The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power creators J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay explain why season 2 won’t incorporate any feedback from fans. Debuting on Prime Video last month, The Rings of Power chronicles the rise of dark forces in Middle-earth during the Second Age. The series, which is based on the works of British author J.R.R Tolkien, is set thousands of years before the events of Peter Jackson’s acclaimed The Lord of the Rings movies. Widely considered to be one of the most expensive TV shows ever made, The Rings of Power season 1 consists of 8 episodes, with season 2 already in production in the UK.
The season 1 finale to The Rings of Power features a number of exciting revelations, including the reveal that Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) is actually the Dark Lord Sauron himself. Not only that but it was also revealed that the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) is an Istar, the same race as wizards like Gandalf and Saruman. Despite many aspects of season 1 proving generally popular, The Rings of Power has been the subject of intense debate online, with many fans not liking how Payne and McKay have adapted Tolkien’s source material. The Rings of Power season 1 currently holds an 82% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but some critics have pointed out that the show’s pacing and narrative momentum has room for improvement.
In a recent interview with Vulture, creators J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay discuss their approach to fan feedback heading into The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2. While acknowledging that season 2 will incorporate many of their own learnings from making season 1, fan feedback hasn’t necessarily factored into their approach. Check out comments from Payne and McKay below:
J.D. Payne: “We’re certainly listening to the critics and to our audiences. You don’t want to give any one voice too much weight, but figure out what people are responding to in the aggregate. I don’t know if I want to point to any specifics.”
Patrick McKay: “My immediate reaction to that question is no. Not that we aren’t paying attention to the response the show is having; I don’t know how you could shut it out. But the second season has been written for some time now, and the storytelling grows and goes in different directions. That is informed by what we learned on season one on our own. There are things that seemed to really work and others that didn’t work as well as we might have hoped. The storytelling will be different next time, not because of the response to the show, but because of the experience of making the show for us.”
Why The Rings Of Power Season 1 Divided Fans
While there have been many legitimate criticisms regarding season 1, it can’t be ignored that The Rings of Power was the subject of intense criticism before its first episode even aired. The decision to cast Black actors in Elf and Harfoot roles quickly sparked a racist backlash, which prompted a number of original The Lord of the Rings actors to defend The Rings of Power cast. Outside of this non-constructive form of backlash, The Rings of Power has also been criticized for genuine narrative issues and some episodes’ seemingly trivial plot lines as they relate to the overarching story being told.
For as much criticism as the show receives, however, The Rings of Power has also garnered a passionate fan base. Considering its massive budget, the show has managed to bring the world of Middle-earth to life in a way that rivals Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The series is also evidently drawing heavily from Tolkien’s works, in particular his themes regarding the power of hope and the ability of ordinary folk to generate big changes. It remains to be seen how The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will evolve in season 2, but it’s clear that McKay and Payne very much have their own plan that they’re sticking to.
