Where the Stars are Strange

Where the Stars are Strange is as beautiful and cinematic as all other visual depictions of Middle Earth and its characters. However, if you struggle with season long arcs that slow burn with build up to momentous events, you will probably find your patience wearing thin.

Personally I like all scenes but find some plot threads more interesting than others at this stage in the season. I think everything involving the elf and dwarf characters are the strongest for me.

I particularly like the interaction between Disa and the Durins, as these involve (by far) the most charismatic performers in the show. The more screen time Owain Arthur and. Sophia Nomvete have the better.

Morfydd Clark continue embody Galadriel perfectly and her scenes with Robert Aramayo and Benjamin Walker work very well.

I think the weakest moments, although still reasonably good, involve Gandalf and the half-foots. Never thought I'd say that in a Tolkien related story!

For me its a 7.5/10, but I round upwards.

It's a paradox. The acting is wooden, the relationships are dull, the story predictable (even for a non Simallarion reader) but there's something about this show that means I can't put it down. Maybe it's the insanely beautiful visuals, the charm of Morfydd Clark and Robert Aramayo, or just the nostalgia of the 00s movies. I'm loving it and hating it at the same time. The story arcs feel like a children's tv show, but it has the refreshing effect of making me feel like a kid again. At times the hobbit and Gandalf storyline is boring, but equally an enlightening insight into hobbit life far beyond what Frodo and Bilbo provided.

Overall,I feel like if the writers notched the storyline up a few percent, we could be in for a hell of a tv show.

Seems to me like the writers and directors finally gave in and released the potential that LotR holds. Intriguing and nowhere near the slow buildup of season 1. While this is not necessarily a guarantee for excellence we find ourselves asking: "Why only now, why not before?".

What comes to mind watching this whirlwind of sequences is the hope that it will all come together nicely from episode 4 onwards.

Now while episode 1 was explosive and compelling, episode 2 slightly lacks depth, also the number of powerful moments decreases. Still we get much more out of our Prime memberships than with the first season. Let's hope for the best for what's coming our way!

Nothing seems planned. It's like they wake up each filming day and have to write the script right then and there.

What should be explained isn't. And what doesn't need an explanation gets one. And it miraculously makes it worse than it already was (which I thought wasn't possible).

Whatever little "suspense" there is, is based on things we know will not happen. Characters we know cannot die. Or rings "disappearing" that we know will turn up, and given to exactly the character which they try to depict as undeserving. A character being turned away when we know he'll have to be brought in.

The dialogue is as atrocious as it was in the first season, like how children would speak while larping as medieval nobles.

The costumes. "Gaudy gold and shiny means status". That's it. A trailer park idea of sophistication. Zero identity or vision.

And because everyone seems to constantly run into others by accident, or get intercepted by teleporting people, the world seems very small. The opposite of Tolkien.

The latest episode of The Lord of the Rings series is dynamic and captivating. At times, it sparks the imagination, transporting viewers to new and vivid worlds, with an intense pace that keeps you fully engaged. The performances are solid, and it's impressive how well the cast brings the characters to life. The actor portraying Sauron does an exceptional job, delivering a performance that truly stands out. However, the entire cast is well-balanced, with each actor contributing to the strength of the ensemble.

The special effects are expertly crafted, enhancing the magical atmosphere without overwhelming the story. However, it's surprising to see how the quality noticeably drops in the following episodes. This episode sets a high standard, establishing the direction the series should follow to maintain its magic and energy.