As someone who found the first 30 minutes or so of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power's debut episode some of the most beautiful fantasy television ever put on screen, my relationship with the show since has been complicated. The first season juggles numerous narrative arcs, some more compelling than others, and culminated in a barnburner of an episode that revealed the creation of Mordor. The Rings of Power season 2 captures some of the same magic, but loses some of the luster that made the first season so captivating.

Season 2 picks up right where Rings of Power season 1 ended, but there's a quick detour to thousands of years prior that traces the evolution of Sauron. It's a striking scene, notable for its slithery imagery and a sheer sense of doom, but the show cools down from there. Despite a tightened focus, the series repeats the same pattern as season 1. It results in some stunning moments, especially when season 2 finds the sweet spot between grand Tolkien mythology and pulpy fantasy, but there's a note of listlessness that sets in as it moves through its five-season plan.

The Rings Of Power Season 2 Narrows Its Scope

Some stories are still more compelling than others

After introducing dozens of characters in its first season, Rings of Power season 2 is largely relieved of having to explain them. We dive right back into Middle-earth as Galadriel is reeling from the discovery that Halbrand has been Sauron all along. Now in possession of the three Elven rings, Elrond, Galadriel, and their ilk can remain in Middle-earth where Sauron is working as Annatar to make even more rings with Celebrimbor.

The crux of season 2 is focused on Eregion, streamlining the series in a way that is more conducive to this kind of expansive storyline. Still, some characters are siloed off — Durin, Disa, and the dwarzes in Khazad-dûm are largely left to their own devices save for when Sauron's reach crawls under the mountains. Arondir and his human companions, including a surviving Isildur, are more of an afterthought and the series still struggles to make Nori and The Stranger's story compelling in any way.

With an overwhelming amount of exposition now out of the way, Rings of Power season 2 feels lighter on its feet, even as darkness spreads through Middle-earth.

Somehow, even the politicking in Númenor becomes more interesting. With an overwhelming amount of exposition now out of the way, Rings of Power season 2 feels lighter on its feet, even as darkness spreads through Middle-earth. That darkness, of course, comes in the form of Annatar, Sauron's Elven form. Charlie Vickers is having a devilish amount of fun playing evil even while donning an unfortunate wig.

Some of the season's best scenes find Vickers sparring with Charles Edwards' Celebrimbor, who embodies Elven pride with a blind confidence that is ultimately his downfall. This battle of wills takes the place of many stories that are sidelined for chunks of time in the season. Galadriel, Isildur, Elrond, and more are given less to do this time as the downfall of Eregion looms and Adar seeks revenge against Sauron.

Is The Rings Of Power's 5-Season Plan Hurting The Show?

Season 2 is a test in patience

When Rings of Power was first announced, it was revealed that showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay pitched their series to Prime Video as a five-season epic, presumably culminating in the last alliance of Elves and Men. That plan seemed smart given the expansiveness of Tolkien's world and the story that the pair would be telling, taking place over what could be thousands of years.

In Rings of Power season 2, though, the plan begins to take shape and sap some of the excitement from the series. At times, it feels as if the show is hitting pre-determined points with little to no flair. Characters are fighting over things we already know the answer to and Payne and McKay do little else to make it interesting beyond that.

In its second season, Rings of Power is too rehearsed. Some of the best television ever produced has been chaotic and spontaneous, both due to production schedules and because, a lot of the time, writers, creators, and directors were reacting to the world around them and pouring that into their work. That's not to say Rings of Power always feels like this — there are genuinely surprising moments in season 2 that feel like a response, in part, to the reception of the first season.

However, there's clearly a plan in place, one that McKay and Payne seem afraid to stray too far from. It's easy to see why they wouldn't want to — Tolkien has laid out a lush and complex fantasy world for the pair to dive into. Season 2 of the show pulls from the past — the author's work as well as Peter Jackson's movies — but it seems afraid to ask what a Lord of the Rings show should look like now.

To recapture the magic of Tolkien's work, which The Rings of Power has proven it is entirely capable of doing, it must feel fearless. Right now, it's as though it's more afraid of what it might do rather than what it is doing.

The first three episodes of The Rings of Power season 2 premiere August 29 on Prime Video. The remaining episodes will be released weekly through October 3.