Shadow and Flame

I know that most of the LotR fans are still hating and they will continue to do so. I am a very steady LotR fan too, but I am also eager to feed myself with this series too, as it is something that I really expected for so long and it seems, for me, that I am nourished with the feeling that RoP explains in such a lovely way, in a visual way, what I have read all the time through Tolkien's books.

I know that this is not of the grandeur of the most-acclaimed trilogy, but this episode just caresses my soul and makes me wait with a great warmth in my heart for the next season. I was smiling and gasped through so many moments in this season finale, that I really am thankful I can relive this Middle Earth fantasy story with such great actors and such a fine combination of visual almost eye-gasm.

Please, the writers and show runners need to focus on what works, Sauron being evil and manipulative, Galadriel being a bad ass, Elrond and Gil-Galad adding elvish wisdom, The Dwarves under the mountains and The Stranger and the The halflings discovering the magic of middle-earth.

The best things about this episode were the opening scene in kazad-dum and the scene with Gandalf and Bombadil.

The second season is a huge improvement on the first. They are doing something right.

But there's still the same issues from season one sprinkled throughout, feelings of clunkiness, bad editing, not great dialogue and just a lot of waiting. A lot of nothing, you can easily fast forward 30 seconds in every scene and you won't miss any dialogue just people staring into the distance.

The action isn't great so you end up noticing the corny dialogue and not caring about alot of side characters who don't need to have so much story time because it ends up just typical B line stories from every show you've ever seen.

They have the greatest source material in the world USE IT and stick to it, focus on what works and let go of what doesn't.

I hope season 3 is even better than season 2!

Loved season one, but season 2 was a step up on all fronts. It's been an engaging engaging story from start to finish and the final wrapped up several arcs while leaving the door open for season 3.

This show opened me to Tolkiens world and I started reading some of his works first with the Silmarillion and now The Fall of Numenor. Having finished the former I don't understand the hate towards this series, mostly seems like a lot of people whining it's not the movies from the early 2000s.

Sauron and Celibrimbor are incredible and engaging with supporting characters like Adar and Elrond supporting as well.

Overall it's been an amazing experience and I can't recommend this show enough and impatiently waiting for season 3.

Having seen both seasons I have to say I'm highly disappointed.. Starting to wonder where the budget went, it's supposed to be the most expensive television production of all times but it didn't feel like it.. Season finales are supposed to be interesting and exciting.. Nothing interesting or exciting about this.

And Galadriel is nothing like I remember her in the books or the movie version.. In this version she's just a whiny little gnome with a really annoying personality and the girl who plays her is a HORRIBLE actor.. And the guy who plays Elrond looks like a teenager.. Frankly I'm insulted by this show and I can't explain why I wasted my time watching both seasons... I have no good explanation...

I watched House of the Dragon season 2 and this season sequentially, and this was better than House of the Dragon season 2 in many aspects.

This season explores more in depth stories of all the characters in a great way. Even when the episodes were slow I find them not to be disengaging.

And some revealing characters from the old movies was a nice touch. Returning of some beloved Lord of the Rings characters was really nice to watch. I am now all open for coming seasons of this because the story is making more sense now. The introduction of the rings and their influence on the minds of it wearer, great.