The Battle of the Streaming Epics between HBO’s “House of the Dragon” and Amazon’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” has been eagerly anticipated by audiences for months.
I love how much fun it is. Jeff Bezos and Warner Bros. are viciously competing for our business, treating us like the coolest girl in school. You’re welcome to bring my books to class, Jeff!
The TV showdown is just as cunning as Cersei Lannister’s attempt to seize the Iron Throne. The high-budget television shows both had their premieres within two weeks of one another; they include plenty of gorgeous platinum blond people with British accents, epic fights, and a tonne of characters with awkward names that we can all barely spell.
Additionally, they are making their debut at a prime time when a few big-budget movies are being released. The following blockbuster series film, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” is scheduled for release in November. Our hunger for pricey fantasy is being sated by the dual releases of “Rings of Power” and “House of the Dragon.”
However, the battle is over in terms of overall quality and, I predict, audience response after Thursday at 9 p.m. when “Rings” makes its debut. “Rings” are burned by “Dragon.”
Some members of the culturati will stoically assert that you cannot draw any comparisons between these two totally distinct shows. But I say, dweebs, reserve that measured hippie language for your commune in Southern California! Let’s engage these two men in a brutal fight to the death.
First, the key figures: are Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) in “Rings” and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) in “Dragon.”
Elves like Galadriel have the drawback of being enigmatic, ethereal, and monotonous. She was a grandiose intervener who made random appearances, gave us the creeps, and then disappeared when Cate Blanchett played her in Peter Jackson’s wonderful “Lord of the Rings” film trilogy. Fabulous. The younger version is now a formidable fighter and receives the majority of the screen time, along with fellow infant elf Elrond, in the television series “Rings,” which Clark portrays. It’s similar to how George Lucas made Yoda perform backflips in the “Star Wars” prequels when he transformed him from a wise, all-knowing entity into a tenacious combatant. Why?
On the other hand, Rhaenyra is a dragon-flier who is descended from a royal dynasty that enjoys nothing more than incest. Currently, viewers are speculating as to whether her uncle intends to murder her or, you know. No contest exists between these two.
What about the content? The “Appendices” to “Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien served as the basis for “Rings.” They essentially equate to a dry Wikipedia entry of background knowledge on Middle Earth. They are essentially unintelligible. Like Peter Jackson made a mistake with his “Hobbit” movies, creators Patrick McKay and John D. Payne have blown them up into a shapeless mush of overacting elves, dwarfs, and hobbits.
Meanwhile, “Dragon” is based on the book “Fire & Blood” by George R.R. Martin. Martin is a talented screenwriter in addition to writing books with movies in mind. He penned some excellent “Thrones” episodes, and this time he is listed as a creator of the new HBO program. His complex, intensely dramatic stories seamlessly transition to the big screen.
The wait is almost over. #TheRingsOfPower debuts tonight:
🕘: September 1 at 9pm ET
🕑: September 2 at 2am UKWeekly episodes available Fridays at 12am ET, only on @PrimeVideo. pic.twitter.com/boyILTJ7eV
— The Lord of the Rings on Prime (@LOTRonPrime) September 1, 2022
Production value is another factor. The rumored $715 million price tag for “Rings” (some sources claim the cost could be as high as $1 billion) makes it the most pricey TV program in history. I simply can’t see it. The series lacks the Oscar-winning “Lord of the Rings” films’ sophistication, attention to detail, and cinematic weight. It all appears to be green-screened. The visual effects resemble those in video games.
The sets for King’s Landing and Dragonstone in “House of the Dragon,” which costs roughly half as much, are just as solid and convincing as those in “Game of Thrones.” The kings and princes don’t appear ridiculous in their fancy robes and wigs (in “Rings,” they appear as though they got lost on the way to a Renaissance Faire), and the dragons are just as fascinating as the “Jurassic Park” T-Rex.
What a shame for us “Lord of the Rings” lovers who were so thrilled when Tolkien’s masterpieces transformed cinema forever and elevated fantasy from the realm of “Dungeons and Dragons” clubs to the majestic heights of popular culture.
Middle Earth is now only a component of another poorly developed, enormous TV and film “universe.” “Rings” will undoubtedly perform well at first thanks to a great brand and a lot of marketing buzz, but viewers will find it difficult to commit to a program with no characters to root for and a confusing plot.
Even though Daenerys may have failed in her attempt to claim the Iron Throne, the Targaryens triumph in the battle for my couch.
FAQs
How many episodes will House of the Dragon have?
2
Is Ring of Power the predecessor?
The prequel series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, which debuts on Thursday on Amazon Prime, marks the start of a new era for the LOTR series and for Amazon, which aims to dominate the fantasy streaming market. Marvel Studios and Star Wars are also on Disney Plus.
That is the man who descended from the skies wearing power rings?
In the realm of the Harfoots, Nori (Markella Kavenagh) visits the impact crater to look into it and discovers The Stranger (Daniel Weyman) lying unconscious in the middle. Poppy (Megan Richards) unwillingly follows her.
Is there anything I should see before Rings of Power?
It’s a fairly entertaining TV show called The Rings of Power. There are no prerequisites; all you need to do is show up on the first day of class.
I don’t have to watch Game of Thrones to watch House of Dragon.
You can watch House of the Dragon without having watched Game of Thrones, according to Hotstar.
Can you access HBO Max to watch House of Dragon?
Watch “House of the Dragon” where a fantasy television show that airs on HBO and is streamable on HBO Max.