LotR: The Rings of Power 2.01. - 2.03
In which the show is back and continues to please me. No doubt this is partly because it's been decades since I read the books, and while I liked them, I was never passionate about them. (Meanwhile: behold my childhood love for Michael Ende's The Never-Ending Story and the corresponding grrr-arggh feeling towards the movie (the first one, I never watched the, spit, sequels), so Tolkien purists, I get where you're coming from, I just don't share it in this particular case).) But I do like this series and am completely on board with most of what it does.
The first episode was written by Gennifer Hutchinson who came to my attention when she contributed episodes to Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, so I think it's entirely fitting she got what I'm tempted to call the Breaking Sauron or Better Call Haldbrand/Annatar episode. No, but seriously, I did not expect but should have the second season to open with not just a parallel to Galadriel's introduction in s1 but with the tale of how Sauron got from Morgoth's Trusted Lieutenant to being on that raft, some of which we gathered last season from Adar's "I killed him", but by no means all. I really like that Original Shape Sauron is so clearly in over his head in his attempt to take over where Morgoth left off (his speech to the Orks lacks conviction and is clearly directed more at himself, plus he just doesn't have the imagination to figure out Adar might have his own ideas about what should happen to Adar's children), and that he's a work in progress throughout the episode, but not in the sense of being a misunderstood good guy at the start. The resurrection process was a neat bit of body horror, and when he's first Haldbrand-shaped, I think he's not lying at all about his state of mind and soul*. The problem, and what means this doesn't work out as true repentance, is what the helpful Southlander who mentors him for a bit tells him about choosing good day after day after day, again and again and again. It simply isn't enough to do something good once with a grand gesture and all is well, it's hard, tiresome work, and that's what Sauron is just not up for.
(*For that matter, as my rewatch of the first season a while ago made me realise, he didn't lie - in the sense of telling an untruth - to Galadriel throughout the season, either. He's just leaving things out. Obvious Picard quote from First Duty is obvious.)
He's also consistent with his "The way to fix everything is with me on top" idea from that early speech to the Orcs onwards, but centuries of reshaping himself later, he's getting way better at the whole convincing his audience part. Now I had assumed that Adar had figured out who Haldbrand really was by the time they parted ways in s1, but evidently not. Sauron now proceeding to play him in an almost Ben Linus like way (complete with getting himself beaten up and exuding his manipulative skills in a seemingly weak position) gave me happy Lost flashbacks and was another unexpected turn. Speaking of Adar, the new actor does a great job to my relief, because Adar the character for me was one of the best things about s1 as a take on Tolkien's idea of how the Orcs originated, and I was a bit afraid of him getting flatlined in s2 with Haldbrand-now-openly-Sauron into one dimensional villaindom, but no. I mean, I'm not saying he's the John Locke to Sauron's Benjamin Linus, because that's Celebrimbor, but he continues to be tragically invested in actually doing right by his enforced progeny, which no one else ever will.
Meanwhile among the Elves: Elrond sees pedestals shatter all around him. Galadriel not having told him the truth about her Sauron discovery makes it impossible for him to trust her, then Gil-Galad gets into the We-need-the-Rings vein as well (for plausible in universe reasons, but still), and even Cieran, as the oldest living Elf Elrond's last resort, ends up on Team Rings. Given that Elrond will eventually end up wearing one of those rings himself, I find it interesting they establish his abhorrence so strongly, and am looking forward to his arc this season. Also, it was weird seeing Ben Daniels in serene-gentle-wise mood after having seen him as Santiago in Interview with the Vampire most recently, but he does that very well, too. Also, Gil-Galad gets a bit more to do than giving orders this season, which I appreciate. And I note that Galadriel is dealing with her Sauron shock by playing it less demanding and more pleading with her fellow elves, but still absolutely convinced she's right. Since I have a soft spot for friends who had a falling out for good reasons now having to work together, her scenes with Elrond were my favourites of hers.
