The Rings of Power Season Two Review

When The Rings of Power premiered back in 2022 (yes, it’s been a full two years since we saw that initial run of episodes), it was greeted with mixed reviews (and a host of review bombing from a particular subset of the internet who has since moved onto MCU properties to express their ire with series and films not led by cisgender, straight white men). I covered the series in weekly reviews and found it, ultimately, to be a mixed bag as well. When the story clung closely to characters established within J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings – and dealt with sequences that came from that source material – the narrative was more robust and the characters more complex. When we were treated to original creations of the show’s writing staff, things were much less successful. In season two, I’m sad to report, it’s much of the same. The characters who have established stories within the lore – Galadriel, Elrond, some Wizards who cannot be named at this time, Durin, Celebrimbor, Sauron – benefit from that structure, continuing to grow out of the source material to feel multi-dimensional. Those who don’t – our Harfoots, Theo, Arondir – are missing key components and their stories continue to feel like attempts to capture some of the magic from The Lord of the Rings whilst adding very little to the general narrative as a whole.

Of particular note this time around is the emergence of Celebrimbor (a truly spectacular Charles Edwards who makes the most of his character’s heightened status) as a focal point of the season. The forger of the three Elven rings in season one – at the behest of a disguised Sauron – the finest craftsmen of the Elves is back, warned by Galadriel of Sauron’s deceit but continually tempted to give into the flattery thrust upon him with his initial ring forging to take on Sauron’s request for additional rings of power to disperse throughout Middle Earth. If you’re familiar with The Lord of the Rings at all, you likely know that he won’t be able to refuse these entreaties for long.

But Edwards is asked to provide a great emotional arc with Celebrimbor, spending many a scene alongside Charlie Vicker’s Sauron (disguised now as the Elf Annatar), whose own performance feels much freer now that he can let his character’s true nature shine through. This is, naturally, the most crucial narrative arc of the season, drawing in both the Elves and the Dwarves in an attempt to staunch the darkness of Sauron from spreading, along with stopping the Uruk from continuing to advance on Middle Earth and lay waste to the various races within. And while it’s also the arc with, ultimately, the least stakes – since most viewers know precisely how Galadriel, Elrond, and Sauron’s tales must conclude in the series based on their locations and fates in The Lord of the Rings – the weight of the story’s impact on the world at large is clearly felt.

Over in Númenor, we have a battle for succession commencing – and one that might feel a tad familiar to those watching House of the Dragon. For you see, the late king left only a daughter for an heir (that would be Cynthia Addai-Robbinson’s Míriel) and it seems some of the high-born aren’t particularly keen to have her on the throne. Various reasons are crafted to ensure that she isn’t allowed to officially be crowned queen – and that her loyalists, which includes Lloyd Owen’s Elendil, who is giving a heck of a performance (although I can never tell if Elendil is meant to be a paternal figure to Míriel or a romantic possibility) – and that their chosen successor Pharazôn is able to take the throne. While this storyline also runs into the issue of presenting a narrative arc more or less directly from the source material – so the stakes are limited if you know the ultimate fates of the central characters – it also suffers from a need to repeat the same beats over and over again before characters are allowed to move forward in their story.

After all, there must be a reason Elendil remains in Númenor for as long as he does – so that he doesn’t disrupt the other stories unfolding where he is destined to travel to in the future. But, perhaps most disappointing, the story here just feels rather dull. Court intrigue is interesting when we get the time to know the supporting characters who are dictating the terms of the story. Here, there’s not enough time to devote to this arc and allow us to truly understand the motives of the characters in key positions of power. And while Sauron’s influence continues to be felt in this storyline, it’s from a distance and feels less of an immediate threat within this corner of the world, making everyone involved also feel less connected to Sauron, his rings, and his thirst for power.

Then there’s Nori and The Stranger (aka our nameless Wizard). This storyline was a bit of a surprise in that part of it worked pretty well, whilst the other half was yet another disappointment. Unfortunately, our Harfoot (and other Hobbit-like creatures we meet along the way) continue to feel like attempts to capture the folksy charm of Hobbits only to leave us wanting for the real thing rather than this facsimile. I know this facet of the story is meant to provide us with a history of how Hobbits came to be, and it’s clear that’s where it’s headed, but it just feels so incredibly out of place with so many larger and more complex stories being told around it. As for The Stranger, well, his story is a bit more fleshed out this time around and he does get to encounter Tom Bombadil in his travels (and boy is Rory Kinear an absolute delight as Bombadil), which is such fun.

There’s also another Dark Wizard introduced (portrayed by Ciarán Hinds and whose name is never uttered, though I suspect most folks will have a guess as to just who he might really be), a contrast to The Stranger’s countenance (and yes, at some point, a name is officially hinted at for our nameless wanderer) and a likely foil for him in the future. This portion of the story is the other piece that feels truly resonate and necessary within the fabric of the overall tale. We know the power the Wizards possess and how their intervention (or refusal to intervene) can turn the tide of the war, so how these two work together or against each other will have a huge impact on what is to come. And I suspect we’ll be seeing some additional Wizards emerge before all is said and done with the series (there were five, after all, and we’ve only met two thus far).

So, I’ve walked through our central arcs (and yes, I’ve more or less ignored Theo and Arondir – Nazanin Boniadi, who played Bronwyn exited the series before filming began on season two – as their stories are mostly filler, while Isildur also doesn’t have much to do in the larger scope of the story this season), but is this season worth a watch? It’s certainly much more successful, on the whole, than season one. A large part of that stems from the series – and the audience – knowing the key characters and understanding the stories being told on a deeper level. But it also feels more sure of itself across the board. However, when we aren’t working through storylines directly impacted by Sauron in the moment, the story feels stagnant and less impactful than when he’s on the screen – or responsible for the horrors being unleashed.

The narrative doesn’t have the necessary balance to fully support all elements of the story being told, which is disappointing considering the scope, talent involved (in front and behind the camera), and the massive budget. Plus, unlike in season one, a heck of a lot of this season was filmed very darkly, making it hard to make out just what is happening on screen throughout (a pet peeve of mine – please just make the visuals easy to see). If you were a fan of season one, I suspect you’ll enjoy season two. If not, I’m not sure there’s much here that would turn you into a convert. Although Tom Bombidil fans will enjoy seeing him on screen and so well realized. But The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power presents much of the same in its second season, for good and for ill.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’s second season premieres on August 29^th on Prime Video with three episodes. Additional episodes will be released weekly. All eight episodes of the season were provided for review.