Are those unnamed orcs the first time we’ve seen a united, and caring, father, mother and child in Rings of Power? I’m starting to think of them as Barney, Betty and Bamm-Bamm.

[@naildriver296]

Drinker, it took me five and a half hours to watch all three episodes because I just had to walk away several times.

[@BinkyTheElf1]

It likely felt like a grinding journey of 6-8 weeks, amiright? #FlopMonsterIsAlwaysRight

[@PhilippeRoy-hi1yn]

Then why watch it at all?

[@RustCole01]

@@PhilippeRoy-hi1yn Because the man is a Scottish workhorse and I'll thank you to put some respect on his name...

[@PhilippeRoy-hi1yn]

@RustCole01 Workhorse.. working on what? Nobody even knows what Scott's do all day..

[@RustCole01]

@@PhilippeRoy-hi1yn Your soy consumption is too high and has left you unable to identify comments that are not serious.

[@HuwRees]

0:20 Mauler's acerbic wit flies COMPLETELY over everyone's heads

[@tanii7813]

Can we just all agree that the only plausible explanation for this show is that it is used as money embezzlement system for some amazon individuals to fill their pockets.. that's it. That's why this series will keep being "produced" because it's the perfect write off of hundreds of millions dollars to send it to some private pockets "for their executive effort " 😂😂😂

[@stevenscott2718]

Its not laundering its embezzelment. Laundering is for making illegal(dirty) money legal (clean). Embezzelment is taking money that you have legal access to but is not yours to take.

[@JackChurchill101]

Yes, something to do with tax writeoffs. Building a production studio in England. Saying they "invested" all this money in the show, I would bet that not half that money was actually spent, and was just to get tax writeoffs elsewhere. "We made a net loss for five years, so no taxes"

[@tkps]

@@JackChurchill101 But they gave up large tax incentives/funding from the NZ government as Amazon promised to produce the series there. My guess is the actors/staff not from there whined about soon to be lifted stricter Covid rules compared to elsewhere so pre-emptively moved to the UK losing the incentives. Amazon was pissed off the NZ government spilled the beans. It also meant dismantling, moving and rebuilding the apparently expensive sets. No available UK sound stages as Netflix booked them all so Amazon had to wait for new ones to be constructed before they could film likely with large staff still on the books and the list goes on. An open cheque book leads to waste.

[@tanii7813]

​@@stevenscott2718thank you for clarifying

[@debanydoombringer1385]

All 5 seasons are contractually bound to be made. It was never going to be canceled. That was known from the start.

[@Sarah27H]

Man, that dust idea would have been insanely good. I mean, imagine if instead of betrayal, Sauron is destroyed in battle or by some campaign of the elves or something and then, yeah blows away as dust and coats/infects the land itself, then just grows for years and years like the color out of space, poisoning everything, man and beast down to the very blades of grass until awakening one day in his current form through an act of extreme evil. That would've been so eery and powerful.

[@asherking159]

He murders a woman and uses her essence to attain a human form to continue deceiving mortals. What is not evil about that. Also you all have a gross misunderstanding of how powerful Sauron actually was before the Rings

[@thecoach3577]

If Sauron was a woman, it would’ve been a much more graceful transformation

[@BinkyTheElf1]

What IS a woman? Sauron must be a They/Them, to fulfill the quota.

[@MrReubenTishkoff]

​​@@BinkyTheElf1I'm sure they'll have Sauron take Feminem's shape at some point. That would tick both boxes.

[@josephpasquarella2123]

The idea of Sauron having some sort of conference call with orcs and trying to win their vote is just hilarious. Like he’s literally a Demi god who could disappear them all in an instant. But he has to give them a “vote for me!” Speech?

[@Gulp-for-life]

One Show to ruin Tolkien, One Show to snub him, One Show to insult his work, and in the making scorn him.

[@samuelgelinas6855]

Sauron was described as the Mightest great-wolf in the First age a shapeshifter capable to tranform into a snake or a vampire. He's a Demi-God. Yet a Goo monster???

[@reek4062]

Carcharoth was the mighiest wolf.

[@samuelgelinas6855]

@@reek4062 You're right, in the lecture they say something like: Carcharoth was the greatest werewolf that walk middle earth even mighter then Sauron werewolf form.

[@radu-andreinitu3961]

IDK why they did the goo thingy. He is a "god" not a goo. His physical form just means he returns to his spirit form, his true form, and eventually reforms(unless he has been damaged through some special means then reforming becomes harder). Its weird and not intresting. Him becoming a spirit and reforming at will would have been way more ethereal and intimidating.

