REVIEW of Amazon Rings of Power, Season 1, Episode 1

The Rings of Power TV show details the history of the second age of Tolkien’s mythology. Episode 1 did a satisfactory job with the plot. Sadly, I cannot describe the show’s plot if I am planning to keep no spoilers in this review.

The music was outstanding. Howard Shore, the composer for most of the music in the Peter Jackson trilogy, composed many songs for the Amazon show which made everything feel more and more like Middle Earth.

The visuals were absolutely stunning, particularly with the lighting and the landscape scenes. We got to see most of the important locations such as Linden, the southlands, and the vales of Anduin. It felt right for the world of Middle Earth. It probably helped that they filmed it in New Zealand.

The costumes were amazing. Gil-galad’s laurel wreath matched with the Linden landscape. Elrond’s blue was perfect for his character. Arondir’s Ent chest-plate was perfect for his elven character.

So far, Elrond is my favorite character. His attitude, his friendship with Galadriel, and his need to find out where he belongs in Elven society make him a perfect representation of what a young Elrond should be. The actor is a good fit for Elrond, half-Elven.

It is possible that Galadriel could be considered the main character, but we’re only on the first episode. Galadriel needs to have a much bigger character arc to become the character that we know her as in the third age. Right now she is: “Battle, battle, battle–kill Sauron!” Like Gil-galad says, sometimes the wind that tries to blow out the fire can make the fire bigger. Galadriel is risking the lives of elves in her lust for revenge. In the Silmarillion, Galadriel spends much time with Melian, queen of Doriath, having some calm time. But in the show, it looks like she stayed with her brother through the battles of the first age, making her a rage monster.

My least favorite part of the show are the dirty, grimy, un-lore-true Harfoots. They remind me of “Radagast” from the Hobbit movies with their unkemptness and hair situation. None of the Harfoot characters are truly Middle Earthian.

All in all, I would rate Rings of Power, Episode 1 nine of ten “hobbit holes,” four out of five “wizards,” a half of the one ring, or for you normal folks, 4.5 stars out of 5.