It's not until the second episode we get to the Dwarves, and while I adore Disa and Durin as much as ever, I can't help but notice that we left Disa in s1 being more upset about and angry at her father-in-law even than Durin was, and now when we rejoin the Dwarves she's making the cause for reconciliation. While she has pragmatic reasons for that, I'm a bit side eyeing it as well because I did appreciate Disa's anger in the s1 finale. Anyway: Disa/Durin are great together and apart, I love we get to see some of Disa's female friends, and that all the lady dwarves are of her body type, and we're not doing female dwarves looking slender and/or hourglass shaped on this show. Seeing more stonesinger action was also appreciated.
Nori and most-likely-Gandalf aka the Stranger questing reestablishes their dynamic now that he can talk and they have verbal conversations, and their odd couple friendship continues to be great. There were strong Two Towers the movie overtones in their initial scenes, which is why I wasn't entirely surprised when lo and behold, but Poppy showed up, following them. Thank you, Poppy; you're Nori's Sam, and like I said in s1, it's not time for you to become Mayor of Hobbiton leader of the Harefoots yet.
Numenor: considering Elendil kept ignoring his daughter last season, I wasn't surprised she sided with Pharazon, especially since the show was careful to give her some more solid reasons from her pov: as far as she knows, the entire expedition was a disaster, many people are dead, including her brother, and yes, Miriel is sorry, but other than line of descent, why should she be the ruler? Miriel and Elendis as battered Queen and Knight are very much a good trope for me, mind, but then I'm not Elendil's ignored daughter. As for Isildur's actual fate, being saved by your horse from evil spiders is less fun than being saved by invisible Bilbo but less traumatic than waking up among orcs before Sam shows up like Frodo did. That horse better stay alive, show, I'm now invested in it.
Former Southlanders: Bronwyn getting fridged (off screen, no less) was one of the few things about the first three eps I did not like, especially since it came across as mostly happening so Arondir's and Theo's relationship could be reset from having grown closer to estranged, but I will allow that Theo's character relationship hasn't been; he's guilt ridden and sullen but still focused on saving people, not on acting out.
In conclusion: Bring on the seven Rings! (Oh, and hooray for Durin not being fooled by Sauron's claim on what Elrond supposedly said about him - Durin knows his Elrond.)
The first episode was written by Gennifer Hutchinson who came to my attention when she contributed episodes to Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, so I think it's entirely fitting she got what I'm tempted to call the Breaking Sauron or Better Call Haldbrand/Annatar episode. No, but seriously, I did not expect but should have the second season to open with not just a parallel to Galadriel's introduction in s1 but with the tale of how Sauron got from Morgoth's Trusted Lieutenant to being on that raft, some of which we gathered last season from Adar's "I killed him", but by no means all. I really like that Original Shape Sauron is so clearly in over his head in his attempt to take over where Morgoth left off (his speech to the Orks lacks conviction and is clearly directed more at himself, plus he just doesn't have the imagination to figure out Adar might have his own ideas about what should happen to Adar's children), and that he's a work in progress throughout the episode, but not in the sense of being a misunderstood good guy at the start. The resurrection process was a neat bit of body horror, and when he's first Haldbrand-shaped, I think he's not lying at all about his state of mind and soul*. The problem, and what means this doesn't work out as true repentance, is what the helpful Southlander who mentors him for a bit tells him about choosing good day after day after day, again and again and again. It simply isn't enough to do something good once with a grand gesture and all is well, it's hard, tiresome work, and that's what Sauron is just not up for.
(*For that matter, as my rewatch of the first season a while ago made me realise, he didn't lie - in the sense of telling an untruth - to Galadriel throughout the season, either. He's just leaving things out. Obvious Picard quote from First Duty is obvious.)
