The Rings of Power Season 2 Review (One Year Later)

The host begins the review, acknowledging the delay and setting the stage for a deep dive into The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2, a year after its finale. He emphasizes that these are his personal thoughts and encourages viewer interaction.

The dwarf storyline is praised as the most consistently good across both seasons, particularly focusing on the relationships within Khazad-dûm, especially Prince Durin IV and King Durin III. The emotional depth brought by Prince Durin is highlighted, with his breakdown over his father's madness being a standout moment. The handling of the Balrog, and the decision not to rush the Fall of Khazad-dûm, is seen as a positive. Criticisms include comical elements like Disa discovering the Balrog and the portrayal of Durin III's corruption by the ring, which deviates from established lore regarding dwarven resistance to domination.

The review criticizes the show's departure from the book's order of ring forging and the resulting ripple effects. The rings are treated too much like the One Ring, corrupting wearers in ways inconsistent with the books' portrayal of dwarven resistance to such influence. The Elven rings also exhibit ominous whispering, which is deemed unnecessary given their creation without Sauron's direct influence. The immediate reveal of Sauron's identity in Season 1 is further highlighted as problematic, impacting Galadriel's character arc and the plausibility of events.

Despite criticisms regarding the rings, the dynamic between Celebrimbor and Sauron (as Annatar) is lauded as the high point of Season 2. The performances of Charles Edwards and Charlie Vickers are praised, particularly in scenes involving Sauron's deception and Celebrimbor's poignant death. The review appreciates the depth added to these characters, bridging both show and book perspectives.

A significant critique is the show's failure to adequately portray the legendary friendship between Khazad-dûm and Eregion. While Elrond and Durin's personal friendship is effective, the broader inter-civilizational bond is largely told rather than shown, diminishing the emotional impact of events like the Doors of Durin. This lack of visible camaraderie reduces the resonance of the dwarves coming to the elves' aid.

Numenor is identified as the most crucial storyline moving forward, but its development is perceived as incomplete. The timeline compression has led to a kingdom already on a downward trajectory without fully exploring its history. While Elendil and Miriel's characters are strong, the portrayal of the divide between the Faithful and King's Men lacks nuance, feeling more like abrupt changes than organic tension. The general populace of Numenor is depicted as fickle and easily swayed, which detracts from the political depth. The introduction of Belzegar is viewed positively, while Kemen's prolonged presence is questioned. The reviewer expresses hope for more screentime and deeper exploration of Numenor in future seasons.

The Harfoots storyline is heavily criticized as 'lame' and disconnected from the rest of the show. The characters and their narrative are seen as unoriginal, rehashing elements from 'The Lord of the Rings' without adding new ground. The reviewer suggests that their entire storyline could be removed without impacting the series, advocating for their departure in Season 3 to free up screentime for more impactful plots, especially Numenor.

The reveal of the Stranger as Gandalf is met with an eye-roll, as the reviewer had hoped for a Blue Wizard to allow for more creative freedom. The Gandalf storyline is deemed too slow, taking 16 hours to establish his identity and a famous line. The origin of his name is also criticized as contrived. The Dark Wizard, however, is found intriguing, with his backstory and potential connection to a Blue Wizard offering more narrative interest than a Saruman reveal. The portrayal of Tom Bombadil is largely disappointing; while appreciating his warmth, the character's dourness and deviation from his book accurate irreverence and non-interventionist nature are significant flaws. His role as Gandalf's mentor is particularly criticized for being out of character.

Season 2 attempts to temper Galadriel's character and address consequences from Season 1, though some aspects still feel like a stretch. The barrow-wights are praised for their cool design and horror element, despite lore discrepancies. The reviewer suggests Tom Bombadil could have been more effectively used in this storyline, offering a human touch to Galadriel and Elrond's strained relationship, rather than being a Yoda-like figure. The absence of Celeborn is noted, and Cirdan is highlighted as an excellent portrayal of an ethereal elf, despite a minor quibble about his shaved beard. Gil-galad remains an underdeveloped character in the show.

Arondir, an original character, is praised for his Legolas-like cool factor and stoicism, though his screentime is significantly reduced. His 'fake-out death' is heavily criticized for its lack of impact. Isildur's return, found by his horse Berek in a way reminiscent of Aragorn and Brego, reinforces the show's tendency to draw heavily from the films. His new love interest, Estrid, is a welcome addition, but the cliché love triangle with her fiancé is deemed unnecessary.

The music, particularly Bear McCreary's score, continues to be a major strength of the show, effectively capturing the Middle-earth vibe. The interpretation of 'Old Tom Bombadil' as a song about him, rather than by him, has grown on the reviewer. The visual effects are also commended for their high quality and effective use of both CGI and practical effects for creatures like Orcs.

The show's attempt to humanize Orcs, including an Orc baby, is criticized for undermining their role as effective antagonists, suggesting this emotional depth would be better applied to Easterlings. Damrod the Troll, despite significant marketing, had limited screentime, though his appearance in Eregion was effective. Adar's character remains strong, with his manipulation by Sauron leading to a satisfying payoff for his arc. Sauron's character demonstrates significant improvement in Season 2, embracing his villainous nature and cunning, though his flashback to Morgoth’s downfall and 'gooey' form are seen as confusing and sci-fi-like. The Marvel-esque fight between Galadriel and Sauron is also criticized for feeling hokey and detracting from potential book-accurate future battles.

The show still struggles with conveying a sense of scale and scope, often using grand establishing shots followed by enclosed sets, making the world feel smaller. Eregion, for example, appears sparsely populated during its climactic battle. Fast travel remains an issue, negating moments when travel time is acknowledged. The 'Show Don't Tell' problem persists, with characters being described as 'greatest of elven smiths' or 'commander of northern armies' without sufficient visual evidence to support these claims, highlighting a lack of character development screentime.

Several 'nitpicks' are raised, including an out-of-place 'nameless things' reference, Arondir's inexplicable survival of a severe injury, a geographical error with the sun rising in the north, and Celebrimbor's misunderstanding of elven afterlives and the purpose of the Rings of Power. The review concludes that Season 2 is an improvement over Season 1, with higher highs but similar lows. The hope is for Season 3 to address these low points, particularly focusing more on Numenor and improving world-building, while avoiding unnecessary references and focusing on more impactful storytelling. The reviewer scores Season 2 a 6.5 out of 10, including a deduction for an unexpected kiss between Elrond and Galadriel.

The host thanks Displate for sponsoring the video, highlighting their cool posters, easy magnet mounting system, vast catalog, and custom design options. He promotes their Black Friday discounts for viewers. The video concludes with a thank you to Patreon and YouTube supporters and a lighthearted skit.