Charlie Vickers in “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”
Cover Story
Elves, Ents and Orcs: Season 2 of ‘The Rings of Power’ makes its debut
By Dana Simpson
Ancient evil is nothing new for the Elves, Hobbits, Dwarves and other peoples inhabiting Middle Earth. Beginning with 1914’s “The Voyage of Éarendel the Evening Star” — considered to be the first of author J.R.R. Tolkien’s ever-developing Middle Earth fantasy saga — up to the modern day, there is seemingly no end to the grip that Tolkien’s lore has on the world at large. From the literary series to board games, tabletop role-playing games, video games, movies and more, it feels as though everyone in the modern day has consumed something of Tolkien’s within their lifetime. Newest on the scene, of course, is Prime Video’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” which premiered Sept. 1, 2022 on the streaming platform. Across its eight episodes, elves, and distant cousins,
Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, “Saint Maud,” 2019) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo, “The King’s Man,” 2021) take on respective missions to regain their race’s power and defeat the persistent forces of evil threatening Middle Earth. Ultimately, when their own plans fall short of success, they turn to the infamously coveted Rings of Power to get their way. Unfortunately, gaining power is never clearcut and simple. Back to complete their missions or die trying, Galadriel and Elrond must now face an infamous primordial evil in the show’s newest season: the powerful future ruler of Mordor, Sauron (Charlie Vickers, “Medici”). Season 2 of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” begins Thursday, Aug. 29, on Prime Video. While the focus of Season 2 is primarily on the rise of Sauron — formerly
Season 2 of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” premiering Thursday, Aug. 29, on Prime Video, follows the rise of Sauron (Charlie Vickers) as a primordial force of evil in Middle Earth.
only seen as Halbrand in the series — as the leading antihero in Middle Earth, fans of the first season may be happy to hear that the team behind the scenes plans to “[fix] a big Season 1 complaint” regarding the differences between Galadriel’s character in “The Rings of Power” and that within Peter Jackson’s (“King Kong,” 2005) Lord of the Rings trilogy. Much of her character development, as fans of the novel know, can be attributed to her ownership and use of the Elven ring Nenya.
“This season we get to ... [see] a real different side to Galadriel,” explains executive producer Lindsey Weber, as reported by ScreenRant.com. “She’s humbled. ... She’s had to face the question of whether she’s wrong, and decide which way to go to set right what she’s had a hand in unleashing on Middle Earth.”
Returning alongside Clark, Aramayo and Vickers this season are Owain Arthur (“The Palace”) as Prince Durin IV, Ismael Cruz Córdova (“Mary Queen of Scots,” 2018) as Arondir, Peter Mullan (“Children of Men,” 2006) as King Durin III, Ema Horvath (“Don’t Look Deeper”) as Earien, Markella Kavenagh (“Romper Stomper”) as Nori Brandyfoot and Benjamin Walker (“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” 2012) as High King Gil-galad and Calam Lynch (“Bridgerton”) in a role that has yet to be named, to list just a few. Deadline also reported that “15 actors were added in recurring roles at the end of 2022.” Among them is notable addition Rory Kinnear (“The Imitation Game,” 2014) as friendly Hobbit-savior Tom Bombadil, a man “older than the old,” who did not make it into the Jackson film adaptations.
What’s Available NOW On
“The Courier” (Aug. 25)
This true-life spy thriller tells the story of unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch), who is recruited into one of the greatest international conflicts in history. Under orders from the UK’s MI6 and CIA operative Emily Donovan (Rachel Brosnahan), he forms a covert, dangerous partnership with Soviet officer Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) in an effort to provide intelligence needed to prevent a nuclear confrontation.
“No Gain No Love” (Aug. 26) What does it take to have it all? This K-drama rom-com follows Son Hae-yeong (Shin Min-a), who is tired of feeling like she’s losing in every aspect of her life — from love, to her career, to her family. Fed up with things not going the way she wants, Hae-yeong arranges a fake marriage to Kim Ji-uk (Kim Young-dae), a hard-working and generous neighborhood convenience store employee.