He's also consistent with his "The way to fix everything is with me on top" idea from that early speech to the Orcs onwards, but centuries of reshaping himself later, he's getting way better at the whole convincing his audience part. Now I had assumed that Adar had figured out who Haldbrand really was by the time they parted ways in s1, but evidently not. Sauron now proceeding to play him in an almost Ben Linus like way (complete with getting himself beaten up and exuding his manipulative skills in a seemingly weak position) gave me happy Lost flashbacks and was another unexpected turn. Speaking of Adar, the new actor does a great job to my relief, because Adar the character for me was one of the best things about s1 as a take on Tolkien's idea of how the Orcs originated, and I was a bit afraid of him getting flatlined in s2 with Haldbrand-now-openly-Sauron into one dimensional villaindom, but no. I mean, I'm not saying he's the John Locke to Sauron's Benjamin Linus, because that's Celebrimbor, but he continues to be tragically invested in actually doing right by his enforced progeny, which no one else ever will.
Meanwhile among the Elves: Elrond sees pedestals shatter all around him. Galadriel not having told him the truth about her Sauron discovery makes it impossible for him to trust her, then Gil-Galad gets into the We-need-the-Rings vein as well (for plausible in universe reasons, but still), and even Cieran, as the oldest living Elf Elrond's last resort, ends up on Team Rings. Given that Elrond will eventually end up wearing one of those rings himself, I find it interesting they establish his abhorrence so strongly, and am looking forward to his arc this season. Also, it was weird seeing Ben Daniels in serene-gentle-wise mood after having seen him as Santiago in Interview with the Vampire most recently, but he does that very well, too. Also, Gil-Galad gets a bit more to do than giving orders this season, which I appreciate. And I note that Galadriel is dealing with her Sauron shock by playing it less demanding and more pleading with her fellow elves, but still absolutely convinced she's right. Since I have a soft spot for friends who had a falling out for good reasons now having to work together, her scenes with Elrond were my favourites of hers.
It's not until the second episode we get to the Dwarves, and while I adore Disa and Durin as much as ever, I can't help but notice that we left Disa in s1 being more upset about and angry at her father-in-law even than Durin was, and now when we rejoin the Dwarves she's making the cause for reconciliation. While she has pragmatic reasons for that, I'm a bit side eyeing it as well because I did appreciate Disa's anger in the s1 finale. Anyway: Disa/Durin are great together and apart, I love we get to see some of Disa's female friends, and that all the lady dwarves are of her body type, and we're not doing female dwarves looking slender and/or hourglass shaped on this show. Seeing more stonesinger action was also appreciated.
Nori and most-likely-Gandalf aka the Stranger questing reestablishes their dynamic now that he can talk and they have verbal conversations, and their odd couple friendship continues to be great. There were strong Two Towers the movie overtones in their initial scenes, which is why I wasn't entirely surprised when lo and behold, but Poppy showed up, following them. Thank you, Poppy; you're Nori's Sam, and like I said in s1, it's not time for you to become Mayor of Hobbiton leader of the Harefoots yet.
Numenor: considering Elendil kept ignoring his daughter last season, I wasn't surprised she sided with Pharazon, especially since the show was careful to give her some more solid reasons from her pov: as far as she knows, the entire expedition was a disaster, many people are dead, including her brother, and yes, Miriel is sorry, but other than line of descent, why should she be the ruler? Miriel and Elendis as battered Queen and Knight are very much a good trope for me, mind, but then I'm not Elendil's ignored daughter. As for Isildur's actual fate, being saved by your horse from evil spiders is less fun than being saved by invisible Bilbo but less traumatic than waking up among orcs before Sam shows up like Frodo did. That horse better stay alive, show, I'm now invested in it.
Former Southlanders: Bronwyn getting fridged (off screen, no less) was one of the few things about the first three eps I did not like, especially since it came across as mostly happening so Arondir's and Theo's relationship could be reset from having grown closer to estranged, but I will allow that Theo's character relationship hasn't been; he's guilt ridden and sullen but still focused on saving people, not on acting out.
In conclusion: Bring on the seven Rings! (Oh, and hooray for Durin not being fooled by Sauron's claim on what Elrond supposedly said about him - Durin knows his Elrond.)