The Wheel Of Time Meets The Witcher In Prime Video's 2-Part Fantasy Series

Published Jul 15, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT

Angel Shaw is a Lead Writer and Critic on ScreenRant's TV team, covering new-release and classic TV shows across all major streaming platforms. She has been a writer with ScreenRant since 2022 and specializes in Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and fantasy. 

Angel holds a bachelor's degree in language interpreting and is passionate about all things culture and communication—especially in how it relates to popular media throughout history (from Shakespeare to Friends to Game of Thrones).

The Witcher got a TV adaptation first, with season 1 premiering on Netflix in 2019. Prime Video's The Wheel of Time wasn't far behind, premiering in 2021. Still, they have very different vibes. The Wheel of Time is vibrant and absolutely doused in magic, leaning fully into those fantasy elements rather than realism. The Witcher, on the other hand, features a darker and grittier medieval tone, and while there is plenty of magic, it's less marvelous and more ominous.

If we were to place The Witcher and The Wheel of Time on a scale, Prime Video's two-season series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, would fall right in the middle. Of course, this TV show is based on the work of author J.R.R. Tolkien, who published his first Middle-earth-set story in 1937—​​​​​​about a decade before both Sapkowski and Jordan were born. So, there can be no claim that the events of Tolkien's Second Age were inspired by The Witcher or The Wheel of Time. Still, if these two series appeal to you, The Rings of Power is sure toas well.

Prime Video's Rings Of Power Adjusts The Traditional Aesthetic Of The Lord Of The Rings

The most famous adaptation of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is Peter Jackson's film trilogy. In a significant way, these movies wholly established what Middle-earth is supposed to feel like on screen. Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power didn't necessarily ignore Jackson's grounded, visually realistic approach, but it didn't fully adopt it either. Like the Wheel of Time, The Rings of Power is vibrant. There's a heavy reliance on CGI, which means the visuals are spectacular, though sometimes overly polished.

Still, The Rings of Power doesn't deliver this aesthetic through every single beat. That kaleidoscopic magic dominates about 50 percent of the series, while the other half fully embraces the cinematic grimness of The Witcher. Unlike Jackson's Lord of the Rings, Rings of Power frequently turns to horror-fantasy elements. The magic of this world is quiet, but it's visceral and grimy—almost menacing and untrustworthy. It's a very different vibe from The Wheel of Time.

The stylistic contrast within Rings of Power's two existing seasons is certainly no accident. The Wheel of Time's magical refinement and The Witcher's grim horror serve as the perfect way for Prime Video's Lord of the Rings prequel to explore the central conflict of Tolkien's tales. The story isn't just about the forces of good facing off with the forces of evil. Rather, Rings of Power explores the battle between good and evil that unfolds in the hearts and minds of its characters. As the tone shifts, so do audiences' perspectives.

Rings Of Power's Style Could Continue To Be A Problem

Of course, the fact that Rings of Power doesn't wholly feel like The Lord of the Rings has been a bit of a problem. Jackson's film trilogy is about as perfect as it gets, so it's rather uncomfortable to see Middle-earth brought to the screen in such a vibrant and polished way. Additionally, the characteristic grimness of The Witcher wouldn't traditionally be associated with The Lord of the Rings. Even the darker parts of Frodo's story felt more fantastical than gritty. For many, it's been too hard to look past it.

It's for this reason and more that The Rings of Power has been rather controversial among Lord of the Rings fans, and there's been speculation that the show would be canceled ever since it premiered in 2022. Adopting the stylization of The Wheel of Time and The Witcher might have modernized the franchise, but it's worth remembering that the former was prematurely canceled while the latter has continued to alienate book fans with every new installment. It's clearly not a formula for shoo-in success, but perhaps Rings of Power will find a way to pull it off as it continues into future seasons.

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  The Witcher

  

  6/10

  Release Date December 20, 2019

  Network Netflix

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    Anya Chalotra

    Yennefer of Vengerberg