Anybody else watch the first two episodes tonight? Thoughts?
For me, so far I’d say it seems like money well spent. Visually it’s absolutely insane. It’s hard to separate a few of the characters from the ones I already know on film, but I can’t say I have any complaints with the acting. Everyone did a great job. It’s no easy feat basically learning a whole new language (for some of them). I like that they aren’t revealing everything too fast. There’s a certain mystery man that I suppose will remain a mystery for at least one more week.
It’s wonderful that all you guys seem to care about is adding another post to your count. If you didn’t watch then shoo? I want to know what people who DID watch it thought.
The one online reviewer I trust, the one who studiously avoided all the controversies about the trailers and press releases, called it “fan fiction.” I’ll happily watch a cinematic adaptation, but I have approximately zero interest in fan fiction.
I watched it and as we all expected, it was woke.
There was no virtue signaling like She Hulk had and other woke crap from Hollyweird, but it was obviously woke.
They portrayed most male characters as weak or crazy or dumb and the female characters were portrayed as supernatural and dominant in every aspect, as I expected.
Was it ridiculous? Nope, but I expected what I saw, minus the Hollyweird self righteous virtual signaling which was nice but it may show up in later episodes.
If you are looking for Tolkien’s LOTR then take a pass. This stuff totally removes all of Tolkien’s spirit and character. The dialogue and other aspects are not Tolkienesque at all.
If you wanna watch a show about the mythology of that time period with stolen Tolkien character names then this is your show.
I wouldn’t compare the shows. House of the Dragon has been pretty darn good so far for me, although that whole marriage debacle had my inner Elliot Stabler all in a tizzy.
Spoilers Mystery Man!! I've been doing a lot of thinking on that one. I don't think it's either. We know from the traditional lore that the Istari/Wizards don't show up till early Third Age, but they have had to do some time compressing for the show, so that's a monkey wrench. It **could** be I suppose. But I feel like they're trying *too* hard to make it seem like Gandalf. Landing amidst some Hobbits to befriend, seemingly having some kind of magical influence, beard, etc. Sauron...ehh...I think he's already in Middle Earth at the start of Episode 1, he's just been in hiding, and still is - to an extent. Were it him, I feel he wouldn't want to announce to the whole world that he's back by crashing to the ground as a falling star. Also, he's known as Annatar the Fair in the Second Age, and Mystery Man doesn't fit the bill in my mind. The reason I believe he's already in Middle Earth at the start of the series is because of Celebrimbor's extreme need to build this new fantastical forge in such a hurry.
Saruman and the Blue Wizards were supposed to be in the Second Age according to Peoples of Middle Earth(one of the History of Middle Earth Books) being joined by Glorfindel.
Saruman came first and alone then came the Blue Wizards & Glorfindel and then the 3 Wizards went to the East with Saruman coming back alone early Third Age to greet Gandalf and Radagast who had arrived following the rise of Dol Guldur.
Gandalf and Radagast were sent in answer to Sauron’s meddling with Nature. That was why they were sent during the Third Age as that was the only time that Sauron & his followers were meddling in their Sphere of Knowledge.
Yes! Gandalf understood Nature quite well. He understood Animals and their Languages well enough even if Radagast was even more knowledgeable.
So! Saruman and the Blue Wizards’ expertise involved Craftwork(Saruman) and Eastern Matters(Blue Wizards) which is why they were sent during the Second Age since that was Sauron’s focus.
Only thing I saw so far that didn’t respect his vision, is casting an extremely hideous hook nosed jutting chin having small skinny man with 0 muscle definition, short BLONDE hair, as elrond. Like who tf thought this was a good idea? I’ll be honest show was great but more I saw that dude on the screen, more I felt like I was going to puke so I quit watching.
Everything I’ve ever read on the subject say they weren’t even summoned by the Valar in the Undying Lands until about TA 1000. It wasn’t until then that it was discovered Sauron was growing in power in Middle Earth. Sarumon volunteered to go, but Gandalf didn’t want to and was eventually commanded to go and take Radagast with him. Those 3 went at the same time. The blues went before. Is that not what the general idea has been for a long time? It’s what I found the last time I looked…Is The Peoples of Middle Earth the only place where it’s told that way? It always seems like there’s something else out there that says different from what I’ve heard…
Unfinished Tales is the source that claims they all showed up in the Third Age while Peoples of Middle Earth claims that the Blue Wizards showed up during the Second Age.
Unfinished Tales like Peoples of Middle Earth is a set of Drafts on Tolkien Lore.
Neither are absolute Canon and both can be used as seen fit.
Only the Appendices, LotR and The Hobbit are Canon. Everything else are Non-Canon Drafts that were never completed.
If Television had been developed to the level it is now and they were going to make a TV Show then Tolkien might have used it to make a final decision on the Second Age Lore.
He made a final decision on LotR and The Hobbit’s Lore Canon because he had a deadline so a TV Show on the Second Age would have been a deadline with him getting his Son to make sure the Scripts fit the Appendices, LotR and The Hobbit as much as possible to make a proper Canon for the Second Age.
Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales and Peoples of Middle Earth would still not be Canonized even if Tolkien settled the question of the Second Age through a Canon TV Show.
Sad to say we never got to see him handed such a concept since everyone around at the time wanted to Adapt LotR itself.
Yeah they’re just trolling here so I’ll flag them as such. Unfortunately not enough people come here for them to be properly flagged so no mods will ever see anyway.
It’s an odd, unevenly written LOTR intentionally warped for the sake of “diversity” and having a “strong female lead”, and feels as derivative as the swamp of other shows and movies that exist to service those goals. I’m going to give it a few more episodes, but unlike HotD I’m not hopeful of kmprovement.