Wheel of Time

[Jackalope89]

The problem there is that group seems to be made up of two types of people. One: models who can't act their way out of a paper bag, and Two: people who command top dollar. The former would detract from the show, the latter is probably out of the price range. The only person in that category who I can recall making a similar show was Eva Green on Penny Dreadful - and Eva Green has been described by multiple women I know as being gorgeous enough that if she propositioned them they'd seriously consider it despite not having any attraction to other women.

Eh, I don't see it. I mean, she is attractive, but not to that degree (in my eyes). But the actress for Elayne looks much closer to the part than I thought.

[Sacred Knight]

I still have yet to get started, and while I still plan to, there was one thing I wanted to be spoiled on in the finale just because it was something I felt I needed to know, and the answer disappointed me.
spoilers:

I am VERY disappointed to read the finale completely omitted not only the Green Man but also Aginor and Balthamel. I mean, what the hell? That is the freaking climax. I had a funny feeling Someshta would be left out, hence me seeking out this spoiler in the first place, but not even the Forsaken made it in?

end of spoilers
Bearing in mind I haven't even started yet, is there any way within the narrative of a season finale that this works at all? Is it possible this confrontation might happen in another setting? Help me out.

[CSTowle]

I think they're going to slowplay the Chosen, make them "mini-bosses" for other seasons. Probably, given the limitations of the medium, sidelining a few or combining their traits. They were referenced in passing, but a detail (as Ascended mentioned) that wasn't given the proper weight. Probably seen as legends/bogeymen (like the White Walkers in Game of Thrones) by regular folk. I will say Episodes 1 and 8 were by far the weakest of the series, and I've read they were both written by the showrunner. Episodes 3-6 were all excellent in my opinion. It's hard to separate my love of the books and the story from my enjoyment of the show and the need for changes to adapt it to a visual medium, but even taking that into account I still question the need or value of some of the changes. Showing the Age of Legends this early, not emphasizing the importance of things like the Dragon Reborn and the prophecy, taveren, the Forsaken/Chosen, etc. And if the change to Moiraine's storyline from the last episode sticks (it almost certainly won't), how does that impact/diverge from the books? Same with Mat. Will probably go and rewatch the series at some point and figure out my feelings after a full go-through (after all, sadly have a lot of time before season 2) but this last episode has me back in the funk I was in during the first 2 episodes.

[Gray Lensman]

I still have yet to get started, and while I still plan to, there was one thing I wanted to be spoiled on in the finale just because it was something I felt I needed to know, and the answer disappointed me.
spoilers:

I am VERY disappointed to read the finale completely omitted not only the Green Man but also Aginor and Balthamel. I mean, what the hell? That is the freaking climax. I had a funny feeling Someshta would be left out, hence me seeking out this spoiler in the first place, but not even the Forsaken made it in?

end of spoilers
Bearing in mind I haven't even started yet, is there any way within the narrative of a season finale that this works at all? Is it possible this confrontation might happen in another setting? Help me out.

spoilers:

I'm pretty sure that "The Dark One" is really Isamael

end of spoilers

[Hiromi]

I've had time to reflect on the series as a whole(also went ahead and reread the first book towards the second half of the show so feel like I have a decent vantage point) and honestly my opinion on the season 1 as a whole has soured. None of the main actors really were able to shine outside Pike it felt like(Henney and Robins were okay though). Just some overarching general decisions made for the show don't feel like they worked that well(ie like aging up the cast or delaying the introduction of Thom Merrillin) or were just awful(further grim darking the story, dumbing down the setting). Also feel more and more skeptical on specific changes now too, ie having them actually make it to the White Tower instead of Caemlyn. It feels like they wasted too much of the limited time in the season on a filler storyline(warder stuff) that honestly isn't that important(if at all) to the story and by doing so you've robbed season 2 of a big set reveal(and Caemlyn could have easily served the same purpose) and delayed introducing a major portion of the main cast in the Trakand family and Elaida. Also opinion on the finale has increasingly gotten worse with reflection. State at the end of season 1 really makes me feel like they're going to gut book 2's storylines for season 2.

