Amazon’s $1,000,000,000 gamble didn’t pay off – but it should have-Asyia Iftikhar-Entertainment – Metro

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two finale spoilers follow.

As the second season of Amazon Prime’s The Rings of Power comes to a close, I can’t help but feel disappointed for all the Tolkien fans missing out on this treasure trove of TV after they simply gave up during the first season.

The major Prime production (from showrunners J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay) has been touted as one of the ‘most expensive shows ever made’ with an eye-watering price tag of over a reported $1,000,000,000 (that’s $1 billion, which is equivalent to around £760 million) across all five seasons.

Although current cost reports already indicate it is rapidly catching up, if not already exceeding that figure.

All in a bid to bring Tolkien’s Second Age of Middle Earth to life.

As a casual Lord of the Rings and Hobbit fan (a book and movie lover but not as invested as more diehard fans) I was excited for the first season when it came out in 2022.

The first season kicked the show off to a difficult start (Picture: Ross Ferguson / Prime Video)

Who among us doesn’t want to delve into a rich, new playground of Tolkien’s lore that not only provides the origin story for several of those who appear in later material (Gandalf the Grey, Elrond, Galadriel) but also introduces mythical characters and even brand-new faces. 

Sadly, much like many others, I struggled through the first eight episodes with its slow pace and overwrought context-building. For a franchise revered for its epic battles, high stakes and supernatural showdowns – it felt empty and dragging. 

This was reflected in the reaction to the first season, with it achieving a measly 38% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. And although the premiere broke streaming records with 25million viewers in one day, only 37% of US viewers and 45% of international audiences reportedly actually finished the entire season.

Despite my disappointment, I had higher hopes for the second season. Boosted by a fresh slew of glowing critics reviews, I gave the show a second chance.

And, boy, am I glad I did.

There is a brilliant exploration of Sauron’s character in season two (Picture: Prime Video

The new season falls prey to some of the previous pacing troubles (there were times when I had to push through, especially the start of the Stranger’s trek across the desert Poppy and Nori, which seemed to drag with little happening on screen).

But soon enough, the show brought back all the things I know and love about this world.

From the morally grey and conflicted characters (Adar and Celebrimbor) to the complex power dynamics (that we see play out for the crown in Numenor) to the sweet love stories peppered throughout (Isildur and Estrid anyone?).

Some moments genuinely moved me due to both their powerful imagery and gorgeous acting. The taut tension in the air when Queen Regent Miriel ascended from the water during her Sea Trial left me on the edge of my seat, and blew me away with its epicness. 

Meanwhile, Charles Edwards and Charlie Vickers’ delicious dynamic as Celebrimbor (master elven smith) and Sauron (disguised as Anataar) in Eregion was masterful to witness throughout the season. 

Even plots that felt more lacking in season one pick up the pace (Picture: Prime Video)

Celebrimbor’s dying speech, which moved Sauron to tears, was astonishing and added a fresh layer of nuance to this traditionally evil character seldom explored in previous material. 

Even Adar, Lord-father of the Orcs, underwent a fascinating character arc as a multi-layered antagonist that left me devastated to see him go when his own turned on him by the end.  

And that’s not even touching on the dwarves and elves who faced their own troubles this season as Sauron’s malevolent power grew. Nor the Stranger’s (Daniel Weyman) quest with Harfoots Poppy and Nori to discover who he is (and who we will come to know as Gandalf). 

All this to say that this show is a goldmine for Tolkien fans to see their favourite legends come to life. And, despite complaints that it is not staying true to the source material, the showrunners have reassured fans that they want to maintain the sanctity of the world.

Galadriel’s struggle with the rings and Sauron is gorgeously told (Picture: Prime Video)

‘I would say, we are absolutely reverent and we love Tolkien and I grew up with those books and they were so important to us. We love this world, we love Middle-earth, we love those texts,’ McKay told Deadline. 

Even Tolkien’s grandson Simon, who has access to his estate, is a consultant on the show. 

So why is it not getting the acclaim it deserves? In new figures reported by Variety, the second season garnered 40million viewers in the first 11 days of its release, which grew to 55million in the first 34 days. This shows slower growth compared to the first season.

It also had a slower opening weekend and appears to fall behind other Prime shows, such as Fallout, which announced 65million viewers in the first 16 days of the show’s launch.

Meanwhile, it has only collated one billion minutes watched (as it debuted on the Nielsen Streaming Top 10) which is a drop from the 1.25billion minutes watched for season one, despite having a longer running time per episode. 

As more data is revealed post-finale, the extent of the viewership (or lack thereof) will likely become clearer. 

Even the Stranger’s plot, which was the slowest of them all, reaches a dramatic conclusion (Picture: Ross Ferguson / Prime Video)

This sentiment is reflected by large contingents of the fanbase who have written off and vocally derided the series. 

The show (which saw an increased 58% Rotten Tomatoes audience score this season) has been described by some as ‘lacking’, ‘hard to watch’, ‘pure cringe’ and ‘depressing’. 

‘This show is so boring,’ Ron L wrote. ‘Bland, synthetic, absurdly contrived and at the same time completely disorganized,’ another fan’s scathing review read. ‘Abysmal writing and an immense waste of time, potential and resources.’

But I’m not alone in my enjoyment of the second season, despite it’s rocky beginnings. 

‘Unfortunately I think many die hard LOTR fans won’t give it a chance or any patience after the first season. I definitely feel this season was a big step in the right direction,’ user Tom C commiserated.

‘Following a rough first season, season 2 begins to move in the right direction. Music, production value, and acting are all greatly improved from the previous season,’ Charlie S agreed. 

I can only hope enough has been done to make sure the show is not prematurely cancelled (Picture: Prime Video)

Ariel G concurred, adding: ‘An Ent-sized step up from Season 1 – even though I very much enjoyed the first season. The quicker pace and the constant tension in between characters has elevated the material.

‘This whole series has been an absolutely magnificent entry point to the world of Middle Earth but for those who love the movies, there is plenty for one to enjoy and chew on.’

It’s a real shame for the Tolkien fans who may never give it a chance, or those whose bias has not allowed them to fully indulge in the show. Especially as it has featured some of the most striking moments I have seen adapted to screen (such as King Durin III’s explosive death at the hands of Balrog).

There are still so many questions left for us to answer. How will Isildur’s fate play out in Numenor? Will Galadriel soon meet her to-be-husband, Celeborn? Who is the Dark Wizard and is he Saruman? Will Durin be able to ensure his place on the throne after the death of his father?

I can only hope the show – much like many of the characters homed within it – gets a much-needed redemption arc and a third season renewal before it’s too late.

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