Part 4/10:
The reception from Tolkien fans was overwhelmingly negative. Central to the discontent was the show's departure from the lore and spirit of J.R.R. Tolkien’s original works. Amazon aggressively marketed the series with a focus on diversity and inclusion, casting actors of various backgrounds in roles that did not historically match Tolkien’s descriptions or the established lore. Fans argued that these decisions were driven by woke ideology rather than storytelling integrity.