[Ascended]

I still have yet to get started, and while I still plan to, there was one thing I wanted to be spoiled on in the finale just because it was something I felt I needed to know, and the answer disappointed me.
spoilers:

I am VERY disappointed to read the finale completely omitted not only the Green Man but also Aginor and Balthamel. I mean, what the hell? That is the freaking climax. I had a funny feeling Someshta would be left out, hence me seeking out this spoiler in the first place, but not even the Forsaken made it in?

end of spoilers
Bearing in mind I haven't even started yet, is there any way within the narrative of a season finale that this works at all? Is it possible this confrontation might happen in another setting? Help me out.

*Possibly* more spoilers than you want Sacred. Just a tiny bit.

spoilers:

They used Ishmael instead, and twist the events around to make the whole thing a trap. Honestly, in some ways it's actually better than the battle with Aginor and Balthamel, if you can get past the purist mentality and accept a different spin on things....which I'm struggling with, admittedly. The Green Man was never likely to make it into the show. Too expensive, I suspect, to pull off in a satisfying manner. It's a damn shame but I think the budget just couldn't handle it. I know you're a fellow WoT fan Sacred, and we tend to agree on most things, so just....prepare yourself. This isn't a triumph of a impossible adaptation like Dune was. If you can roll with the fact that they change a lot of stuff around, it's a serviceable adaptation and not much more. It has its moments of glory, it really does, and that kept me tuning in each week, but it's not going to live up to the novels for you.

end of spoilers

[Aahz]

I don't now the books and just finished the the first season.

I found it over all enjoyable, but some things felt not well done.

I the show felt like Moraine was the main character, with Lan, Egwene and Nynaeve, as seconds leads, while from my under standing the actual main character of the book series are Rand, Mat and Perrin.
These three felt for the most part underdeveloped, uninteresting and pretty useless. Especially Perrin felt like a character that could have easily completely written out of the show.

While it is nice that you could read additional setting information about what was going on and the locations on amazon, I would prefer if that stuff was explained better on screen.

The Fight scene with Rand's mother in the Episode 7 opening was just ridiculous.

[Gray Lensman]

I don't now the books and just finished the the first season.

I found it over all enjoyable, but some things felt not well done.

I the show felt like Moraine was the main character, with Lan, Egwene and Nynaeve, as seconds leads, while from my under standing the actual main character of the book series are Rand, Mat and Perrin.
These three felt for the most part underdeveloped, uninteresting and pretty useless. Especially Perrin felt like a character that could have easily completely written out of the show.

While it is nice that you could read additional setting information about what was going on and the locations on amazon, I would prefer if that stuff was explained better on screen.

The Fight scene with Rand's mother in the Episode 7 opening was just ridiculous.

In fairness to that scene, the Aiel ARE ridiculously good at fighting. At one point Rand asks Lan how the Aiel fight...."Hard. If you have that sword, and an Aiel has only his bare hands, it's almost an even fight. Provided you're good." And in a world where there is magic, I'm willing to overlook someone being insanely good at killing people via more mundane methods.

[Jackalope89]

In fairness to that scene, the Aiel ARE ridiculously good at fighting. At one point Rand asks Lan how the Aiel fight...."Hard. If you have that sword, and an Aiel has only his bare hands, it's almost an even fight. Provided you're good." And in a world where there is magic, I'm willing to overlook someone being insanely good at killing people via more mundane methods.

The problem for book readers with that scene isn't that she's a badass warrior, its that she fought and killed with her face exposed. Thom even explained that earlier in the season, but that cold open just ignored it.

[Gray Lensman]

The problem for book readers with that scene isn't that she's a badass warrior, its that she fought and killed with her face exposed. Thom even explained that earlier in the season, but that cold open just ignored it.

I'm a book reader and that didn't bother me at all - she WAS in labor. She wasn't supposed to be anywhere near a battle in that condition, but she was anyways. Even in the books.

