Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for the first two episodes of The Rings of Power.
Fantasy, among many things, can be a deadly serious business for those who have become won over by the wide-ranging stories told in the equally expansive genre. At times, it can almost feel like they have the same power as a faith with its adherents devoutly following every new announcement with religious fervor. This has been felt once more in the build-up to the new series The Rings of Power, a story set long before the events of Peter Jackson’s beloved original The Lord of the Rings adaptation. A high bar has been set with every new trailer being pored over and dissected to see if this new tale will hold up to what has come before. Now, with us all getting the chance to evaluate the rather promising first two episodes of the series, that conversation has reached a fever pitch. There are takes and analyses galore about what we can expect in the weeks ahead. Through it all, praise has been given to the visuals and scope of the story, even though it is only just getting started.
However, even with some pacing issues in these opening chapters, there is also something to be appreciated in the series willing to be whimsical. While some of the best fantasy stories can be quite weighty affairs full of reflections on the forces of good and evil in their world, they also benefit greatly from a healthy dose of mischievousness. In the original films, some of the best lines and moments came from when it leaned into humor. It is this sprinkling of lightheartedness that further establishes character relationships and stakes. After all, when we witness the joy to be had in friends poking fun at each other, we see the parts of life that are worth protecting. When Frodo (Elijah Wood) first meets Gandalf (Ian McKellen), the first thing the two old friends do is tease each other with a familiarity that is genuinely fun. The playfulness makes the peril they face all the more impactful. While it is still early in the new series, we are seeing the value of this take shape once more. Even as proverbial storm clouds are gathering on the horizon, the small glimpses of light amidst the darkness shines through.
It is felt in the many scenes of the Harfoots, the ancestors to our familiar Hobbit friends, and the discovery two of them make of a giant being who has fallen from the sky. The relationship between Poppy Proudfellow (Megan Richards) and Elanor 'Nori' Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh) could easily feel like a distraction in comparison to the enormous conflict unfolding elsewhere in the world. What makes it all work is how their silly shenanigans are interwoven with the impending crisis. A moment where Nori pops her head over the enormous book of the elder Sadoc Burrows (Lenny Henry) is a cute visual gag that then becomes bittersweet when he offers an ominous warning. It establishes a more simple tranquility and peaceful life that is then dashed when the enormous comet carrying the aforementioned mysterious being crashes down into their world. That Poppy and Nori then attempt to sneak him away to take care of him is appropriately absurd. After they sneakily get the supplies they need to move him, they stop to bicker and lose track of a stolen cart that then begins rolling down a hill behind them. Hearing a shouted “great goats” as they then chase after him is a joyous visual joke. The bond they're forming is one of the foundations of a good fantasy story.
It is also felt when Elrond (Robert Aramayo) attempts to repair an alliance with the dwarves for an expansive construction project. This comes in the second episode, where we get taken into the magnificent Kingdom of Khazad-dûm which is buried deep under a mountain. It is there where we meet the delightful couple of Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) and Princess Disa (Sophia Nomvete). Elrond had shown up there expecting to be welcomed with “open arms” as a former friend of Durin. Instead, he gets the cold shoulder when arriving at their front door. He manages to talk his way inside, but then must take part in a stone-smashing competition with Durin. It is a scene that one could easily scoff at for how silly it is, as the two literally go back and forth just hitting rocks as the crowd drunkenly cheers. It is a sport, full of spectacle and ego that culminates in Elrond yielding to his friend. He manages to talk to him, and we learn that Durin is hurt that they have not spoken in 20 years. While this is the blink of an eye to an elf, it is a lifetime to a dwarf and the pain he feels was the reason for the way he wanted to beat him in the prior contest. When he then begrudgingly lets Elrond meet Disa and his lovely family, complete with kids playing with helmets, it is all rather sweet. We get to see Durin continuing to put on a front that he is mad while chasing away his kids, but the gruff exterior slowly begins to melt away. A humble dinner that they all share sees them eventually smooth over their past differences, one of the more heartfelt moments as the friends reconnect. It then makes the subsequent revelation that Durin is keeping things from Elrond a more devastating detail which is made richer because of all the build-up that preceded it.
It is this tonal variety that is central to what makes fantasy stories like this so great. Even with the horrors to be found in a magical world, from an enormous sea monster to the looming presence of evil that is returning, there are plenty of humorous aspects as well. Even a decapitated gory head of a creature slammed down on a table takes on a more quirky quality, turning something rather terrifying into an amusing moment. The show has a lot of intense emotions swirling around it, but these enjoyable moments are worth appreciating as well. Not only do they end up deepening the story, but they also build out the world and its players in key ways. Just as they elicit earned chuckles, they establish a real sense of care for the characters and their lives. While the show certainly has a long road ahead and plenty of work still left to do to win over skeptical audiences, these first two episodes are promising precisely because of this more playful tone. Not only is it fun in the moments themselves, but is the type of crucial character work that will pay dividends as the show continues on in the weeks ahead.