[Boromir88]

Episode 3 is less engaging than Episodes 1 and 2, but there's definitely been a stronger start to Season 2 than Season 1.

Prosthetics and costumes have improved (Cirdan's hair puts all the other Elves hair to shame).

The Harfoot characters have dropped their inconsistent, out of place accents. Plus, I thought having their walking song be the key to finding the correct path was a clever invention.

I didn't care for the Halbrand character in Season 1. I expected the "grand" reveal that he was Sauron, but I thought he was a weak villain. I'm pleased that Charlie Vickers has stepped it up as Annatar though. He's really playing into the fact of Sauron being a master manipulator and not this hulking, uber-mace wielding smasher of armies that PJ's prologue depicts.

Overall, the season has started in a good direction. It's been more imaginative, bolder, and the plot has a better flow than the slog that Season 1 was.