TV

The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power

One does not simply make a 'Lord of the Rings' show, and Prime Video spared no expense.

Photo: Amazon/YouTube

Prime Video invites you back to Middle-earth — before Bilbo, before Frodo, before the Fellowship. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is set in Middle-earth’s Second Age, thousands of years before the events of the iconic trilogy. Partially based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s  The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales, The Rings of Power features an assortment of characters and locations, some new and some familiar, as it tells the story of Sauron’s rise to power during a time of peace.

The Rings of Power is, by some accounts, the most expensive television show ever made, with Prime Video’s five-season commitment reported to have cost $1 billion. It was created by showrunners J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay and stars Morfydd Clark, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Maxim Baldry, and more.

  1. Episode 8 Alloyed
    Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season-Finale Recap: Mask-Off Middle-earth The season finale finally reveals Sauron’s identity, and there are some actual rings of power in The Rings of Power.
  2. Episode 7 The Eye
    The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Recap: Misty Mountain Hopelessness There’s a lot of desperation to go around in this episode and more than a few hopes dashed.
  3. Episode 6 Episode 6
    The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Recap: Here Comes the Flood The Rings of Power has its first big battle episode, and it’s worthy of Helm’s Deep.
  4. Episode 5 Partings
    The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Recap: Table Talk Númenor sails off to war while Durin scores himself a sweet new dining-room table.
  5. Episode 4 The Great Wave
    The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Recap: Visions and Portents It’s starting to seem like everybody in Middle-earth straight-up hates elves.
  6. Episode 3 Adar
    Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Recap: A Fugitive From an Orc Chain Gang The Rings of Power introduces a whole new continent and even more characters — and a mysterious baddie named Adar.
  7. Episode 2 Adrift
    The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Recap: An Overdue Visit Episode two goes under Middle-earth, and Khazad-dûm seems a whole lot nicer in the Second Age.
  8. Episode 1 Shadow of the Past
    The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Series-Premiere Recap: Tolkien Time The first episode of Prime Video’s ultraexpensive Lord of the Rings show traverses Middle-earth from top to bottom.
  • best of 2022 The Standout TV Performances of 2022 Individually and collectively, these 14 performers embody what made this year’s television interesting and special. By Jen Chaney, Roxana Hadadi, and Kathryn VanArendonk
  • exit interview The Long Road to Mordor The Rings of Power creators explain Sauron’s identity and their plan to explore the edges of Tolkien’s map. By Jackson McHenry
  • close read The Fantasy-Prequel Problem House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power have been presented as shining new jewels in the streaming pantheon. They also belie a lack of imagination. By Kathryn VanArendonk

The Latest on The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power

  1. animal rights
    A Horse Died on the Set of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of PowerThe horse was one of many prepping for a big battle scene.
    By Bethy Squires
  2. coming soon
    The Rings of Power Season Two Continues to Expand MordorMordor? More like more cast members (18 new ones, to be exact).
    By Zoe Guy
  3. best of 2022
    The Standout TV Performances of 2022Individually and collectively, these 14 performers embody what made this year’s television interesting and special.
    By Jen Chaney, Roxana Hadadi, and Kathryn VanArendonk
  4. exit interview
    The Long Road to MordorThe Rings of Power creators explain Sauron’s identity and their plan to explore the edges of Tolkien’s map.
    By Jackson McHenry
  5. close read
    The Fantasy-Prequel ProblemHouse of the Dragon and The Rings of Power have been presented as shining new jewels in the streaming pantheon. They also belie a lack of imagination.
    By Kathryn VanArendonk
  6. music notes
    A Tour of the Tolkien Lore in the Rings of Power ScoreCourtesy of series composer Bear McCreary.
    By Jackson McHenry
  7. chat room
    Robert Aramayo Knows His Elrond LoreThe Rings of Power star talks about prosthetics, pronunciation, and precious ores.
    By Jackson McHenry
  8. close read
    The Rings of Power Looks on the Bright SideThe unfailingly well-lit fantasy series’ radiant beauty is illuminating both figuratively and literally.
    By Roxana Hadadi
  9. how meta
    Amazon Prime Video Is Apparently Reviewing Its Reviews NowAll those Rings of Power hot takes will be evaluated after a 72-hour delay.
    By Jennifer Zhan
  10. tv review
    The Rings of Power Is Too Big to FailPrime Video’s much-anticipated Lord of the Rings series is a best-case scenario for storytelling by monetary brute force.
    By Kathryn VanArendonk
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