The Rings of Power Wrap-up

I really enjoy these three Tolkien lovers discussing the Amazon Prime show. They provide honest opinions and interesting context by referencing the books and other adaptations. I appreciate their fair balance of praise and criticisms. Even if I don’t always agree with their opinions (though I usually do), their reasoning and quips are delightful. I especially love Sara ✨

I LOVE this podcast. I don’t understand the negative reviews. The quality is top-notch even if I don’t always agree with their opinions. The hosts are three Tolkien scholars who go through each episode scene-by-scene. They give their opinions and why, and they include Middle Earth history, events from the Ages, and quotes from Tolkien’s published works, letters, and interviews. You can tell they deeply care about Tolkien’s creation.

Alan, Sara, and James have really clicked this season, and have developed an easy rapport that makes listening fun. I find them neither bizarrely positive (like Rings and Realms), nor disgustingly negative (like the trolls I won’t name)… it’s the Goldilocks zone! I think they should do a Jackson LOTR adaptation podcast… I’d listen!

I love how much I learn from the hosts deep Knowledge of Tolkien lore. Thank you for tying it all together!!

It’s worth noting that I have been a PPP follower since season 1. I have been with them through every book and read it alongside the podcast. I have read these stories and consumed the various media properties over the years. The PPP has been a show rooted in Tolkien and provides great stewardship over the lore that so many (including myself) love and are passionate about. It’s with all of that in mind that I am so bummed out about the RoP wrap-up. This pod, even when it has been critical of RoP, always looks for a way to bail the show out. Whether it’s ignoring plot holes, reasoning with themselves about awful writing, or simply pretending that this show actually has any respect for original stories. My respect for Alan and everything the PPP has done over the years sadly is dwindling. The bailing out is so noticeable. A simple examination of the plot shows so many plot holes that this pod overlooks. The writers constantly rely on contrivances and actions occurring offscreen to advance the stories. There is no reason to care about Numenor as most of the story occurs offscreen. Nothing is emotional, it’s poor reviewing to actually feel emotional about characters we barely are around. We have no semblance of time. The hosts need to look at this without lore (since it’s barely adhering to lore anyway) and try to follow character decisions and storylines. Zoom out on this show and it’s shallow and poorly written. There is a bias that remains and it’s evident. To those who think this pod is too harsh, how? They brush over too many issues with this show to spend time building out this story for the writers. They look to make excuses for choices and are “fine” with terrible characterizations. They have been so soft on reviewing this show. Anyone who has a problem with the critiques simply have no standards for modern TV or a Tolkien based product. You are watching a modern fan fiction that is sourced from other modern shows, nothing original. Likes from PJ’s movies, shots from other movies, it’s all sourced from other terrible TV. This opens the floodgates for more terrible product. It happened to Star Wars, it happened to Marvel. It’s happening to Tolkien. One small note. Sara Brown has very good moments. She will get brutally honest at times before Alan steers away again. I appreciate Sara for being passionate about her grumbles. More need to grumble. The elephant in the room is that this pod and the PPP benefit financially from RoP. There is this tight knit group of Tolkien “experts” and content creators who all see a cash cow in this show and profit directly, or indirectly from this show existing. Amazon has paid members of this group before and will continue to do so, it’s how our culture works now. I have listened to reviews from both sides and its a stark difference. Those that review this show outside of the “experts” (Tolkien fans or simple tv/movie reviewers) group are so much more honest. They call out the problems of the show and compliment it at times. They look at the writing and approach it correctly. This Pod is sadly compromised to some degree. If Alan was honest and disclosed that, I’d respect this pod more. Hiding behind the “shill” label is pathetic, we all know there is financial incentive in this show. Yes, RoP can bring more to the world of Tolkien, but there need to be standards, and this show sets a bad precedent.The PPP have jabbed the Hobbit movies over and over (fairly) yet bail this show out time and time again. The bias is stark. Money clearly talks. Overall, this pod is doing a poor job of reviewing. No effort is made to examine plot or writing, instead spending time trying to tie this show into actual lore which is disingenuous. It’s not the job of this pod to try and explain the poor choices of the show, its the writers. It’s a shallow and poorly written show that this pod is not being honest about. As a loyal PPP follower, it’s really sad. I love the PPP and will continue to listen, but this pod is not good.

I can only listen to this is very short bursts. Listen to more than 1 episode in a row and it become insufferable how much they make the same jokes over and over and laugh at them just as hard every time. They get in these negative feedback loops too, where they complain about something legitimate about the Rings of Power adaptation but then they get into a downward spiral complaining about every nitpick thing possible, often things that get expanded upon and then make sense in the very next episode of the show. I like the lore talk but sometimes they forget they are talking to an audience, not just themselves, and a reference may not be automatically understood for someone who doesnt read Tolkien professionally. Searching hard for a better RoP podcast followup cause I just can’t with this one anymore.