While the story is still just ok, this episode of “Rings of Power” was more entertaining than the others have been and is probably my favorite of the bunch so far. I’m finally beginning to connect more with the characters, especially Elrond and Durin IV. The action in this show is tense and exciting to watch, and the potential of what is to come is very intriguing.
Elrond and Durin IV have been my favorite characters of the first three episodes, but they shine in this one. Their conflict has made their friendship interesting and a bit tense at times. The reveal that the item from the second episode’s cliffhanger was mithril didn’t feel like they were trying too hard to make it a plot twist, which is good because it wasn’t. I expected it to be mithril. But the discovery of the new material will put the relationship between the elves and dwarves at risk, and I look forward to seeing the conflict that comes out of that because it seems that it will be very interesting and entertaining.
Both of the characters having dad problems is a cool bonding moment. It helps to show Durin IV’s relationship with his father in a shorter time than any of the other character relationships were established. I enjoyed it very much. It was probably one of the most well-written segments of the show thus far. I wish we had more moments in this show with character exploration like that. None of the other characters are as human or complex as these two have, and that’s why they are my favorite.
Galadriel and Halbrand weren’t shown much in this episode since it was already juggling three other plot lines. There was a lot on this episode’s plate, but there was only one part where I think it cut away from the story too quickly. It was very well-paced, and I wasn’t as bored with this episode as I was with the other three. The harfoots never showed up in this episode, which is slightly disappointing since the Stranger is so cool, but it’s also understandable since there is already a lot that this episode had to cover.
We’re halfway through the first season, but it still feels like the story is just getting started. I’m fine with a slow burn, but dang. Four hours in, I still feel alienated from most of the characters. They have to step it up a notch or two and show me why I should be interested in all the characters rather than only Elrond and Durin IV. I should be invested in all the plot lines by now, but whenever it goes to Numenor or the harfoots the only thing I can think is, “Please, not again.” There is plenty to like about both plot lines, sure. Numenor is beautiful, and Isildur’s family is interesting. The Stranger is intriguing, and Nori and Poppy can be entertaining to watch. But those are still my two least favorite plot lines. I’m not invested in those characters. I don’t care about them, but I want to. I wish the show had established them as fleshed-out, human, interesting characters that I can latch onto, but they all feel so flat, and I’m tired of Galadriel acting like a child when she doesn’t get her way. No offense to Morfydd Clark since she’s doing a good job with what she’s got, but I don’t like this adaptation of Galadriel. This is thousands of years before Cate Blanchett’s Galadriel, but she’s still thousands of years old. She saw the Trees of Valinor. She’s older than the sun and moon. She should act more mature than she is.
Overall, this was a fun and interesting episode. I like what they’re building and thoroughly enjoyed the action sequences. Still, I wish I was more invested in all of these characters rather than two. They have the potential to be interesting and engaging, but they’re written so one-dimensional that it’s hard to care about them. At least the story is fun, and I do keep coming back to it because I do enjoy this show. But I don’t think it is executed as well as it could be.
Thanks for reading! Have a fantastic day.