How Many Episodes Are In Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Season 1?

Though Prime Video's "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" arrived with plenty of hype, the series quickly became divisive among fans. While part of this is due to the fact that it was competing against HBO's "House of the Dragon," the fan reaction to the series was mixed at best, even as critics were very positive about the show overall.

While some criticized the languid pacing of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," others bristled at its scattered narrative and stoic characters. Still, Season 1 of the fantasy series ended with some strong twists that bode well for the future, a factor that is only helped by the confirmation that a second season is on the way.

For those who are hankering for some more of J.R.R. Tolkien's unique brand of fantasy, the notion of taking a gamble on "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" might seem like a worthwhile proposition. However, being that viewers will likely want to know what they're getting into with a new series in this already crowded streaming market, it's worth mentioning that the epic fantasy saga has eight episodes in its first season.

Another thing that's especially noteworthy about "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" is how long its episodes generally are. Though a typical drama of this type generally runs in the 40 to 55-minute mark, this prequel series tends to require a bit more time from viewers, clocking in at around 60 to 80 minutes per episode.

All the same, in spite of its mixed reception, the show is definitely a feast for the eyes. "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" packs in a lot of what Peter Jackson's film trilogy did in terms of imagining J.R.R. Tolkien's world of Middle-Earth in all of its glory. The costumes, make-up, and special effects are also impressive in most cases. This is no doubt due to the extremely high budget for the show, a consideration that puts even more weight on Season 2 of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" to get things right. 

Either way, the current episode count has plenty for fans to dig into as they wait for more news on Season 2.