I don't understand all the trolls and haters! I'm a big fan from way back, having read the books several times, and watched the PJ movies many times. There are fans, there are purists, and then there are the religious nuts, the ones who treat the Tolkien world as you would a religion's bible. These critical-spirited trolls are trying to ruin a show for the rest of us that just want new bits of a beloved world. LOTR is entertainment, not a religion that is thousands of years old. I'm being entertained, and I appreciate it beyond words. It started off a little slow, primarily because I wasn't invested in the new characters. But WOW, each episode is better and better! Thank you!