‘The Rings of Power’ Season 3 First Reactions Are In, and Critics Say Middle-Earth Has Never Looked Better

Prime Video’s ‘The Rings of Power’ has always been a lightning rod for debate, with earlier seasons drawing frequent complaints about slow pacing. Season 3 is clearly aiming to change that conversation, jumping 5 years ahead to the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron as the Dark Lord seeks to forge the One Ring.

Co-showrunner Patrick McKay has described the new season as a soft reboot, dropping viewers straight into the action. Empire has also called it the showrunners’ darkest season yet, setting the stage for a far more dangerous Middle-earth when the series returns on November 11.

Now the first reactions have arrived, and GamesRadar+ reports that critics are calling Season 3 better than ever. The first 2 episodes have screened for select critics and at recent fan events, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

CBR’s Rachel Leishman said the new episodes are just as breathtaking and captivating as previous seasons, while GamesRadar+’s Fay Watson described the premiere as epic in every sense of the word. Watson added that the scale and stakes already have her wondering whether this could be the show’s strongest season.

Nerdist’s Rotem Rusak went even further, arguing that the season’s opening represents not only some of the series’ best work, but some of the best on TV. ComicBook’s Chris Killian was similarly impressed, calling the first 2 episodes bangers and noting the show keeps getting better as it goes on.

#TheRingsOfPower Season 3, Eps 1 & 2 are AMAZING. I have been a huge fan of The Rings of Power throughout, but the start of this season is not only some of the series’ best work, but TV’s best. I love every character; Marnûkh is my child. Tune in for this, folks! https://t.co/xfhYKrGWkH
— Rotem (Ro) Rusak (@Moondancer1626) October 27, 2026

If one name keeps popping up across the reactions, it’s Charlie Vickers. Watson said he steals the show as a Sauron nearly at the height of his powers, relishing every villainous smirk, while Killian praised how thoroughly the actor radiates evil.

Critics also highlighted the season’s faster start. Reactions emphasized that the episodes grab viewers from the very beginning, addressing one of the most common criticisms of earlier seasons.

The other breakout appears to be Adam Young’s Marnûkh, a brand-new character who isn’t drawn from Tolkien’s work. He’s an Orc who claims to have defected from Sauron’s army and finds himself held captive by Galadriel and Arondir, with Rusak declaring that she already loves the character.

The new trailer for ‘THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER’ Season 3 has been released. Releasing November 11 on Prime Video. https://t.co/YRatcjauR2
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 21, 2026

Behind the scenes, the role was nicknamed the orc with an arc. Young has said that keeping audiences guessing about whether Marnûkh is good or bad is central to his performance, describing the character as a wizard with words.

McKay has compared the trio’s dynamic to Frodo, Sam and Gollum. He explained that Galadriel may be more willing to believe Marnûkh because of the grudging respect she developed with Adar, while Arondir, given his grisly history with Orcs, is far less trusting.

Marnûkh isn’t the only newcomer. ‘Stranger Things’ star Jamie Campbell Bower joins as a series regular playing Celeborn, while Eddie Marsan appears as Thrain and Andrew Richardson plays Anárion, Isildur’s younger brother.

All-new posters for #TheLordOfTheRings: The Rings of Power Season 3. Premiering November 11 on Prime Video. https://t.co/AsChDMOUd6
— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) October 23, 2026

The season’s trailers have also teased Sauron facing a Balrog, wearing the One Ring and gathering his dark army. That gives the new season far bigger stakes than before. As with any first reactions, a little caution is warranted. Early social media responses tend to skew positive, and critics have only seen 2 episodes, which is just half of the 4-episode premiere.

Still, the consistency of the praise is hard to ignore. Season 3 debuts on Prime Video on November 11 with 4 episodes, followed by 2 more on November 18 and the final 2 on November 25.