[TV] The Wheel of Time

[Lorgar Aurelian]

What you call bloat, I call detail. I live character depth and world detail I feel is very important in fantasy because of all the strangeness the world has to be as real and detailed as possible.

when I say bloat I don’t mean things like the over explaining details I mean just like Matt and Rands trip to Caemlyn where it drags on and on as they stop or try to stop at like 15 different farms/inns and half of them do nothing to actually characterize them or detail the world.

Like I think atleast 4 of them end with them being cased off turn away or given some stuff to leave because Matt is getting more corrupted and is acting like a jerk and this isn’t counting the bigger/impactful times. It’s like they thought people wouldn’t notice the more subtle hints of corruption on the boat or that they would forget mid journey even though there were were more impactful moments show casing it and it’s progress so they just beat you over the head with it.

I’m also not saying that the book should be shorter or any thing like that, just that there is a lot of bloat you could cut out and dedicate to other story/character elements like say Perrin who is a pretty non existent character for most of the book outside of his small part with the wolfs/tinkers, or better yet alot more Lann/Nynaeve who while they have my favourite parts in the book there actual “romance” near the end is rather sudden/rushed.

[Orby]

For those more interested than I.

I mean there are some good things I liked here. Still a bit cautious because the first season burned me so bad with how much they tried to squeeze into one season all the while inserted their own story into it making it even harder to fit the plot of the first book within. The stuff they did manage to adapt and keep in was good and the stuff they added themselves pulled it down for me. alot of stuff I would have prefered they added they cut out, and I felt the plot itself was messy.

I hope season 2 changes this, I hope its focused on the Great Hunt book, I don't mind if they interweave from other books or whatever cos it looks like we are getting Elias here judging from that trailer, so I am getting some hope that book one wasnt completely ignored. But I am just very cautious I just know I am not going to like this which is why I will probably give it a wide birth.

For those that like the show, I am jelly because I wish I could

EDIT: Also is that Halsey on the theme. Nothing against the singer (she sounds fine) but why is she like everywhere?!

[Shadowferal]

I liked the casting other then Morraine.

I will always see her in this pic;

[Lorgar Aurelian]

The trailer looks pretty good other then the baffling Seanchan designs which are so visually noisy.

[Xath]

Finale was bad. desperate scrambling to rewrite Matt's actor leaving half way through the show - didn't work. BUT precisely because I know why finale was bad and it was due to circumstances out of their control? that I'm willing to give this show more of a chance. I liked the casting other then Morraine. I wasn't 100% on board with some of the changes, but it IS an adaptation and interpretation (and I wasn't necessarily on board with multiple changes to Expanse adaptation either, and I still think Holden was miscast, but I still enjoyed the show overall and while it cost us a few book characters, show Camina Drummer more then made up for it, IMO), so I still want to see where they are going with it in Wheel of Time.

there is this thing called nuance. Something doesn't need to be perfect to be enjoyable.

The casting is absolute trash the only one semi close is Rand in terms of look and he isn't that good of an actor.

[Triceron]

I will always see her in this pic;

To be honest, with the growth of AI and deepfake technology, it isn't long till someone gets around to making edits that completely change the characters to look exactly how they want them to.

The writing however....

[hulkgor]

Cool stuff.

[Witchblade77]

The casting is absolute trash the only one semi close is Rand in terms of look and he isn't that good of an actor.

that's just like.... your opinion, man.

main reason I don't like casting of Moiraine is because she doesn't feel like Moiraine in the books to me most of the time, while everyone else mostly does. I would agree that Rand is middling as an actor, but then again, I honestly found everyone else to be more interesting in books than Rand, so.. it kinda works out for me.

P.S. that painting doesn't feel like Moiraine to me either TBH. I think the closest off the top of my head to Moiraine would be young Natalie Portman circa prequel star wars movies. or someone who has that sort of "tiny and adorable, but then you look into the eyes and see wisdom beyond their years" vibe.

[bledgor]

For those more interested than I.

I mean there are some good things I liked here. Still a bit cautious because the first season burned me so bad with how much they tried to squeeze into one season all the while inserted their own story into it making it even harder to fit the plot of the first book within. The stuff they did manage to adapt and keep in was good and the stuff they added themselves pulled it down for me. alot of stuff I would have prefered they added they cut out, and I felt the plot itself was messy.

