I wouldn’t call myself a casual Lord of the Rings fan, but I’m not a hardcore fan. I’m gloriously somewhere in the middle. Truth be told, that’s probably why I very much enjoyed the Amazon Prime Video series – “Rings of Power.” I’m not beholden to the lore, so I wasn’t put off by what others saw as issues with characters and lore.
So, why am I the one advocating for this show? It’s not just because I had some free time and needed a topic to write about. I’m here because I believe the show not only has significant value but also maintains the visual legacy of the movies that Peter Jackson introduced to the world years ago. But that’s not all.
Let’s consider three reasons you should try out the six-time prime-time Emmy-nominated show or rewatch the show before the highly anticipated season two is released on August 29th, 2024.
Peter Jackson set the bar pretty high when he released The Fellowship of the Ring. Anything remotely related to The Lord of the Rings would have to be visually stunning. Peter Jackson continued that legacy of excellence with The Two Towers and Return of the King. When he returned to the world of The Hobbit, that same level of excellence was also shown in that trilogy of movies.
With that level of excellence already set and in place for fans, Amazon Studios had quite a bar to clear when announcing The Rings of Power. The sets, the costumes, the CGI, and the makeup all had to be top-tier. Nothing else would be acceptable.
The question is, then, did they hit the mark? Absolutely, they did. The series is as visually stunning as you would expect. In fact, with the changes in technology since the release of Peter Jackson’s movies, they may have even raised the bar a little bit.
Every aspect of the show’s visuals feels well-curated and cared for. The attention to detail in the costumes, makeup, special effects, and character’s appearances is wonderful. More than once, I sat watching the show and said, “Wow, that is beautiful.”
Watch Rings of Power if there is no other reason than to see how beautifully this show is shot.
As you watch the season develop, the writers do a good job of tying you to the main characters to see things from their perspective and feel a sense of urgency or relief depending upon what the characters are going through.
For instance, we meet Lady Galadriel early on in the series. We come to understand her drive to identify the source of evil that she feels is coming to attack Middle Earth, even when no one else believes her. We watch the highs and lows of her journey, and although we know she survives everything she is going through, she has the plot armor; it’s still trying at times because the writers do their job of getting the audience emotionally invested in her story.
We meet Bronwyn and her son Theo, whose village is about to be overrun by dark forces. We also meet Arondir, the Elf who watches over her village and has fallen in love with her. They have a “love that cannot be” relationship and continually try to squash it down, stealing moments when they can. Throughout the course of the story, you find yourself cheering for them, not just romantically, but as they fight for their village and the world they know from the Orcs and forces that come against them. It’s a good sub-story to the main and overarching story the writers have put together.
Some of the more die-hard fans of the LOTR lore have complained about the story and characters breaking lore or not being written in a way that respects how Tolkien would have written the story or the character. That is a completely understandable complaint. But we also must remember that the Tolkien Estate only allowed Amazon and their writers access to certain ages of the LOTR lore. This limits what stories can be told and how the characters would develop. So, although it is a very valid criticism of the show, it’s not without reason for it happening.
I will try to keep this as spoiler-free as possible for those who have yet to watch season one of the series.
We are introduced to two characters who both keep you guessing and wondering who each of them is over the course of season one. We meet Halbrand out on the water with Lady Galadriel. They travel together, and they make discoveries together, all while there seems to be something off with him for the entire season. Is Halbrand who he says he is? Is there something else about him that causes concern?
Then there is the Stranger that lands and is observed by the Harfoots, particularly by the ever-inquisitive Elanor Brandyfoot. You spend the majority of the first season wondering who this person is. Is it Sauron? Is it Gandalf? The writers tease this character back and forth until it’s revealed who is actually Sauron and leave us thinking this may, in fact, be Gandalf. But we still aren’t sure, and I think that will be revealed in season 2.
There is not much more that can be said about either of those characters without spoiling the story for those who have yet to watch it. But both characters are vital to the story, and you must pay attention to them each time they appear on screen.
Honestly, Season One is a fun ride with many visuals, characters, and storylines that are very Lord of the Rings. Again, for moderate, middle-of-the-road fans, such as myself, this show is fun to watch and very well-written.
If you’re a deep lore LOTR kind of fan and can pronounce Silmarillion without assistance from your local LOTR lore nerd, then you may have an issue with parts of this story. My buddy Ben nearly has a fit every time we talk about the show, and I suggest that they give it another try. So yeah, it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I get that. Ben does, too.
I think it’s also important that while the story writers are clearly taking liberties with characters and stories based on the ages they are allowed access to from the Tolkien camp, Peter Jackson also made a trilogy of movies about The Hobbit. Read the book, watch The Battle of the Five Armies, and tell me liberties weren’t taken with the story, characters, and more. But that could be a whole other article for another time.
But if you want a well-written story with good character development and action to keep you on the edge of your seat, then Rings of Power on Amazon Prime Video is a show you need to consider. And, as a reminder, season two starts on August 29th!
