Elven Kings Under the Sky

A surprisingly very good start. Was actually extremely interested the whole episode. Last season was slow but understandable for a 5 season shows first season. Started very well here, besides what everyone says about what's true to books what's now. I'm an avid Tolkien book reader & devoted to the films. But this show for me is all about entertainment. We've had the books which is the most entertaining of all then we had the best movies of our generation. Let's not get greedy, let's just try to enjoy more LOTR & this could be a very nice season! Very good scene with the elves putting the 3 rings on & got me excited for the season!

Episode 1 in season 2 of "Rings of Power" opens the season with an impressive start that combines a fascinating plot and new depth to the familiar characters. Although the episode is long, you can feel that it is starting to build a foundation that promises surprises later. The characters are excellent, and the game manages to excite and connect, especially in new meetings between old characters. The large financial investment is evident, and upgrades the viewing experience with impressive backdrops and special effects that return viewers to the rich world of Middle-earth. The pace of the episode is fast but balanced, allowing viewers to be swept back into the story and excited for the sequel with great anticipation.

It's clear by now that if you're a Tolkien purist and demand this to be exact or close as can be to the books and lore then steer clear as the show will just annoy you.

For fans who are open to interpretation/change, who only watched the movies or those who are new to the world it's clearly a very entertaining and visually spectacular looking show.

I thought the actor playing Sauron is expecially good, worming his way into people's minds and deceiving all to achieve his ends. The visuals, as per season one, are stunning too. A lot of the criticism is based on the inaccuracies to tolkein's work so I think best to steer clear if you're likely to be annoyed by that. If you can look past it and are excited to see the main story and locations of the 2nd age brought to life then you'll enjoy it!

This is a show that will probably never gain the admiration of the entire fanbase, but no matter what anybody tries to say, it is a show that displays the full soul of Tolkien's work. Is it word-for-word from the page of his works, no; but the great thing about this universe is that it can expand and become something else all the time. The first season largely worked for me and is still one of the most spectacular visual things I've seen on television. And the second season continues in a similar fashion: incredible production value and a premise that lays some great groundwork.

The scope of this show is very broad, and this season is going very far in bringing forward a story that will encapsulate everyone and everything in Middle-earth as a part of this growing conflict. At the heart of it all is Sauron, who revealed himself in the previous season's finale and is very much the central character of this first episode. The opening minutes feature an origin of how he became the Halbrand version that we know him as and it's very intriguing. A unique take on why he went into hiding and why he is so hellbent on revenge against the ones who betrayed him. But like with everything, it's a big game that he plays and will have everybody doing his bidding in no time. The Elves are uniting under a new symbol of the three rings, which can be a very dangerous road forward, but becomes one of the show's most beautiful scenes which showcases the absolutely stunning visuals of this show. There's not a lot like it on television at the moment when it comes to the visuals. There are a lot of teases throughout the episode and the Stranger plot still seems to be plotting forward a lot, which can easily become tiresome if it doesn't get a bit of context very soon. It's still fascinating to watch, but it can easily become boring if not treated right. And the teaser for the rest of the season was epic and makes me want to continue watching it all immediately.

"Elven Kings Under the Sky" brings the story forward with a big focus on Sauron, setting him up as the central character of the season. The episode features a lot of setup and it can be tiresome at certain points, but the beauty of the visuals and the dedication from the crew keeps it flowing.

It's clear to me that the show runners have taken on board at least some of the criticism of season 1.

They've launched into some genuinely exciting action to kick things off after the glacially slow pace of the previous series. They've ditched some of the cumbersome dialog which made the first series feel a bit too serious and laughable at times (though some dialogue is on the nose, particularly the intro for Cirdan).

They've also given some characters genuinely interesting things to do - looking forward to the continuation of the series provided the mix of action and drama continues. Optimistic for the rest of the episodes after a lacklustre season 1.