Television The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

[Ubik]

That's your rating, though. Still don't know why you bother. It's no Foundation but it's watchable enough. Besides I want to see Halbrand go all Sauron.

Oh man don't get me started on Foundation...

 

[Spoony]

I don't find it a painful watch as I have no LOTR background knowledge outside of watching the films a few times casually over the years.

I just think it's a little shit but happy to stick on for an hour a week if it helps my pass out to disappear for the day every other week for the football.

The hobbits are shite, I don't think much of the dwarves' storyline and I hope they don't bring those awful trees into it. But I don't mind the rest. Sure it can be cheesy but...yeah... Sauron's going to kick arse.

 

[Spoony]

Oh man don't get me started on Foundation...

Best thing on TV. I think it's top tier. I'd like to know what you actually like.

 

[Tyrion]

Best thing on TV. I think it's top tier. I'd like to know what you actually like.

The key part of being a smart critic is to hate everything.

 

[AfonsoAlves]

The point I am making is Tolkien frequently uses them as a plot device, which is undeniable. The rest of what you have said is pure fan head-canon. For what it’s worth, I like the in-world explanation.

I also found Celebrimbor not being told who Halbrand is quite ridiculous to be honest, I just don’t see a point in someone watching something just so they can bitch about it. There’s far worse Telly out there than this; it’s not Tolkien, don’t treat it like it is and you won’t be disappointed

The point I am making is Tolkien frequently uses them as a plot device, which is undeniable. The rest of what you have said is pure fan head-canon. For what it’s worth, I like the in-world explanation.

I also found Celebrimbor not being told who Halbrand is quite ridiculous to be honest, I just don’t see a point in someone watching something just so they can bitch about it. There’s far worse Telly out there than this; it’s not Tolkien, don’t treat it like it is and you won’t be disappointed

Wrong - please read Unfinished Tales:

Gwaihir and Landroval, the children of Thorondor were explicitly told by Eonwe (and by extension, Manwe), to not interfere with the events of Middle Earth and that it was not their responsibility, and that beings such as themselves intervening actively would lead to terrible consequences.

The only reason Eagles assist the order of the Istar is because Gandalf rescused Gwaihir and tended to his wounds when Gwaihir was injured - thus Gwaihir felt a notion of debt.

1) Gwaihir rescuing Gandalf was pure luck. He was actually on his way to Isengard because the Istar had asked him to fly over the skies and report Orc movements and only when he arrived did he see Gandalf trapped and battered, hence he rescued him.

2) The eagles did not risk "Arrows and Fell beasts" after the ring was destroyed because, and I paraphrase, after Sauron's dominion came to an end, the Orcs collectively lost their minds and just scattered and ran as they had no will nor purpose and did not understand what they were doing there.

3) The eagles not being used was much like the reason Glorfindel was not used. A flock of Eagles rocking up, sends about a billion alarm bells for Sauron who would just place orcs in the forge and intercept the Eagles. Not to mention a few other things such as

a) As mentioned in 1), Manwe forbid the Eagles from interfering.

b) Mount doom wasn't some open crater that you can fly over, lob the ring in and job done. It's explicitly described in HoME Volume VI and Volume VIII that the only place it could be destroyed was the part of mount doom where Sauron had infused his magic into, that he carved into the cracks of Mount Doom. Even if there was a small crater at the top to lob the ring into, it wouldn't be destroyed that way. Sauron had actually made a "forge" of sorts in that specific crack, hence there was building infrastructure leading into it.

c) Which means the Eagles would have to land, drop Frodo off and pray to whatever heavens that Sauron just decided to ignore the eagles and no orcs were at the forge.

 

[AfonsoAlves]

Probably worth pointing out that the dwarves largely stick to their mountain halls, and the elves to their various forest and river settlements during LotR (the latter also basically leaving middle-earth en masse).

A common theme of the story is the need to convince others of the importance of not waiting for the war to come to them.

Why is it so difficult to accept that the eagles basically didn't really see it as their fight, even if they did get involved at times?

This isn't true either. There's a whole war going on in those regions when LoTR is occuring.

Greenwood has been fighting Dol Goldur for centuries at this point, and the Elves of Lothlorien came to aid them:

Three times Lo´rien had been assailed from Dol Guldur, but besides the valour of the elven people of that land, the power that dwelt therewas too great for any to overcome, unless Sauron had come there himself. Though grievous harm was done to the fair woods on the borders, the assaults were driven back; and when the Shadow passed, Celeborn came forth and led the host of Lo´rien over Anduin in many boats. They took Dol Guldur, and Galadriel threw down its walls and laid bare its pits, and the forest was cleansed.In the North also there had been war and evil. The realm of Thranduil was invaded, and there was long battle under the trees and great ruin of fire; but in the end Thranduil had the victory. And on the day of the New Year of the Elves, Celeborn and Thranduil met in the midst of the forest; and they renamed Mirkwood Eryn Lasgalen, The Wood of Greenleaves. Thranduil took all the northern region as far as the mountains that rise in the forest for his realm; and Celeborn took all the southern wood below the Narrows, and named it East Lo´rien; all the wide forest between was given to the Beornings and the Woodmen.

