Lord of the Rings TV series gets multi-season order at Amazon

[Huinesoron]

TORn has provided what they describe as the official synopsis, though it doesn't really meet that definition to my mind:

Amazon Studios’ forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.

The things that jump out at me:

-"they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth." I take this to mean that the show definitely starts before the forging of the Rings, with everyone's pal Annatar.

-"Kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin." Which kingdoms are we going to see rise and fall? Not Lindon and Numenor - they were already risen very early in the Second Age. I would laugh if it's referring to Sauron's kingdom - hey, it's accurate! - but my guess is they're planning to show the founding of Ost-in-Edhil.

-"Unlikely heroes were tested". Um... who? The only possibility I can come up with is Isildur (based on his early characterisation as a doubter), but he can't be Season One, surely? Another option could be Elrond... I guess... if you re-characterised him a lot.

-"hope hung by the finest of threads". Not... in the mid-Second Age it didn't. Hope for the Eldar, maybe, but even if Sauron had taken Lindon and claimed the Three, Numenor and Mirkwood wouldn't have seen any change.

-"an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new". Does this mean 'original and canon characters' (we knew that), or does it mean 'Third Age characters and purely Second Age ones'? If the latter, it implies that Galadriel and Elrond will be playing substantial roles, since they're the only characters familiar to movie fans who are really around in the 2A.

-"From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains..." Khazad-Dum confirmed!

-"...to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon..." Now that's a weird artistic choice. If you're trying to highlight that this isn't the Third Age, why would you set Lindon in a forest, like Lorien? Oh... unless you just think 'elves = trees'.

-"...to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor..." We knew that.

-"...to the furthest reaches of the map." That's got to be Umbar, right? The only other option is those mountains in the east (Tolkien's mountains which shouldn't exist), which would imply... evil dwarves, maybe?

Overall, this is basically what you'd write if you were told nothing but "It's the Second Age". Still no actual information.

hS

[Boromir88]

I'm not sure what we're all worried about, it's not like the AUJ didn't have nudity. At least if you count the Extended Edition of it. You can catch a long distance shot of some CGI dwarf butts for about 5 seconds as they publicly bathe in Rivendell, in front of the disapproving Lindir. Can you believe that prude?

Anyway, it's a low standard to pass, any nudity that's not CGI naked dwarves bathing will be a positive for the series.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

Anyway, it's a low standard to pass, any nudity that's not CGI naked dwarves bathing will be a positive for the series.

If the Hobbit films plus GoT are the examples they're looking at, this is going to be a large pile of worm-filth worthy of Glaurung himself.

[Thinlómien]

Liberal European at loose here but... I wouldn't worry about nudity per se. Maybe we're in Númenor and we see Uinen (or Ossë) and they are depicted in the classical tradition of naked merfolk. Yes, I'm sure we'd all like something more imaginative, but it could be something as simple as that. Or maybe they're going to show some ghastly rite in Sauron's temple with a human sacrifice who happenes to be... naked. There are plenty of reasons to show unclothed bodies and not all of them are gratuitous.

That being said, it is of course entirely possible and maybe even probable we will have "unnecessary" sex scenes. Personally I don't mind those if there is a reason from the storytelling point of view. If we're going to delve deeper into the lives and relationships of Second Age characters, sex would likely be an important part of some people's relationships with each other. Just saying. (Not to mention that there's a big difference between "implied sex scene with brief nudity" and a long and explicit scene that would likely feel very un-Tolkieny...)

But I agree that I would loathe to see the Game of Thrones style sex scenes just for the sake of sex scenes, like that godwaful scene with Petyr Baelish monologuing about his past while two prostitutes have sex in the background. Possibly worst writing/ direction ever. Not to mention that I certainly do not want to see any depictions of sexual violence, especially not ones framed in a titillating way. That's just repulsive, and should not be put in a Tolkien adaptation.

That being said, I'm very curious about the show, and while I don't really want it, I'm looking forward to coming the 'Downs to dissect it every week with my fellow wights when it starts airing.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

I'm very curious about the show, and while I don't really want it, I'm looking forward to coming the 'Downs to dissect it every week with my fellow wights when it starts airing.

Lommy! Mae govannen!

I really don't have much interest in the show, myself. I have serious doubts that watching it would do anything to enrich my appreciation of the books, and to me, that's what it's all about.

They certainly are going all-out with spending money on it, but bitter experience tells me that's by no means a marker of a good product.

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

like that godwaful scene with Petyr Baelish monologuing about his past while two prostitutes have sex in the background. Possibly worst writing/ direction ever.

That was in the golden days of season one.

In my opinion it got substantially worse from there.

Of course, I could be justly accused of not knowing what I'm talking about since I gave up on that show in Season Two...but I've heard.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

Of course, I could be justly accused of not knowing what I'm talking about since I gave up on that show in Season Two...but I've heard.

I think it actually got better, in that sense. I feel like in the latter seasons the sex scenes were more, um, significant to the storyline? I suppose the consequence of having too much story for your time and budget is that you cut out the unnecessary porn. While waiting for the final season, I rewatched some of season 1 and was surprised at how much sex there was that served no purpose other than to make you uncomfortable. They definitely weaned the sex scenes towards the end.

And actually, I think I mainly won't mind giving this show a try at least. What would bug me most is if people will insist that it's "based on Tolkien", when it can't even be said to be Tolkien-inspired without a stretch. The favourite argument, it's all in the "appendices". The unfinished part of Unfinished Tales, you know.

[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

And actually, I think I mainly won't mind giving this show a try at least. What would bug me most is if people will insist that it's "based on Tolkien", when it can't even be said to be Tolkien-inspired without a stretch. The favourite argument, it's all in the "appendices". The unfinished part of Unfinished Tales, you know.

Oh I can't wait for all the self-titled "experts" (on both sides) to come out of the woodwork either for or against the series.

Of course, as has been mentioned by several others, I was expecting a temporary surge in activity from The Hobbit films and that just never happened. In my opinion, it never happened because The Hobbit films just weren't that entertaining. The Lord of the Rings films you got a marmite reaction to that a lot of people either really loved or really hated them. And I will defend the LOTR movies from the naysayers to this day.

The amount of money going into the series doesn't indicate to me if it will be good or not, but I do feel like the creators are taking their time with it, which is a bigger indicator. The Hobbit had a director change part way through and then the studio wouldn't give an extension on the release date, which made definitely Desolation of Smaug and The Battle of Five Armies rushed. You can just tell even in the editing process, they rushed it and didn't take the same time and care as they did with the LOTR trilogy.