The Rings of Power Season 2 Review: Needs to Remember It’s a Drama

Amazon’s streaming service, Prime Video, is diligently working to create a fantasy series that can achieve the immense popularity once enjoyed by Game of Thrones. Facing strong competition from HBO’s House of the Dragon, which benefits from being a prequel to the iconic Thrones, Amazon has responded with its own grand prequel: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Boasting a massive production budget, this series showcases its financial backing in every scene, and it’s returning for a second season.

The challenge often lies in transcending the fantasy genre while still catering to its dedicated fans. Game of Thrones succeeded because it appealed both to fantasy enthusiasts and to viewers who preferred their entertainment grounded in reality. Another of Prime Video’s ambitious projects, The Wheel of Time, has struggled to bridge this gap. However, The Rings of Power seems to believe it doesn’t need to chase crossover appeal, counting on the vast fan base of the Rings franchise to blend seamlessly with mainstream audiences.

The first season focused heavily on foreshadowing and references, introducing younger versions of iconic characters and hinting at their future developments. Central to this narrative was the mystery of Sauron’s identity – a villain who adopted various forms, keeping audiences guessing. Although viewers eventually discovered Sauron’s true identity, many characters in the story remained oblivious, shifting the intrigue to who Sauron is deceiving next.

The manipulative schemes by Sauron help mitigate a notable issue of the series: much of its content is more about lore than active drama. Characters often discuss past events, impending threats, or dire consequences in an overly dramatic tone, which might alienate casual viewers not deeply invested in the fantasy setting. This issue is compounded by the theatrical vocal affectation of the elves, who roll their Rs dramatically when pronouncing proper nouns, making terms like “Mordor” sound particularly exaggerated.

Nevertheless, the show’s production values are undeniable. Special effects ensure that everything from giant spiders to hordes of orcs looks impressively realistic. Detailed landscapes, such as waterfalls, volcanoes, and enchanted trees, are meticulously crafted, and the battle scenes, which could be more frequent in the new episodes, are executed with skill and intensity.

The proto-hobbit Harfoots, despite their distinctly Irish-sounding accents, add a layer of cuteness to the series, even if the accents feel slightly cartoonish. The dwarves, portrayed with a Scottish flair, provide comic relief with amusing idioms, offsetting the more serious elf characters. These elves, led by Morfydd Clark as the intense Galadriel, are deeply involved in protecting the three titular rings that hold the mystical power of mithril. Galadriel’s character development, including grappling with past mistakes and evolving as a warrior, adds depth to her portrayal.

While there are certainly rewarding moments of drama, the show sometimes falls into the trap of being overly tied to its source material. Grand declarations from characters about the fate of Middle-earth and the rise of the Lord of the Rings can feel a bit too on-the-nose, reminding viewers of the show’s deep roots in Tolkien’s original works. As long as this remains the case, The Rings of Power may face challenges in becoming a global phenomenon in the way its creators hope.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 is now available on Prime Video.

Source: The Guardian