For all its grand ambitions, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has often stumbled in its first two seasons—wobbly pacing, clunky dialogue, and some questionable departures from Tolkien's lore left fans divided. But Season 3, which just dropped its first four episodes, feels like a course correction. The show is finally leaning into the source material, and one of the biggest reasons is a bold creative decision: the Harfoots are gone.
Let's be honest—the wandering Harfoots were the weakest link of the early seasons. Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and Poppy (Megan Richards) were charming enough, but their storyline felt like a pale imitation of Frodo and Sam's journey. While hobbits are essential to the Third Age, their ancestors, the Harfoots, barely register in Tolkien's Second Age writings. The show tried to give them a spotlight, but it never quite clicked.
In the books, halflings are famously overlooked—until Gandalf (Daniel Weyman) sees something special in them. That's what makes Bilbo and Frodo's stories so powerful. But on Rings of Power, the Harfoots felt like an afterthought, a nostalgic nod that didn't land. Every time the screen cut to them, the momentum of the larger narrative stalled. It wasn't the whimsical charm of Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear); it was just… off.
By cutting the Harfoots, Season 3 has freed itself to focus on what actually matters: the rise of Sauron (Charlie Vickers), the forging of the One Ring, and the political turmoil in Númenor. The show's biggest issue was always too many storylines, and trimming the fat has made the pacing tighter and the character arcs more satisfying.
It's not that hobbits don't belong in Middle-earth—they absolutely do. But their best stories are set in the Third Age, when their culture is fully formed and cozy. The Harfoots, by contrast, were a rough draft that never felt fully realized. The show's attempt to pair Gandalf with halflings felt like a cheap echo of The Fellowship of the Ring, and it didn't serve either character.
If you're craving more hobbit content, your best bet is to revisit Tolkien's "Concerning Hobbits" chapter or the Peter Jackson films. As for Rings of Power, Season 3 has finally found its footing. The plot is more focused, the characters are more nuanced, and every thread is building toward something meaningful as Sauron tightens his grip on Middle-earth.
With the One Ring's forging finally arriving, the show is delivering the epic stakes fans have been waiting for. And with the Harfoots out of the picture, there's room for deeper explorations of characters like Galadriel, Elendil (Lloyd Owen), and Durin IV (Owain Arthur). It's a change that might upset some purists, but it's the right call for the story.
New episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 stream Wednesdays on Prime Video.