[@asherking159]

@@radu-andreinitu3961he is no where near a “god” you people have no clue what you are talking about. This is a basic explanation on how the spiritual hierarchy actually works: Eru Ilúvatar was the single creator and supreme deity above the Valar, who were the greatest of the spirits. The Valar ruled the world according to the will of Eru, save for Melkor (Morgoth) who was the first and most powerful of the Valar. Eru created lesser spirits called Maiar, think almost angels, that would serve the Valar. That’s what Sauron is. He is a servant of the greater spirits, who aren’t even gods themselves, even though some men worship them as such

[@Zoie3x8]

its like these people are hired, specifically because they hate the franchises they are given the keys to, and are given standing orders to deliberately do it as wrong as possible, at every level, and at every step.

[@SaltyBreeze31]

The only redeeming part of ROP is us being able to watch your hilarious commentary!

[@AlejandroGomezAuad]

I remember when I first read the Lord of The Rings, from that moment onwards all I wanted to see was Sauron as a flappy wet bag of slime that slides in a mountain side. I can die happy now

[@abcav297]

Literally the ending of episode 2: -So that's it huh? We're some kind of lord of the rings.

[@_AR_1]

00:14 Mauler: you have not seen what I have seen. Critical Drinker: I've seen my share. Mauler: You have not seen what I have seen.

[@cj2740]

I need a Mauler Riff Trax of this show, hearing him crack himself up from just describing it is too funny.

[@riverraven4014]

I love getting the ad for it before the video starts 'every soul in middle earth is in peril' haha too true

[@All2Meme]

Is it a warning that no one should watch the episode? If it is, it is absolutely self-referential.

[@KANIVERSETV]

its so crazy.. Jeff bezos and Amazon spent a Billion Dollars with Showrunners that Dont Know What a ORC is #FFS

[@alkebabish]

Sauron turning into a turd and sliding down the mountain is legitimately one of the funniest thing I've ever seen, it really sums up this show.

[@chasehedges6775]

The thought alone is just chuckle worthy😂😂😂

[@All2Meme]

It couldn't be more apropos.

[@jeremielebrun3637]

watching rings of power is like talking with someone you love, after a stroke left him totally demented.

[@BinkyTheElf1]

The Flop Monster Is Always Right! 😂

[@foldedspace2391]

Great group to discuss this. Appreciate the wide range of knowledge and experiences from everyone.

[@chasehedges6775]

💯 Indeed.

[@chrysae123]

Sauron wants to unionize the orcs so they can negotiate better terms and conditions.

[@annabolicka4508]

That sad pile of squid ink spaghetti that was supposed to be Sauron's essence getting run over by a cart was certainly the funniest part of the series.

[@Adoyleonon]

The good news is nothing not written by Tolkien is canon. Literally nothing. It cannot be changed, not even by the author. Edit: Same goes for The Wheel of Time. I hope they make faithful content one day, instead of whatever you call the non-fan fictions Amazon has put out.

[@dwellner502]

Agreed. I haven’t seen any of this show and to my mind it’s not canon

[@0815Ares]

The makers of the show don't care about the lore and the movies much, but we already know what Sauron without a physical body is like. A spirit commanding thousands of orcs to build him a giant fortress, a dark eye surrounded by flames with a gaze piercing flesh and stone. And that is after part of his power is transferred to the one ring. So most likely something more evil and terrifying than a blob of goo.

[@janlanik2660]

@@0815Ares To be fair that’s Peter Jackson movie lore. In the actual book lore, Sauron did have a physical body, he was never some flaming eye on top of a tower.

[@0815Ares]

Sauron is described as a shadowy figure, as cloaked in shadows, evil dark spirit and Frodo calls him "the Eye". That is what I'm referring to. But we all can be certain, that Sauron is not described as shapeless blob anywhere up until now.

[@EvilElite99]

Robert Meyer Burnett is completely right. You will find more enjoyment in ANY 5 minutes of the LOTR trilogy than ALL of The Rings Of Power. The amount of care and attention to detail in the whole trilogy is amazing. What happened?

[@Lionstar16]

Simple - Amazon got their greedy hands on it

[@olafgurke4699]

@@Lionstar16 And rejected Peter Jackson's help to make this.

[@stephenw2992]

Its just another dodgy Amazon knock off product that bypassed all the normal standards to get to market

[@Flayne009]

You guy's got Despot on. His videos are some of the most well made, thought out, I've ever seen. Cheers man.

[@marblestrength]

The goo scene was a call back to smeagle becoming gollum in the mountain. Everything about this show is absurd and i cant watch any more of it. I actually cant wait for the documentary to come out on netflix about 'the most expensive tv show that completely failed' 😅

[@misterfevillord1588]

Or a callback to Venom. I think the writers don't have other visual way to describe evil.

