LOTR: The Rings of Power continues to expand the mythos of Tolkien’s high fantasy world for the small screen. Episode two is titled “Adrift,” and again follows Galadriel as she makes her way back to Middle Earth across the Sundering Seas. Elrond travels to the Dwarven kingdom of Khazad-dûm to meet an old friend, and Arondir the elf soldier investigates an underground tunnel system. Meanwhile, the halfling Nori Brandyfoot tries to aid a mysterious stranger who has fallen from the sky.

I found this episode to be a marked improvement over the initial one. Elrond was strong here and I enjoyed seeing his relationship with the Dwarf Prince Durin, as well as the smith Celebrimbor. The actors have some fun chemistry and it helps make Elrond a more likable protagonist. Galadriel is still a little stiff for my taste, but I liked seeing the ocean of Middle Earth explored in her storyline here. Unfortunately, it does bring up a few issues in the writing. Rather than just having Galadriel travel from point A to B, we get a somewhat overly dramatic version that requires some leaps in logic to truly believe.

The new characters in this episode are also solid. Galadriel meets a man by the name of Halbrand from the Southlands. Actor Charlie Vickers is certainly channeling Aragorn with his performance here. I could, however, see Halbrand’s character going in a darker direction, which would be a nice change of pace.

I also was intrigued by Halbrand, or “the stranger,” but it is unfortunate that his arc is linked so closely with two of the least interesting characters to me. I personally would like to see a departure from Hobbits as major characters in this series. Considering they are a central focus for the entirety of the Third Age, I wish the other races could claim the spotlight here. It doesn’t help that Nori’s storyline is turning out to be another inferior retelling of The Hobbit.

Another highlight for me in this episode was Arondir’s storyline. The orcs look fantastic and there are some great editing choices here that emphasize the terror of the race. Bronwyn, the human is a little more interesting now that she is separated from Arondir, which was honestly surprising, as I was convinced they would have been tied to one another until the end.

I am looking for a little more depth in the story. Each age of Tolkien’s world is constructed according to strong central themes. So far we have some hints of the struggle between mortality and immortality. I like this theme for the Second Age, but I wish it would be conveyed a little more powerfully through visuals as opposed to strictly overt dialogue. I’m also hoping that the relationship with nature can be explored more as this is another core theme throughout all of Tolkien’s works. Considering the visuals are so beautiful here, I think it is something that would help LOTR: The Rings of Power to feel closer to the source material rather than another generic fantasy show.

While I feel better about this episode, there are still some lingering issues here. Nonetheless, I’m remaining cautiously optimistic about the future for LOTR: The Rings of Power. I think it’s too early to write it off completely, and I don’t expect it to adapt things perfectly either. If you watch this expecting a close adaptation you will no doubt be disappointed, but if you just want something fun to watch I think there are worse shows out there.

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LOTR: The Rings of Power Episode 2

6

Score

6.0/10

Pros

• Elrond's and Durin's relationship
• The Orcs

Cons

• Hobbits are boring
• Logic leaps for the sake of drama