Return of the Rings

The epic battle for Middle-earth is told in the most-expensive TV series ever made

- SEAN MARLAND

NEW FANTASY DRAMA

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

From Fri 2 Sept (first two eps from 2 Sept, then weekly), Prime Video

Fantasy has enjoyed a golden era since the huge success of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, and this week we return to Middle-earth to meet more brave heroes and explore the realm's rich history in the most expensive TV series of all time.

Set thousands of years before the events of Sir Peter Jackson's movies, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power serves as a prequel to the films and focuses on the forging of the notorious 20 rings, Dark Lord Sauron's rise to power and an epic struggle between good and evil.

Based on the writings of JRR Tolkien, the eight-part saga - costing a reported $58 million per episode - opens in the Second Age, with men, elves and dwarves living in relative peace despite the re-emergence of long-feared darkness into Middle-earth. But if the return of Sauron feels like familiar territory, director JA Bayona says this new tale will also be a voyage into the unknown.

'We all love what Peter Jackson did, he explains. 'We thought about establishing a bridge between the show and the movies, but when you realise the complexity of each world, you unconsciously start to create something that has its own life.