Two limited series come with much fanfare. One, a Lord of the Rings prequel, comes with a strong buzz of anticipation that existed ever since the series was announced. The second is a Chicago-based restaurant drama that enjoyed brilliant word of mouth and should figure heavily in the upcoming awards season. 

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon Prime) - Galadriel hunting Sauron to avenge the killing of her brother, elves versus orcs; the first episode of this grand series promises more, and delivers. And the first twenty minutes alone of the first episode displays the grandeur, the strangeness, the spectacle, that will make this a landmark series for the streaming services. Reputed to now be the most expensive series produced for a streaming app, the little anecdote going around is how Jeff Bezos’ son, who loves Tolkien, looked his father in the eye and told him not to ‘f _ _ k this up’. Based on the first two episodes which have dropped, I think Bezos’ can head home with his head held up proud. The mega-budget seems to have been well-spent, and the product displays this.

Morfydd Clark as a young Galadriel is nothing short of a magnificent choice of casting, while Robert Aramayo is Elrond. Elves, dwarves, hartfoots, orcs, snow-trolls, the world-building is painstakingly accomplished, and it creates a gorgeous tapestry of the Tolkien-world. The conflict, the refusal of Galadriel to accept that the Days of Peace has come is conveyed purely through her eyes and the Stoic expression on her face. The whimsy and humor of the hartfoots is wonderfully conveyed, and serves as a contrast to the grim mission and commitment of Galadriel. In short, there is so much to love about the series, the use of sigils and signs - how our devotion to the films of Jackson is properly honored, and yet, we’re asked to embark on a new journey to Middle Earth and beyond. Stop reading this and start watching!

The Bear (Hulu) - This series basically came out from nowhere, without much of a buzz, and yet, took the critics and its audience by storm, running out of superlatives to heap on the series. Carm (Jeremy Allen White) is a James Beard awardee chef, who used to work as CDC in one of the most famous of fine dining restaurants in Manhattan. When his brother Mikey commits suicide, Carm is forced to head back to Chicago and take over The Beef, the family owned deli and sandwich shop. It’s a greasy dive, with a motley crew of kitchen staff, and it’s obviously a great challenge for Carm to turn The Beef into something better than it has been, while still keeping it real for the neighborhood and it's a loyal clientele. 

Beyond the great storyline, the shots of food and cooking, it’s the dynamics between the characters that make this such a compelling series. Carm has a cousin named Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and he’s a wonderful character, the type who’s always just one inch away from being picked up by the police, or shot by some street thug. And there’s Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), a young African-American culinary graduate, who joins The Beef because she remembers how the best meal she ever had, was prepared by Carm, in his previous life. She’s out to help modernize and bring system to the eatery, but has to win the confidence and trust of the staff who have been there for years. There’s really much to enjoy here as we invest in the characters, and can imagine how those in the food community will so easily identify. Wonderful series.