Is the writing better than the first season in your opinion? I don't have high expectations after watching first season. :)

Not noticed any obvious change from Season One. I'm not keen on fan fiction, so not sure how the writing stacks up against other Peter Jackson LOTR fan fiction.

I admit I don’t watch RoP for its writing 🙈

I really enjoyed these first three episodes. I won't labour the obvious, it's all over the place when judged on the source material but unlike season one's three episode premiere I feel that they understand better where they are going with it. I also felt the editing was much better, longer chunks that have a more chapter feel to them rather than a rush of insane flipping. That might just be better pacing and thus not strictly true, but it feels that way. I thought they handled the Sauron stuff well, again, discounting what we actually know from source material.

That is interesting, thank you for the info, much appreciated!

In my opinion the writing of these first three episodes has slightly improved comparing with season 1; on the other hand the need to correct several absurd things inherited from S1 had its costs and some scenes still do not make any sense (I don't include any examples to avoid spoilers - is there a way to mark a text as hidden?).

In general I cannot understand why the showrunners, with all the freedom the 2nd age had to offer, still felt the need to radically alter what was written by Tolkien without apparent reasons...

Still the series has some good elements (the visuals, the environments and the music for sure) and the merit to touch some interesting subjects (the irredeemability of orcs, the economy of Moria, etc.)

I’ve just finished episode two, it’s clear to me now that they are moving further away from the source material than closer to it. Some of it works great as a generic fantasy story that happens to have many of the sub-creative properties of Arda. However some of the lazy writing and plot devices from season one still exist or are explained away with a few minutes of dialogue.

Still can’t stand Galadriel, she’s still stubborn and oblivious

Elrond is better, but seems more like a child than he did is season one.

Gil-Galad has no sense of urgency when he obviously should, and is pretty unlikable in general.

Cirdan is well cast, but makes a couple head scratching decisions from the moment he’s introduced.

The Dwarves and Kazad-dum are still a highlight of the show, I particularly like the concept of rock singers.

The elven rings (which are inexplicably made before the other RoP) seem to possess some of the same qualities as the One?

Adar, the re-casting didn’t do this character any favors, however his back story and relationship with both Morgoth, Sauron and the Orcs is intriguing and I want to know more.

Sauron/Annatar being done pretty well, although that prologue or whatever you want to call it where Sauron is like a new CEO trying to win a board room over was terrible.

Gandalf(probably) and the halflings, are in Rhun, which I’m enjoying seeing but why did I have to sit through an hour long proto-hobbit goodbye in season one only for some to re-appear nearly immediately in season two?

I just blasted through all 3 episodes yesterday, gosh my attention was wandering at times.

Mr. Underhill wrote:

However some of the lazy writing

Absolutely - and when they had Sauron/Halbrand paraphrasing Moses ("let my people go!") it suggests the writers are being a touch too frivolous for my taste.

Mr. Underhill wrote:

Sauron/Annatar being done pretty well, although that prologue or whatever you want to call it where Sauron is like a new CEO trying to win a board room over was terrible.

Wonderful description 😆

Halbrand saying “ let my people go” seemed a straightforward and pretty reasonable way to ask Adar to let “his” people go, where’s the frivolity in that ?

Gerryt wrote:

Halbrand saying “ let my people go” seemed a straightforward and pretty reasonable way to ask Adar to let “his” people go, where’s the frivolity in that ?

I found it frivolous as it seemed to me to be a deliberate nod to the Moses-Pharaoh dynamic. If it was entirely accidental, fair enough, but if not, I find that kind of thing frivolous (a little too much of a knowing wink by the writers).