Rings Of Power Finale - The Final Insult

Well, here we are. We made it to the end of this nightmare together. Join me as I tear apart the final episode of The Rings of Power.
Want to support my first ever short film? Link to the Kickstarter page for ROGUE ELEMENTS: www.kickstarte...

[@TheCriticalDrinker]

By the way, if any asshole claiming to be me replies to your comments saying you've won an amazing prize or some similar nonsense, ignore and report them immediately. Its a scam, and its happening everywhere on KZbin right now.

[@guyrombie7567]

Hi I'm the critical drinker and you've won a prize..... Lol jk

[@paulinegeorge289]

OK.

[@justincase5975]

Just when i finally won something 😭

[@mikespike2099]

6:10 It's time to kill off your bleks ... they had done their non-cannon THE MESSAGE duty for the season ... their time has passed... into the West they go!

[@zomalfa4363]

@@justincase5975 I wonder what that was all about, it always led to a blank copy of the persons channel.

[@captbuckyohare5585]

In Fellowship of the Ring, Sean Bean has about 25 minutes of screen time. In that time, Boromir is initially established as a dutiful servant of Gondor, a battle weary warrior fed up with the lords of the lands kept safe by his people, a doubter of Aragorn, and someone with honorable desires upon The Ring. He's dismissive, weathered, prickly, and even a bit defeatist when the scale of the task is laid before the group. He's then shown teaching Merri and Pippin to fight, through encouragement and light-hearted instruction. He's horrified when he accidentally hurts Pippin, because his intention is to teach not humiliate or discourage them. So he's absolutely joyous when the hobbits gang up, shrug it off, and tackle him in good humour. This tells us a lot about Boromir as a person without needing to lean on dialogue-heavy explanations. Heck, it isn't even the main focus of the scene, but it's there, happening nicely in the background, laying the groundwork for his and the hobbits' characters. It shows us, gently, that even though he's doubtful about their mission, Boromir takes the initiative and recognises where his party needs to level up, and does it without making them feel small. He builds bonds that he knows will make the group stronger. Bear this moment in mind when you consider Galadriel's scene in RoP, where she, as the superior swords person, is tasked with instructing the Numenorean recruits and what her actions tell us about her character. Anyway, Boromir falls deeper under the influence of the Ring, but the film also shows him standing his ground and being brave against the Moria hordes and at every turn when the group need him. When the Fellowship is fleeing the Balrog and the staircase is collapsing, he instinctively grabs Merri and Pippin and, without a word, he leaps them both to safety, again establishing his big brother relationship with them. It's such a small detail but it's so consistent as it quietly builds his bond with those hobbits in particular and it's especially interesting to see him do it after Legolas, and even Gandalf, have jumped alone. All shown to you through small details and interactions that involve very little dialogue. All action. All intent. All with purpose and meaning. After Gandalf falls, Boromir pleads with Aragorn for more time just to let the hobbits grieve. He's compassionate, emotional, and caring. He is miles away from the dismissive, prickly presence he was at the Council of Elrond. He's truly a part of this Fellowship now, and he has a bond with the hobbits that goes beyond duty. It shows Boromir, while a good leader, also maybe thinks with his heart when he should think with his head, whereas Aragorn is more pragmatic and, in a way, ruthless. Both display different sorts of strength, but the situation calls for one over the other. And while Boromir protests, he doesn't argue further once Aragorn has made his reasoning clear. THAT also tells us a lot about both men. Boromir is revealed to be an incredibly layered human being, one who is brave, loyal, caring, passionate and patriotic, but the burden of his father's failing rule and the pressure of protecting his people is crushing him. Haunting him. That is on full display at the Council, during his first temptation on the mountainside, and when he breaks down after Galadriel looks right into his soul and shakes him to his core. And it's that very thing, that incredibly noble desire to see darkness and ruin expelled from Gondor that is his undoing. That desire is the ring's way in. He finally falls to temptation and this one moment of weakness almost destroys him, but rather than wallow in his failings, he rallies. He does all he can do to repent, and rescues Merri and Pippin in a desperate attempt to regain who he was. And he is struck down. His first words to Aragorn while he lies dying are to alert him that the Uruks have Merri and Pippin. His second statement is his confession that he tried to take the ring. He is broken, dying, and guilt-ridden, but still trying to protect the hobbits and act with honor. Then before he dies, in his last breath, he accepts Aragorn as his king and makes sure Aragorn knows it. Because Boromir has only ever wanted one thing - the strength to defend his people. And now, he sees that strength might exist in Aragorn, and he knows saying the words will help make Aragorn a stronger leader going forward. He now has hope even in his darkest moment, when he began the story defeatist, bitter, and hopeless. Boromir does all he can until the end, despite his flaws and failures. He's no longer the dismissive and doubtful captain of Gondor, but a man who calls Aragorn his brother, his captain, and the king he trusts to bring glory back to his people. It's a breath-taking moment. Resonant. Earnest. Earned. They accomplish all that, that entire emotional journey, that rise, fall, and rise again for his character, in 25 minutes of screen time. Now look at RoP. Galadriel is exactly the same callous, single-minded, revenge-driven asshole at the end of the series as she was in ep1. Actually, no. She's worse. Because now, she has actually discovered who the enemy is and smoked out his intentions... and chooses to tell no one. All to protect her own reputation. All so she can maintain an air of authority and superiority over her peers, because if they knew the truth, her name would be mud, and she'd be nowhere near the decisions taken to forge the rings, how many there'd be, and who'd get to bear them. She shouldn't be like this. I don't think they meant for her to be like this. Her character writing feels shallow, rushed, and poorly thought out and now, there's a big disconnect between how the audiences feels about her and what the writers intended. She tells other characters to be humble, while she's brash, condescending, and arrogant. She tells others not to pursue vengeance when that's all she cares about pursuing. She talks about the importance of saving lives in the Southlands, but she's never shown saving a single person. She's shown threatening to torture and murder Adar's orcs if she doesn't get her way and she's shown walking away from the volcano blast when others are screaming around her, begging for help. Then the showrunners assert that if you don't find yourself liking her, or find yourself uninterested in her character, it's your fault. You're the problem. She's not like Boromir. Not written like him. Not developed like him. Not treated with the same care, thought, and humanity his character was treated with. She's a statue, standing still in spiteful, vengeful self-righteous self-service. Just like she was at the beginning of the series. Nine hours ago. With over THREE hours of screen time just for her where her character barely moves at all, and the actress is given nearly nothing to do in terms of range, humanity, or even basic heroism. This issue isn't unique to Galadriel. In fact, no characters in RoP have changed or grown or shown any depth at all throughout this first season. How could they? We know so little about most of them to begin with, never mind how they might have transformed or grown, that they come off as one-dimensional NPCs who exist to move the plot along, who make baffling decisions because the story has to happen, with no agency or impetus to their actions. Except maybe Durin, I'll give them Durin. He does seem to go through something of a journey with his father, Disa, and his place in the kingdom... and then his storyline is ignored in the finale. And then of course, there's the bloody bad guy. Sauron gets more development and "growth" than Galadriel, Elendil, or Isildur. That's... wow. Some of the actors are trying their hearts out and their natural talent and charm helps elevate the material, but the writing itself is a anchor around their necks. In a world and with characters created by JRR Tolkien, the characters are being failed at every turn, and so is the story. That's criminal. That's a fucking criminal excuse for storytelling when a prestige franchise is in your hands.

[@John-xr9ry]

Wonderfully written and we got to give credit to Sean Bean as well who delivered an incredibe performance

[@Eazy3129]

Well said

[@IbrahiemLegoFilms]

Sean Bean is Goated fr

[@Palmskis]

Excellent comment right here…analysis is 100% on point. Makes me want to go back and rewatch fellowship

[@nagoranerides3150]

@@John-xr9ry I wish Bean had played Strider.

[@Shaylok]

"A character is only as smart as the person writing them." That one sentence alone explains so much.

[@phoivos]

That is actually debatable. A writer can cheat and plan ahead in his story - stack the deck, so to speak - so it is possible for them to write characters that are smarter than them. What this reveals about the "writers" of this, and other woke shows - I'll let you figure that out

[@eldermillennial8330]

@@phoivos More accurately, a character is only as WISE as the person writing them.

[@lazywonderer4669]

@@eldermillennial8330 No, the same argument can be made against any attribute you give to a character. As a matter of fact You can write a character wiser that yourself, just like you can write a character stronger, greater, smarter than yourself. What drinker said should not be taken as fact, it's more of a methaphor on how stupid the writters of RoP are.

[@amberslahlize7961]

That's why, I'm afraid of writing...I'm afraid that people will see through the characters and see my actual intellect.

[@goawayihavecommentstomake1488]

Reminds me of when I watch something with characters making poor or illogical decisions, and I complain aloud how stupid they are or unlikely it is, and it’s poor writing… And my wife chides me with “We can’t all be as clever as you” or “the story needs to happen” or “if you wrote it, It would be over in the first scene”.

[@calrus93]

"So focused on an audience that doesn't exist" - absolutely NAILED it with that remark.