[@All2Meme]

The Rings of Power or The Acolyte?

[@JoFa876]

OMG, I just stepped in some Sauron! Damn! I'll never get this off my boots!

[@chasehedges6775]

It’s all over my shoes 😂😂😂😂

[@vwlssnvwls3262]

Good thing a cop was not around, because I think the flop monster was breaking the flopping speed limit.

[@goldengaming177]

To understand the universe of Tolkien one needs to have at least a basic understanding of the Christian worldview. Reading something like Paradise Lost was very eye opening to me in how much it illuminates tolkien's world. We live in a Bible-illiterate culture and our elites in an anti-christian culture. So the Christian notions that domination is evil and that free will matters and that morality has nothing to do with your race or gender are very counter-cultural in hollywood today. To a leftist there is only power and nothing spiritual exists. Enter sauron and orrcs being humanized and the rejection of the spirit world.

[@bertimusprime7900]

Mauler hit us with the lowkey - They have not seen what we have seen. I noticed Mewschblie.

[@Vilgeforty]

Why the f would Sauron need to convince a bunch of orcs to do anything 🤣🤣

[@trevorgardiner-hardy8211]

Morgoth doesn’t die, he is hidden in a fold in time and space for the rest of eternity. Part of Saurons motivation is to release him.

[@archmage_of_the_aether]

He is not within time or space, he was exiled beyond the Doors of Night until the end of the world

[@asherking159]

Tolkien later corrected this, actually. Because expelling Morgoth out of time and space would’ve needed to have been an act of direct intervention from Eru, it could not have actually taken place. The Valar don’t have the power to do that. Tolkien clarifies it to be a misunderstanding of elves and men who mistook simply displacing Morgoth’s spirit across a vast space within the Kingdom of Arda (the solar system) for the actual complete expulsion of his spirit into the Void. Simply put, it’s more like he is lurking in the far reaches of the solar system

[@archmage_of_the_aether]

@@asherking159 cool, I didn't know that, thanks 🙏

[@asherking159]

Also Morgoth definitely did die. Idk why some of you think the show got this wrong. His physical form was executed. He’s dead. His spirit still exists, but to put this in real world terms to make it make sense, a Christian wouldn’t say someone is still alive after they passed and their spirit moved on. Same thing

[@archmage_of_the_aether]

I get what you're saying, @@asherking159 , but I disagree that it's the same thing. For Mannish folk it's a one way street; for the biggest baddest Valar around, who had infused his essence into Middle Earth, citation needed.

[@TheSlysterII]

I love all of your discussions.

[@chasehedges6775]

They’re great

[@radu-andreinitu3961]

The goo thing is so dumb. Sauron having his body destroyed and returning to spirit form, then reforming his body at will(which he could unless damaged through special means), would have been way more "ethereal" and imposing. He is a "god". Not some mid tier human sorcerer. He is older then the universe, saw, and influenced its creation. He is not a rando pleb who decided to be evil. Sauron was the right hand of Melkor, who is literally Satan and yet they somehow managed to make him feel small and lame. Its so shit. They made him so lame with that death. He should have slaughtered all those orcs. When defeat, in lore, it was by great warriors like Elendil and Gilgalad or by the hound of Valinor(a hound blessed by the Valar themselves), not random fodder orcs. That is so stupid.

[@debanydoombringer1385]

No. He didn't influence creation. That's Morgoth. Sauron didn't follow him until later. He's not a god. He followed an evil god. He's the same type of being as Gandalf. A Maiar. He later decided to follow Morgoth because he was the closest to sharing his beliefs on how Middle Earth should be. Sauron took no part in the song of creation.

[@radu-andreinitu3961]

@@debanydoombringer1385 All the Maiar and Valar took part in the song of creation. All the Ainur created something to some extent as they all participated in it. Morgoth is the one who created discord in the song and the one responsible for the existance of evil. I know he is not a true god which is why I used the " " but he is a divine entity created by the God of the LotR world. There is only one true God in LotR but in the polytheistic sense Sauron could be considered to be a minor god with the Valar being the majour gods, even though none are true gods as there is only one true God.

[@TonyBauer-wr1pw]

Thanks to Amazon, we now know how Gandalf reformed after smiting down the Balrog. He became a flop monster. Brilliant!

[@chazmax-np4xe]

It is an amazing sleepaid. Can't finish an episode. Every time I wake up Sauron has made someone a fricking ring.

