Part 2/8:
However, the reality was starkly different. The show was met with widespread disappointment. Many viewers felt that the adaptation betrayed Tolkien's lore, criticizing the showrunners for deviating from the source material, altering characters' identities, and making questionable creative choices. This disapproval translated into poor ratings, with only about 37% of viewers who started the season sticking to the end — a remarkably low retention rate for a major series.