“Superkitties”Season 2, New Episodes (Aug. 28)
Adorable and packed with adventure, this animated series follows four fierce and furry superhero kittens — Ginny, Sparks, Buddy and Bitsy — who are on a mission to make their town of Kittydale a more caring and “pawesome” place.
“Coco” (Available Now)
Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events.
“Cursed Gold: A Shipwreck Scandal” (Available Now)
Across three episodes, this docuseries tells the true story of maverick scientist Tommy Thompson and his resourceful team who stunned the world in 1989 by recovering three tons of gold from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean from the famous 1857 shipwreck, SS Central America.
“Zootopia” (Available Now)
From the largest elephant to the smallest shrew, the city of Zootopia is a mammal metropolis where various animals live and thrive. When Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) becomes the first rabbit to join the police force, she quickly learns how tough it is to enforce the law. Determined to prove herself, Judy jumps at the opportunity to solve a mysterious case.
“Chaos Walking” (Aug. 27)
In the not-too-distant future, Todd Hewitt (Tom Holland) discovers Viola (Daisy Ridley), a mysterious girl who crash lands on his planet, where all the women have disappeared and the men are afflicted by “the Noise” — a force that puts all their thoughts on display. In this dangerous landscape, Viola’s life is threatened — and as Todd vows to protect her, he will have to discover his own inner power and unlock the planet’s dark secrets.
“Fargo” (Available Now) This Oscar-winner from 1996 is a reality-based crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has gotten himself into debt and is so desperate for money that he hires two thugs (Steve Buscemi), (Peter Stormare) to kidnap his own wife. Jerry will collect the ransom from her wealthy father (Harve Presnell), paying the thugs a small portion and keeping the rest to satisfy his debts.
“Killer Lies: Chasing A True Crime Con Man” (Aug. 29) Based on reporting by The New Yorker’s Lauren Collins, this docuseries tracks Collins’ investigation into the rise and fall of a provocative French serial killer expert, Stéphane Bourgoin, who built an international reputation for his extraordinary resume, personality quirks and morbid encounters.
Jump Street” (Available Now) After making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) when they go deep undercover at a local college. But when Jenko meets a kindred spirit on the football team, and Schmidt infiltrates the bohemian art major scene, they begin to question their partnership. Now they don’t have to just crack the case — they have to figure out if they can have a mature relationship.
“UNTOLD: Sign Stealer” (Aug. 27)
During football games, signs and signals from the coaching staff help players on the field to see what play they’re running, where they’re supposed to go and much more. In the fall of 2023, Connor Stalions, who developed a database of thousands of signals, was working as an analyst for the Michigan Wolverines.
“Terminator Zero”Season 1 (Aug. 29)
A future war has raged for decades between the few human survivors and an endless army of machines. When a soldier (Sonoya Mizuno) is sent back in time to change the fate of humanity, she arrives in 1997 to protect a scientist named Malcolm Lee
(André Holland) who is working to launch a new AI system designed to compete with the AI, Skynet’s, impending attack on humanity.
“Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg” (Aug. 29)
This intimate documentary reveals the story of Anita Pallenberg, a fierce rock ‘n’ roller, actress, muse and mother who rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s. Never-before-seen home movies and family photographs explore Pallenberg’s life with the Rolling Stones — a bittersweet tale of triumph and heartbreak.
“Kaos” - Season 1 (Aug. 29) Zeus (Jeff Goldblum) has long enjoyed his status as King of The Gods — that is, until he wakes up one morning and discovers a wrinkle on his forehead. Neurosis sets in, setting him off on a dangerous, paranoid path. Zeus becomes convinced his fall is coming — and starts to see signs of it everywhere.
her family into a new home for a fresh start. But, when strange occurrences inside the home raise the suspicions of Child Protective Services and threaten to tear the family apart, Ebony soon finds herself locked in a battle for her life and the souls of her children.