[@chvonglica]

Unfortunately, I've talked to a bunch of people who really enjoyed the show. Some even consider it a masterpiece, and they're not new to the franchise... I shrug.

[@chasehedges6775]

@@chvonglica Oh man… that doesn’t spell good news to me.

[@dflaming1371]

I do have to disagree with Drinker one one thing. This show hasn't hurt or tarnished the image or legacy of Tolkien or LOTR. That'd be like saying Star Trek hurt the Harry Potter series. They're completely different shows

[@ltb1345]

@@chvonglica It's the same with Star Wars; even longtime fans still love and defend the Fanfiction Trilogy. The "audience that doesn't exist" unfortunately does indeed, that's how they keep getting the money to make this trash.

[@FGenthusiast0052]

@@chvonglica my father is sadly one of them. They just ate all this abomination, and pass it as it was a masterpiece, because "It's Lord of the Rings after all, so it was meant to be really good!" My brother and I couldn't stop to look at each other and sigh in disappointment.

[@drgrockster]

"The Lord of the Rings is a monument to the power of one man's imagination, while Rings of Power is a monument to corporate greed and hubris." Sums it up perfectly.

[@fred20097]

Disagree. You might mean The Hobbit?

[@drgrockster]

@@fred20097 no i mean the entire story in general. and im quoting what he says in the video.

[@nickhartman6372]

You seem to have a major comprehension problem. ​@@fred20097

[@jeremieerikssonlefebvre2647]

Yes, ROP is basically what tolkien was against , the industrialization overriding imagination,playfullness, beauty

[@georgehouliaras7239]

I can't believe that the guy we all predicted was Sauron before the show even aired, turned out to be Sauron. Truly a historic day for fiction and entertainment.

[@ILOVEGOOOOOOLD]

Cant leave anything up to chance for us dumb viewers. We might not figure out the plot in between our tik tok sessions

[@eddiegaltek]

It's only appropriate that everyone knew Sauron was Sauron before the show aired, everyone know it was going to be shit before it aired.

[@carlosdibb9054]

*fanfiction

[@RDA000]

You mean "not Sauron"?

[@sihollett]

Arguably better something obvious than them pulling an out-of-nowhere surprise twist that makes zero sense at all. (Didn't the terrible season 2 of Westworld have hasty rewrites because people were making correct predictions in fan forums and the writers felt that that wasn't OK? And GoT season 8 had the EPs basically say that they wanted some stuff to be totally unguessable)

[@AfterSkool]

This amazon series was simply an abomination. It reveals how empty and dumb our culture has become. BUT It gives me hope that you are pursuing your own independent film and I am honored to support it. Thank you.

[@sunderland69]

This will have more than 1k likes

[@daddynanners3944]

I wouldn't say its because of our culture & more just bad writers who can't write a character or story without projecting themselves or their own biases into the story.

[@joshuaortiz2031]

lol I am now ok with nuclear war resetting everything. They have gone too far...

[@ClaimedEagle]

I hear people in real life that really liked the show, that's enough to tell you how conformist people are. They just consume, like exploring social media, doesn't matter what it is or how fun can be, they just consume for the sake of doing something. I can't even do that, I'm not able to turn my brain that way.

[@randomthegreat2329]

This is so painfully dumb. I am barely literate and haven't written anything in my life, but I feel I could do a better job on a script, even if mandated to include some woke stuff xD With the amount of cash behind the movie they could afford at least 3rd rate fanfic writer to do the job, but apparently it is too much to ask from Amazon.

[@JWFas]

The ROP writers turned out to be way more talented than we gave them credit. They managed to make the protagonists more unlikeable than Sauron. That takes skill.

[@culturecanvas777]

🤣🤣🤣 it's an accomplishment indeed, but it was not skill that caused this.

[@129jasper1]

That's par for the course. Our enemies tell the stories.

[@christiansvenjimmiekarlsso1876]

Aaaaand that makes you the target of sauron. He was very likeable early on, working his deceit on the elves even. Why he tried so hard on elves is because they are more powerful than the men. And he did suceed, especially in eregion. And when they doubted him he roflstomped them. So, yeah, they worked saurons shit on us, like he did in the books.

[@locomotivo4644]

@@culturecanvas777 if stupidity were a skill then these writers would have already won several Nobel Prizes and Granny Awards

[@thinkwithurdipstick]

@@christiansvenjimmiekarlsso1876 no, Halbrand is at best a walking piece of soggy cardboard, it’s not by any effort of his that he is more likable. It’s merely that literally everyone else is so shite that he is the least shite of all

[@sodreir.8666]

Suddenly, The Hobbit trilogy looks like a masterpiece!

[@nathanrock6137]

Kinda like how once Disney got a hold of his work, George Lucas was totally redeemed.

[@Lonovavir]

Complaints about movie/series X being the worst are taken as a challenge to make something worse.

[@isaacwest276]

I always loved the Hobbit trilogy (though I acknowledged that it obviously wasn't as good as the LotR trilogy), but I, like everyone, had an improved outlook on it following this show.

[@asktheanimals]

Once I listened to Peter Jackson's (et al) commentary & backstory, I liked The Hobbit better. After ROP, I now love it.

[@oomree]

@isaacwest276 i never felt like it was bad. not as good as the og trilogy, sure, but a solid series in its own right

[@ce017]

“Evil cannot create anything new, they can only corrupt and ruin what good forces have invented or made." - JRR Tolkien

[@therealinformalmusic]

Please stop attributing an ungrammatical axiom to Tolkien. Do you really think he’d forget that Evil was singular and use a plural pronoun therefor in the same sentence? In Chapter 1 of Book VI of _The Lord of the Rings_ Sam asks Frodo, “Don’t orcs eat, and don’t they drink? Or do they just live on foul air and poison?” Frodo replies, “No, they eat and drink, Sam. The Shadow that bred them can only mock, it cannot make: not real new things of its own. I don’t think it gave life to the orcs, it only ruined them and twisted them; and if they are to live at all, they have to live like other living creatures. Foul waters and foul meats they’ll take, if they can get no better, but not poison. They’ve fed me, and so I’m better off than you. There must be food and water somewhere in this place.

[@joshjaco221]

That was the nerdiest shit I ever heard. And it was amazing

[@troybone6849]

Sir this is a Wendy’s.

[@doyouremebervodka9387]

@@therealinformalmusic bro it's not that deep 😂

[@LordoftheSith]

Rather like THE MESSAGE then lol

[@SeanFication]

Aragorn is actually the lovechild of Sauron and Galadriel's doomed love affair. This sets up the epic scene in LOTR where Sauron utters the immortal words, "Aragorn, I am your father!"

[@pedrovargas2181]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@patrickschwerdtfeger6038]

hahahaha

[@donjohnson6036]

That would be better than the actual script : )

[@Alberto-wu1mj]

Why is this so funny?

[@ThwipThwipBoom]

Aragorn: "No, that's not true! That's impossible!"

[@ionlydidthischanneltocomme859]

I really like how this show reflects the world we live in today.

[@AndersonMallony-EricCF]

DUH MESSAGE

[@nhmooytis7058]

In IMBECILOCRACY

[@happyhammer1]

Dumb, soulless and pointless.

[@Parasmunt]

I know that's the same reason i watch fantasy and sci fi who ever heard of watching that and wanting to escape for a few hours.

[@nhmooytis7058]

@@happyhammer1 sounds like a law firm

[@Aryan_homophobe]

I love how just Bilbo's chainmail could have save the whole Elven race several times over.

[@xminusone1]

😆 that's exactly what I thought

[@jamesfitzgerald5875]

Ohhhhhhh shit didn’t catch that.

[@Stevie-L-n8g]

What? Explain that statement please.

[@Aryan_homophobe]

@@Stevie-L-n8g Rings of power portrayed mithril as something so rare and precious that Elrond was barely able to get away with a few grams of it to make the three rings to 'save' elves from degradation. And yet Bilbo had a whole freaking chainmail made from mithril that was gifted to him by Torin. Mithril was rare and expensive in Middleearth but not THAT special as TV series wanted to portray. After the Moria was retaken by dwarfs they remade Minas-Tirith great gates with mithril and steel.

[@Stevie-L-n8g]

@@Aryan_homophobe it was an Alloy, not the original metal.

[@82dorrin]

This show actually has me rooting for Sauron.

[@DerpASherpa117]

After the debacle that was Season 5 of Game of Thrones, I genuinely wanted the Night King and White Walkers to win. I was disappointed when they didn't

[@made13145]

@@DerpASherpa117 Ohh agreed, but I somehow found the strength to keep cheering for Jon up until season 7, then season 8 comes and boy I wished that the Night King turn westeros into cold wasteland..

[@82dorrin]

It's not because they made Sauron a well-written, deep, compelling character with understandable goals and motivations (they didn't). He's just way more likeable than any of the "good" characters.

[@piroloviniIA]

@@82dorrin Thats fcked up....These woke people are destroying everything bro...

