THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER Season 2 Reviews Are in; Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER Season 2 Reviews Are in; Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed

Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power arrives on Prime Video tomorrow with a 3-episode premiere, and you can find out what the critics have to say about it right here...

News
By MarkCassidy - Aug 28, 2024 02:08 PM EST
Filed Under: Lord of the Rings
Source: Via SFF Gazette

The second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power arrives on Prime Video tomorrow with a three-episode premiere, and the social media and review embargoes have now lifted.

Though season 1 received a mostly positive reception from critics (83% on Rotten Tomatoes), a lot of fans weren't quite so taken with the LOTR prequel series. Among other things, Rings of Power was criticized for a meandering plot, too many superfluous characters, and for taking a few too many liberties with the lore (although that's obviously going to be something that bothers some more than others).

Based on these first reviews, it sounds like season 2 has some of these same problems, but a lot of critics are hailing it as a massive improvement overall.

The Rings of Power season 2 is now "certified fresh" on RT with a very respectable 84% on RT based on 37 reviews.

Have a read through some of the reviews and reactions at the links below, and let us know if you plan on checking out the premiere in the comments section.

"Sauron has returned. Cast out by Galadriel, without army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will."

"Building on Season 1’s epic scope and ambition, Season 2 of Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity."

"Elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots... as friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all.. each other."

Returning cast members include Morfydd Clark, Benjamin Walker, Charles Edwards, Charlie Vickers, Markella Kavenagh, Nazanin Boniadi, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Tyroe Muhafidin, Maxim Baldry, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Owain Arthur, Trystan Gravelle, Ema Horvath, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Leon Wadham, Daniel Weyman, and Sara Zwangobani.

Sam Hazeldine (Peaky Blinders) replaces Joseph Mawle as Adar, with Ciarán Hinds (Game of Thrones), Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful), and Tanya Moodie (The Man Who Fell to Earth) joining the ensemble in key roles.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 returns to Prime Video on August 29.

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McMurdo
McMurdo - 8/28/2024, 2:47 PM
Same writers room. Went into production too early to genuinely make any changes based on fan feedback. When IGN gives it a bad review....that's saying something lol. The Telegraph review really sums it up.

If you liked s1, sounds like this is more of the same.
DaHULK2000
DaHULK2000 - 8/28/2024, 5:06 PM
@McMurdo - D.O.A..
SauronthePower
SauronthePower - 8/28/2024, 9:53 PM
@McMurdo - Bombadil looks like absolute shit

First time anyone gets an actual visualization of one of the most iconic ‘deep-cut’ characters in the entire legendarium and he looks and sounds awful

The age and voice are seriously grating on the nerves
TheVandalore
TheVandalore - 8/28/2024, 2:50 PM
Idk what's wrong with me but I want this to be good. I know it won't be... But I want it to be. I'll be watching this, hoping it will be, knowing it won't be. Grrrr.... I won't be paying for it though, so they won't get my ratings, unless by some miracle it is good. NO! BANISH THE THOUGHT!
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 8/28/2024, 2:51 PM
waiting for human reviews
marvel72
marvel72 - 8/28/2024, 3:30 PM
@harryba11zack - It will be review bombed that's the go to excuse for shit audience rating.
Ravenous
Ravenous - 8/28/2024, 5:41 PM
@marvel72 - well yeah. I’d audience reviews went live right now, it would be flooded by negative reviews from people who haven’t watched a single episode and we all know it
IronGenesis
IronGenesis - 8/28/2024, 2:53 PM
“Is it my TASK to eat the doughnut?”
mountainman
mountainman - 8/28/2024, 3:01 PM
Critics have season 1 good ratings too. Their reviews of season 2 don’t mean much.

Kind of weird how the article claimed they said it’s much better but the RT score given is lower. Seems like the opinion that it’s better isn’t a consensus.
MrDandy
MrDandy - 8/28/2024, 3:05 PM
First season was terrible and I certainly don’t trust them on season 2, especially when most reviews are saying “more of the same”.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 8/28/2024, 3:18 PM
Cool , still early days but nice to see the mostly positive critical reception thus far regardless (S1 on RT is 83% from 491 reviews while this is 84 % from just 37 so far).

Looking forward to it as someone who thought S1 was enjoyable overall…

Most excited to see to Elrond , Prince Durin , Disa , Galadriel , Elendil & of course , Sauron himself!!.

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TheRose
TheRose - 8/28/2024, 3:29 PM
Season 1 was incredibly uneven. Some of the highest highs and lowest lows. I am not ashamed to admit that there were occasions when I loved the show, even when they lost the plot. I was hoping that they could get an editor on staff that would prune this towards excellence.

It sounds like we are going to be traveling down a simlarly bumpy road. That's a shame. Let's hope that unsponsored reviews shed more light on the real strengths and weaknesses of the show.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 8/28/2024, 3:33 PM
@TheRose - perhaps

Given how sprawling and big the ensemble is aswell , might be better to trim down the cast too
TheRose
TheRose - 8/28/2024, 4:24 PM
@TheVisionary25 - That's an interesting take. Personally, I would prefer if they would just give the existing ensemble actual substance to their roles. The Dwarves, the humans of Numenor, and the elves around Galadriel and Elrond were all mostly interesting. The Harfoots and the humans in the Southlands...not so much. I want them to feel like real characters as opposed to cartoons out of a children's storybook.

To your point, I know that Brownwyn's actress isn't returning. Her storyline with Arondir was perhaps my greatest test of patience. I think that Nazanin Boniadi can be a good actor, but the script let her down by projecting 21st century social commentary onto her. All they left was a caricature of motherhood and romance.

One big hope I have is for them to flesh out more Orc Lore. I don't need them to be "sympathetic," but I am intrigued to understand more of their world view and what drives them to fight for evil.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 8/28/2024, 4:31 PM
@TheRose - that’s fair (though I disagree about Bronwyn to an extent since I didn’t feel the 21st century social commentary there but moreso in terms of some of the Numenor stuff)

I found the Harfoot stuff to be a nice light reprieve from the more heavier storylines though I do agree about the humans to an extent.

I actually liked Adar aswell as the Orcs , learning more about them and did sympathize with them aswell though your suggestion would be nice aswell
soberchimera
soberchimera - 8/28/2024, 3:30 PM
So Sauron is an alien?
Arthorious
Arthorious - 8/29/2024, 2:33 PM
@soberchimera - kind of sort of, he was an angelic spirit, a Maia, who came to middle earth following Melkor.

I’m still trying to understand the lore but this is what I’ve gathered.
SauronthePower
SauronthePower - 8/29/2024, 7:06 PM
@Arthorious - my dude, he’s being sarcastic

Also, you are on the right path. Keep exploring
Arthorious
Arthorious - 8/29/2024, 9:23 PM
@SauronthePower - thanks man, it’s a ton of lore but I’m hooked big time. Just finished reading about Tulkas. Never fight a dude who goes into a battle laughing.
SauronthePower
SauronthePower - 8/30/2024, 1:30 AM
@Arthorious - he, in effect, physically beat THE most powerful entity’s arse like there was a free lunch attached to it
SauronthePower
SauronthePower - 8/30/2024, 1:40 AM
@soberchimera - the worst part about all that was that they actually did a great job visualizing what the separation of the Fëa and the Hröa should have looked like in a Maian character of that degree of power with blue light blast

However, they should have quit while they were ahead because the whole Venom garbage then physically bound said same spirit to that location w the goo crap. One of the very few things Jackson got right in that horrific 2nd trilogy was the departure of Sauron’s spirit at Dol Guldur. Here, it’s like they blasted the spirit out and then constrained it to the point from which it just blasted 🫠

Also, having Sauron be physically ‘killed’ is a major, MAJOR F-up of ridiculous proportions because, in Tolkien’s mythos, THAT particular act against a spirit being has serious consequences in terms of loss of innate abilities and power levels upon retaking corporeal form and each subsequent time therein

REALLY screws the pooch on evolution of Sauron going forward, of which the writers, and basically 98% of the viewing casuals, could really give two sh%ts less about
soberchimera
soberchimera - 8/30/2024, 9:12 AM
@SauronthePower - Yeah, I think they’re wiping their butts with the lore at this point. I think my theory about The Stranger being one of the blue wizards from last season isn’t going to pan out and he’s just going to be Gandalf and Cirian Hinds is Saruman.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 8/28/2024, 3:38 PM
S2 is prob better than 1, imo, but there's not that much in it. Sauron, Durin and Adar are awesome, as is Tom Bombadil... whether you think he should be in it or not.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 8/28/2024, 3:41 PM
@MarkCassidy - can you elaborate on what you mean by "not that much in it"?
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 8/28/2024, 4:08 PM
@McMurdo - It's about the same level of quality from a technical standpoint, but I found it to be more enjoyable overall.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 8/28/2024, 5:57 PM
@MarkCassidy - will your review drop tomorrow? And have you seen all 8 episodes or just the first 3?
SPQR
SPQR - 8/28/2024, 3:39 PM
Terrible fan fiction. But pay these reviewers and they’ll spin you a positive review!
SauronthePower
SauronthePower - 8/30/2024, 1:42 AM
@SPQR - it really is amazing what free Prime for a year gets corporate these days
Super12
Super12 - 8/28/2024, 4:00 PM
The pandering of paid shills means nothing. The fans will make their opinion known. Methinks our standards for a "TRIUMPHANT MASTERPIECE" are not the same.
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 8/28/2024, 4:15 PM
User Comment Image
HistoryofMatt
HistoryofMatt - 8/28/2024, 4:28 PM
Sure.

User Comment Image
EZBeast
EZBeast - 8/28/2024, 4:40 PM
One of the most painful watches I've ever attempted outside the acoylte. We all have our own enjoyment levels we get out of tv but it truly baffles why people enjoy shows with terrible stories and acting like these. I get it the visuals were good at times but giving credit to anything beyond that truly pains me to think that people found it to be "good"...
KaioKen
KaioKen - 8/28/2024, 5:03 PM
@EZBeast - it wasn’t like the best show I’ve ever seen but I liked it enough. The stuff with the dwarves was a bit cringe but I liked most of everything else. 7/10
EZBeast
EZBeast - 8/28/2024, 5:17 PM
@KaioKen - and I'm not calling you out for it but can you call it good? Really think about the plot stories and acting. I know seeing dwarves can be entertaining and seeing them in a big budget but we're those elements deserving of compliments? Because all I can remember monotone and no feelings from the characters with story elements not making sense or being waaaay too convenient. I didn't finish the series so I can believe that MAYBE some of these elements picked up a bit in quality but seeing the reception I have I find it difficult to believe.

That type of entertainment is perfectly fine, imo, for a film that only takes a few hours by turning your brain off but for a show over the course of potentially 8 hours or more I just can't fathom it.

Also personally I'm not a fan of shows I would find average as I usually give up on those fairly quickly. I need something to latch on too at least with an interesting or well written character. Like I enjoy the boys but hated season 2 but loved butcher and homelander as characters who made the mostly poor season I couldn't recommend watchable.
ComicBandit
ComicBandit - 8/28/2024, 7:16 PM
@EZBeast - Actually, it's a great show if you decide it has nothing to do with Lord of the Rings.
EZBeast
EZBeast - 8/28/2024, 8:28 PM
@ComicBandit - so then why even have the ip and make something original? The whole point of using an ip is to continue a story in some significant way but this wasn't the right way I feel.

Also if you think this is great that depresses me because no use of the ip can save us from the poor acting.
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 8/28/2024, 9:08 PM
@EZBeast - "but it truly baffles why people enjoy shows with terrible stories"

And apparently, D&W gets an exemption for most because "it is a Deadpool movie"

Anyway, this series failed the moment Peter Jackson was not involved imo
EZBeast
EZBeast - 8/28/2024, 9:43 PM
@vectorsigma - I'm over marvel so didn't see it. Most of my friends liked it but they would go nuts over an average marvel film...
ComicBandit
ComicBandit - 8/29/2024, 1:04 AM
@EZBeast - Lol I see you didn't get the joke. Also I've been saying the thing about why it's necessary to use the IP of s bunch of stuff from He-man to Star Wars since the beginning of time.
ComicBandit
ComicBandit - 8/29/2024, 1:06 AM
@EZBeast - Oh and the point of using an IP in Hollywood is to fool people into watching something. Not to continue the story. Just saying.
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