Personally, I don't understand why The Rings of Power receives such harsh criticism from certain parts of the audience. What I see is a series with beautiful cinematography, an excellent score, impressive sets, and a world that genuinely feels alive. The season three premiere left me with a very positive impression, and I believe it shows that the series still has a lot to offer.
What I enjoyed the most was the five-year time jump. It gives the story a fresh start and helps it move forward at a better pace. I feel that things are finally getting more serious and that we are gradually heading towards major developments, with the war and the creation of the One Ring drawing closer and closer. I also enjoyed the tension between the characters, as well as the way the direction and music create that dark and mysterious atmosphere of Middle-earth.
Sometimes, I get the impression that some people have already decided that the series isn't worth watching before even giving it a fair chance. I'm not saying it's perfect or that it doesn't have its flaws. However, I believe criticism should be kept in perspective.
In fact, when I compare it to The Hobbit films, I personally prefer the approach of The Rings of Power by a considerable margin. To be honest, The Hobbit never really won me over. In my opinion, it had a rather childish approach, feeling more like a fairy tale aimed at a younger audience, which didn't quite work for me. On top of that, a relatively short story was stretched across three lengthy films, with plenty of exaggerations and far too much CGI. By contrast, The Rings of Power manages to create a darker, more atmospheric world with an identity of its own.
