We Hit the Ground Running!

Two years ago, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power showrunners made a bold claim.

Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne, speaking to The Hollywood Reporter on the set of season 2, responded to criticisms from fans about their Prime Video show’s debut season. McKay pledged that their second attempt at bringing J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world to life would be “bigger and better” on “every level … by an order of magnitude.”

On Thursday, fans will find out if they succeeded when Prime Video releases the first three episodes of the show’s eight-episode new season. This season follows the dark lord Sauron (Charlie Vickers) as he schemes to consolidate his power against Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), Elrond (Robert Aramayo), and other leaders in Middle Earth. In advance of the premiere, I spoke to McKay and Payne about how they went about enhancing season 2. Based on the episodes I’ve seen, the duo has unquestionably elevated the show.

“Anytime you’re doing something for the second time, you benefit from everything you learned,” Payne said. “Having done it the first time is a huge help. In the second season, we know our actors a lot better. We know their voices and how they inhabit these characters. So, we knew better how to write to each of their strengths. Another part is that you had to set up an entire world in season 1. You had to introduce audiences to the Second Age and meet all these different characters across multiple worlds. It’s a lot to onboard. Now, we can hit the ground running because this is the next chapter. The board is set, and the pieces are in motion. We can start with a bang. Sauron is making moves, and he never slows down—neither does the show.”

That’s not to say there are no quiet moments in season 2. The showrunners point out that they’ve infused the new episodes with an increased sense of momentum.

McKay added, “As a viewer, many shows I love were still honing their tone and rhythm in the first season, even The Sopranos, which is probably the best TV drama of the last 25 years. That’s part of starting a big ambitious show. Part of the first season is trying to find your lane. And I think in season 2, as J.D. said, we really know where this show wants to live. When we made that claim to you [two years ago], it wasn’t boastful; it was setting the bar. That’s where it needs to be. We’re enormously proud of season 1, its success, and the huge audience it garnered, but if we’re not leveling up every time, we’re not meeting our own standards.”

The showrunners also highlighted the benefit of elevating Charlotte Brändström to a producing director for the new season. The Swedish-French director helmed two episodes during the first season, including episode 6, which many considered the debut season’s best. This time, Brändström directed half the season, including the premiere and finale, and helped influence the remaining episodes as well.

“We previously worked with Charlotte Brändström and her director of photography, Alex Disenhof, on episodes 6 and 7—our favorite episodes from season 1,” McKay said. “We really found the tone of the show in those episodes—they’re more grounded, grittier, more dramatic, and very emotional. I think they helped us cinematically, but also in terms of performance and tone. I believe the lift the show has achieved is largely due to their influence. They are some of our closest collaborators, and I feel they have helped us up our game. I wanted to make sure we gave them credit.”

The Rings of Power returns on Amazon’s Prime Video on Aug. 29.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter