Is Rings of Power a Good Show if You Don't Know Tolkien Lore?

One user described the show as "bad as its own thing," pointing out underdeveloped, unlikable characters, a plot that can't decide if it wants to be slow or fast, unimpressive acting and costumes, and forgettable music. Ouch.

Another user was even more brutal, saying it's all drama for the sake of drama without any repercussions. Yikes.

To sum it all up, here's the list of (almost) everything that is bad with The Rings of Power, according to Reddit:

• Underdeveloped and unlikable characters
• Meandering plot that's both slow and rushed at the same time
• Unimpressive acting
• Forgettable music
• Poorly written in almost every regard

One Reddit user summarized the whole point of watching The Rings of Power without some lore knowledge as follows:

"I think it's a bad show with good CGI, independent of any departure from or contradictions to lore. If you're ok with something that has action (poorly choreographed at times) Fast & Furious quality dialogue at best, isn't well paced, and has an unlikeable main character but looks pretty, you're good."

But not everyone was so harsh on the show. One user enjoyed the chemistry between Galadriel and Halbrand, and the story of the elves trying to escape the baddie orcs. Another user was pleasantly surprised by the twist in the southlands storyline and found the big boom to be "unexpected and amazing."

So, is The Rings of Power a good show if you don't know the lore? It looks like it's a bit of a toss-up. Some fans loved it, while others were less than impressed. If you're open to continuations or extrapolations of the LOTR story and don't mind a few changes from the source material, you might still enjoy the show. Just be prepared for some mixed reviews from other fans.