[@Nostromo2144]

He's just a very naughty boy! ;)

[@Djwhynotlove]

Actual Quote from Peter Jackson about making Lord of the Rings. “We made a promise to ourselves at the beginning of the process that we were not going to put any of our politics, our own messages, or our own themes in these movies. What we were trying to do was to analyze what was important to Tolkien & to try to honor that. In a way we were trying to make this films for him, not ourselves” - Peter Jackson

[@mosesdouglas4325]

Fuck that's awesome!

[@BrayOfTheDonkey]

And so they made one of the best trilogies with heart and soul for Tolkien's creation :)

[@TroySavary]

Then they did the exact opposite and ruined half the characters .

[@light819]

@@TroySavary in the hobbit trilogy yes but in the lord of the rings trilogy you can see that the attempt was made.

[@2112Relayer]

Too bad he didn't stick to that mindset for The Hobbit movies.

[@Ale-dd3ek]

I love how they tried to make Galadriel "strong" but instead they ended up making her a complete idiot 😂

[@chasehedges6775]

Same with Maisie from JW Dominion. From an OK/meh child character to a unlikable brat.

[@Nightwizard63]

Welcome to the feminist movement, where they make men look dumb, and women even dumber

[@laughingmask3118]

What did you expect? She was basically a goddess in the first place, the only way they could possibly make her stronger is by being a God Tier Genius like Tolkien, so instead they're dumbing her down and making her a cartoon character

[@joseluki]

Everybody in this show behaves like if they had brain damage.

[@chasehedges6775]

@@laughingmask3118 Gotta love/despise how bad the writing is for terrible female characters these days

[@pramusetyakanca1552]

"They've awoken their very own drunken Balrog." Very nice.

[@pandaman1331]

The most important take from this video: "Characters are only as intelligent as the people writing them" - The Critical Drinker, 2022

[@xminusone1]

That's the most obvious problem with every show and film today. They are so boring, there's nothing to understand or intrigues.

[@fellino8049]

Remind me of D&D, the guy who write Game of Thrones.

[@patrickgermain2507]

Try to remember this isn’t a bunch of writers coming up with a new idea, this is writers hired to do a job and having no actual say in the final product… These are problems straight from the producers/studio, the writers don’t have a say, they just adjust and work with what they’re told to

[@pandaman1331]

@@patrickgermain2507 Fair point. But only applies to shows who use reference material. And Rings of Powers might have had one, but clearly didn't use any of it.

[@LT_Silver]

@@patrickgermain2507 That could possibly be the case, but the problem very likely and even most of the time stems from the writers. The writers decide what happens in the movie, the producers are the once that get the movie production done

[@tychodragon]

I find it amazing that a huge amount of people like myself likely watched these videos and didn't even bother watching rings of power itself

[@SirBlackReeds]

I don't. It sounds like watching these damn episodes is more of a chore than watching She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

[@djdankmemes9257]

Yeah im not giving them viewership when they keep shitting on everything I enjoy, they need to learn

[@Xeronex]

When you trust the source of the review, it's really difficult to spend the hours watching garbage only to come away from that thinking "I just watched garbage" and not regretting your decision. I don't always agree with The Drinker's reviews or agree with them fully but I do respect the fact that his analogies show that he has the knowledge, the skill, the experience, and the passion to make a realistic review of a film or TV show for his audience's benefit. I agree with him more than I disagree.

[@damiennixel925]

@@Xeronex This video itself has more entertainment value than the show

[@thomasb6283]

Black adam is in it

[@same4982]

We all owe Drinker the utmost gratitude for subjecting himself to this filth so we didn't have to. Thank you, Drinker

[@dasuberpanda]

@griffy Fax

[@Corle0ne]

Buy him another drink so he can forget ;)

[@johna2008]

These fucking scammers

[@chasehedges6775]

Same here

[@christofincognito4530]

yes. MVP. Even this summery was painful to watch imagine how hard it was to watch the real thing

[@tobiasobermayr501]

I've not watched 1min of this show but the amount of entertainment it has brought me via these reviews is immense. I'm kinda very glad it was made for this reason ^ ^

[@EvilUmagon]

Its actually kinda entertaining at times, would still recommend it. Has some BS in it, but its still fun at times if one can not take it too seriously.

[@shannonbrown7016]

I made it about 30 mins into an episode before I had to turn it off. I was getting flashbacks from nam, and I wasn't even there.

[@josephiudice8287]

Same.

[@danielzimmerman5837]

@@shannonbrown7016 Walter? Is,that you?

[@SRMoore1178]

Same here I have not watched any of it but I can't get enough of these reviews. 10:20 Why is there a statue of the T-1000 from Terminator 2? Are they going to link these two franchises? Screw it, why not?

[@82dorrin]

This show is the embodiment of the words "My expectations were low, but holy shit..."

[@chasehedges6775]

Sooo true

[@himynameis3664]

When you watch videos of people that like and defend this show, it's immediately obvious how far they have to reach and twist things just to make the show acceptable. Then videos like this calling out the show for what it is, have so much evidence to prove their point it's like they barely even have to try.

[@RogueFox2185]

Sauron was basically the only likable character in this story thanks to Amazon, he wanted to live a peaceful life and mend the damage he did as the Dark Lord but thanks to Galadriel constantly using him and then rejecting him; he’s going to go back to the old ways and try to conquer Middle Earth once more. Then again if he does manage to put the Harfoots on the endangered species list, he would have unironically done more good for that world than Galadriel did throughout the entire season.

[@mattiasilva1705]

Sauron did nothing wrong

[@Lonovavir]

Galadriel was turned into a toxic girlfriend who led her troubled former alcoholic lover who was trying quit drinking to a bar and caused him to relapse.

[@I_Don_t_want_a_handle]

Sauron the incel ...

[@veroniquegallant9849]

@@I_Don_t_want_a_handle how dare you make me read that

[@fbhbankai]

It's a weird Amazon thing. In the Man in the High Castle the Nazi dude (Smith) ended up being the only likable character. I think the ending sucked partially because they panicked when they realized they had written the main characters so poorly that everyone was starting to root for the nazi lol.

[@johns1625]

The ring forging scene almost killed me. They didn't even need to melt her dagger, and she gave it up immediately lmao. And they didn't even remove the steel blade! They could have just taken like 1 inch off the end of the butt and used that. They didn't need like 5 pounds of gold and silver to add a few grams of Mithril. And they just melted it all together, and somehow made 3 rings that are clearly made of different metals... They wasted like 99.98% of the total metal. And they call that forging. No songs of power, no spells, no chants, they literally just made rings and that's it. They clearly had enough mithril to just make three mithril rings lol. They didn't even consult a high school level jewelry shop teacher before making this....

[@artemisvega8940]

The forging scene is off too, as almost all are...just saw a cool Hawaiian guy on here, an expert forger explain why nearly all movies get this wrong...the metal should be white hot to shape it, not orange.

[@corneliusmaze-eye2459]

And let's not forget how woefully horrendous the gemstones look. They didn't even cut them to fit each ring, nor have purpose-made facets carved in them. When they placed Nenya next to the other two, I almost laughed as it was like a Jewellers ad in the style of Burger King. Furthermore, the idea that they needed Mithril was bogus. That resource should've been aplenty because of the good relationship Celebrimbor had with the Dwarves. They made the rings not because the Elves were dying or fading, but because their realms were diminishing due to the marring of Arda after the wars of the 1st Age. It would've been far more compelling to see the elves making rings to solve all their concerns and sate their desires and build the tension that this may be a terrible hubris they are delving in. This whole season should've just been set in Eregion and Khazad-dun.

[@Dadecorban]

Robin Hood Prince of Thieves metallurgy

[@RoninDave]

The whole season was largely padding and filler then in the last half-hour of this 9 hour snoozefest they suddenly cram in the making of the 3 Rings and damn if it isn't underwhelming (not too mention lore breaking). The rings are ugly as sin like the cheap gaudy jewelry big-haired grandmothers wore in the 70s and 80s that they got at Dollar General.

[@Ultrostre]

“I need my alloys to be the purest.” *throws the whole god damn dagger into the fire*

[@JamesChapman-er6gk]

Your reviews are far better than the actual show--- it actually delivers a payoff for having to watch the writing, plotting, acting travesty. Sandman is one of the rare shows that delivers to the fans.

[@LeoMessi-np9of]

Funny how the dark lord Sauron, adar and the orcs are the most relatable and likable characters of the show. It's kinda impressive in a way.

[@secretname2670]

Ye, I'd figure people want everyone else dead so the best bet is rooting for the bad guys to kill em all

[@HerculesBallsInc]

Adar just wants a home for his often-abused orcs to live peacefully in, and Galadriel wants to genocide them.

[@crystaljackson3912]

It's called "sympathy for the devil" and it's done on purpose as part of the erosion of heroic ideals and basic standards. It's also predictable and boring.

[@thedoomtrainer8292]

It's because the writers are trying to write them in an unlikeable way. Funny thing is, the writers are the ones unlikeable, so their efforts in attempting to write unlikeable characters, who act oppositely than the people writing them would, end up being likeable in a weird, backward way.

