First Reactions Say ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 3 Is Better Than Ever, and an Orc Is Stealing Hearts

Few streaming fantasy series have divided audiences quite like ‘The Rings of Power‘. Prime Video’s Middle-earth epic arrived with enormous budgets, huge expectations and a good deal of skepticism, and each season has been picked apart for its pacing and writing. Season 2’s first reviews were generally positive, with critics calling it a darker, bolder escalation, though some felt it lost a little of the first season’s magic.

That history makes the buzz around the third season all the more interesting. The new season jumps forward in time to the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord races to forge the One Ring. Prime Video will release the first 4 episodes together on November 11, followed by 2 more on November 18 and the final 2 on November 25.

Now the first wave of reactions has arrived, and GamesRadar’s roundup captures the tone. The early takes say the new season is better than ever and epic in every sense of the word. The critics quoted have all seen the first 2 episodes, and the response is glowing.

GamesRadar+’s Fay Watson said the first episode steals the show with Charlie Vickers as Sauron, who is almost at the height of his powers and relishing every villainous smirk. She added that the scale and stakes already have her thinking this could be the best season yet. CBR’s Rachel Leishman said the episodes are better than ever and just as breathtaking and captivating as previous seasons.

Nerdist’s Rotem Rusak went further, calling the start of the season not only some of the series’ best work but some of television’s best. ComicBook’s Chris Killian said the first 2 episodes are bangers and that the series keeps getting better as it goes on, while singling out Vickers as a highlight who just oozes evil. One reaction also joked that an orc named Marnûkh is practically their child.

That last comment points to an unexpected breakout. Marnûkh, played by Adam Young, is a new orc character who says he has defected from Sauron’s army. He is being held captive by Galadriel and Arondir, who has his own grisly history with orcs, and it is unclear whether anyone believes him.

On set, the character was described as an orc with an arc, and director Sanaa Hamri said she has a real soft spot for him and that the audience will be really torn. That kind of moral complexity is exactly what many critics say the series needed. It also marks a departure from how Tolkien’s orcs are usually portrayed.

The season also adds several new characters. Jamie Campbell Bower joins as Celeborn, Galadriel’s husband, as a series regular, and the trailers have hinted at intriguing dynamics among Celeborn, Galadriel and Sauron. Eddie Marsan appears as Thrain, King Durin IV’s older brother, while Andrew Richardson plays Anarion, Isildur’s brother and Elendil’s younger son.

They join returning cast members including Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, Robert Aramayo as Elrond and Daniel Weyman as Gandalf. The expanded ensemble fits the show’s wartime premise, which pulls elves, dwarves and men into a fight for survival. It also suggests a bigger canvas than previous seasons.

This season, One Ring to rule them all. Watch the official trailer now, then witness Season 3 beginning November 11. https://t.co/YjH5I0bCEu

— The Lord of the Rings (@TheRingsofPower) October 21, 2026

As always, first reactions need context. They tend to skew positive, and the reactions so far come from critics and attendees at screening events, including one in Mexico. Some critics have reportedly received all 8 episodes but remain under embargo, so full reviews are still to come.

It is also worth noting that those reactions cover only the first 2 episodes, which means half of the 4-episode premiere remains unseen. The early praise for pacing is encouraging, since slow momentum has been a persistent complaint. But a strong start does not guarantee a strong finish.

Still, the mood heading into November is notably upbeat. With a darker tone, a menacing Sauron and a stronger sense of scale, the series appears to be responding to criticism. The test will come when general audiences see how the war plays out.

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