Reddit Perfectly Sums Up Rings of Power's Biggest Fail in Just 1 Sentence
While some fans enjoyed Rings of Power's first season, many are quick to point out the series' flaws.
One Redditor has managed to sum up all of the show's shortcomings in one simple sentence. And honestly, it's the perfect summary.
Commenting on the series in a thread in the r/RingsofPowder subreddit, @Just3006 wrote,
"For me it's just yet another 5/10 that could have easily been a 9/10, which makes me want to give it a 1/10".
The comment perfectly hits the nail on the head regarding why the show has been received as such a letdown by Tolkien fans. LotR contains such a vibrant universe, with a wealth of material to base an original story on. But RoP fails to meet those high expectations and therefore does not pique the fans' interest.
Of course, following on from the previous much-loved screen adaptations by Peter Jackson is no easy task for the series. The extent of detail that Jackson's passion project created set the bar unnaturally high for anyone continuing the story of Middle-Earth. Fans can't help themselves but compare the two in quality.
Some of the more significant complaints from fans include a dislike of the changes made to the original lore, poorly written dialogue which many have labeled as "off-putting", awkward pacing, sub-par acting, less-than-ambitious digital effects, and some disappointing costume design.
As a result, one of the biggest challenges the series faced when released was its comparison to House of the Dragon, which aired primarily during the same period. The series' flaws then become more obvious when compared to several other popular shows, which include these aspects much better.
It was also widely publicized from the start that RoP had become the most expensive tv series ever made. Something which automatically created high expectations. After all, if House of the Dragon can do it for half the money, surely a show more costly would be even better?
It has to be said that RoP isn't all bad. It includes a greater level of diversity, the series is not afraid of exploring new areas of the lore, and it cannot be denied it offers an extraordinary level of cinematography. In fact, there is undoubtedly a degree of sacrificial trashing going on from those desperately looking to hate on the series for little reason at all. But it doesn't escape the truth that the show's ambition remains greater than its execution.
RoP may have a few plus points. But as a whole, the series is average at best. And with so much choice between shows which are actually great, why should the audience settle to watch anything less than excellent.