LOTR - The Rings of Power [SPOILERS]

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Late getting round to this episode, but it was excellent alright.

[astfgyl]

https://off-guardian.org/2022/09/20/review-the-rings-of-power/

Here's a fairly long and scathing review of the show so far that I've just read. Thankfully I didn't see it as this person did or I wouldn't have enjoyed it at all. Hard to disagree with some of the criticisms all the same. I also spotted some spelling errors in the review so marks are lost for that.

[Ollkiller]

https://off-guardian.org/2022/09/20/review-the-rings-of-power/

Here's a fairly long and scathing review of the show so far that I've just read. Thankfully I didn't see it as this person did or I wouldn't have enjoyed it at all. Hard to disagree with some of the criticisms all the same. I also spotted some spelling errors in the review so marks are lost for that.

It's getting a lot of scathing reviews alright. Twats trying to look cool mostly. Its not amazing but it's a grand watch. The overeaction to it is ridiculous.

[Emphyrio]

After the cash spent and the quality of the source material, anything short of amazing will be seen as a monumental failure.

[Born of Fire]

Finally caught up on this. Honestly I can't see why it's getting scathing reviews. It's bloody gorgeous to look at. Genuinely big screen worthy visuals. The orcs look class too. I don't really care about the diversity aspect either as long as people play the characters well. My biggest peeve as some mentioned already is short haired elves!

Story wise, yes it's a bit slow but I think it's doing a fine job of world building and it seems like it's all about to kick off nicely. And it's not like the LotR trilogy was balls out action either. Plenty of slow going story telling there too.

Now to try and catch up on House of the Dragon and see if it can undo some of the ill will leave behind by the GoT finale!

[astfgyl]

https://off-guardian.org/2022/09/20/review-the-rings-of-power/

Here's a fairly long and scathing review of the show so far that I've just read. Thankfully I didn't see it as this person did or I wouldn't have enjoyed it at all. Hard to disagree with some of the criticisms all the same. I also spotted some spelling errors in the review so marks are lost for that.

It's getting a lot of scathing reviews alright. Twats trying to look cool mostly. Its not amazing but it's a grand watch. The overeaction to it is ridiculous.

That's the first thing I've read about it other than what was linked earlier here about the opening sequence. I can see that there is something in what the reviewer is saying but I can also see what I'm looking at and enjoying, and the evidence of the eyes and ears always trumps what it is one is being told to think so I obviously disagree with them when it comes down to it even if the criticisms are somewhat valid for someone who wishes to go down such a road.

I'm looking forward to the next episode anyway

[Emphyrio]

He's heavy handed in his review alright and he's a bit blinded to the good stuff, and there really is some great stuff there, but I can appreciate where he's coming from.

[John Kimble]

14 year old me wants to love this series dearly. I was probably 12 or 13 when I first read LOTR in the early 90's, and back then it was unfathomable that the books could ever be brought to life on the big screen (nevermind a tv series). We're 5 episodes in and I'm getting bored. That could be down to my own age, cynicism etc but this is really dragging at a snail's pace. There's nothing wrong with a bit of exposition etc but the acting and characters need to be strong enough to carry it, and they're not.

[Caomhaoin]

I fell asleep half way through last night's episode. Too much cliché, and the lack of focus on the tone of the dialogue is getting annoying. It's high register one moment, and without warning it's Americanism ridden TV pish.

The scene with the elf and the lads trying to cut her...I'm sure they were slapping each other's backs in the break room after filming the scene but it's so cringe.

I'll give it a bit of leeway as it hasn't been bad up to this point (tiny villages with Chinese, African and aboriginal Aussies wtf is this aside), but come on boyz. Take a few lines of ching and get the party started.

[John Kimble]

Yep, was struggling to keep the eyes open last night when I watched it (admittedly after a long day of minding the kids, but whatever..). There's something a bit off about the whole thing. Just to be clear, the diversity thing isn't a massive issue (yes, we've all read the memes...if you can accept the existence of a dragon or troll, but can't cope with a few black actors in a fantasy series, then the problem IS YOU yadda yadda) but fuck me, like what's the story with Numenor, mixed race queen with white auld lad, Isildur appears to be a young Nuno Gomez...and then the harfoots are a bunch of black Irish folk complete with bullshit diddly-aye repertoire of maudlin sing-songs...what the utter fuck is going on here?

[Caomhaoin]

My issue is not having black or any other hue of actor. It's the insistence on having small, primitive villages being perfectly and harmoniously multicultural. Make all the Harfoots black Irish (huh ho!) or all the numenorians Chinese or whatever, nobody would be perturbed.

I'm not too bothered by the Irish accents, east end Londoners get the short end of the stick with villainous orc accents among others.

Yer wan who is in love with the smouldering black elf seems to have had an affair with Jake the Muss and he decided it was time for a quick exit. It's mad.

[astfgyl]

C'mon lads ye are all after reading the review.

[John Kimble]

I've read a few reviews by now, some absolutely glowing and others not so kind. As I said, I want to like this. I was on board by episode two but the last two have been an absolute slog to get through.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Another good episode, plenty of great moments, especially the telling of the mithril legend. Maybe watch the next episode before your glass of hot milk rather than after if you're getting sleepy.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/house-of-the-dragon-rings-of-power-nielsen-streaming-ratings-viewers-1235388100/

The analysis in the article is a bit junior cert level, but anyway, based on the viewership for the first two eps at least, the investment is paying off so far. It'll be viewership for later episodes that'll be more telling though.