“The Deliverance” (Aug. 30) Ebony Jackson (Andra Day), a struggling single mother fighting her personal demons, moves
“22
“Pulp Fiction” (Available Now) Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent Vega (John Travolta) are two hitmen who are out to retrieve a suitcase stolen from their employer, mob boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames). Wallace has also asked Vincent to take his wife Mia (Uma Thurman) out a few days later when Wallace himself will be out of town. Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) is an aging boxer who is paid by Wallace to lose his fight.
Sports Zone
10
7 p.m. ATTPT MLB Baseball Pittsburgh Pirates at Cleveland Guardians. From Progressive Field in Cleveland. (Live) 8 p.m. WPIX-11 MLB Baseball New York Mets at Chicago White Sox. From Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. (Live)
9 p.m. FS1 College Football Western Michigan at Wisconsin. From Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. (Live) WGRZ-2 WICU-12 2024 Paris Paralympics Coverage of the 2024 Summer Paralympics. (Live)
10:30 p.m. ESPN College Football TCU at Stanford. From Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Live)
5 a.m. CNBC 2024 Paris Paralympics Coverage of the 2024 Summer Paralympics. (Live) Saturday
6 a.m. CNBC 2024 Paris Paralympics Coverage of the 2024 Summer Paralympics. (Live)
6:25 a.m. ESPN2 Formula 1 Racing Italian Grand Prix, Practice 3. Third free practice of the Italy Grand Prix at Autodromo di Monza in Monza, Italy. (Live)
7:30 a.m. USA Premier League Soccer Arsenal vs. Brighton & Hove Albion. From Emirates Stadium in London. (Live)
8 a.m. GOLF 2024 Curtis Cup Second Round. From Sunningdale Golf Club in Sunningdale, England. (Live) 9:55 a.m. ESPN2 Formula 1 Racing Italian Grand Prix, Qualifying. Qualifying of the Italy Grand Prix at Autodromo di Monza in Monza, Italy. (Live)
10 a.m. USA Premier League Soccer Everton vs. AFC Bournemouth. From Goodison Park in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. (Live)
11 a.m. ESPN2 2024 U.S. Open Tennis Third Round. From the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. (Live)
12 p.m. CNBC 2024 Paris Paralympics Coverage of the 2024 Summer Paralympics. (Live) ESPN College Football Virginia Tech at Vanderbilt. From Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. (Live) FS1 College Football Connecticut at Maryland. From Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium in College Park, Md. (Live)
WKBW-7 College Football Clemson vs. Georgia. From Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Live)
WNYW-5 WUTV-29 College Football Penn State at West Virginia. From Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, W.V. (Live)
12:30 p.m. USA NASCAR Cup Series
Cook Out Southern 500, Qualifying. From Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. (Live)
WGRZ-2 WICU-12 Premier League Soccer West Ham United vs. Manchester City. From London Stadium in London. (Live)
1 p.m. GOLF 2024 TOUR Championship Third Round. From East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. (Live)
2:30 p.m. GOLF LPGA Tour Golf FM Global Championship, Third Round. From TPC Boston in Norton, Mass. (Live)
WGRZ-2 WICU-12 2024 TOUR Championship Third Round. From East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. (Live)
3 p.m. WPIX-11 College Football
Portland State at Washington State. From Gesa Field at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash. (Live)
3:30 p.m. ESPN College Football Colorado State at Texas. From Darrell K. Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. (Live)
FS1 College Football North Dakota at Iowa State. From Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa. (Live) USA NASCAR Xfinity Racing Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200. From Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. (Live)
WIVB-4 WSEE-35 College Football Akron at Ohio State. From Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. (Live)
WKBW-7 College Football Miami at Florida. From Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. (Live)
WNYW-5 WUTV-29 College Football Texas-El Paso at Nebraska. From Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. (Live)
6 p.m. ATTPT MLB Baseball Pittsburgh Pirates at Cleveland Guardians. From Progressive Field in Cleveland. (Live)
7 p.m. ESPN College Football Western Kentucky at Alabama. From Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Live)
ESPN2 2024 U.S. Open Tennis Third Round. From the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. (Live)
FS1 College Football UNLV at Houston. From TDECU Stadium in Houston. (Live)
WPIX-11 MLB Baseball New York Mets at Chicago White Sox. From Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. (Live)
7:30 p.m. WGRZ-2 WICU-12 College Football Fresno State at Michigan. From Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. (Live)
WIVB-4 WSEE-35 College Football UCLA at Hawaii. From Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu. (Live)
WKBW-7 College Football Notre Dame at Texas A&M. From Kyle Field in College Station, Texas (Live)
8 p.m. TRUTV
In Focus
“Slow Horses” -
House’s already unstable foundations.