[@killert-cell9943]

The writers identify with orcs & villains… as they are leftists…

[@senatorarmstrong4936]

"There's no nuance or layers to their personalities." Because this show has to reflect the world we live in today.

[@dynestis2875]

Ba-ba-ba-buuuurn

[@TheChadPad]

Because there're no layers to shit. It's just shit the whole way through

[@k.b.6844]

true the world today has no depth at all, this is why people enjoy cheap entertainment

[@jamesxenophon9505]

There's no nuance of layers to the characters in Tolkien's LOTR either!

[@thoroughbookreviews4627]

The world we live in today

[@jonathancooper4914]

It goes to show what an achievement it was for Peter Jackson to make high fantasy accessible to the masses.

[@monk_fps]

$281 million budget ($457 million in 2021) for all three films, and Peter shot all three movies simultaneously. Amazon is a joke.

[@TheWefikus]

We are all blessed for the fact that PJ has decided to do the movies when he did. Would’ve never happened these days.

[@chasehedges6775]

Peter Jackson was a filmmaker, through and through.

[@ironcladnomad5639]

It's no exaggeration, because I'm personally not much into fantasy and The Lord of the Rings absolutely hooked me.

[@chasehedges6775]

@@TheWefikus 💯💯💯. The 2000s were fantastic

[@loepen]

but.....why do boats float ? yeah the moment i heard that line i went cross eyed and nearly became brain dead from the stunning and brave writing

[@bwebb90]

Dialogue was definitely sketchy but overall it was very enjoyable, people love how easy it is to criticise it.

[@reneeeve]

@@bwebb90it’s easy bc it’s shite

[@paulbennett2284]

I was reminded of Monty Python & The Holy Grail - y’all know the scene!

[@planetxmetal]

My second favorite part is when a several hundred years’ mission to find and murder Sauron ends in a blocked back handed knife thrust, a dream sequence, and almost drowning in the nearby creek. A total master class in writing.

[@planetxmetal]

@just i c e joke’s on you, those look delicious and I’m 100% going to use that recipe.

[@eliteteamkiller319]

@just i c e I saw another one of your videos and swore you off for some reason. Can't remember though, but I think you committed a food blasphemy. That or pissed me off in some other way.

[@DEVILTAZ35]

I think my favourite was the dwarven prince at least he had sarcasm going for him lol

[@IknowIamkindagreat]

I love how every character prediction you made in passing way back during episode 2 all came true.

[@williamedwards4151]

Celebrimbor: Alloys? You mean a severely basic form of metallurgy that humans figured out during the Bronze Age? Not Sauron: Yeah. Celebrimbor: Never heard of it.

[@rafaelsousa9447]

Yeah, that scene was pretty dumb. Rewatching the scene, if you stretch your imagination a lot, Halbrand suggests using the right alloy to amplify the powers of mithril, something Celebrimbor hadn't considered because he assumed mixing the metals would dilute its power. If you look at it this way, Celebrimbor doesn't come out as dumb. Still, this is a lot of gymnastics we as the viewers need to make in order for this making a minimum sense. In any case, independently of Celebrimbor knowing what an alloy is, Halbrand explains what an alloy is. Why? Because the writers believe the viewers are so dumb that they need to be explained. I guess it's the right move, because only dumb people can view this show non-ironically.

[@daz2742]

Doesn't surprise me, that he doesn't know what alloys are. The elves all use 3d printed weapons, and armour.

[@williamedwards4151]

@@daz2742 Hey now, they had a real tight budget for each episode. They had to find a way to save money.

[@markleafs]

Celebrimbor: "Alloys? like the wheels on my mercedes?" Not Sauron: "You truly are the Lord of the Rims!"

[@krystal128]

🤣

[@uddelhexe3545]

The laughter that escaped my mouth every time he says "not-Sauron"...XD

[@jorn3432]

"Grit our teeth and push this turd out!" Words to live by. Thank you Drinker!

[@purefoldnz3070]

its gonna take 8 enemas.

[@JackChurchill101]

I heard this sentence whilst doing exactly that .. Felt very meta

[@shuttittuppitt9355]

Aaahhhh _aarrhh!!!!!_

[@twyx6928]

I love how the one section in LotR gives way more character to Galadriel a side character, than this entire season, in which she is the main character. In the Lorien bit, we get to know her as someone, who is wise, kind and assertive at the same time. But she also isn't without fault as she's tempted by the One Rings power, which she overcomes, giving us an idea about her mental fortitude.

[@hebanker3372]

The scene where Galadriel and Gimli interact is only a minute long,but in that one minute we see Gimli's character development of starting to trust the elves and Galadriel's joyful side.

[@Grabthar191]

I hear they had an intimacy coordinator on set. Some reviewers were thinking they had filmed or planned to film a sex scene between Galadriel and Sauron.

[@twyx6928]

@@hebanker3372 It's a great scene, that achieves multiple things at once, which is a hallmark of good writing.

[@twyx6928]

@@Grabthar191 That would've saved the show for sure...

[@astrotecn]

@@Grabthar191 lmao holy fuck

[@robbieshand6139]

I loved how Celebrimbor, the master elven craftsman who's lived for thousands of years and is famous to all races in Middle Earth has to be taught the concept of alloys.

[@bloodcarver913]

He's probably not a magnificent woman who knows all...oh wait...

[@dAiMYoBeAr]

The elves hadnt reached the bronze age yet. In fact, nubians from 5000 years ago were more advanced than the elves were during the numenorean age.

[@aliceofspades]

The saddest part is thinking about how many potential new fans were turned off by this series and will never read Tolkien’s work because of it. 😢

[@aliceofspades]

@@paxChristi123 I’m glad to hear it! 🙂

[@-8l-924]

@@paxChristi123same. as Manwë relayed to the Valar, Eru said there will be evil acts done, but there will be beauty that follows thereafter.

[@Stevie-L-n8g]

I felt that way after the release of the Peter Jackson films! And judging by the gushy comments about them,just confirms the fact that their storyline is now more important to those fans than the actual real book storylines is beyond me!

[@fred20097]

Nope. Galadriel was cool. Really added meat to The Lord of the Rings. Why wouldn't you like her?

[@Stevie-L-n8g]

@@fred20097 Because o’ silly one, she bears no resemblance to the Book Galadriel or, in those dreadful films by Peter Jackson! Like in the latest issue with The Witcher, you DON’T upset the fans b changing characters, plots or the storyline!

[@Zeerse_Chef]

Let's not forget this is the culmination of Sauron randomly encountering Galadriel in the middle of an ocean on a raft.

[@nixonagnewreviews7206]

Yeah. The Sarcastic Plot Recap vid that dropped on their channel last night ripped the shit out of it and the entire mess that was this show.

[@markmanderson]

you would have thought he could have managed a wee fire on said raft.....save us all the rest of the season.

[@MrBreakdownBoy]

@@gags730 That was all over the show. The mine closing twice. The Numenoreans voted on the campaign..twice. The show was so boring and repetitive. Some episodes achieved nothing. $750m of MEH.

[@Dayz3O6]

did they make babies?

[@KeytarArgonian]

He just so happened to take that pouch then just so happened to end up on a ship then just so happened to get attacked by a wyrm then just so happened to find Galadriel swimming back then just so happened to be picked up by the Numenoreans then just so happened… and it just goes on and on and on. Oh but I hear the defenders of this shit heap cry ‘bUt iT wAs aLL pArT oF hIs PLaN’ Except the show never told you any of that 😂

[@sivertkind]

It was so inspirational and brave when Galadriel said ''Welcome to Jurassic park'', and then flew off on her broomstick and won the Triwizard cup

[@MalleusSemperVictor]

Did she also say "It's Elfin' time!" and then elfed all over Not Sauron?

[@sivertkind]

@@MalleusSemperVictor Yes omg slayyyy

[@marcusdecmer]

Shes also trisexual

[@whisperoftheworm6479]

The said "Jesse we need to cook"

[@dannyboy5564]

Yeah and it's crazy how in the finale, Dumbledore's force ghost appeared to her and told her dad was on a hunting trip and hasn't been home in a few days and then carry on my wayward sun starts playing as they both ride off in a 67 impala

[@pickyphysicsstudent201]

This show made me root for Sauron and all the other antagonists. Not in a "The best villains are the ones who talk sense" kind of way but rather a "I want all the characters to die horribly" sort of way.

[@dbsommers1]

Like most horror films. The cast is usually so unlikeable you root for the killer, who does net the most success.

[@M4xXxIkInG]

For real man. in the interrogation scene in the barn where Galadriel tells Ada that she is gonne keep him alive to let him see his race get wiped out before lastly killing ada himself Galadriel had 100% Psychopath villain vibes to me while Ada was very respectfull and intelligently spoken. now after the last Episode she is basically the sole reason why sauron returned to Middle earth to fuck shit up, even tho he was more than willing to just end the violence and live a happy life.

[@LyaksandraB]

@@dbsommers1 I was just going to say that then we could classify this as a slasher. You beat me to the punch.

