‘The Rings of Power’ Third Season First Reactions Are In, and Charlie Vickers’ Sauron Is Already Stealing the Show

Few streaming fantasy series have been scrutinized as heavily as ‘The Rings of Power’. Since its debut, Prime Video’s Middle-earth epic has been praised for its scale and production design and criticized for its pacing and storytelling choices. Even so, the numbers have stayed strong, with the series crossing the 1 billion minutes watched mark on Prime Video, according to Nielsen’s streaming charts for the week of August 24 to September 1.

Season 2 was also described by Amazon as the most-watched returning season on Prime Video, even though viewership dropped significantly from the first season. Now the series is heading into a new chapter with a big time jump and the forging of the One Ring at its center. Prime Video has set the premiere for November 11, and the season will arrive quickly once it starts.

Select critics have now seen the first 2 episodes of season 3, and their first reactions are overwhelmingly positive. Many describe the new season as the show’s best yet, and Charlie Vickers’ Sauron is the standout. One early reaction called him a highlight who just oozes evil, and others say he steals the show as the Dark Lord, almost at the height of his powers and relishing every villainous smirk.

I’ve seen the first couple episodes of #TheRingsOfPowerS3 and no spoilers, but the first 2 episodes are bangers and this series is getting better and better as it goes on. Charlie Vickers as Sauron is a highlight, he just oozes evil. https://t.co/g5tDlekl15

— Chris Killian (@chriskillian) October 27, 2026

Besides Vickers, the reactions single out Marnûkh, played by Adam Young, and the season’s increased scale as particularly strong elements. They also say the season gets off to an exciting start from the very beginning, which addresses the slower pacing that has been criticized in many previous reviews. That is a notable shift for a show that has often faced complaints about momentum.

There is an important caveat. First reactions to new movies and shows frequently skew more positive than negative, and critics who attend early screenings are not a representative sample. Full reviews will arrive closer to the premiere.

The new season picks up 5 years after the fall of Eregion, with Sauron more powerful and having conquered far more of Middle-earth. According to Prime Video’s description, it takes place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win. The goal is to bind all peoples to his will and at last rule all of Middle-earth.

Returning cast members include Vickers as Sauron, Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, Robert Aramayo as Elrond, Daniel Weyman as Gandalf, Owain Arthur as Durin IV, Maxim Baldry as Isildur and Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir. Jamie Campbell Bower joins as Celeborn and is a series regular, while Eddie Marsan joins in a recurring role. The season also leaves open the question of the Stranger’s identity, which season 2 confirmed as Gandalf.

Prime Video is releasing the season in a compressed format. The first 4 episodes arrive together on November 11, followed by episodes 5 and 6 on November 18 and the final 2 on November 25. That means the entire 8-episode season will be available before Thanksgiving in the United States.

The streamer will release the episodes in more than 240 countries and territories, and every release day falls on a Wednesday. Viewers who want to catch up first can stream all 16 episodes of the first two seasons on Prime Video now. It also means the premiere itself is a bigger event than a typical single-episode drop.

Now is the mighty hour. Watch the Official Teaser Trailer to The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3, streaming November 11 on Prime Video. https://t.co/3cktqVK8cH

— The Lord of the Rings (@TheRingsofPower) July 24, 2026

The marketing has leaned into a darker tone. A teaser unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con on July 24 in front of more than 6,500 fans in Hall H showed Sauron forging the One Ring, and 4 actors in Nazgûl costumes surprised the crowd. The official trailer, released on October 21, shows Sauron wearing the One Ring, battling a Balrog and sending Ringwraiths into war.

Empire called it the showrunners’ darkest season yet. The trailer also shows the elves, the dwarves and men fractured, and how far Sauron’s army is willing to go to crush hope. For a franchise built on the threat of a single ring, the forging of it is the moment the story has been building toward.

With reactions this strong, expectations for the premiere are rising. The early praise for pacing and for Vickers’ performance suggests the series may finally have found its footing. Fans will find out for themselves in just under 2 weeks.

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