The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has logged tremendous positive reviews for bringing back J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world. But amid the praises, revolting comments about the involvement of BIPOC characters have brought down the ratings of the show.
Amazon Prime Video had taken action to stop review bombing by disabling reviews on the show indefinitely. And now, the official account of the fantasy spinoff series has also shown solidarity in defending their cast.
Season 1 of the LOTR spinoff premiered on Prime Video on September 1, 2022, and immediately was flooded with trolls stacking bad reviews to bring down the show’s ratings. As if this new trend of review bombing was not cruel enough, many fans took to the Internet to criticize the importance of BIPOC characters in Middle-earth.
With the show already booked for a five-season slot, the comments are not slowing down the success of Season 1, and Season 2 will soon begin filming next month. But the repulsive behavior of internet trolls spoiling the raw entertainment value of the show could not go unchecked any longer.
The official Twitter account for The Rings of Power took to issuing a statement standing up for its cast members of color in solidarity.
The statement also emphasized that Tolkien’s world always had a space for BIPOC characters. The author’s world “by definition is multi-cultural,” and the cast and crew “refuse to ignore it or tolerate it.”
The disrespectful behavior of so-called Tolkien fans has overshadowed the show’s incredible storytelling and stellar performances. The show is determined to involve all cultures, just as Tolkien’s world has had fantasy creatures of different races.
The Rings of Power is currently streaming on Prime Video, with weekly episodes premiering every Friday. Stay tuned!
About The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is an American TV series, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, developed by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay for streaming on Amazon Prime.
Set 3,000 years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the show will be set in the Second Age of Middle-earth. Beginning with a time of peace, the series will follow the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron and the forging of the rings of power.
The cast includes Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, and Dylan Smith among many others.
Source: Twitter
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