[@wizrom3046]

I always wondered what turned Sauron into a giant menacing evil... Well now we know. It was from dealing with Karen Galadriel.

[@animeguitarguy]

I felt that way in season 4 of American Horror Story. Wanted the detestable man baby in to slaughter everyone. Season 2 is a real gem imo, kept me trying until 4 lol. Every other season has been shit

[@ronp5615]

"So focused on an audience that doesn't exist" - Epic.

[@jeremyusreevu237]

Even Adam Does Movies, who was incredibly glowing and open about ROP, turned on this series by the end. If that doesn't say how bad they messed up, I don't know what will.

[@apan990]

what about the tolkein 'professor' and nerd of the rings, are they still shilling for amazon? (i havent watched any of their ROP sht in ages).

[@jeremyusreevu237]

@@apan990 Never heard of them.

[@Boxingdiehard]

@@apan990 nerd of the rings still shilling hard it’s disgraceful

[@apan990]

@@Boxingdiehard well rip, mans truly lost his integrity then. such a shame.

[@jeremyusreevu237]

@@Boxingdiehard I mean, Adam was never shilling, he was just looking at the series with an open mind, but the way it went lead to him feeling dissapointed.

[@kombinat0r]

When Galadriel told Sauron to “stop mansplaining,” I was moved to tears

[@edwardwhite8253]

when sauron said "why dont you start womanunderstand", i was literally dead

[@rebeli-argum]

It's funny, because Sauron is not a man

[@theALTF4]

my favorite was when Guyladriel stood up agaisnt DinoSauron Mc'whitemanhitler and told him/they/them/derp/gerp this beautiful words: "Shame on ü, Youz neeeeed 2 du bettur!" And then took off her shackles and revealed her/thjey/derp self to be a stunning, independent and brave and black and biracialest and colored woman of color...whos also non-white. and everybody stood up and clapped. i was there, i was the show And LEGO®las was there... and Dumbledore too... and maleficient..and dark blader too the stunniest, feminiest, bravest, showest, morbiest show ever made, definitevely made me cri everitiem

[@robf1648]

@@theALTF4 😂

[@Rogue.Rainbow]

@@theALTF4 I almost pissed myself reading that.

[@JAFC49]

Props to Bezos and Amazon for caring about the planet. Now that Tolkien is spinning so fast in his grave, we can hook him up to a generator for cheap and renewable electricity!

[@NewNicator]

I’m dead after reading this

[@HandleDisliker]

Dude. This... 😂

[@Shadow__133]

This show smelled almost as bad as Musks burnt hair cologne. 💩

[@MegaJani]

@@NewNicator Tolkien is dead too

[@Flesh_Wizard]

Tolkien reached .01c and is burrowing towards the earth's core

[@Adrenalinez06]

So glad I didn’t waste a single second on this show. Much happier I invested in this video instead. Thanks.

[@trteeerryfse-wy2ww]

I've got hemmroids.

[@Adrenalinez06]

@@trteeerryfse-wy2wwprobably less uncomfortable than watching this trash.

[@leejordan001]

As a person who didn't see a second of this show I can pretend it doesn't exist.

[@kalm6872]

Yep I didn’t watch either

[@lucasshea3382]

Same I’m just pretending it’s not real

[@LaTortugaCards]

Buncha weirdos, commenting and having such a strong opinion on something you haven’t even watched lol 😰

[@leejordan001]

@@LaTortugaCards Yes and I don't like it either. But in this case I trust the opinion of my fav critic and I have common sense and can see from the pieces of the show which way it goes...

[@LaTortugaCards]

@@leejordan001 I was definitely disappointed after finishing season 1 but I still think it’s worth a watch for any LOTR fans

[@pl2015]

That one scene where Sauron said "If you liked it, you should've put a ring on it" and broke into song & dance was truly an emotional scene I cried.

[@trolleriffic]

I had no idea he could twerk so well. No wonder he was able to manipulate and control the minds of men when he so dummy thicc...

[@goabparty9574]

Then Galadriel yells “it’s ring lording time” and proceeds to lord rings all over the freakin place.

[@Grameris]

@@goabparty9574 truly the greatest movie of all time

[@easygrin1127]

Everyone cried

[@thelawenforcerhd9654]

You do understand that outside of a small group of nerds no one really finds this type of thing amusing? You just come across as a very sad and lonely person talking to themself.

[@MarsJimmy]

I was also quite sad how the balrog got introduced. You’d think a being that has been slumbering for thousands of years would take some time to become aware something is going on near him with the dwarves coming close. They could’ve shown the part that fell down light up bits of the balrog, it’s wings, it’s skull, it’s smoke, a being that is not even aware of what’s happening yet. Or perhaps move an inch. The way Smaug got introduced in the hobbit movie.. Which was absolutely terrifying. Instead the balrog is at 100% instantly enraged and yelling at something? Just for a quick score I guess? So disappointed.

[@Wunderkinddd]

Also they gave it a generic roar not like the inferno of the original film. Sucks

[@realbladerunner]

no way ppl complaining about how the balrog reacted lmao

[@iainmcdonalds4018]

Only there for trailer shot.

[@scyphozoa717]

Gandalf in the lore always looked like he did in Hobbit & Lotr, only changing when he became the white wizard. The 5 wizards specifically chose to appear in Middle Earth as older. Gandalf being younger here destroys the canon.

[@justforever96]

But they say in the beginning of The Fellowship that he returns to the Shire, it's been 30 years or something, while Frodo is just living his life and Gandalf is out hunting for the truth of the Ring, that he "looks a little bit greyer, a little more bent, but the same Gandalf" or something like that. I remarked on it because I was thinking it's kind of weird that he would age visibly at all if he is really as old as he's supposed to be. I don't think it says anywhere that he has always looked like an old man either, just that he is very old.

[@michaelcarmona7838]

This is one scenario in which the writers actually do have some grounding in the lore. Saruman, when he initially arrived in Middle Earth, originally had black hair. By the time of the Fellowship of the Ring it had grown white, except for some black remnants around his mustache and lips.

[@sry4lagg]

When Guyladrrrrriäl refused to be mansplained and rejected the white guy because he hadn't checked his privilege I got literal goosebumps

[@suuujuuus]

I sold my grandma for this video 👍: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjj8Ka978

[@AndYouWillBeWithMe]

What the fuck is this comment section

[@Barwasser]

@@AndYouWillBeWithMe Amzon has ascended. Dark Lord Bezos has reclaimed his throne. The bots have taken over. Drums in the deep. They are coming.

[@suuujuuus]

@@AndYouWillBeWithMe You either fight them or join them

[@peasant8246]

@@AndYouWillBeWithMe You are the only human being that exists, everyone else on the Internet is a bot. Follow the White Rabbit.

[@Tamsin53]

I was in tears when Halbrand said "It's Saurin' time!" to Guyladriel.

[@faithisprecious]

Are these types of comments actually AI?? I'm starting to wonder

[@barrannugrahakodri8695]

@@faithisprecious why do you need to go to a channel which clearly hate your favorite series? Do you need self acklowdgement that much? You are so sad

[@martin4670]

I loved the part were bigots hate the show

[@jeffberg8015]

As a lifelong Tolkien fan I was tempted to give this a try. I'm glad I was talked out of it, I have enough to be angry with in the world these days.

[@NASkeywest]

You also have a lot to be grateful for, maybe focus on that?

[@Don-ol8ze]

I agree - the same here. Hard pass.

[@khelouch4461]

This is a masterpiece of an insult. It's beautiful. This man sat for absolute hours, furiously crafting this 100% accurate summary of sins of these fools. While my knowledge of deeper lore of Tolkien is on the casual side and i didn't even catch quite a few of them... i understand completely. I am Polish and have been a fan of Sapkowski's work since i was about 10 i think? I believe these people used to be quietly executed untill maybe a few hundred years ago. Truly great video and thank you

[@Kyeudo]

For anyone who hasn't checked yet, Drinker crushed his initial fundraising goal like he crushed the Rings of Power. On to his stretch goals! EDIT: And the amount has tripled overnight!

[@edcoughlan1035]

“Broadcasting good vibes to all of elfdom” literally folded me in half

[@gorgosanma]

Rings of Power is a message of hope, it demonstrates us that money isn't everything.

[@ziltoid420]

Not all the glitters is gold

[@chanter3978]

The best thing that came out of this billion dollar production was your reviews.

[@tranquilthoughts7233]

One more part of established lore that the rings of power writers completly ignored is this: In the source material sauron did approach the elves of eregion under the name of "Annatar" which roughly translates to "Master of gifts" and he brought many gifts. Especially gifts of knowledge. Celebrimbor at the time was the master of goldsmiths and he was esepcially thirsty for knowledge and skill seeking to rival even his grandfather Feanor in his craft. Feanor as a sidenote was maybe the most gifted elve in the entire history of the world, the creator of both the Palantiri and the silmarill. Sauron lived in eregion for almost 300 years before he approached them about forging the rings of power. And when he did he did as a respected teacher, a skilled craftsman and a benefactor to the elves of eregion. And so the elves forged the rings of power under saurons instructions and with his help. However, the three rings of the elves were forged by Celebrimbor alone and while sauron knew of their existance, he never even saw them once and that's how they were kept pure of Saurons influence.

