Amazon Prime announced the cancellation of one of its major fantasy shows, making me worried for the future ofThe Rings of Power. Amazon’s Tolkien adaptation has been divisive, to say the least, with mixed reviews on its first season and a moderate improvement on the second. Regardless,Rings of Powerseason 3 is underway, with years passing following the events we saw at Eregion, on Númenor, and in the Southlands, offering a compelling time skip to look forward to, changing the show’s dynamics.
Recently, Prime Video announced thecancellation of its other marquee fantasy series,The Wheel of Time. The show has followed a similar route toRings of Power, with dedicated fans of Robert Jordan’s beloved book series being mixed on the adaptation and the changes to its source material.Likewise, the show got off to a rocky start, though it saw steady improvements with each season. Season 3 was widely praised by fans and critics, generating hope of a fourth.
The Rings Of Power Has An Even Bigger Budget Than The Wheel Of Time
Rings Of Power’s Viewership Dropped Significantly In Season
The moment that it was announced thatThe Rings of Powerwas going to have the largest budget in television history, the odds were stacked against the show’s chances of success. Not only would it have to prove its worth as a follow-up to Peter Jackson’sLord of the Ringsmovies, but it would also have to be deemed worthy of the funds allocated to its production. Love it or hate it,the series hasn’t accomplished either of those goals in the eyes of the general public. The films are all-time classics, while the show is still struggling to appeal to what should have been its target audience: Tolkien fans.
Given that it has an even higher budget than the Robert Jordan adaptation and isn’t pulling the numbers Amazon must have hoped for, I’m worried that it will be the next title on the chopping block.
WithThe Wheel of Time’scancellation in mind, I’m increasingly worried about the state ofThe Rings of Power. Season 3 is underway, but the initial plan for the show was a five-season run. Given that it has an even higher budget than the Robert Jordan adaptation and isn’t pulling the numbers Amazon must have hoped for, I’m worried that it will be the next title on the chopping block. The show is intended to cover the events ofMiddle-earth’s Second Age, and there’s still a lot left on the timeline to get to.
Why Rings Of Power Might Be Okay Even Though The Wheel Of Time Was Canceled
Rings Of Power Doesn’t Need As Many Seasons For Completion
My biggest source of relief regardingThe Rings of Poweris that, while I would love the show to go on as long as the creators deem necessary to conclude their interpretation,it can be wrapped up much more quickly thanThe Wheel of Time. Robert Jordan’s book series contains fifteen novels, almost all of which are longer than Tolkien’s books and all of which have far more material to cover than what the Rings of Power writers are adapting from. Season 3 only made it through the first four novels.
To wrap upThe Wheel of Timeshow, the writers would have needed at least a few more seasons to scratch the surface of the books’ narrative. There was still so much story remaining, and it would have been impossible to wrap things up in a timely manner that satisfied Prime’s budget expectations while having viewership decline each season.The Rings of Power, on the other hand, has a slightly more optimal situation, should the threat of cancellation happen.
With three seasons already in the books,The Rings of Poweris almost complete. If Amazon wanted to shut things down but not have its prospective golden goose marked as a failure,it would be possible to condense the final two seasons into one, potentially extended run. Season 3 could end with the climactic events in Númenor, while season 4 could end with the events of theLord of the Ringsmovie prologue. It’s not ideal, but if the TV show thins some of its original stories and characters down, it could finish off the Second Age with all the key events.
