A few years ago (2012 or 2013 I think?) there was a multipart YouTube series from a channel called “RedLetterMedia” that broke down all the reasons why the Star Wars prequels just didn’t work, everything from general storytelling to contradicting worldbuilding in the original trilogy. That series was punctuated with some very disturbing “framing elements” with some severe misogyny, though, that’s made me unable to go back to it.

I mention that because tonight I just watched a series that critiqued The Hobbit movie trilogy and was as good or better from a storytelling analysis perspective and was, at least on first viewing, entirely unproblematic. The review, I mean. The Hobbit had plenty of problems, on- and off-screen. One quote that really stuck with me was “I find myself unable to remember why I was so passionate about The Lord Of The Rings and the works of Tolkien in the first place,” because it made me realize that I used to rewatch LOTR every year or two, but haven’t even had the desire since seeing the Hobbitses.

I’m embedding all three videos below.