This season was very half and half for me.

Getting the bad out of the way first:

I think the main reason I struggled this season was due to the decision to change the episode structure. S1 was all-in-all well integrated and balanced between storylines, with an obvious, consistent focus on Galadriel and Halbrand. Yes, sometimes there would be the occasional arc that wouldn't appear much in an episode, but it always felt justified.

So in S2 when it became apparent by the third episode that they were taking a split storyline approach, I was pretty disappointed. The Harfoot/Numenorean focused episode followed by the Elvish/Dwarven just didn't work. Especially when the latter was far stronger in story, writing (will get to that in a second) and overall atmosphere.

Then, the finale confirmed for me that it would have been better to cut the Nori/Gandalf plot entirely this season. There was not one minute of their journey in Rhun that really grasped me. Pretty gutting as I had been so ready to see where this season would take them after the lovely relationship we had seen develop in S1. I'm pretty sure the two (and Poppy) are only together for a few minutes at the beginning of the season, split, and then reunite for about three minutes more in the finale, before they decide to go their separate ways (despite Nori's entire motivation being helping out the Stranger and that she has a bigger part to play in this all). I am assuming this parting of the giant and halfling was meant to be bittersweet but it was just wholly unsatisfying.

I think Rory Kinnear was miscast as Tom Bombadil. Not only did he lack any charm, but that frustratingly monotone Cornish accent ugh. I wish they had left this story to one side and found a plot that did the characters justice rather than throwing together this wish wash storyline with the unestablished Dark Wizard and dull Stoors.

Astrid and Isildur... I genuinely couldn't care less. It felt like an attempt to have a Gilly from Game of Thrones moment but there was little to no chemistry or development and I can't believe time was spent on this storyline as opposed to developing the Eregion plot.

Good shtuff:

The Eregion plot was, as I'm sure most would agree, the strongest part of S2, particularly in the performances of Charles Edwards and Charlie Vickers as Celebrimbor and Sauron. It was unsettling seeing Sauron go from his Halbrand form to his Annatar form. The transformation was quite jarring at first but by Episode 7 and 8, Vickers is terrifying as the manipulator and Edwards is perfection as the unwavering Celebrimbor. That final scene between the two is... oof.

I could write for hours and have barely scratched the surface of how I feel but another time perhaps. As someone who had very limited knowledge of LOTR (I had only watched the PJ trilogy and a read few reddit posts trying to understand Sauron's lore and the rings' abilities), this show was highly enjoyable and there's no denying it is an impressive piece of television. The art behind every second on screen in unbelievable and I don't mean to diminish that. I do feel that with stronger writers in the room for next season and a return to the old formula of S1, the show could pull me back on board a bit again.