[@ASNS117Zero]

The thing is, they literally *can't* use his guise as Annatar, because they don't have the rights to the Silmarillion.

[@mikehunt4265]

@@ASNS117Zero then they should have done a different story in middle earth

[@sonofthebearking3335]

@WTFViewer oh hey, should we make a big deal about that and see amzon sued for this travesty?

[@ShakeITyEA]

@WTFViewer the istari were mentioned in LOTR tho?

[@Shmulykas]

@@ShakeITyEA nope

[@chucksenhowzen9740]

When Guyladriel tells Daredevil “You have NOT seen what I have seen” & he’s like “Riiiggghhhht” it brought a tear to my eye

[@Spartanbot1001]

Lol. Thumb up for the chuckle.

[@edmonddantes563]

The Seen is always right

[@Nightwizard63]

When Gandalf said "its morbin time" and gollum said "its pizza time" I got goosebumps

[@Klaaism]

Daredevil riding back barefoot was so empowering

[@nealm6764]

When the Hobbits were distressed at their friends death, and their biggest concern was how they would get diversity quota compliant again, I cried like a baby.

[@praetormaximus]

I can imagine the writers/producers as soon as they finished the season finale, sitting together looking at each other all thinking the same thing "masterpiece... today, we make history lads"

[@CodyMe]

Just look no further than the writers for GoT talking to the actors about the plot of season 8. Hear the excitement in their voices as they actually think what they have wrote was some sort of masterpiece. I bet anything the writers of this show were the same.

[@mikitz]

By 'lads', I presume you meant 'lasses'...

[@SorrowAvenue]

Why do people still watch it if it‘s shit? Just refuse to show up to premiers and movies and they don‘t make money.

[@ozgott1415]

Oh they made history all right.

[@codyjohnson8959]

I would imagine they were saying " those checks we made for writing this cleared already right?"

[@Mireweave777]

All i can say is that to be given a chance to play with Tolkiens world and to fail this badly is like being given the Great Pyramid and use it to dry firehoses...

[@justforever96]

I mean at least that's a useful thing. If you have firehoses that need drying and a pyramid, I guess you might as well use it. Although it's really not ideal for the task. Kind of a weird smile you came to with there, is that like a regional saying where you come from? Firehoses are important, and they do need to be dried however, and you can do it with a pyramid. This is like being given the Mona Lisa and scrawling some graffiti all over it and claiming you updated it for the modern world. Although fortunately they didn't get the actual painting, they can't actually ruin Tolkien until they start literally chopping his work up and "updating" it, and even then the originals will still exist. You can ignore the rest, it's not the real thing, it's a cheap counterfeit, nothing to worry about.

[@colinharris615]

I swear if the drinkers tombstone doesn’t begin with “ya know” and end with “go away now”…a tragedy has occurred.

[@carson21211]

Seeing that GO AWAY NOW one last time on stone would be a major tear jerker.

[@colinharris615]

@@carson21211 and there in lies the genius (Double entendre).

[@mr_indie_fan]

"Ya know, in death at least i won't be watching garbage anymore. Go away now!" -drinker's tombstone

[@Dharengo]

Here lies The Critical Drinker. It was all he got for this life. Go away now.

[@Michael-it7nx]

“Nah , it’ll be fine” R.I.P.

[@Jenjak]

My favorite moment is when Sauron says: "it's ringing time" and then crawls out of the TV.

[@bp7152]

Just in time for Halloween haha

[@edschlein9149]

how they came up with a character that's isildur's sister and they didn't call her isisdur is beyond me.

[@culturevulture6292]

😂👍

[@seanrcollier]

This is ... the funniest thing I've ever read

[@iknklst]

You monster.

[@mrmaxmondays]

It took me saying it out loud to get it💀

[@DEVILTAZ35]

I think Homer Simpson would have been more convincing going Dulp dulp dulp than most of the characters in this show.

[@user-xg6yc8ho3w]

Lol your videos always nail it spot on, and at the same time you leave me in stitches laughing. Thank you! 😂

[@emielseta1]

I like how the show runners actually made Sauron the good guy corrupted by Galadriel to be bad. Exactly how Tolkien intended it to be.

[@Lonovavir]

I really hope these "artists" don't make a WW 2 series. The Wehrmacht will have operational recruiting centers by the end of Season 1.

[@emielseta1]

I would like that as well! We need a modern spin of The Wehrmacht with more diversity and female representation! 😂

[@secretname2670]

@@Lonovavir what do you mean you don't want a big black nazi tomboy adopted by adolf to conquer the middle europe on the big screen?

[@Tevildo]

@@emielseta1 They should tell the story of Unity Mitford. With a BIPOC trans actor in the starring role.

[@Grim_Bud]

@@emielseta1 you forgot the homosexuals, they even had a special badge at the time I'm sure that will be a great idea and nobody could object otherwise they are the bigots and ignorants.

[@gloweye]

Assuming canon Galadriel for a moment, Sauron would have loved to turn her to his side, and known how impossible that was. Strange that this Sauron could totally see it happening. I think his thought process was along the lines of "well, you're evil already anyway, so might as well join me, right?"

[@MendingWall2]

Thanks for the info and entertainment, Drinker!

[@skryze6381]

I almost started crying when Sauron suggested using alloys to Celembrimbor who is (correct me if I’m wrong) an ancient Grandmaster Elvin smith who has more knowledge than any living being about forging

[@durshurrikun150]

Celebrimbor is Feanor's grandson no less, there's no way he doesn't know alloying.

[@vsegda723]

@@durshurrikun150 *Feanor's grandson

[@durshurrikun150]

@@vsegda723 Fixed it.

[@Thomas.Wright]

It'd be like Kyle Royer or Ilya Alekseyev taking basic smithing lessons from some rando noob that's never picked up a hammer before.

[@josephleisses3997]

@@Thomas.Wright Well, Sauron was the Maiar of Aule (the Valar that made the dwarves) and encapsulated everything he knew about smithing. So no, he wasn't a noob to it, but neither was anyone else he was talking to. They would've thought of this long before he did and tried it already.

[@Makitafan]

You kill me with the whole "the message" and "reflect the world we live in today" 😂😂😭☠️

[@chriswhinery925]

Well the show certainly succeeded in reflecting the world we live in today. The main character is a narcissist who refuses to learn, grow, or change because she believes she's already perfect and knows everything and everyone else is just a speedbump in her road. It sure does resemble the world we live in today.

[@swedishhousemfia]

my favorite parts of his critiques now

[@Dharengo]

Did he even say these things today?

[@prasetyodwikuncorojati2434]

@@chriswhinery925 average fanfic protagonist be like Except they're made like that because the author still learning about writing and just for fun. While ring of power and certain other movies are written by more professional writer, yet still too same with them or even far worse

[@gunsmonkey22]

@@Dharengo … I second that

[@wtfiswiththosehandles]

The moment Sauron whispered in Galadriel's ear "I am a feminist" was so beautiful, I cried.

[@jackbelmont4389]

With how crap this series is i wouldn't be surprised if that's canon

[@jackbelmont4389]

@don't be surprised CURSE YOU but the potato imagery was appreciated non the less

[@juergen4ever]

Not surprised RoP-Sauron would be a sex pest "male feminist".

[@Ostsol]

Yet another male feminist turns out to be evil. smh

[@Fiercedaddyart]

Hahaha

[@rosesacks7430]

When Sam goes after Frodo who's paddling away from the shore, I cry every time. I also cry over the man who gets shot with arrows multiple times. Characters I care about.

[@GranMaj]

The fact they had the balls to made an isildur fake death plot when everyone knews that some of these characters had plot armor is baffling.

[@jodog31]

Two and a half years from now isildor is still stuck under that house and will be gently woken up by kisses from his trusty horse.

[@paulmurgatroyd6372]

This can go on the pile with that old D&D movie.

[@elLooto]

Its why prequels are an inherently bad idea imo. How the hell do you give the impression that characters you know for a fact are alive and well later on are in any danger at all? Its as stupid as the prophecy genre (looking at you specifically, Mr Eddings) where the writing skill appears to be entirely based around plausibly getting the indestructible hero-on-the-way-to-godhood out of the impossible scrape youve written them into. That said, Patrick Tilley's _The Amtrak Wars_ is awesome and should totally be on the shortlist for a TV show.

[@Kali-bs7oj]

@@elLooto they’re not inherently bad, you just have to be a good writer. I realized this after watching better call Saul. You gotta focus on character writing, and showing how a character became who they are, not on “oh my god they might die !!”

