Online Series: Rings of Power season 2 (August 29)

[NyQuil]

I’ll admit that hearing the actors say “Celebrimbor” forty times an episode is a big draw for me.

 

[NyQuil]

In all seriousness, I've enjoyed this season.

They've shed light on Sauron's influence on the forging of the rings, and presented an interesting take on how the rings had impact on the physical worlds around them, both in terms of the elves and the dwarves.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

In all seriousness, I've enjoyed this season.

They've shed light on Sauron's influence on the forging of the rings, and presented an interesting take on how the rings had impact on the physical worlds around them, both in terms of the elves and the dwarves.

I've been enjoying it. Particularly the dwarf/elf storylines have been great, IMO. DIsa (Sophia Nomvete) and Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) have great chemistry. They are standouts. Personally I've also really liked Elrond (Robert Aramayo) as well. The storylines involving them have been well done and thought out with some excellent acting, IMO. Of course Sauron/Annatar (Charlie Vickers) and Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) have the been the standouts of this season as Sauron masterfully deceives and manipulates Celebrimbor. Those storylines are working well as we lead into Siege of Eregion here.

I'm still unsure of the addition of Adar (Joseph Mawle) to the story. This whole storyline of the Orcs being against Sauron is still just meh, IMO. But we are about to see it kick off here and I'm guessing it'll come back into place soon. And unfortunately I'm just not a fan of how they are portraying Galadriel (Morfydd Clark). I'm not a Tolkien expert and have tried and failed to get through the Silmarillion a few times but Galadriel just seems off. Her being in camp with the Orcs isn't helping.

The Numenor storyline feels like it's just a little underbaked. I get that it takes a back seat to the main storyline in Eregion right now, but it needs/needed a little more time to breath, IMO. But the acting has been real solid with Trystan Gravelle's Pharazon as the standout.

My biggest problems are with The Stranger storyline. Why is this even a thing right now? Not that it's bad, but it's like the 3rd/4th storyline right now and just feels superfluous, particularly when you know in the source material the Wizards don't appear until the 3rd age. So what part do they have to play in this show that won't break canon?

And it seems like they completely don't know what to do with Arondir/Theo/Isildur right now. Obviously we know Isildur has a huge part to play later, and I think I know what they are setting up for Theo (might he be getting a ring soon to have?) but they clearly are just killing time with these characters unfortunately.

Overall though I do feel this show is starting to hit it's stride. Supposedly the last two episode really starts to hit it off so I am excited. Unfortunately the long wait between Season 1 and Season along with the lukewarm at best reception of Season 1 has likely doomed this show. Cause I still think it could be great and it is getting alot better all the time. But even if they nail the next two episodes if they wait another 2 years for Season 3...it's just too long.