Ooooh, it's just like old days! I'll play.
I remember the BBC take on Bombadil. I liked him, and Goldberry, but did NOT like Nigel Planer as Frodo.

Come back, Ian Holm!
Anduril wrote:
Keep the hobbit age differences, have Frodo act his age, and keep Merry and Pippin distinct. Pippin must easily be identified as the youngest. Keep Sam as a servant rather than an almost-equal as the films implied. You have the gardener line in the second movie but that's it.
In that case, Frodo MUST look a bit older than Sam.

It always jarred me that Movie Frodo looked younger than Movie Sam!
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Have Saruman's ringmaking, only mentioned once in the book, be the method of his deception/immobilizing of Théoden, and the Dunlendings, and the Ruffians. The Exorcist stuff in the movies was just a shortcut for what was basically pep talk in the books, but let's meet sort of halfway. Saruman makes a ring that while not a Ring of Power amplifies his persuasion and his Voice. He then makes sub-rings that lets him influence the wearers. Grima gets a ring, Théoden gets a ring through Grima, the Dunlending chief gets a ring, heck Bill Ferny and friends get rings, etc. When Gandalf comes to restore Théoden he makes him and Grima remove their rings but Grima goes to Saruman anyway.
That's a great idea.

That would be far too many rings for a movie adaptation, but it could work in a TV series. Effective, and visual, use of the ring-theme.
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Old Tom is out, as is. Just have the Bree folk sing songs about him at the inn. Have someone dressed like him there singing with them
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LOL.

I've never hankered for Tom to be in any adaptation. I really like the idea of the Bree folk singing songs about him though!
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That means the barrow wights are out, as is. But the barrow-blade having enchantments against the Witch-king is too neat not to use, so just have Merry bring out some old swords from the family vault and later Aragorn recognizes them in surprise?
Oh, that's great! I love it. The Brandybucks are one of the most ancient and influential families in the Shire. The idea of them sitting on ancient stuff from Eriador that they had no idea about fits their history beautifully. C'mon, they and the Tooks must have sent archers centuries back to help the King against the might of Angmar.
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Éowyn giving up her sword wouldn't fly today as is. Just have her muse that if the war ends and she and Faramir survive, she might consider laying it down, instead learning to value life and things that grow, etc. Faramir tells her that there may be times when her sword will still be needed.
Niiiiiiiiice.

Also, a TV series can give far more time to my favourite human couple in the story.
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Emphasize the languages so dear to Tolkien. Who's saying what, how they say it. How they call themselves and what others call them. Say at least once that Elves are Quendi, Dwarves are Khazâd, etc. Rohan is more often called The Mark by its people. Have more Old English. Translate Théoden's rallying cries, and perhaps a lot more Rohan dialogue when logical. Maybe people aren't as adverse to subtitles as they were 15+ years ago.
Terrific, love it.