[@elLooto]

@@Kali-bs7oj Its not just death, its that any failure cannot lead to a catastrophic consequence. Saul cannot screw up so badly he loses his license to practice law, for example, so we know that when hes doing his usual dodgy shit he must, ultimately, get away with it; no real danger, since he must still be practicing law when Walter encounters him in Breaking Bad. While Sauls story is an amusing collection of anecdotes and good light entertainment as a result, nothing of consequence can happen. Its a ridiculously fine line between a failure so bad that it makes the character sit up and take notice enough to change their ways while still being plausibly recoverable and a shattering defeat. In RoP there is no way in hell Guyladriel has enough introspection, is way to self-righteous and pig-headed to make writing this outcome possible. This isnt true in an original series; see The Walking Dead, which killed characters continually, and even main characters are not immune (Glenns exit was masterfully executed [please excuse both the pun and the spoiler], given his end in the comics, or Andrea and Carl who both had, when compared to the comics, premature exits). The characters maintain a plausible level of danger, even though its based on a body of work years more advanced than the show. This 'lack of real danger' is even exploited by Patrick Tilley in his book series _The Amtrak Wars_ to make character exits much more shocking and impactful, although there he was writing a prophecy epic and not a prequel the same question of 'how much real danger are the characters actually in' still applies and the treatment Tilley gives it shows he was very aware of the problem.

[@Dharengo]

Man, “be the change you want to see” seems to be the running theme for life in general these days. I wish you all of the fortune in the world with your screenwriting gig.

[@FreedomAndPeaceOnly]

4:07 _" The Andrgyonous Things "_ 🤣 Perfectly onpoint description. ^_^

[@ottz2506]

I’m in this mindset too although I don’t want it to come across as some kind of hero complex

[@nelisezpasce]

@@ottz2506 White man's burden

[@ottz2506]

@@nelisezpasce what’s that got to do with anything?

[@DeusNyx]

Galadriel(in the books) always gave me the impression she was always powerful - much like the Maiar, they were always just as they were - powerful and wise. It feel like the Amazon writers are getting their ideas from books about shiny vampires.

[@xxxCrackerJack501xxx]

Even Twilight is vastly better written, Rings of Power writers steal from the Fifty Shades of Gray saga more likely lol

[@mbignell1]

Loving your work on Star Wars KK.

[@gabagandalfoftheweed]

That's proly the showrunners' only success in terms of writing: They subverted the trope of being still a better love story than Twilight

[@rozu7772]

@@gabagandalfoftheweed So we'll have to say "still a better love story than Rings of Power" now?

[@MollyHJohns]

The worst insult here is the fact that they are focusing on shipping the two worst enemies together, romantically. Worst fanfic ever written here.

[@mr.cookiecutter]

The hobbit trilogy: Had some serious flaws, but had a very likable main character, scary villains, decent enough action, brought back some beloved characters and were respectful to them. Rings of power: had 2 positives in total, crazy unlikable main character, joke villains who are barely intimidating, horrible action choreography, and brought back beloved characters only to ruin them for modern politics.

[@alanfearon6568]

It also had Eggsies! 😂😂

[@randomperson-up5vt]

What really annoys me about this version of sauron. He never lied to this crazy elf. So when he finally gets confronted all he had to do was not lie again and remind her he said he picked up the trinket thing. Instead nah he had reveal completely everything for no reason

[@NathanCassidy721]

It’s worst that’s you think. They basically turned one of the most iconic villains of all-time, a character who is a minor god in this universe, into an incel.

[@talithakoum3922]

RoP Sauron is actually a much better person than RoP Galadriel. He never lies outright, keeps to himself, is capable of making friends, and occasionally even smiles. Whereas *she* lies whenever it's convenient, is always getting into people's faces and demanding to speak to the manager, is emotionally abusive to everyone around her, and can't change her facial expression without morphing into a snarling rodent. A grave insult to Tolkien.

[@2DReanimation]

@@talithakoum3922 Yes, it really shows how naive and basic the writing is, that they can't show a character driven by revenge without making them act like a rebellious teenager. There's just zero subtlety or emotional complexity.

[@Ackalan]

@@talithakoum3922 Don't forget she attempt to kill him, right after he saves the elven race.

[@dodojesus4529]

@@talithakoum3922 it also seems like this guy legit absndoned world domination(ignoring the dumbass twist) and just wanted to live the quiet life of a humble smith

[@devilsxdancex09]

I'm glad that you and others have been watching and tearing it down. That's been more entertaining than the actual show.

[@acct5910]

I love how they made Galadriel directly responsible for Sauron’s rise.

[@Ergeniz]

There's got to be a hidden message here somewhere. Obviously at the showrunner's expense.

[@margarethmichelina5146]

So, it has the same level of stupidity of Girl Loki killed Kang's variant in Loki Season one Finale because she's too emotional?

[@iemzaf]

IncelRon

[@corneliusmaze-eye2459]

@@margarethmichelina5146 Huh, I didn't think of it like that. I was more of the view that she was wronged and so tortured by that, that she convinced herself that nothing can be right until she's got her vengeance. That was still believable in the context of the story. You can tell she realises what she has done and it's a tragedy honestly.

[@robertlewis6915]

women.

[@Parasmunt]

It has failed in every area. It failed as a good show. It failed as a popular show. It failed to bring Tolkien's world into life. It failed as a mockery or subversion of his work (because we appreciate the movies even more now and the difference between them and this).

[@YormanGina]

I recently rewatched the Two Towers Ext Ed on a whim and still found myself tearing up at certain parts after all these years. There's just no substitute for quality writing.

[@walkwithoutrhythm9858]

To celebrate the season finale of RoP, I watched the Extended cuts of the Trilogy. It was a great way to pass the time.

[@Daniel_C_Griffin]

The "Where is the horse and the rider" scene is better than the entirety of ROP.

[@djdeep4]

But no mention of the dodgy hobbit cgi, because it doesn't fit the narrative lol.

[@majorpwner241]

It's a shame the extended editions mess around with the classic scenes rather than just adding new ones. They mess up the music and the flow, and I fear the theatrical cuts are better.

[@Paulafan5]

Gandalf: Theoden King stands alone. A Portal appears. Falcon: On your left!

[@TheBelieveit1]

The funniest part was in an interview after this aired, the showrunners basically admitted that they fucked up but it wasn't in a humbling apologetic manner. Instead they came off more as abusive ex's. They lied and attacked us fans for months but eventually it became clear that everyone saw them for what they were, and you just know that Bezos came in and kicked their asses because the numbers were nowhere near what he wanted or needed. So now they are coming out and saying "We'll do better in Season 2. It's gonna be more faithful to the canon and lore. Dude seriously please trust us. We're gonna give you what you wanted this time for sure. Please keep watching. We can change". But we all already know that's more lies. There is no fixing this trash outside of a complete redo. But more than that, this is Modern Hollywood we're talking about and given how gleeful they have been to attack fans up until now, there is no way they're legitimately going to improve. They of course do not feel like they did anything wrong so you just know they're gonna double down out of spite because they feel like it was WE who were in the wrong to not fully embrace this travesty. Furthermore, I suspect part of the reason they aren't gonna have season 2 come out for another year or so is because they are waiting for the heat to die down. They're gonna try using the Masters of the Universe strategy and wait for apathy and indifference to truly set in. Season 2 will likely have better audience scores than season 1, but not because it was actually better. Instead it'll be like I mentioned with Kevin Smith's Teela show when part 2 came out. The reason for the relatively higher ratings is because no one bothered to watch it. The only ones who did were the small minority that 'liked" the first part as real fans have had enough and refuse to waste more of their time in the hopes it actually does improve. Then because the ratings are relatively better, Amazon will use that as proof the show is getting better and more people are warming up to it. Mark my words, this IS their strategy now. There's zero doubt in my mind because this ain't going to get better unless Amazon fires the current showrunners and brings someone on who can try to at least salvage the damage. Do not let up. Do not relent. Make sure that until either they get through all 5 seasons or they reluctantly cancel it, we cannot let them use this strategy to win. Keep letting them know what we think of them and make them hurt. We know that they've admitted they'll do anything to keep this from being seen as a failure so we need to ensure that everyone knows for a fact that it is indeed a failure and no amount of spin can change that,

[@HanniSeidenba0525]

Wait, there will be season 2?

[@karaloop9544]

@@HanniSeidenba0525 They planned for 5 seasons. What a train wreck. :)

[@szymonanonim7214]

But at the same time if it will get better somehow we need someone to review it , we shouldn't just go and rate something without any knowledge about it . That is why you need to subscribe to Drinker and motivate him by throwing some cash on kickstarter and then review the rings of power.

[@markmanderson]

you cant polish a turd....well technically thats not true, you end up with a shiny turd, aka S2

[@HanniSeidenba0525]

@@markmanderson I was trying to imagine when they try to wax on wax off a turd until they can see their face on it.

[@kylele23]

Galadriel is like watching a bully in high school getting slapped on the wrist for beating up people and generally being an obnoxious asshole. And then getting rewarded with a new car, an early scholarship to the career of their dreams because their parents were made out of money, and you still being told by the high school counselor to just forgive and forget and that “they’ll learn the lesson eventually.”

[@SwinksSturdy]

I really needed that Li Lu chuckle thank you sir! 'salute'

[@ionlydidthischanneltocomme859]

I really like how this world reflects the show we live in today.

