It’s the most expensive gamble in television history. When Amazon dropped a billion dollars on a prequel to The Lord of the Rings, the world held its breath. People wanted to know one thing: is The Rings of Power good? Honestly, the answer depends entirely on who you ask and how much you care about the specific placement of a single comma in J.R.R. Tolkien’s appendices. Some viewers see it as a visual masterpiece that captures the soul of Middle-earth. Others view it as an expensive piece of fan fiction that strays too far from the source material.
It’s polarizing. It’s breathtaking. Occasionally, it’s a bit of a slog. But let’s get into the weeds of why this show has become the ultimate "love it or hate it" topic in modern pop culture.
The Visuals: A Billion Dollars on the Screen
You can see the money. Every frame of The Rings of Power looks like it could be a painting hung in a gallery. Unlike many modern streaming shows that suffer from "gray sludge" cinematography or flat lighting, this series pops. From the golden heights of Númenor to the subterranean depths of Khazad-dûm, the production design is unparalleled.
It's massive.
When Galadriel stands on the deck of a ship sailing into the West, the scale feels real. When the Harfoots trek through lush valleys, you feel the dirt under their fingernails. The show doesn’t rely solely on CGI; there’s a tactile quality to the prosthetics and the costumes that honors the work Weta Workshop did for Peter Jackson’s original trilogy. If your metric for "good" is pure immersion and aesthetic beauty, then yes, The Rings of Power is spectacular.
But beauty is only skin deep, right?
Does the Story Honor Tolkien?
This is where things get messy. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay had a weird challenge. They didn’t have the rights to The Silmarillion. Instead, they had to build a multi-season epic based primarily on the Appendices of The Return of the King. It’s like trying to bake a five-course cake using only a list of ingredients and no instructions.
Purists are frustrated. They’ll point out that the timeline is compressed. In the books, the forging of the rings and the fall of Númenor happen over thousands of years. In the show, it’s all happening at once. This change was made so human characters wouldn't die of old age every two episodes, which makes sense for TV, but it fundamentally alters the "feel" of Tolkien's history.
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Then there’s the character of Galadriel. In the Second Age, Tolkien described her as having a "Sauron-ic" ambition and a warrior spirit, but the show portrays her as a brash, sometimes abrasive commander. Some find her arc compelling—a woman blinded by grief and a quest for vengeance. Others find her unlikable compared to the ethereal, wise version played by Cate Blanchett.
The Mystery Box Problem
Modern TV loves a mystery. The Rings of Power leaned hard into this during Season 1. Who is The Stranger? Who is Halbrand? Where is Sauron? While this kept people talking on Reddit, it sometimes felt like the plot was stalling just to keep the "big reveal" for the finale.
Tolkien wasn’t really a "mystery box" writer. His stories were about grand themes: the corrupting nature of power, the preservation of nature, and the "eucatastrophe"—the sudden turn from certain defeat to victory. By focusing so much on "Who is Sauron?", the show occasionally lost sight of those deeper themes.
The Highs: Durin and Elrond
If you want to know if The Rings of Power is good, look at the relationship between Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo). This is the heart of the show. Their friendship feels lived-in, funny, and deeply moving.
It’s the best part.
Their banter over a rock-breaking contest or the tension between Elrond’s duty to the Elves and his love for his friend provides the emotional stakes that the rest of the show sometimes lacks. When they are on screen, the dialogue feels sharper. The stakes feel personal. It reminds us that Middle-earth isn't just about maps and lore; it’s about people (and dwarves) trying to do right by each other.
The Orcs Are Actually Scary
One thing the show gets undeniably right is the Orcs. Led by the enigmatic Adar (played brilliantly by Joseph Mawle in Season 1 and Sam Hazeldine in Season 2), the Orcs aren't just faceless fodder. They have a culture. They have a motivation. They call Adar "Father."
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Seeing Orcs who are sensitive to sunlight and have to build tunnels just to move across the land makes them feel like a legitimate threat rather than just monsters waiting to be decapitated by a hero. This nuance adds a layer of grit to the show that balances out the "high fantasy" shimmer of the Elven cities.
Breaking Down the "Slow" Pacing
Is it boring? Some say yes. The show takes its time—a lot of time. In an era of TikTok-length attention spans, The Rings of Power asks you to sit and soak in the atmosphere.
