Just two episodes into what amounts to a four-hour premiere — Season 3’s first four installments are all being released simultaneously — The Rings of Power has clearly leveled up from its already much-improved second season. Its unique blend of shades-of-grey espionage, scary sword and sorcery, and familiar Tolkien ideas and beats cleverly recontextualized makes it stand out in a crowded epic SFF field. You just have to leave your Silmarillion at the door. But if you’ve ever read The Children of Húrin you know Tolkien could do dark with the best of them, too.
I reviewed the second episode of The Rings of Power Season 3 for Decider.
Tags: decider, fantasy, the lord of the rings: the rings of power, TV, TV reviews