The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power showrunner says we won't be seeing much of the Harfoots in season 3 of the hit Prime Video show.
"It was time for them to take a little bit more of a backseat," co-showrunner J.D. Payne said in the issue of Empire. "But I will also say: never count a Halfling out."
We last saw the Harfoots in The Rings of Power season 2 episode 8, when Nori and Poppy were rescued by the Stranger... who, in a surprise twist, turned out to be none other than Gandalf.
The new season, however, jumps forward five years and takes us straight into the War of the Elves while Sauron, now the Dark Lord, works on crafting the One Ring. Per the official synopsis: "Now, all the free peoples of Middle-earth – Dwarves, Elves, Men, and Wizards alike – must find a way to come together, in a race against time to prevent Sauron from achieving his goal of utter domination of all life…"
It's also worth noting that the Harfoots have received some pretty mixed reviews from fans, with some saying that their overly jolly, cartoonish vibe is tonally different from the rest of the show. With how high the stakes are in season 3, however, it's easy to see why we wouldn't have time for another big Harfoot storyline (especially now that Gandalf has officially been introduced into the series).
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 is set to hit Prime Video on November 11, 2026, kicking off with four episodes. For more, check out our guide to the best Amazon Prime shows to watch right now.
