5 Best (& 5 Worst) Lord Of The Rings Extended Edition Scenes
2. WORST: Merry And Pippin Drink Ent Water
"The theatrical versions were very carefully worked out," notes Jackson. "I was aware that every time I put something in the momentum of the scene was going to be slow. Every time, I thought, 'I'm spoiling the films.'" In this instance these scenes with Merry and Pippin were doing just that, acting as filler and serving no purpose other than giving the two characters something to do.
Of all the interweaving plots in The Two Towers, Merry and Pippin's story as they encounter the Ents is easily the weakest element. Unavoidable though it was, as Jackson was closely following the events in J. R. R. Tolkien's books, the version of their tales in the extended edition are painfully long.
After they escape the Orcs who have held them captive, the mischievous Hobbits bump into Treebeard and the Ents where they only continue to get into hi-jinks. The scene that was rightfully left for just the extended edition sees the halflings start consuming magical Ent water which makes them both grow as well as speak 'tree-ish'. Thankfully this humourless and unnecessary scene never made it to cinemas.