The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 review: "Sauron is unleashed, but this fantasy show is still tangled in dense subplots"

A shadow has fallen over Middle-earth. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 arrives with the fantasy epic's highest stakes yet, as Sauron, no longer posing as Annatar or Halbrand, is unleashed in all his dark glory. It makes for an often thrilling, intense season, but one that still suffers from the same pitfalls as earlier installments in the Prime Video show.

This time around, five years have passed since season 2. Sauron toils away in his fiery lair in Mordor, attempting to craft the One Ring that will gift him dominion over the Elven rings, while the Elves in Rivendell attempt to rally a resistance. Meanwhile, in the Dwarven realm of Khazad-dûm, the arrival of Durin's estranged brother spells trouble, and, in the watery land of Númenor, those faithful to the usurped Queen Míriel rebel against the slimy Ar-Pharazôn. And don't forget about Gandalf, either, whose storyline revolves around the mysterious Dark Wizard.

If that all sounds rather dense and complicated, it's because it is. The Rings of Power season 3 is no less shrouded in lore and padded with lengthy conversations than its predecessors. But, when the show finds its stride, it sings – even if it's still muddling its way to greatness.

Darkness rises

The king of this season is undoubtedly Charlie Vickers's Sauron. Vickers has been part of the show since the beginning, but the plot has necessitated he wear many guises, taking on a fair form to fool all of Middle-earth, while Adar took up the reins of the show's villain. Now, Vickers is finally, fully the dark lord Sauron, and he plays his role with a cold, restrained menace that makes his every scene captivating. His utter cruelty is established by the fact that no one unlucky enough to be in his menacing presence escapes unscathed. It's been a long time coming, but the wait for Sauron to claim his crown is well worth it.

Season 3 also deepens the obsessive, dark connection between Sauron and Galadriel. While Sauron finds the secret of the Elven rings eludes him, Galadriel is haunted by the dark lord. It's fascinating to see hero and villain connected like this, especially as the engine of their link is Galadriel's horror at her own mistakes, and Sauron's obsession with the Elf who refused his power. Though they don't share much screen time, they're both ever-present in each other's storylines, which raises the stakes even higher when the struggle between them is so personal.

The dynamic is further complicated by the addition of Jamie Campbell Bower's Celeborn, Galadriel's long-lost husband. A softer version of Galadriel emerges in his company, one who is able to let her guard down and be vulnerable. Bower's Celeborn is earnest, patient, and loving, and their reunion is another aspect of this season that is worth the time it took to get us there. It also adds another, twisted dimension to Sauron's obsession, which plays out brutally in the second half of the season.

Meanwhile in Middle-earth

Season 3 has been billed as a perfect jumping-in point for those unfamiliar with the previous two seasons, but anyone venturing into Amazon's version of Middle-earth with fresh eyes might find themselves swiftly getting lost. Despite the time skip and Sauron's ascent to villainy acting as something of a soft reboot for the show, it's still mired in dense lore and lengthy conversations that require backstory to have a hope of understanding.

The biggest offender here is Númenor. Politicking and scheming is not this show's strong suit, so it's baffling why so much focus is placed on the brewing rebellion, spies and double agents, and the type of manoeuvring that feels very Game of Thrones-lite. Tolkien's work, at its heart, is about the deceptively simple struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil, and the show is consequently at its strongest when that's what it explores. Season 2 hit a dizzying high point with the Siege of Eregion, the show's version of Helm's Deep, a struggle between Sauron's evil and the pure goodness of the rest of Middle-earth – sadly, so far, season 3 is missing anything on the same level (though the final episode has not been screened for critics).

That's what makes Galadriel and Sauron's part of the story so affecting, while the rest is more muddled. The Dwarven plot in Khazad-dûm suffers from similar pitfalls, tangled up in Durin's brother Thrain (Eddie Marsden, nearly hidden beneath prosthetics and a magnificent beard) and his power plays. The outcome of both subplots is important to the overall story the show is telling, but it very much feels like the show is dragging its feet to get us there.

Similarly, the stately Elves Gil-galad and Elrond are somewhat undeserved this time around, with diminished screen time that sees them travel to Númenor, where they get to talk very much about fighting Sauron, and not really do anything else. Gandalf, meanwhile, is barely a presence so far. The episodes are certainly hefty, too, running around 60 minutes each, which can feel like a slog when the pace eases up.

The path ahead

Still, season 3 is every bit as visually spectacular as the previous two installments, with cinematic scope that longs to be seen on the biggest screen available. Travelling through grim and dark dungeons, soaring mountain ranges, lush forests, and arid flatlands, this is Middle-earth brought to vibrant life, every bit as breath-taking as Peter Jackson's vision of Tolkien's world.

Overall, it feels as if The Rings of Power is inching towards its inevitable, massive finale – as anyone who has seen The Fellowship of the Ring's prologue will know – but with two more seasons still planned, this very much feels like a middle chapter. There are thrills in Sauron's outright villainy, his twisted obsession with Galadriel, and the desperation of the Elves to stop him, but it's hard not to think the show would benefit from greater streamlining when the rest sags.

The Rings of Power hasn't quite managed to carve a niche for itself as appointment viewing in the cultural consciousness, and while this season has the promise of the forging of the One Ring (which is as epic as it deserves to be), it's unlikely to get it to those heights, either. What it does do, however, is more than deliver on the unchecked villainy that season 2 promised, while the battle against Sauron is left to stew a bit longer on the fire. There is a fantastic show buried in here, and all it needs is a little more chiseling to whittle away the padding and give us a tight, focused fantasy that captures the heart of Tolkien's work – as much of the show already does.

So, while Sauron's shadow lengthens over Middle-earth, it looks like we have longer to wait for the payoff.

The first four episodes of The Rings of Power arrive on November 11. You can keep up to date with our The Rings of Power season 3 release schedule.

For more, check out our Lord of the Rings timeline, or our guide to watching The Lord of the Rings in order.