There are long stretches of characters walking through woods. There are lengthy political debates in Númenorean courtrooms. If you love political maneuvering and world-building, you’ll be hooked. If you’re looking for Battle of the Bastards style action every twenty minutes, you’re going to be disappointed.
The pacing is deliberate. It’s trying to build a world that feels old and lived-in. Whether that works for you depends on your patience for "slow-burn" storytelling.
The Sauron Factor
The portrayal of Sauron is arguably the most controversial and fascinating part of the series. Instead of a giant flaming eye on a tower, we get a shapeshifter. A deceiver. Someone who doesn't look like a villain at first glance.
This is actually very "lore-accurate" in spirit. Sauron was known as Annatar, the "Lord of Gifts." He didn't conquer Middle-earth with just armies; he did it with lies and beautiful things. Watching how he manipulates Celebrimbor—the greatest elven smith—is tragic. It’s a slow-motion car crash. You know what’s coming, but you can’t look away. This psychological aspect of the villainy is much more interesting than a simple "dark lord" trope.
So, Is It Worth Your Time?
Determining if is The Rings of Power good comes down to what you prioritize in your fantasy.
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If you want a show that:
- Pushes the boundaries of what TV can look like.
- Explores the origins of the most famous items in literature.
- Features incredible acting from the Dwarven and Orc casts.
- Offers a slow, meditative exploration of Middle-earth.
Then yes, it’s great. You should watch it on the biggest screen possible with the best sound system you can find.
However, if you are a "Lore Purist" who gets a headache when dates don't line up with the books, or if you hate the "Mystery Box" style of storytelling popularized by J.J. Abrams, you might find yourself shouting at the screen. The show isn't perfect. The dialogue can occasionally veer into "pseudo-Tolkien" territory—phrases that sound profound but don't actually mean much.
"The sea is always right."
What does that even mean? It sounds cool, but if you think about it for more than three seconds, it kind of falls apart. These are the little hiccups that keep the show from being an undeniable masterpiece like the 2001 film The Fellowship of the Ring.
What to Do Before You Watch
If you're on the fence, don't go in expecting a 1:1 adaptation of a specific book. Go in expecting a high-budget reimagining of the Second Age.
- Watch the first three episodes back-to-back. The pilot is heavy on exposition and can feel a bit dry. The show really finds its rhythm once the different storylines (The Harfoots, The Elves, The Southlands) start to breathe.
- Listen to the score. Bear McCreary’s music is genuinely some of the best ever composed for television. Each culture has its own instruments and themes. Even if you hate the plot, the music will sweep you away.
- Ignore the internet noise. This show became a lightning rod for "culture war" nonsense. Some people decided they hated it before a single trailer was released. Try to watch it with fresh eyes.
- Read the Appendices. If you want to know what the writers are working from, flip to the back of The Return of the King. It gives you the "skeleton" of the story so you can see where the showrunners are adding their own "flesh" to the bones.
Ultimately, The Rings of Power is a massive, ambitious, flawed, and beautiful piece of television. It doesn't always hit the mark, but when it does, it captures a sense of wonder that few other shows can match. It’s a journey back to a world many of us love, and while the path might be a little different than the one Tolkien laid out, the destination—Sauron’s rise and the struggle for the soul of Middle-earth—remains as compelling as ever.
To truly decide for yourself, start with the "Adrift" episode. If the chemistry between Halbrand and Galadriel or the mystery of the falling star doesn't grab you by then, it might not be your cup of tea. But for those who stick with it, the payoff in the forging of the first three rings is a genuine high point for modern fantasy.
Actionable Insights for Viewers
- Adjust Your Expectations: Approach the series as a "historical fiction" take on Middle-earth lore rather than a strict script-to-screen adaptation.
- Focus on the Craft: Pay attention to the practical effects and the intricate costume work, especially in the Harfoot and Dwarven sequences.
- Check the Timeline: Use a Second Age timeline guide (available on various Tolkien fan sites) to help distinguish between what is book-canon and what has been invented for the show’s narrative flow.
- Rewatch Key Scenes: The dialogue in the Eregion sequences often contains subtle foreshadowing regarding Sauron’s true nature that is easy to miss on a first viewing.