I was not put off by the negative reviews, being a fan of both the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit books and films. I spent a lot of the first few episodes wondering why so many had given bad reviews as it obviously takes a few while to establish both characters and a story line. As it gets going the characters start to emerge as does the story, and it keeps some mystery until the final episode. As it is rated 12 don't expect the sex and violence of Game of Thrones, although the Orcs are quite hideous and there is an air of menace in some episodes. By the end of the series I was invested in the characters and can't wait for more!
