That wasn’t the case. In 2023 dollars, the LotR trilogy had a budget of around $513 million, eventually resulting in about 12 hours of finished product. RoP has a budget of about $150m for around 9 hours. So the trilogy spent $42m per hour compared to RoP’s $16m per hour.

It should also be pointed out that Germany saying anything at all about foreign military intervention is a big deal, given their longstanding policy against it.

Although the US has spent more on bangs than Europe, which has spent on bangs but also helmets and armour and transport.

Anyone who saw Rings of Power knew this.

Brexit wasn’t left/right wing. Eurosceptics on both sides. I’d also point out France where right-wing populism ultimately lost out despite an increase in protest votes.

There’s also a greater tradition of public service broadcasting, meaning politicians are more rigorously interrogated than in the highly commercial, partisan American system.

The EU and EC are somewhat stabilising influences too. An EU member government simply wouldn’t be allowed to do some of the stuff Trump is doing.

Public opinion? Whose? Europe’s, who look down on rampant American capitalism and Trump? Africa’s, who have just been screwed by Trump and Musk? The Middle-East, who have been screwed by America for decades? Asia, who are waiting to hear what China says?

Pity SpaceX doesn’t believe it has to obey the law, and thinks it can just buy land and dump waste on it.

When you let anyone make a “TV channel” even when they don’t have a legal team.