Part 7/11:

On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season sports an 86% critic score—yet the reviews are largely tepid or tinged with disappointment. Even positive reviews often include caveats—calling it "an immersive vacation to Middle-earth" but criticizing that it feels confined by a predefined agenda. Common criticisms include the feeling that the show is shaped backwards from what viewers know about Middle-earth, rather than driven forward by compelling character motives.