[@fionnaitsradag5152]

They made Sauron into discount Venom!🤣

[@chasehedges6775]

Even Tom Hardy would be disgusted by Venom Sauron😂

[@nicholas5187]

That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime😂😂😂😂

[@drfirechief8958]

Even when I would watch kids shows on Saturday morning. They were somewhat coherent and stayed within a theme. This show, is like having a four year old tell you a story that goes like "And then, and then, oh and then" which makes no sense. So you stay and listen and smile because they're FOUR!!! Thank God I use Amazon to buy stuff I want!

[@incurableromantic4006]

"People who say they hate your culture make something that is a massive insult to your culture" 🤔

[@michellem5547]

I’m sure the writers have never had to read a map in their lives.

[@spiktan]

6:00 Instead of Ciaran Hinds they actually could have gone with Sir Ben Kingsley !

[@YouLousyKids]

Sauron becoming Black Goo reminds me of when the Daleks exterminated The Master in the Doctor Who TV movie and suddenly The Master escapes his casket as goo and then becomes a sort of snake monster. And...why? Is that a timelord thing we were never told about?

[@the-trustees]

Showing the soft, gooey side of Sauron was so brave, insightful, and inclusive. It was so wonderful to see a reflection of myself in Tolkien's world! J.R.R. would be so proud of this show and the geniuses who saw so deeply into his work, coming up with things nobody has EVER seen before, and giving us this epic, awesome content that the world is so lucky to have.

[@VFFP54]

Rings of Power became incredibly consistent at being unwatchable.

[@mikerryan85]

I damn near just spit my drink out when I imagined some random person cart-wheeling over symbiote-Sauron 🤣

[@Restrodsworth]

It’s as if they deliberately misread every single characterisation and theme in Tolkien’s works. Everything should feel like an analogue of England. Not LA.

[@crazyralph6386]

Correction “analogue of pre 1990 England”.

[@MortalJupiter]

0:20 "They certainly haven't seen what we have seen" ROP-Galadriel: "You have not seen what I have seen"

[@YouTubalcaine]

The Fellowship of the Ring is the only movie I've ever seen where as soon as it ended I immediately bought another ticket and watched it again. The Rings of Power is the exact opposite of that experience. It just makes me wish for a traumatic brain injury so I can forget it ever happened.

[@chasehedges6775]

Exactly.🙏

[@petrastein2531]

For me it's Mission: Impossible. I think it was the only time I went in theatres twice for the same thing. Such an adrenaline rush. :) Oh, and yes, lobotomy is the way to go.

[@Mister_Underhill]

Great! Let's all get a lobotomy and join the ranks of the show writers..

[@_LilRascal_]

_“They see me floppin’, they hatin’”_

[@LightingbladeShen]

Guess who's back Back again Feminem back Tell a friend.

[@OpalLeigh-il8yj]

Blob Sauron was the best part of the series yet 😂 I was certainly entertained 👏🏻😭

[@David-xy2ly]

I thought the horse was best in series so far, really good actor

[@chasehedges6775]

Best Actor Oscar : Larry The Horse

[@cynthiajohnson9412]

I'm trying to get Hollywood to remake Mister Ed. I think it would be hilarious to have a horse pointing out how stupid people are in the modern age. Set the show where it was originally set, outside of L.A., make Ed's owner a Hollywood writer and Ed can tell him how awful his scripts are BEFORE they get to production. P.S. I'm actually serious about remaking Mister Ed, they could set it in the 60s and have all the cool, funky clothes and style and furniture of the 60s only in vivid color and then get a smartass horse to give people what-for. I think people would watch good social satire from a horse.

[@Herr_Affe]

A face more expressive than Morfydd Clark's.

[@LadyBeyondTheWall]

@@cynthiajohnson9412 They tried remaking Mister Ed in 2004, lol, which I'd actually totally forgotten about until I read your comment!

[@cynthiajohnson9412]

@@LadyBeyondTheWall Really? I guess they didn't do a very good job. I watched some episodes of the original on YT recently and it was hoot.

[@WilliamPalmer-y1n]

5:58 - Drinker's outcry here is so funny 🤣

[@dancampbell189]

I can't believe it took me this long! I just realized where the RoP got their inspiration for disembodied Sauron! It's Hexxus!! From FernGully! They literally just ripped off Hexxus from FernGully!!

[@Bugsy1234567890]

@TheCriticalDrinker actually losing it is a genuine viewing pleasure. I've watched this video several times and it never fails to amuse - and I've never actually watched Rings of Power (and certainly won't be any time soon)!

[@holsson85]

So Sauron is the black goo from Prometheus?

[@illyria7756]

"You have not seen what I have seen" - Mauler, 2024.

