The Eye

So much of this series has been setting up the next series. The first half has definitely been a slow but world building start. So many viewers now of any series are expecting such a grand start that has to be in the story right from the off but this episode is yet again proof of the old school style of story telling and details that are being laid per episode.

The way that the last episode ended was just epic on a middle earth scale along with the Strangers story and then Mount Doom finally being shown just aims us 3 to 4 series down the line where we are seeing the final alliance of middle earth.

Theres the other side of Galadriel of the caring nature after the explosion. Which can only grow in the 1000 years to when she finally meets Frodo. So much of the story isnt true to Tolkien's works but is certainly filling in the gaps of the missing years. I cant deny that i want to know more, this is amazons target to fight Star wars and Game of thrones with their own prequel filling series.

Overall story is being laid for greater thing, never a bad thing but can understand where so many reviews are coming from lead to people switching off until it gets epic, for me its already epic.

I've really tried to like this show. It looks incredible and has some great actors, but oh my goodness the writing and plot are just unspeakably terrible.

Characters change fundamentally from one minute to the next, say and do things which are not only objectively ridiculous, but flatly contradict what they were saying or doing a few minutes ago.

Nobody talks, they just speech at each other. Their lines don't flow one to the next, they fight for attention. No one seems comfortable with the dialogue, with the exception of Durin, Disa and Elrond.

It's still possible to enjoy it for being a depiction of something almost but not quite entirely unlike Tolkien, and ultimately I will of course watch every episode because I am enthralled by the power of the ring just like everyone else, but I will probably turn into a wraith as a result.

Best hope is that Amazon hear and listen. The writing needs to improve.

Bad follow up to an otherwise decent previous episode.

They need to tone it down with the wannabe profound dialogue. It's embarrassingly cringy at times and doesn't serve the story to overdramatize certain moments. Overall the pacing was horrendous. I have no idea why this whole season for the harfoots was devoted to 'find tall Man, send tall man away' and nothing else. No answers to any of the mysteries there.

Penultimate episodes need to up the ante and make us want to watch the finale. I have no idea what this episode was served to do.

Very disappointed in how they are rounding up the season.

The aftermath of Mount Doom's eruption and Durin IV is conflicted.

For me the best moments take place at Khazad-dûm. The likes of Owain Aurthur, Peter Mullin, Robert Aramayo, and Sophia Nomvete do great work and make them memorable. The reveal involving the floating leaf is particularly cinematic.

Complaints about the pace of the plot are arguably justified in this episode, but for me it depends on how much you like spending time with Tolkien's characters conversing. I think it's difficult when you know the fate of so many, such as Isildur and Galadriel, to get invested in certain arcs, but I am hoping it is all part of laying foundations to portray the impact of the rings and the dark times ahead for the characters involved.

The Harfoot scenes are pretty good, but the mystery surrounding the identity of the certain individuals needs to be revealed soon as the intrigue it has run its course. I enjoy the performances of Lenny Henry, Markella Kavenagh, and Dylan Smith, who bring the characters to life.

As in the previous episodes the production values and visuals are incredibly good.

Let me start by saying, I have enjoyed this show, which is why this episode pains me to no end. I thought everything that built up to episode six largely paid off after seeing the creation of Mordor and the battle of the Southlands. This episode picks up where the last left off, and doesn't even attempt to keep the momentum of its predecessor.

Instead of revealing more of the shows mysteries, it meanders from scene to scene, conversation to conversation. Some of the dialogue is good and I found of few of said conversations to be emotional, especially the ones with Durin and Elrond.

We finally get a good look at the Mystics, and before we know it they're gone! We learn nothing about them, we learn nothing about the Stranger's identity, and nothing about who Sauron is. To make matters worse, the promotional images and videos for the episode actually teased that more would happen. "Evil Finally Reveals Itself'' , "The Time Has Come'' , and "More Will Be Revealed''. They literally lied to us when teasing this episode, which is why I'm more upset than I otherwise would be.

In conclusion, this is my least favorite episode. This is coming from someone who has liked the series for the most part, however this as a penultimate episode doesn't do it's job. Instead of building upon the previous episode and mounting momentum, it drags its feet and goes almost nowhere with the plot. There were enough nice scenes between characters for me to sit through it, but thanks to some terrible marketing for the episode, I was left feeling a sense of longing for more.