With the news about The Acolyte’s cancelation, following a string of other high-profile cuts spanning across networks and streaming giants, the conversation about letting shows find their audience has been bubbling over. So has the vicious online discourse that pushes shows like this off the map. There have been far more nuanced takes and in-depth think pieces covering this topic lately; my thoughts lie with another series and the way it has avoided such a misstep: The Rings of Power.
Season 2 just debuted to critical and audience acclaim and shows no sign of slowing down for the inevitable slew of backlash that comes with any property that features diversity. It’s not like this backlash magically sprung into being; it was there in force for season 1, and yet season 2 has continued with the story it always meant to tell. And in its strength, it highlights the glaring problem that many of us have with so many other shows: There’s no time—or desire—to become invested in stories because they inevitably get scrapped.
Let’s compare the moves Amazon is making with The Rings of Power to the moves Disney is making with Star Wars, for example. Star Wars is the far bigger franchise—in fact, it’s one of the biggest franchises still holding court today. Its releases will make money regardless; people will show up, just because it’s Star Wars. And yet, Disney dooms many of its properties from the start because it doesn’t give them a chance to find their audience, canceling them before word of mouth can translate to viewership. Or else, decision-makers spend too much time listening to the worst of the fandom, the racist and misogynist internet trolls who hate the property and its cast simply for existing. Or maybe it’s the bottom line—network executives cut these properties off when they inevitably don’t make more money or bring in more viewership than the last series, especially without an equal marketing push behind them. Perhaps it’s a mix of all three.
Amazon, on the other hand, knew The Lord of the Rings is a franchise with a guaranteed audience and return. And the company invested a hell of a lot of money into it, while also putting its faith in the series’ longevity, signing The Rings of Power on for fifty hours, or five seasons. While Amazon could probably still cancel TROP if it wanted, this roadmap offers far more reassurance than most TV shows get these days.
This also allows the show creators to fully take their time with telling the story they want to. It gives them the freedom to push boundaries. Which, I would argue, is far more difficult to do with LOTR than Star Wars: J.R.R. Tolkien was meticulous in his research and writing, while Star Wars lore is more open due to the ongoing additions by many different creative hands. You would think that would give Star Wars more room to create new stories—but it seems parts of the fandom don’t want to grow, preferring to see the same thing over and over. In contrast, TROP’s decision—albeit motivated by complicated studio rights—to focus on pulling from The Silmarillion and the appendices from The Lord of the Rings, has actually managed to create more space in an otherwise solidly defined lore. Using these companion texts is a smart move that allows the writers to adapt and shape a new story rather than rehash ones we’ve seen before.
It seems part of the problem is that many networks have forgotten what it takes to build a franchise. Instead of investing in new stories, Star Wars keeps repeating the same beats and themes that worked in the past, while throwing away anything remotely bold, like The Acolyte. This means a gigantic and highly loyal audience is becoming jaded; why believe in or watch something when it won’t go anywhere? Or, worse still, why invest in a story that might get completely wiped from the lore itself? And for what—because of racist and misogynist pushback from the worst so-called fans who can’t accept any kind of change?
Here’s the kicker: The original Star Wars trilogy, or even the early 2000s trilogy, wouldn’t have been made today. Because the executives and studios in charge in 2024 would never have given the story enough time to play out the way it did. If the internet had existed back when the original films came out, these so-called fans would’ve had issues with the characters and storytelling too.
Now, it’s not as if The Rings of Power hasn’t had its fair share of racist and misogynist backlash. The actors have spoken out about the negativity and cruel remarks they’ve faced (something which definitely needs to be addressed—as a society, we must do better). Within the very first day of its premiere, season 2 was being review-bombed, causing fans to rally and try to bring the ratings back up. I have seen arguments unfold about character additions, timeline switching, and even how Orcs procreate (most of which cite Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, which isn’t canon either…but I digress). The LOTR fandom can be just as toxic as the Star Wars fandom—but The Rings of Power creators aren’t changing the story they want to tell based on the cries of a few.
Instead, what The Rings of Power has done is asked its audience to let the story unfold. This is truly a show that takes its time to build the world and its people up in order to fully immerse you in the story. The writers have also made sure that not only is the source material respected and honored throughout, but the show translates to an on-screen medium in a way that can bring new fans in. While some fans may not agree with any changes to the original texts, striking the balance between fan service and telling a cohesive story is tough. And it’s something The Rings of Power does extremely well.
More importantly, the show recognizes that there will always be haters who believe the Tolkien word is gospel and shouldn’t be messed with in the slightest. Or haters that go beyond such quibbles and delve into racist and misogynist rhetoric. But they are in the minority; there are many Tolkien buffs who are enamored with the small details, the beautiful cinematic sequences, and the beloved characters brought to life.
Then there are those who are more casual consumers. The average viewer isn’t online listening to the trolls. The average viewer may have never picked up a Tolkien book, or may have only seen the LOTR film trilogy. They may even be here simply because they’re a fantasy fan. All of these viewers are valid, by the way (and if anyone tries to tell you otherwise, I’ll smack them with one of my many hefty Tolkien tomes). While this show is definitely made by Tolkien fans, with Tolkien fans in mind, it is not made to pander to people who don’t understand adaptations are just that—adaptations. There’s simply no pleasing everyone, and this show isn’t afraid of that.
The Rings of Power was always going to be successful; many LOTR fans were going to show up regardless. But by not listening to those few negative voices who will never be happy, The Rings of Power has become a show that is growing its story steadily and well, giving us a second season that does not sideline characters due to backlash, while allowing room for new adventures to be told within Middle-earth. And with that growth, they are achieving the kind of cult-level success Disney is constantly striving for.
Because investing in stories and allowing them space to grow and flourish has always been what makes franchises truly successful. Creating bold stories that push boundaries is what ensures these franchises not only move into the future, but shape it.
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Oh, and to the “fans” who want to stomp all over others’ enjoyment because of some misguided (and typically un-researched) notion that The Rings of Power isn’t Tolkien-esque? Go touch grass—it’s what Tolkien would’ve wanted.
