Susan Granger’s review of “Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power” (Amazon Prime)
The lure of “Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power” is enormous. Set in the Second Age, thousands years before J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy, it introduces the young Elf warrior Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), the immortal character Cate Blanchett played in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy.
After Galadriel’s paradisiac kingdom was destroyed by the evil Orc Sauron, forcing Elves to flee to Middle Earth, she is determined to wreak revenge. But first she has to find Sauron, a quest that involves treacherous journeys to many lands and a seemingly endless swim through the sea of time – during which she encounters a human castaway named Halbard (Charlie Vickers).
Galadriel’s joined by half-Elven Elrond (Robert Aramayo), aide to High King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker), who is less than sympathetic to her search. So Elrond undertakes achieving an alliance with Dwarf Prince Durin of Khazadum (Owain Arthur) in his subterranean kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Elf scout Arondir (Iamael Cruz Cordova) indulges in a forbidden liaison with single human mother Bonwyn (Nazanin Boniadi), who kills an Orc that threatened her rebellious teenage son Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin).
So where are the Hobbits? They’re now called Harfoots. Secretive and nomadic, the Harfoots are barefoot wanderers. Then, one day, one of their tribe, Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenaugh), discovers a mysterious stranger (Daniel Weyman) who landed in a flaming crater created by a meteor.
Reportedly the most expensive series in TV history, it was created by showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, and Amazon has already committed to a five-season run. In the first few episodes, directed by J.A. Bayona, spectacle reigns supreme. The lavish sets, costumes and props are imaginative and densely detailed.
But in order to sustain interest, after introducing the folklore of these diverse characters, the ambitious series must now develop the ensemble’s interactions and their individual story arcs in order to sustain audience enthusiasm.
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power” is a showy, splashy 7 – with a new episode streaming Fridays on Amazon Prime.
