Cedrik Seebohm

If you are a fan of Tolkien's writings, this show will do nothing but make you angry. If you are a fan of Peter Jackson's film adaptations, those get ret-conned multiple times. If you are not a fan of either, the show still is mediocre at best and send some really weird messages. The costuming is overall lacking. The elves look like vulcans more than elves and the Numinorians look like they wear cheap plastic for armor. The dwarves look pretty solid though. Light spoilers below (not that there is much to spoil with how predictable the show is): They got all the characters they wanted in, though if it weren't for their names the characters would be completely unrecognizable. The worst change from the films/lore is Galladriel, who changes from a wise and thoughtful queen to an impulsive genocidal maniac. Two of the better changes are Elrond and Durin, who are by far the best part of the show. Elrond changes from a great warrior to a diplomat that has some genuinely good moments with Durin and his family. The harfoots are.... odd. There are also only about 20 of them and as far as we can tell, that's their entire civilization. Not to mention that the harfoots are really nonchalant about death. The stranger... well, we can cross that bridge later. Or we shall not pass. Whichever. And finally, Sauron. The embodiment of pure evil and deceit. The corrupting power that brought Middle Earth to its knees. Twice. Yeah... apparently that's because he's an incel? Also, he didn't plan for any of it to happen, it only happened because Galladriel made him do everything? I'm so confused as to why the writers made the decision to write him this way. He was honestly one of the only characters that I felt like a was supposed to root for, which just made me feel... wrong. In Tolkien's work, the Ring and Sauron are supposed to embody the corrupting power of sin. They don't have redeeming qualities. They aren't morally grey. They are just evil for evil. It feels very gross and wrong to see a show with Sauron in it where he is who I am meant to feel sympathy for. Just all around uncool and gross.