[@BillZebubproductions]

I guess you watched it because you are reviewers, but whenever I see a trailer that shows that the casting of the movie was done by the human resources department instead of a person who wants to depict a story, I won't watch the movie or show.

[@darthlaurel]

Exactly.

[@RustCole01]

I have a theory about our current state of affairs that I can't prove but I know it's true. This applies to Hollywood and the video game industry in particular. These studios were started by small groups of bros that built their businesses into empires. When your thriving company is all dudes, you can have afternoon meetings at strip clubs and throw around outlandish ideas and engage in hostile both and forths. However, when these companies got huge, they had to start hiring some chicks. Then they started inserting some of these chicks and DEI hires into executive roles. All of a sudden, Harvey Weinstein and Bobby from Blizzard games, get me2'ed. This leads to an avalanche of unfounded and pretty lame accusations of harassment and misconduct but are nonetheless, used to force out a few more high ranking bros. Now, all the remaining bros are rightly afraid to do anything to draw the negative attention of their activist coworkers. Before long, the bros are outnumbered 10 to 1 and for some reason, these mega corporations are celebrating the fact that the company is comprised of 90% women. They have successfully usurped power and have taken the reigns of huge companies with almost unlimited resources and stellar reputations for producing good content. Now, they can prove to the world that all their great ideas were being rejected before, but now that they are in charge, people will get to see how talented they are. I reckon this is how we ended up being treated to approx 5 years of the most garbage, slop content in human history. That group photo of the all-female Ubisoft dev team is frightening and hilarious. However, rather than admit defeat and bring back the bros to bail out the failing empires that they were lucky enough to inherit, they are choosing to spend every last dollar putting out more slop until the studio has to eventually shut down. That is the reason for all the cope. They thought they could use girl power to produce content that was equally as compelling as GTA or Mortal Kombat, and got slapped back to reality real quick.

[@BillZebubproductions]

@@RustCole01 If that is your theory, what was the hypothesis? What you mean to say is that you have an opinion. Just remember, there are no stupid opinions, but there are stupid people who have opinions.

[@RustCole01]

@@BillZebubproductions Bro, what kind of smug nonsense are you on about? I posted a comment that supported your original post, so I'm not quite sure what point your trying to make. Other than use a few $10 dollar quotes to feel smart.

[@darthlaurel]

@@RustCole01 This is as robust analysis and is supported by everything we see around us. I've been saying it for a long time, women are ruining everything. Obviously this is a hyperbole, but not by much at this point. If I were in a desperate situation, and were to encounter a woman, or a man, I'd choose the man every time. Every woman alive knows that the only other woman who is going to be reliable in your life is a woman with whom you have developed a good give and take relationship, and who has a rational, thinking brain. It's safest to assume that all the other gals are only out for themselves. Recently heard this from a friend about her daughter in law: when asked what she was important to her when she was in high school, she replied, "Looking pretty." And she's turned out to be a narcissist sociopath. Imagine that.

[@darkspark5770]

I didn't know Despot was on here. I massively approve! Dope!

[@mynamename5172]

Obviously they cannot have the bad guys be anything other than whiter than white - ergo Ciaran Hinds and Feminem. The version 2.0 orcs of season 2 with their orcwives and orcbabies living in the orc-burbs are less shockingly albino than season 1 - because they are less evil.

[@BinkyTheElf1]

Orcwives of Mordor: the highly rated spin-off series.

[@chrisgaines7574]

​@@BinkyTheElf1Entwives of Atlanta

[@mynamename5172]

@@BinkyTheElf1 The Real Orcwives of Mordor - someone in film school should make it, pronto, LOL.

[@Ednawandel]

"Commodified fantasy takes no risks: it invents nothing, but imitates and trivializes. It proceeds by depriving the old stories of their intellectual and ethical complexity, turning their action to violence, their actors to dolls, and their truth-telling to sentimental platitude. Heroes brandish their swords, lasers, wands, as mechanically as combine harvesters, reaping profits. Profoundly disturbing moral choices are sanitized, made cute, made safe. The passionately conceived idea of the great storytellers are copied, stereotyped, reduced to toys, molded in bright-colored plastic, advertised, sold, broken, junked, replaceable, interchangeable." -Ursula K. LeGuin

[@mechaman7818]

10:55 I agree with you guys, but at the same time, Sauron is a shapeshifter. He's been both a Werewolf and a Vampire. So creature from the black goo doesn't seem like a gigantic stretch to me. Maybe he'll turn into Frankenstein at some point, become his own Monster Squad.

[@regiman222]

True, it's something he's capable of, it's just not used well, nor is it a very impressive depiction. If his black goo was like the Blob, maybe, but this is just sad.