The dwarves were fighting hard in the North too, but I can't remember the exact chapter in the Appendix this was said.

 

[Ubik]

Best thing on TV. I think it's top tier. I'd like to know what you actually like.

I've only seen season 1 tbf, and I did like the Brother Day bits. Everything on Terminus though was an absolute slog, worse than any Tolkien poetry.

Favourite thing currently ongoing is Severance, hoping they haven't messed up season 2. Arcane was also pretty great from a more fantastical perspective. The Watchmen series from a few years back was excellent (ditto the Leftovers). I don't think you can extrapolate me not liking this show to me being a perpetually grumpy snob

 

[golden_blunder]

Bit boring so far

 

[That'sHernandez]

Wrong - please read Unfinished Tales:

Gwaihir and Landroval, the children of Thorondor were explicitly told by Eonwe (and by extension, Manwe), to not interfere with the events of Middle Earth and that it was not their responsibility, and that beings such as themselves intervening actively would lead to terrible consequences.

The only reason Eagles assist the order of the Istar is because Gandalf rescused Gwaihir and tended to his wounds when Gwaihir was injured - thus Gwaihir felt a notion of debt.

1) Gwaihir rescuing Gandalf was pure luck. He was actually on his way to Isengard because the Istar had asked him to fly over the skies and report Orc movements and only when he arrived did he see Gandalf trapped and battered, hence he rescued him.

2) The eagles did not risk "Arrows and Fell beasts" after the ring was destroyed because, and I paraphrase, after Sauron's dominion came to an end, the Orcs collectively lost their minds and just scattered and ran as they had no will nor purpose and did not understand what they were doing there.

3) The eagles not being used was much like the reason Glorfindel was not used. A flock of Eagles rocking up, sends about a billion alarm bells for Sauron who would just place orcs in the forge and intercept the Eagles. Not to mention a few other things such as

a) As mentioned in 1), Manwe forbid the Eagles from interfering.

b) Mount doom wasn't some open crater that you can fly over, lob the ring in and job done. It's explicitly described in HoME Volume VI and Volume VIII that the only place it could be destroyed was the part of mount doom where Sauron had infused his magic into, that he carved into the cracks of Mount Doom. Even if there was a small crater at the top to lob the ring into, it wouldn't be destroyed that way. Sauron had actually made a "forge" of sorts in that specific crack, hence there was building infrastructure leading into it.

c) Which means the Eagles would have to land, drop Frodo off and pray to whatever heavens that Sauron just decided to ignore the eagles and no orcs were at the forge.

Chill nerd

 

[Coxy]

Just watched the 5th episode. Still shit.

God I wish this was good - where on earth has the money gone? Writing still terrible.

Their interpretation of Elendil is bugging me now too.

Wish I could tear myself away from it, but love all of things lord of the rings.

 

[Balljy]

Gwaihir and Landroval, the children of Thorondor were explicitly told by Eonwe (and by extension, Manwe), to not interfere with the events of Middle Earth and that it was not their responsibility, and that beings such as themselves intervening actively would lead to terrible consequences.

Gwaihir rescuing Gandalf was pure luck. He was actually on his way to Isengard because the Istar had asked him to fly over the skies and report Orc movements and only when he arrived did he see Gandalf trapped and battered, hence he rescued him.

I'm going to regret saying this, but don't those two paragraphs contradict each other around direct involvement?

Anyway, I'm quite enjoying it as background TV as someone who hasn't read the books since I was young.

 

[AfonsoAlves]

I'm going to regret saying this, but don't those two paragraphs contradict each other around direct involvement?

Anyway, I'm quite enjoying it as background TV as someone who hasn't read the books since I was young.

Yes, kind of.

The only reason the eagles disobey Manwe is

A) Gwaihir felt that he owed Gandalf a life debt.

B) technically Olórin was handpicked manwe as his personal representative on middle earth so the eagles can argue that by listening to Gandalf they are following manwes orders.

A) is canon, B) is my personal interpretation

 

[whitbyviking]

This isn't true either. There's a whole war going on in those regions when LoTR is occuring.

Greenwood has been fighting Dol Goldur for centuries at this point, and the Elves of Lothlorien came to aid them:



The dwarves were fighting hard in the North too, but I can't remember the exact chapter in the Appendix this was said.

The dwarves fought with King Brand of Dale outside Erebor and were driven inside when Dain and Brand were killed. They held up a huge army of Easterlings stopping them from going to Mordor. They ultimately defeated the Easterlings when the ring was destroyed. Can’t remember if there were any mentions of the Blue Mountains or the Iron Hills. They might have eventually taken back Moria in the timeline but can’t remember if I made that up or read it

 

[Bobski]

For all the sound and fury and cynically parasitical controversy that benefits the studio and the social media commentators shitting on this show, it is just so disappointingly mediocre.

 

[Andycoleno9]

The things which catch the eye the most are casting and costumes. It is like watching some teen trash show from 90s.

 

[Godfather]

Gave up after season 1 which was a pretty boring, poorly written and casted clusterfeck. Back at reading The Lord of the Rings for the third time now. Still more exciting than watching this shitshow.