Hobitit is a Finnish live action fantasy television miniseries that tells The Lord of the Rings narrative from the perspective of the Hobbits. The story follows Frodo and Sam as they leave the Shire to destroy the One Ring while omitting events like the battles at Helm's Deep or Pelennor Fields.
The nine-part series aired from the 29th of March to the 24th of May 1993 with reruns occurring during 1997 and 1998. Each episode ran for 30 minutes and was produced by the broadcaster Yle after rejecting an initial option to adapt the stage play directly.
Timo Torikka wrote and directed the series after having played Pippin in the original 1988 stage production at Suomenlinna Summer Theatre. Edelman co-wrote the script while composing music for the theatrical version that served as the direct foundation for the television adaptation.
Taneli Mäkelä portrayed Frodo Baggins while Kari Väänänen delivered a praised performance as both Gollum and Aragorn Strider. Ville Virtanen appeared as Legolas, Matti Pellonpää took on the role of Saruman, and Martti Suosalo played Bilbo Baggins in the opening scenes.
Critics later noted the sets were quite shocking given the small budget constraints but acknowledged that the visual effects managed to create a fantasy atmosphere that resonated with audiences. Juho Gröndahl writing in 2004 recalled that the series succeeded in capturing the atmosphere and spirit of the book despite its limitations.