Humans, harfoots, elves, dwarves, orcs, ents, Tom Bombadils, and everyone else: Welcome back to Middle-earth. It’s been nearly two years since the end of the first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power ended with the eruption of Mount Doom and various other dramatic events, so viewers can be forgiven if they feel a bit adrift as this second season opens. Happily, showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay and writer Gennifer Hutchison seemingly...