[Jackalope89]

I'm a book reader and that didn't bother me at all - she WAS in labor. She wasn't supposed to be anywhere near a battle in that condition, but she was anyways. Even in the books.

Tam simply finds her on the slopes, already dead, with baby Rand poorly wrapped up in the book.

And yes, she wasn't SUPPOSED to be near battle, but she somehow ended up in a fight. But nothing is said if she had her face veiled or not.

[Ascended]

Minor spoilers for the books, you non-reading philistines!

.............

I wasn't crazy bothered by that scene. We know that the Aiel veil before killing, always and no matter what...but Rand's mother wasn't raised Aiel and I'll accept the idea that between being in labor and being attacked by a bunch of soldiers, that she either forgot or simply didn't bother. I'd have rather it all be done properly and she had her face covered but let's be real, this show has made far bigger mistakes than this.

And I actually like the idea that Tam helped her give birth. Rather than simply stumbling upon a baby in the snow, Tam puts his sword aside to help an enemy, and then takes responsibility for the child when the mother doesn't survive childbirth. I feel like it gives Tam more agency, and it tells audiences a lot about what kind of man he is. The novels had the benefit of pages and pages of prose to frame Tam's character for us, but I think this one scene in the show does nearly as much to define the kind of person he is.

[remydat]

I honestly forgot most of what happens in the books so more of a newcomer but found the show to be very uneven. Mainly because the characters that actually seem interesting sort of take a backseat (Mat and Perrin) and the characters that felt rather drab take center stand Rand and Egwene.

[Gray Lensman]

First things first....

THREAD NECROMANCY!!!! LIIIIIIVVVVEEEEEE!!!!!!

OK, that out of the way, Season 2 has arrived and the first 3 episodes are up.

We are introduced to a few new characters who will be of some importance both this season and later on in the series. The episodes are slightly longer (just under 70 minutes now) and the showrunner found another minute or two he could squeeze into each episode by cutting out all but a few seconds of the opening sequence. Effects definitely have improved, looking like they had more time to get them right. Certain characters with minor parts have been eliminated in favor of having the ones more important to the overall plot do them instead - spoilers:

Vandene has been replaced by Verin, who I think might travel with Mat in order to get them all to Falme for the season finale, and Alanna has taken over some of the early teaching scenes, in addition to Hurin being outright replaces by Elyas

end of spoilers. The pacing has improved, as it feels like there is more time to breathe despite more being packed in. There are certainly changes, many stemming from the "perfect vortex of F your plans!" they got hit with for the finale last season. The show has to get everyone from where they were at the end of season one to Falme for the end of season 2, which will set up The Shadow Rising as the source material for season 3 (likely with a bit of The Fires of Heaven as well). Perrin speaks rather than sulks, Mat actually has a playful side (the new acor might be a BETTER fit than the last one, and he was singled out as perhaps the best of the 3 male leads), and Elayne is probably the best anyone could have done - a mix of naive yet underprivileged, annoying yet endearing at the same time, all while looking like she stepped of the page (as one of the few characters with a vivid description in the series) to complete things.

There are still things added wholesale, although they make sense considering the changes so far (especially the ones forced by circumstance at the end of season 1), and the showrunner did warn that we would see more book to show changes in this season than last one, with the hope being that he could get everything in place for a much closer adaptation for season 3.

All in all, those who enjoyed season one should love season two, and those who wished flaws could be fixed should have some hope renewed after watching.

[Ascended]

I was planning on ignoring S2, after struggling to roll with the changes season 1 made. I saw a clip where Rand is talking to Logain somewhere (Tar Valon?) and I just couldn't. That's not just bending stuff for tv, it's breaking the story into little pieces. Not helping that I'm halfway through another re-read so the details are fresh in my mind.

But your review makes me think that maybe I'll give it a shot. I wanted to like S1 more than I did, but despite knowing intellectually that allowances had to be made for the adaptation, in the end I couldn't accept what we got, which felt too thin. Not to mention the changes they made, many of which will cause huge shifts in the story eventually, if it didn't happen immediately. But maybe I'll give it an episode, just to see.