[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by Form

All of which is to say... the reason this thread has few replies is that it takes a LOT of time to reply to properly. I don't feel like I've answered it adequately, but I'm out of steam and bedtime looms. You get the idea, though--I hope!

Yes, as soon as I saw the thread, I said to myself "I need to reply to this." It's just a matter of finding the time to do it properly.

I'm going with the same specifications the Amazon series has: a 50-hr show, 5 seasons, 10 hours per season. Only access to LOTR and the LOTR-Appendices.

Like Huey, the main storylines of the series are the ones I like the most. The forging of the Rings, the fall of Eregion (Celebrimbor's relationship with Sauron/Annatar), the fall of Numenor and the Last Alliance. I recall before watching the series, one of the showrunners (either Payne or McKay) said the story from the 2nd Age they loved the most was Numenor. After watching season 1 and reading their comments about the fall of Numenor is a different story than LOTR, it's easy to tell they have a deeper understanding of the material than Peter Jackson. They said it's about the mortality of men and Numenor being ripped apart from within between the King's Men and the Faithful. However, I'm also in agreement with everyone else who has said just leave Numenor out of Season 1 completely.

I think that is the biggest pacing problem for me. Yes, Numenor was stunning and I like how they showed the structure with different classes. I just don't see a "need" to have Galadriel be in Numenor at all, nor have Halbrand/Sauron there at this time either. Those caused the biggest problems for me, and I feel Numenor bears the brunt of the "time compression." Which, I'm sure that time compression will have to be necessary, but it's also ok to show how time passes for Elves. I like Form's idea about this.

I've written a lot already and running short on time, so sorry if this gets brief and hard to follow...

Season 1:

Prologue was ok (I really liked the reference to the Kinslaying of Alqualonde). Narrated by Galadriel still. I would have cut Finrod's importance to Galadriel out completely though. Replace it with the cause of strife between Elves and Dwarves in the 1st Age. I don't recall what specifics are mentioned in LOTR and the Appendices, but there is I think enough references in the text that Elves and Dwarves do not get along. Showing the tension between the two races would be important for Plot B.

Plot A. The Elves relationship with Annatar/Sauron. The main elves being Gil-galad, Celebrimbor, and Galadriel, how they interact with Annatar. Forging the 3 Elven Rings.

Plot B. I'm ok with Elrond being the ambassador/link between the Elves and Dwarves, but Celebrimbor would still be involved. So, Elrond, the Durins, and Disa don't change much between how it's in the series. Remove the Elves need mithril to survive plot. Replace with Celebrimbor designing the Doors of Durin and their construction. Forging the 7 Dwarven rings.

Season 2: Heavily focused on Men, bring Numenor into the Season.

Plot A. I do like the invented Adar plot and what they have done with the orcs. I think the origin of orcs and portrayal are the best things the series have done. Adar is the character I'm most interested in, just because of the mystery and not knowing how this will eventually play out. So, keep the Adar/orcs/Numenor stuff, but put it all into Season 2 and make that the focus.

Conclude the Sauron/Adar/Southlands plot.. That is, perhaps at this time, it would still be unclear that your Sauron figure is actually Sauron. (Huey brought up a good point in another thread that you can understand the series went with a different name for "Annatar."). My "Sauron figure" would be on the side of the Southlands against Adar, Numenoreans join on the side of the Southlands and establish a foothold in Middle-earth.

Plot B. Elves and Dwarves will still be involved in the season, but they take the subplot spot in the season, to show better the passage of time. Forge the 9 Rings of Men (might be able to move forging the 7 rings to this season too).

Season 3: Sauron's out now and essentially it would follow these parts of the timeline from Appendix B:

c. 1600. Sauron forges the One Ring in Orodruin. He completes the Barad-dur. Celebrimbor perceives the designs of Sauron.
1693. War of the Elves and Sauron begins. The Three Rings are hidden.
1697. Eregion laid waste. Death of Celebrimbor. The Gates of Moria are shut. Elrond retreats with the remnant of the Noldor and founds the refuge of Imladris.

Plot B. Show the Numenoreans power and foothold in Middle-earth increasing during this season, which makes Sauron nervous. Establish it in this season, because Sauron's war with the Numenoreans will come to a collision course in Season 4. It will also establish the settlements that Elendil and the Faithful escape to after Numenor's destruction. Don't introduce Elendil until Season 4 though. The main focus on this season is Sauron's War with the Elves and laying waste to Eregion.

Season 4: No Elves or Dwarves this season. It's all about Sauron's war with the Numenoreans. His defeat and capture. Corrupting Ar-Pharazon and the sinking of Numenor. Introduce Elendil and his children. I realize this is still doing a lot of funky things with the timeline, but after Season 3. The impression I want to leave is the Elves and Dwarves of Moria are in a recovery mode after Sauron laid waste to Eregion.

Season 5: Elendil, his sons, and the remnant of the Faithful escaped the sinking of Numenor and fled to the previously established Numenorean settlements in Season 3. They come to Middle-earth, meet Gil-galad and Elrond to form the Last Alliance. War of the Last Alliance. Death of Gil-galad and Elendil. Defeat of Sauron and overthrow of Barad-dur.

That is the general path I'd follow if I was writing it. Inventing characters (like Arondir/Bronwyn/Disa) as necessary for the Adar/Southlands plot and doing wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff. As much as I like and am interested in the Stranger and Harfoots plot, I think it's just adding too much. As I said, from the 2nd Age I'm most interested in Sauron, the Rings of Power, Fall of Eregion, Rise and Fall of Numenor. I think that's enough to make a compelling 50-hour 2nd Age Middle-earth story. Then again, the Amazon series probably isn't aimed for hardcore Tolkien nerds like you and me.

Edit: Crossed with G55.