Amazon Prime Video has a lot riding on The Rings of Power, making season 2’s Rotten Tomatoes praise an enormous win for the streaming service. Like any adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and his expanded legendarium, The Rings of Power season 1 was met with excruciating pressure, receiving a divisive response from both audiences and critics. The Rings of Power season 2 reviews, however, have seen the show in a kinder light. Given the enormous budget Amazon has committed to the series, this is surely a huge relief.

On the Lord of the Rings timeline, The Rings of Power is set during the Second Age, squishing together thousands of years of Tolkien’s lore into a planned five-season arc. This takes place thousands of years before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring, examining Sauron’s initial rise to power through the forging of the rings of power and, of course, the One Ring. Season 2 has put Sauron on full display now that he’s come out of hiding, with audiences able to follow him on his path of deception as he begins to craft the rings.

The Rings Of Power’s Consistently High Critic Score Is A Big Win

The Rings Of Power Critic Score Increased By Nearly 10%

On Rotten Tomatoes, The Rings of Power season 2 has been met with a 92% score from critics. This is a significant jump from season 1’s 83%, and many reviews have stated a notable jump in quality and narrative pacing. It makes sense that season 1 may have had its struggles. There’s an enormous amount of pressure laid out by the gold standard of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and Tolkien’s writing, and meeting everyone’s expectations was always going to be impossible. Not to mention, season 1 had to lay the narrative for dozens of characters.

Between Sauron and The Stranger, season 1’s events were often overshadowed by the questions regarding these two main mysteries. Now that both of those questions have been (sort of) answered, the Amazon Prime series has more freedom to explore its characters. Actor Charlie Vickers’ performance as the Dark Lord has been met with outstanding praise, especially now that the show has embraced his dynamic with Charles Edwards’ Celebrimbor. Their pairing and the forging of the titular rings of power should continue to be a highlight.

The Rings Of Power’s Season 2 Audience Score Is Even Better News For Amazon

The Rings Of Power Is Winning Over Audiences

Image via Prime Video

Season 1 saw an abysmal 38% score while season 2 has a considerably improved 68%

Even more essential than the Rotten Tomatoes critic scores is the fact that The Rings of Power’s season 2 audience score took a massive leap. Season 1 saw an abysmal 38% score while season 2 has a considerably improved 68%. Needless to say, The Rings of Power is winning over its audience after a rough start. It’s often the case with long-awaited returns to major franchises where the media can be met with an initial abrasive response from audiences. Consider the Star Wars prequels, for example, and how audiences have shifted in opinion over time.

That’s not to say The Rings of Power will ever be perceived similarly to the prequels, but the point is to acknowledge that unmet expectations can often be met with the most negative responses. Prime Video’s show isn’t the same as Peter Jackson’s films, but by giving it some time and embracing the creators’ new perspective on Tolkien’s mythology, the reception has improved. There are tangible improvements in season 2’s storytelling to account for, but it seems likely that many viewers just needed to ease into the show’s differences.

Why The Rings Of Power’s RT Audience Score Is Still Significantly Lower

The Rings Of Power Is Divisive Among Lord Of The Rings Fans

Image via Prime Video

Despite improvements in both categories, there’s still a notable gap between the Audience Score and the Tomatometer from critics. Regardless of many fans growing more receptive to The Rings of Power, there’s still a significant number who dislike the series. In some ways, these points of criticism aren’t entirely unreasonable, either. The TV show’s massive budget allows for it to be a visual spectacle compared to most television, and while there is a cinematic beauty to it, there are also many aesthetic choices that have garnered more criticism.

In a broader sense, The Rings of Power being developed by Prime Video and having such a massive budget creates a baseline antagonism toward the series. The idea becomes that, with all of that money, the show shouldn’t have any problems at all. It’s easier to critique a series for its minor flaws when it has the resources to avoid them. The most important factor may be that adapting Tolkien is almost always going to be met with divisive responses, but The Rings of Power trudges on regardless.