Warwick Davis deserves this and it is fantastic.
Do not claim to be a fan of fantasy and scoff at an excessive storyline. Of course there are going to be new characters, of course you won't like them all. It's only 3 episodes in. The bad guys are spooky. The good guys have flaws. The brave lack heart and the ones with heart aren't so brave. There is a formula here and I think it is working wonderfully.