classiccorner
BY JAY BOBBIN
Armageddon thriller still makes a ‘Deep Impact’
While it doesn’t skimp on the expected visual spectacle entailed by an enormous comet streaking toward Earth, “Deep Impact” also makes … well, an impact by the affecting emotion built into its central characters’ personal stories as they face imminent doom. Syfy shows the 1998 drama Tuesday, Aug. 27, with Tea Leoni central to a large and impressive cast as a cable-news reporter who accidentally discovers the impending disaster that is being kept secret by world government to stave off a mass panic. Morgan Freeman plays the U.S. president, who strikes a deal with the journalist for the public revelation of the crisis, with Elijah Wood as a young astronomer who also discovers the emergency early. Vanessa Redgrave, Maximilian Schell, James Cromwell, Jon Favreau, Mary McCormack, Blair Underwood and Leelee Sobieski also appear for director Mimi Leder, who did much commendable work on the series “ER” – and who beat director Michael Bay’s similarly themed movie “Armageddon” to theaters by a couple of months.
“The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” (Catchy Comedy, Sunday, Aug. 25): Dwayne Hickman made a very appealing title hero in this 1959-63 sitcom adapted from short stories by Max Shulman, and presented here in a weekend “Binge” marathon. Dobie is a teenager who ruminates (directly to the viewing audience in many cases) about the things he wants from life, from wealth to romance. Bob Denver played Dobie’s beatnik
Tea Leoni in “Deep Impact”
12. Beget
13. “The Young ___” (Jude Law series)
Wedding words
14. TV show with a cold open
Station
Best Bets
Sunday Mysteries of the Deep
TRAV
8 p.m.
Everything’s better down where it’s wetter as host Jeremy Wade looks into declassified submarine missions, including a high-speed chase involving the U.S Coast Guard and a drug-running sub and a mysterious sunken Nazi submarine carrying toxic cargo.
Orphan Black: Echoes
AMC 10:05 p.m.
Lucy (Krysten Ritter) must make a difficult deci -
sion when Charlie (Zariella Langford) is kidnapped. Meanwhile, Kira (Keeley Hawes) and Eleanor (Rya Kihlstedt) connect the 12 unidentifiable files to Darros’ (James Hiroyuki Liao) larger plan.
Monday
Unexpected TLC 9 p.m.
For teens, getting pregnant is a sure-fire way to be forced to grow up quickly, but there’s still no guarantee. Kayleigh and others doubt that Graham will take responsibility anytime soon. Then, Lilly and Lawrence are ready to commit and do what’s best.
The Wall
WGRZ-2 WICU-12 10 p.m.
Pairs of contestants take on challenging trivia questions and a 40-foot wall for a chance to win millions of dollars. From wrong answers to wrong bounces, fortunes can be had or lost in seconds. Ultimately, it takes nerves and smarts to get the win.
Tuesday
The Quiz With Balls
WNYW-5 WUTV-29 9 p.m.
Families must work together in order to answer trivia questions that could earn them $100,000. But there is the little issue of a
NOW THE LORD IS THE SPIRIT AND WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY. AND YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH
Crossword Puzzle
15. “The truth is out there” TV series 17. Kristin Wiig series 19. Steven of “Beef” 20. Birdbrain 24. Bumped into during 26. Certain sorority member 27. Corp. bigwig 28. High-speed Internet inits. 29. Oven emanation
32. Pre-exam feeling, maybe 34. Physical 36. Show set in William McKinley High School
37. Gary Oldman Apple TV+ series
41. Jon Stewart’s show, with “The” 44. “___ Hart” (Kevin Hart series) 45. Fictional Jane 46. Radiator sound 47. Rashida’s “Parks and Rec” character 48. Campus figure 49. Cousin ___ of “The Addams Family” 50. Now
Down
1. Speech problem 2. ___ Krabappel of
“The Simpsons”
3. Theme park owned by singer Parton
4. Spousal greeting
5. MD Meredith played by Ellen Pompeo
6. Bush, for one 7. Golf champ Jordan 8. Chat room chuckle
9. Mock, in a way
10. N.B.A.’s Unseld 12. Pompous walk
16. Dart
18. ___ culpa
21. The Addams Family daughter
22. “Who’s there?”
