Exactly. And this isn't. It looks pretty, and as a Tolkien nerd, I enjoy all the obscure references and nods to the appendixes of The Lord of the Rings, but Tolkien himself said: "Most people who enjoy the book as an "heroic romance" only, and find "unexplained vistas" part of the literary effect, will neglect the appendices, very properly." They were only ever intended as a historial reference for nerdy types, not as narratives. That the programme makers have been unable to craft a single compelling through-line is tragic, and as you rightly say, they ignore McKee at their peril. The Hobbit had a simple treasure hunt narrative. The Lord of the Rings had a simple "evil ring must be destroyed" hook (a hugely compelling one), that along the way touched on many cultures, races, histories, and so forth. But this is just a meandering mess. The last episode spent an entire hour doing precisely nothing.

All that said, I like the relationship between Elrond and Durin.