As a long time hardcore fan of anything Tolkien, I was skeptical but hopeful. The first episode of the series was confusing at times and a slow but beautiful start. I am glad they released the first two together. The second was amazing. Sealed the deal for me. I am very excited to see where this journey takes me. There are so many couch critics out there that can’t just sit back and enjoy what they are watching. This is a snapshot of parts of the lore that would never have been brought to life had the people at Amazon not been brave enough to tackle it. I am excited. It will never be perfect because his hand is not guiding it directly, but I think that the creativity behind it sound and has been handled with care. It’s middle earth again, on the screen. Enjoy it!