Pretty sure Artemis was in the works long before this. If you want to talk suspiciously convenient timing, look at the intervention in Venezuela just before before Iran.

It’s Maundy Thursday, and Wednesday is Spy Wednesday

I only watched maybe half the first episode but saw a lot of the arguing online. From what I gather based on what other people said it’s not a great adaptation but the creators were constrained by licensing. Someone said if you forget it’s LOTR and just treat it as its own thing it’s not half bad.

I lost interest because I initially heard it would be about the second age, and I was really really hoping it was going to be about the fall of Numenor.

Also Galadriel being abrasive and domineering fits her character. She followed Feanor out of Aman because she wanted land and people to rule, and she’s mellowed a lot by the time the fellowship meets her in LOTR.

I agree 100%. They just escaped the old forest and haven’t encountered the Barrow Wights. It’s a nice interlude in between. I often go back just to read that section.

People argue that Bombadil isn’t well explained and comes out of nowhere, but I think if you put LOTR against the myths it was emulating it makes sense. The fact nobody knows who he is, including Gandalf, who was around for Arda’s creation, adds depth to the worldbuilding.

I think he’s more anchored in the story than people think, too. They explicitly mention him at the council of Elrond, and explain why he’d be a bad ring bearer despite the ring not affecting him.

One of my English classes in college focused on remakes and retellings, and I wrote an essay comparing the books to the films. HOnestly can’t remember what I wrote but when I told the professor what I was writing about the first thing she said was “You’re going to say why they cut Tom Bombadil?”

Come on big money, no whammies… awww sheep liver fluke again

*squeaky voices chanting in unison* No taxation without representation!