reply
23. Soft mineral
24. Sign of healing
25. Alternative to a fade
30. Deceived
31. “___ McBeal”
32. Works, as a field
33. Atmospheric prefix
35. Nintendo dinosaur
36. Scrooge’s bane
38. Iota
39. “___ kleine Nachtmusik”
40. E-mailed
41. Calendar abbr.
42. Actress Edebiri of “The Bear”
43. Dander
platform, a pool of water and several massive balls aimed directly at them, waiting for a wrong answer. Jay Pharoah hosts. Welcome to Plathville
TLC 10 p.m.
After living apart for months, Ethan and Olivia finally proceed with their divorce during this new episode. Meanwhile, Kim and Barry struggle to finalize their own separation, watching on as Ethan and Olivia both reorient themselves with singledom.
Wednesday
Good Bones
HGTV 9 p.m.
There’s never a dull moment when Karen looks to work on some quirky projects. At her new colorful house in Wilmington, N.C., she gets some help from a few familiar faces from Indianapolis. Then, she gets an opportunity to give back in her new town.
The Ark
SYFY 10 p.m.
The Ark might be humanity’s last hope of survival, but living aboard is no utopia. After an attempted murder, the crew must work together to try and find the responsible parties before they act again, compromising the safety of the ship’s population.
Thursday
Beat Bobby Flay
FOOD 9 p.m.
A brand-new episode airs as part of a “BBB” marathon. This time, Eddie Jackson huddles up with chefs Nick Shipp and Natalie Blake and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport to come up with a play that might just get Bobby to fumble the ball.
Impractical Jokers
TBS 10 p.m.
Brian “Q” Quinn, James “Murr” Murray and Sal Vulcano go the extra mile in order to fake their marriage and then interview people for a fake magazine interview. But when one Joker can’t keep up the facade, he is forced to speak a blue streak as punishment.
Friday
The Serpent Queen STARZ 8 p.m.
Catherine de Medici (Samantha Morton) has placed all her cards on the
table in hopes of keeping her marriage viable and the French monarchy on the right side of living. However, there are others looking to exploit their positions in this season finale.
Lingo
WIVB-4 WSEE-35 9 p.m.
Is winning thousands of dollars worth the tongue-tying results of competing in this classic game show revival? With over $50,000 on the line, the teams that step up to take five guesses at solving hidden words certainly think so. RuPaul hosts.
Saturday
The Kitchen FOOD 11 a.m.
It’s an hour of delicious outdoor summer recipes with co-hosts Sunny Anderson, Katie Lee, Jeff Mauro and Geoffrey Zakarian, as they offer up meal tips, simple dinner recipes and more while playing trivia games and talking all things food.
New House No Debt A&E 12 p.m.
Looking to leave the
and glamour of
behind, couple
and Ted are
know their
also be their
to find a home that leaves them debt free, they debate between living in North Carolina or Georgia.
glitz
Las Vegas
Roianne
excited to
next move will
last. Wanting
Krysten Ritter in “Orphan Black: Echoes” Sunday on AMC
Jeff Mauro, Sunny Anderson and Geoffrey Zakarian from “The Kitchen” Saturday on Food Network
4 x 2” ad
Devon Kloss Agent
Across 1. Horror maven Craven
4. Dog food brand
8. “When We Were Kings” (1996) subject
11. Red-andwhite supermarket logo
12. Abrupt
13. Tiny criticism 14. Ones who can handle adversity
