Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'm just a working class American. I work all day and I try to spend time with kids, etc. or time relaxing in the evenings. And, if I'm going to watch LOTR-related material I want it to help me escape to Middle Earth...Instead I feel the need to escape this show, it's average acting, snoozy dialogue, completely forgettable music, and Tolkien-insulting story line. I've read the LOTR trilogy, The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and a couple of other Tolkien works. I loved the Peter Jackson original trilogy from 2002-2004. Knowing what I know about the original works I really wanted to keep an open mind and be forgiving of the need for adaptation. I knew they couldn't be perfectly true to the story because they didn't have all the rights to all of Tolkien's work. However, now that I've given this show 7 EPISODES to actually do anything interesting, I've decided the show MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER AND IS TOTALLY BORING! Gilgalad sends Galadriel to Valinor AS A PRIZE...when the Noldor were exiled (I think) until the 3rd age? We see allusions to the Balrog awaking in Moria 2,000 yrs earlier than Tolkien's timeline. I think Pharazon has been convincing. No one knows who Sauron is...If Halbrand ends up being Sauron I'm NOT going to finish watching the show; unless the creators/writers are fired/replaced. My guess was that to be true to the lore Sauron would be amongst the Elven smiths giving guidance to Celebrimbor as he creates the rings. Um...I guess they started building his giant tower/forge...though we only see it 1/4 finished in the background. ARE YOU SERIOUSLY TRYING TO CONVINCE US THAT CELEBORN AND ISILDUR ARE DEAD?!?!?!?! BOTH OF THESE CHARACTERS ARE ALIVE & PRESENT IN LATER EVENTS...LIKE, REALLY WELL-KNOWN EVENTS!!! This is not interesting or compelling. Okay, so the storyline has been pretty awful. The dialogue makes me want to fall asleep. Arondir guarantees the Southlanders (all 20 of them remaining) that if they try hard they'll make it till morning? ... ... ... Yeah, I have nothing to say to that. Anyway, I really don't mind that they changed the story and some of the characters. I really don't mind that they've altered the timelines. And, I don't even mind the poor, poor dialogue all that much. But, the biggest problem is that I've seen SEVEN EPISODES and the show has STILL NOT DEVELOPED (IN ME) ANY REASON TO CARE OR GIVE A HOOT ABOUT ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS. Maybe Disa & Durin. But, EVERY person on screen is uber wooden and pigeon-holed into a single emotion that they emote, all...the...time. It's terribly boring and uninteresting; and I'm really quite sad that I'm probably going to watch the whole thing and just continue to be disappointed. I recently watched a single scene from The Fellowship. Gandalf was yelling at the Balrog..."...darkness will not avail you, Flame of Udun!" The music is powerful and emotive. The other characters are almost jumping over the edge to go help Gandalf. And, Gandalf himself...his voice almost quivers. He's not quite afraid, but he is a bit intimidated. He's not perfect...even as a Maiar, he has weakness. He's not really sure if he's going to win this battle. And, in the end, he dies...but is sent back. So, it's a beautiful scene that evokes feelings for each of the characters involved. The music guides you, the dialogue isn't over the top. The acting is strong and emotional, but not blunt. Rings of Power doesn't come anywhere near this level of evocative storytelling. I feel like we're missing what this show could have been.