[@bhasty1]

This show has been the most meme worthy piece of "art" to be shown on TV ever. It's all kinds of wonderful.

[@apan990]

if nothing else it brings more people to discover tolkein and the PJ lotr trilogy, thats the ONLY good thing thats ever come out of this show being released. and the entertainment of watching amazon shills defending the show like its some great piece of art, thats certainly a plus too for me lol.

[@nealm6764]

@@apan990 Anybody who is a serious reader would never now read the books based on this crappy show. If anything they would avoid it now. Only mouth breather who last read a book 10 years ago with Harry Potter would now read the book because of this show.

[@bhasty1]

@@apan990 well said..

[@bhasty1]

@@nealm6764 Go easy on the newbies. They have to discover Tolkien for themselves.

[@apan990]

@@nealm6764 i mean people have, you see it all over the internet and people talking about how their friends/family now read LOTR because of the show, i also know of person in which he too started watching the PJ trilogy coz of the show and liked it. you have to realize that normies dont operate normally, they just see flashy cgi, some romance shoved in the show, and some scenes where ppl cry and automatically LOVE the show lol. and in doing so, they get curious to see the books/film. but i dont doubt there are some people who watched the show and want nothing to do with tolkein as you said, and at the end of the day thats their loss tbh.

[@maarek71]

I don't hate myself enough to give this show one second of my time.

[@ifstatementifstatement2704]

I’ve watched it all, because I was curious, and it’s extremely boring. Extremely… I despair just thinking about it. Wanted to fast forward so many times. You may see a lot of action in the video here but the show does not feel like that at all. Episodes feel very sluggish.

[@naapsuvaimne740]

same here

[@fish5645]

A friend of mine who I honestly respected said he watched this show and thought it was amazing, honestly it has shaken my opinion on him completely.

[@faithisprecious]

I'll enjoy the show by myself just fine without y'all :) have a nice life being bitter about tiny details

[@trolleriffic]

@@faithisprecious You're going to inflict this trash on yourself to spite the rest of us? Okay then

[@jamesclapp7433]

Thanks!

[@mjharris420]

$95,000+ in 30 days is nothing to scoff at! Congratulations my dude. You have obviously curated a community of great people, and I'm super stoked to see what you create.

[@necro4258]

You mean $130,000+ in 1 day with 29 days to go

[@OddityDK]

@@dingickso4098 Report them. I do every time I see one.

[@hawklord100]

"the character is only as smart as the character writing them" spot on my son

[@r3dp9]

Not so! Sherlock Holmes was written by someone much less intelligent than Sherlock. A sufficiently clever writer can, in fact, 'fake' great intelligence. It requires hard work, clever storytelling, and research, but it can be done.

[@carlosamado7606]

@@r3dp9 yes but that's what he meant. Even if you don't have the knowledge of Sherlock you can be creative enough to create the riddles he has to solve even if you yourself couldn't. Is much easier to create a hard riddle then to solve one.

[@themrmustazz]

Sherlock does mentally what Sir Conan Doyle probably had to sketch on paper along with a bunch of Encyclopaedias

[@jonnyj.]

@@r3dp9 Holy fuck, whats wrong with you? What op said is literally what you just said. You get what he means. Stop being contradictory for the sake of it. Its EXTREMELY annoying ;)

[@poocrayon4588]

@@themrmustazz Conan Doyle in many ways wasn't totally unlike Sherlock, he was a man of eclectic interests, trained to be a doctor, an early practiitioner of body building and a golf obsessive and of course a writer.

[@xuedalong]

I love how halfway through the episode not-Gandalf’s vocabulary range is about 5 words, and he pronounces them in the southern Irish accent of the not-hobbits he learned them from. Yet 3 minutes later he speaks perfectly fluently with a Surrey accent.

[@EvilDoresh]

He realized he was appropriating the Harfoot's culture.

[@robhaskins]

The writers didn't think you'd notice that rapid change. You'd be concentrating on all the powerful, spunky women.

[@stardaggerrihannsu2363]

He doesn't want to be labeled as IRISH, the worst possible fate!

[@Brian424]

England continues to amaze. Your entire country is about the size of 1 1/2 average US states, yet you have so many dialects and accents that you can tell almost what street one grew up on by their accent. Yes, we have different regional accents in the US, but it's on a larger scale, over hundreds of miles, usually. Just something I've always noticed but never voiced before. No disrespect, just an opinion. Since the Revolutionary War ended, you haven't been half bad. :-)

[@EvilDoresh]

@@Brian424 That's how the old world rolls

[@TheCheshireCat2190]

This is nothing more than a slap in the face to J.R.R. Tolkien and his great work.

[@szabok1999]

I also liked how they rode from MORDOR to EREGION in six days. It took Gandalf three days to get to Minas Tirith from Rohan on the world's fastest horse. At least GOT didn't outright say how impossibly fast the characters travelled.

[@luigines6457]

Hearing the Drinker working on a film, even a short one, is amazing to hear! If I had the resources, I would most definitely help

[@ColoradoStreaming]

I am stoked on this as well.

[@Christiand2821]

I really did expect Halbrand to be a good guy in the end because of how obvious he was supposed to be Sauron. I just thought, "There is no way that is going to actually be 'the twist'. People picked up on it right away. They had to have written it that way to make you think he's Sauron but then someone else actually will be. One of the Harfoots for instance." I actually did think that Gandalf might have ended up being Sauron and that would've been a decent twist. Instead, everything happened exactly as everyone expected it did... But the writers actually thought it was going to be some big reveal... Which is sad.

[@Isnogood12]

If Halbrand had just been what he said, a refugee from the Southlands and wanted nothing to do with any of the story, and Gandalf was the actual Sauron, it might have been possible to save the show. But just like every other bad writing decision, they didn't.

[@queenberuthiel5469]

I prefer Sauron posing as Galadriel.

[@Christiand2821]

@@queenberuthiel5469 she was certainly evil and manipulative enough.

[@RB-bu2lh]

When She-Hulk tore off Voldemort's head and fed it to Shelob, that was truly the moment I realized how strong and how woman she is.

[@xminusone1]

When shelob screamed "look like Meat's back on the menu boys!" It made me cry and I questioned myself on who's the baddies in the world we live in today.

[@TransformersBoss]

I loved how Galadriel responded with “I am no man” to every bit of dialogue said to her by a man. A triumph!

[@KibyNykraft]

The whole thing is to make her look like some Jeanne d'Arc. But in the LOTR books and movies she was a shy druidess healer type in a deep forest. The comical part is that even the ultraf..minist obviousness of the script is no-where looking cool or natural. But I mean what will you expect from having a bunch of rich-suburb DemoBrat party types writing the script and doing the coreography. But there isn't so much about it being worse than Jackson's first cinema version of The fellowship, looking like a trailer teaser happening to be longer in duration that a typical one.

[@stardaggerrihannsu2363]

@@KibyNykraft It just makes the show more enjoyable, that followers of the Dark Lord, Drumpf, dislike it so much.

[@kaczan3]

The comment about the quote "I am no man" is really underrated. Woke creeps in slowly. Before this show, we had elven girlboss in Hobbit, and before that we had the "I am no man" chick. I don't feel like rewatching LotR anymore.

[@DoBap_]

@@kaczan3 “I am no man” was a line written by Tolkien, and it works. The Witch-King was prophesied that no man could kill him, and Eowyn turned it on it’s head.

[@Infinite_Maelstrom]

@@DoBap_ Indeed. It is not because she is a woman, but because she is not a man, that she is able to strike down the Witch-King. It is for the same reason that Merry is able to injure him - he is not a man either, being a hobbit.

[@MasonRoyce]

I haven’t watched a single episode and I’m happier for it.

[@chasehedges6775]

Same. I’m glad I haven’t watched this show at all

[@dontshootmex5588]

Me too dude

[@calick7208]

Glad you have the Drinker to watch it for you and tell you what to think.

[@I_Don_t_want_a_handle]

I watched this shit because I thought it could not be that bad ... it was, and more.

[@TheDrunkenGrape]

it is a terrific show. You're missing out by listening to a bunch of morons criticize it.

[@MatthewBester]

I still can't get over the master smith elf who's unaware of alloys.

[@dirtyharry1881]

And is kinda gay for Sauron as well...His eyes when Halbrand speaks... He's so smitten

[@atomicdancer]

It's like a master chef who doesn't know that you can add sauce to dishes.

[@billylionisnotagoat]

@@dirtyharry1881 at least they didnt call him Noruas

[@aleksander8497]

1. Or the fact that the elves weren't suspicious at all of him. 2. That the ring making was rushed, and the stones were not explained how they were made. 3. The 3 were shown to be made, but no mention of the 9 or the 7. In the book, the 3 were made last and without Sauron's direct help.

[@dirtyharry1881]

To be fair, if someone writes this particular show and is called a "writer", he has good reason to believe that someone who knows nothing about alloys can be called a "master smith".

[@gicousinjoe6199]

After watching this, I finally understand why the elves were sailing away-they're trying to escape this show.