Lord of the Rings & Game of Thrones New Shows
Photo of “House of the Dragon” trailer via Youtube and HBO Max
The second half of this year has seen the release of two of the biggest TV shows in history, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon. Both of these shows recently had their series premiere, which fans of these shows have been patiently waiting for. For Game of Thrones fans, this new series is of great importance as it will potentially return the greatness of the original series.
This is the first Lord of the Rings show ever, and brings Middle-Earth back to the screen since the disappointing and mostly forgettable The Hobbit trilogy. However, these series aren’t just big for the anticipation and devotion by millions of fans, but for the amount of money being put into these first seasons.
Amazon has spent 715 million dollars on The Rings of Power, making it the most expensive show ever made, while HBO dropped a substantial 200 million dollars on House of the Dragon. The release of both of these series has brought plenty of discourse within the fanbase, as they both are competing large-budget fantasy shows. That brings on the big question: Are either of the shows worth your time?
Before I go any further, I have to make a major confession. I have never seen Game of Thrones. It's one of the biggest shows ever made and one of the massive cultural signifiers of the 2010s, but I honestly never got around to watching the series. The major reason why I never watched the show was because of the vitriolic reception to the final season. House of the Dragon didn’t initially grab me in its marketing, but I decided to watch this time, considering it was a prequel and didn’t rely on the vast knowledge of the previous series.
After watching House of the Dragon’s first three episodes, I can confidently say this show is good for many reasons. As someone who knows nothing about the world of Game of Thrones, this show is very accessible to a new audience. Although there is the occasional line mentioning a family or location that might be unfamiliar to a casual viewer, the show is focused on its central cast of characters. The plot rarely breaks away from Targaryen House and the overwhelming responsibility they have over the fate of Westeros. The standout performance of the series so far is by Paddy Considine as King Viserys I. His performance as a king and admirable leader who is stretched too thin with his responsibilities brings an almost pitiful level to his character that is fascinating to watch.
Although the show is only three episodes in, each of the characters' motivations are already adequately set, and the political intrigue of the plot is flowing. I don’t think any character in House of the Dragon is a righteous individual as they scheme to better themselves and their faction, but it's impossible not to be sucked into such a complex yet familiar world. I would recommend watching House of the Dragon as the slow burn to its finale will feature some epic battles and shocking betrayals.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiered a week after House of the Dragon on Amazon Prime and was also not initially of interest to me. This is strange considering The Lord of the Rings films are some of my favorite films ever made. However, the marketing for Rings of Power just didn’t seem like anything special, particularly following the trilogy. Upon watching the first episode, it felt like it should have instantly taken me back to my previous perceptions of the show. The opening 15 minutes of the first episode features a visual and audio segment of the early history of Middle-Earth as you view centuries of the conquering and clashing of the armies of Middle-Earth. However, this opening doesn’t properly represent the rest of The Rings of Power.
As for the two episodes that are out, I would say the show is not terrible, but is middle of the road and the worst thing a show can be: boring. Unlike the aforementioned House of the Dragon which features constant character and story development, Rings of Power feels stagnant. The show is currently broken up into multiple different plot points which are all uninteresting and makes the plot overall drag throughout its hour-long episodes. The show's dialogue doesn’t feature the political intrigue similar to House of the Dragon, but more importantly struggles to capture the adventure, wonder, beauty and emotion of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The Rings of Power isn’t without its good parts though. Its special effects are extremely impressive, the score by Bear McCreary is a worthy successor to the iconic music of the original trilogy by Howard Shore and the costume and production design are incredible. Yet, the millions of dollars that Amazon put into this project still won’t fix the stark, soulless and corporate feel of The Rings of Power. The show may have a weak start that could develop into a truly amazing finale, but if the pacing issues, overall uninteresting plot and characters aren’t quickly addressed, Amazon should probably have put their 715 million dollars to something else.
If you are interested in watching either show, House of the Dragon is currently streaming on HBO Max with new episodes coming out Sunday nights and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is on Amazon Prime Video with new episodes coming out Friday nights.