TV REVIEW: THE LORD OF THE RINGS - THE RINGS OF POWER: Season 2

3.5/5

The Return Of The Rings

8 Episodes. Starring: Morfydd Clark, Markella Kavenagh, Megan Richards, Robert Aramayo, Benjamin Walker, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Tyroe Muhafidin, Charles Edwards, Daniel Weyman, Owain Arthur, Charlie Vickers, Sophie Nomvete, Lloyd Owen, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Trystan Gravalle, Maxim Baldry, Ema Horvath, Leon Wadham, Sam Hazeldine, Ciarán Hinds, Rory Kinnear, Tanya Moodie, Jim Broadbent & Olivia Williams. Showrunners: J.D Payne & Patrick McKay. On: Amazon Prime.

Fall forces on the small screen will take you towards this coming winter, now the summer of 'Shōgun' and all the other Emmy ('The Bear') and personal ('Only Murders In The Building') favourites have finished (well, there's still one case left to be solved). DC and Marvel are at it again, battling with their villains 'The Penguin' and 'Agatha All Along' for the anti-hero age. But they've got nothing on 'The Old Man' of Jeff Bridges, a retiring (yeah, right) 'John Wick' type, flanked by John Lithgow. And speaking of the older generation, let's not forget 'Frasier' for all those who see family friendly comedies Paramount. But on this third rock from the sun, it's middle-earth that really wants to make a 'Game Of Thrones' like impression on the tube. That HBO series based on a world of brick building books already has its own 'House Of Dragon' spin-off. Whereas season two of 'The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power', from showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, on Amazon Prime still have their fire-breather locked deep in a cave of gold.

What lies beneath reveals more though for a pair of eight wonder seasons of 'Power' that have been met with mixed and meh reviews from critics and fans alike. But ones that are actually epic and exciting. J.R.R. Tolkien's tomes will always be the thing of legend, and only Peter Jackson has been able to carry on the legacy with his twin trilogies of 'The Lord Of The Rings' and 'The Hobbit', the latter squeezing more movies out of one book than the 'Harry Potter' finale. Jackson will return to action with 'The Hunt For Gollum' (not based on the YouTube classic) when he's finished resurrecting the Dodo. And breathing life back into this franchise takes some of the shine off 'The Rings' that could, at times, use a polish. But then again, what do you expect from a series that is based on appendices? Especially in this day and age where intellectual property of your favourite franchises is bled dry and milked for all it's worth, without a thought. In the second season of this fantasy set thousands of years before the characters you know and love, we finally get to see the rise of Dark Lord Sauron in all his evil glory. Not to mention the forging of the rings, in this epic of Biblical proportions that really belongs on a much bigger screen than your phone...not smart.

Big battles, lavish landscapes and a capable cast keeps 'The Rings Of Power' circling back, even though viewership levels have receded somewhat. Morfydd Clark, Markella Kavenagh, Megan Richards, Robert Aramayo, Benjamin Walker, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Tyroe Muhafidin, Charles Edwards, Daniel Weyman, Owain Arthur, Charlie Vickers, Sophie Nomvete, Lloyd Owen, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Trystan Gravalle, Maxim Baldry, Ema Horvath and Leon Wadham all return. Whilst Sam Hazeldine replaces Joseph Mawle. Nazanin Boniadi makes a departure off-screen. Whilst we still miss Lenny Henry's (still one of the most versatile talents for those who have heard 'The Red Shoes' click) delightful dwarf and his lovely last words. Never fear, the likes of Ciarán Hinds, Rory Kinnear, Tanya Moodie, and the legendary voices of Jim Broadbent and Olivia Williams are welcomed to a middle-earth map that has even more houses than games have thrones. Meanwhile, going back and forth, Charlie Vickers and Charles Edwards ante up the acting. Stealing the show off of stars Morfydd Clark and Robert Aramayo, like an inspired Ismael Cruz Córdova, every time he brings his bow to bear. All of this, and the stranger things of revealing who Daniel Weyman really is (as if you didn't know). For the history of 'LOTR', from Gandalf to Gollum, this show shall pass. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring', 'The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers', 'The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King'.