Amazon doesn't care that fans hate 'The Rings of Power'

 Amazon doesn't care that fans hate 'The Rings of Power': Why the series works better by "betraying" Tolkien

Fans are not at all happy with the series. Perhaps that is precisely the strategy:

By now it is clear that fans are one of the most difficult troubles for companies in today's entertainment industry to manage and predict their products. Their virulent campaigns of direct harassment of stars or directors , or their discrediting campaigns on social networks or review bombing can ruin series, video games and films that, in another era, would have had much healthier careers.

The Crystal Generation. The analysis of the fan phenomenon and its current relationship with franchises ( Marvel , ' The Lord of the Rings ', ' Star Wars ') that in the past received a more or less unconditional adhesion, is a complex task that goes beyond the intention of this article. Let us make it clear, however, that although the force of the fans as a pressure group has always existed (from the appearance of the first fan fictions of series like 'Star Trek ' to communication through media such as the readers' mail sections of comics and magazines), they have never before had the impact that they have today thanks to the Internet.

How much is there? Another question is whether that impact really matters. And here, again, it's hard to quantify with data: series like 'The Acolyte' seem to have been cancelled due to fan opposition , but is that the real reason? The ratings seemed good , but... can we really blame the fans for such a big decision by Disney, which has no problem releasing a remake of 'The Little Mermaid' with an African-American protagonist? Because 'The Boys' has suffered a similar rejection in its last season for its openly progressive message (which it has always had , but many seem to have realized now), and the series continues to have excellent ratings. To what extent does this fan force really determine the future of series, films and video games?

The case of 'The Rings of Power'. Another series that doesn't seem to be too affected by the open rejection of fans is 'The Rings of Power' : there is possibly no other recent series more rejected outright by anti-woke activists, which has manifested itself, for example, in very low scores on Rotten Tomatoes , which led Amazon, consequently, to close the scores on IMDB and the Prime Video platform itself. But the audiences seem to have been sufficient for Amazon (although there are no definitive figures, but external studies do), or at least, it thinks that they will grow enough in season 2. In this case, despite the bad press, Amazon is moving forward with its very expensive proposal.

Why so much hate? The reasons for fans' rejection of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' are parallel to complaints against other series for the inclusion of progressive policies in their fictions. Here, these policies are theoretically contrary to Tolkien's original novels, starting with the multiracial and inclusive casts or the female lead role. These are complaints that do not take into account that Tolkien's work dates back to the fifties, with all its inherited prejudices from that time, but the series has also generated protests for much more circumstantial "betrayals" of the original: characters and settings that do not match what Tolkien narrated or the way Amazon fills in the "blank spaces" left by the author.

What if that's how it's supposed to be? One possibility that fans haven't considered is that the series isn't made exclusively for them. To recoup the estimated $400 million it costs each season, Amazon may need to appeal to broader groups than hard-core Tolkien fans. There are certainly many of them, but fewer than the general public of adventure and fantasy fans, and fewer than the viewers who might be drawn to a blockbuster.

There is room for everyone. To give an exaggerated but pertinent example: Disney produces, inspired by its Marvel and Star Wars properties, animated series aimed at very young audiences, even preschoolers, and which, needless to say, continually betray the canon of these franchises. They are official products, but they do not attract the attention of fans. Why? Obviously, because they are not products for them: they are aimed at a much younger audience who are not afraid of representation quotas or strong women.

Fragmented narrative. It is, as we say, an exaggerated example, but something comparable could happen with 'The Rings of Power'. That is why the narrative structure of Tolkien's novels is openly betrayed, perhaps outdated for a viewer accustomed to the dynamics of current series. The choral and fragmented narrative, absent in the original books, is present in the series, as is the structure of small mysteries that are resolved as the action progresses, essential to create a cliffhanger structure completely removed from Tolkien's books.

The main villain. In fact, the most attractive thing (so far) about the second season of 'The Rings of Power' is that it has made Sauron the centre of attention after having functioned as a MacGuffin in the first season. These are absolutely modern narrative structures that Tolkien would have repudiated (among other things, for not presenting an absolutely negative image of the villain, something that would have gone against his Catholic convictions). But it is undoubtedly the most groundbreaking and interesting thing about this second season.

Should we betray the fan? As much as we like any series that is dedicated to sabotaging the expectations of its most rancid fans, no, it is not necessary. But neither is it necessary, as is clear, to take a radically contrary position, and to produce stories that are only altars of homage to the fandom. 'Rings of Power' has experienced a sudden rise in interest with the sinister imagery and ambiguous tone that Sauron has provided to the first episodes of the second season. If they had to roll some fans' heads to achieve this... so be it.