Amazon took LOTR fans' feedback into consideration For the Rings of Power

 

For the Rings of Power, Amazon took LOTR fans' feedback into consideration.

An Amazon Studios executive explains that as each new installment of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power was released, in-depth fan input was gathered. The Rings of Power on Prime Video, which is based on the cherished fantasy books of author J.R.R. Tolkien, charts the ascent of evil throughout the Second Age of Middle-earth. Although the events of Peter Jackson's acclaimed The Lord of the Rings trilogy occur thousands of years before the events of the television series, certain characters, including Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo), do return, albeit in much younger forms. The Rings of Power was generally favorably received by viewers and critics, but some viewers did have issues with some elements of the program.

The Head of Global Television at Amazon Studios, Vernon Sanders, said in a new interview with ComicBook.com that the company polled thousands of The Lord of the Rings fans after each new episode was released as work on The Rings of Power season 2 continues in the UK. Sanders acknowledges that despite the Tolkien estate being actively involved in its construction, some fans weren't pleased with the adaption. See Sanders' complete statement below:

How Season 2 of The Rings of Power can respond to criticism

While The Rings of Power faced racist criticism for casting performers of color, a wholly unjustified and regrettable line of attack, there were also some notable fan complaints. The fact that some plot events and characters were pushed together for the sake of narrative convenience in some of The Lord of the Rings volumes angered many fans. The showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne compressed a large portion of the 3,500 years of history that make up the Second Age of Middle-earth in order to convey their particular story. The Rings of Power, for instance, introduces Isildur (Maxim Baldry) around 1,500 years before he is supposed to have been born.

The general lack of narrative urgency and impetus in The Rings of Power is another prevalent criticism of the book. Early episodes move at a more slower pace with certain events feeling rather insignificant, but later episodes do elevate the stakes considerably, especially with the eruption of Mount Doom and the revelation that Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) has truly been Sauron all along. Although it may be argued that Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books frequently move dramatic events along quite slowly, some fans undoubtedly hoped for a bit more velocity in Prime Video's pricey adaptation.

Fans have yet to see what season 2 has in store for them, but the information that Amazon was getting a lot of input on season 1 may bode well for the upcoming episodes. However, McKay and Payne have previously disclosed that they have all five seasons of the show planned out, so it's unclear how far the future seasons of The Rings of Power will diverge from their initial concept. Unfortunately, it will take some time before fans can see more of what season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has in store because production is still going on.