I hope season 2 changes this, I hope its focused on the Great Hunt book, I don't mind if they interweave from other books or whatever cos it looks like we are getting Elias here judging from that trailer, so I am getting some hope that book one wasnt completely ignored. But I am just very cautious I just know I am not going to like this which is why I will probably give it a wide birth.

For those that like the show, I am jelly because I wish I could

EDIT: Also is that Halsey on the theme. Nothing against the singer (she sounds fine) but why is she like everywhere?!

I wish I could say that after the dumpster fire that was season 1 this trailer inspire me, but watching I have truly entered the phase of apathy, all I felt was meh. Which is sad for one of my more favorite fantasy series, but when you have a hack like Rafe Judkins in charge, you get what you get.

[Orby]

I wish I could say that after the dumpster fire that was season 1 this trailer inspire me, but watching I have truly entered the phase of apathy, all I felt was meh. Which is sad for one of my more favourite fantasy series, but when you have a hack like Rafe Judkins in charge, you get what you get.

My biggest issue with the show tend to be from the directing and writing side for sure. I can even set aside some of the cheapness of it all if the writing and directing was really good.

There seems to be a lot of people that like the show though, show sits at 81% Audience Score on Rotten tomatoes. I think a lot of people are just happy to see some form of Wheel of Time on screen and I am happy for them. I think I just expected more than I got. If this show does anythign right it for me its to get more people to check out the books :P

[bledgor]

My biggest issue with the show tend to be from the directing and writing side for sure. I can even set aside some of the cheapness of it all if the writing and directing was really good.

There seems to be a lot of people that like the show though, show sits at 81% Audience Score on Rotten tomatoes. I think a lot of people are just happy to see some form of Wheel of Time on screen and I am happy for them. I think I just expected more than I got. If this show does anythign right it for me its to get more people to check out the books :P

I am one of those fans that would rather not get something if it is bad (this show) or just mediocre, and rather wait some time for a good or great show.

[Gumble]

There seems to be a lot of people that like the show though, show sits at 81% Audience Score on Rotten tomatoes.

Don't try to figure out how much people like a show/movie by sites like that. They are bought and paid for by studios (I think WB actually owns RT). They alter scores all the time to the point where trying to judge actual interest by their scores is like trying to judge the quality of a movie by what the critics say. You MIGHT find one that matches you, but they are all for sale.

I'm sure there are people who liked the show, if only because alot of people have no taste and don't read. However, from the number of people that started watching S1 (where it started reasonably well), to the number of people that were still watching by the end of S1, and how badly they ended it, I wouldn't expect much in the way of people for S2.

I'm actually kinda hoping the writer's strike will push studios into using AI more and we can get WoT using the actors RJ wanted. Imagine Audrey Hepburn as Min because AI could use her image and voice to create the character. I'm hoping they get to the point they can do that.

[Syegfryed]

There seems to be a lot of people that like the show though, show sits at 81% Audience Score on Rotten tomatoes. I think a lot of people are just happy to see some form of Wheel of Time on screen and I am happy for them. I think I just expected more than I got. If this show does anythign right it for me its to get more people to check out the books :P

From what i saw in social media, sure its means nothing, but the target audience are not rly the book fans, or people that are invested in fantasy things, basically fantasy for normies, same for rings of power. In twitter by example most people were talking about kisses, that i dunno if it was rly a thing in the books, so yeah, just different audience

[Orby]

From what i saw in social media, sure its means nothing, but the target audience are not rly the book fans, or people that are invested in fantasy things, basically fantasy for normies, same for rings of power. In twitter by example most people were talking about kisses, that i dunno if it was rly a thing in the books, so yeah, just different audience

I think this is the same with Witcher, my sister and her husband love Witcher, but noted they haven't read the books, so as you said, different audiences. :P

also I have to remember people who use review sites are also a small minority so we'll never know the real consensus of people's opinions. They are not like me, someone who has been reviewing movies and shows since 2001 lol (those were the days) :P

I will never show anyone those early 2001 imdb reviews from a 17 year old me. They are so cringe, especially my Gladiator review... :P

[Rennadrel]

Don't try to figure out how much people like a show/movie by sites like that. They are bought and paid for by studios (I think WB actually owns RT). They alter scores all the time to the point where trying to judge actual interest by their scores is like trying to judge the quality of a movie by what the critics say. You MIGHT find one that matches you, but they are all for sale.

I'm sure there are people who liked the show, if only because alot of people have no taste and don't read. However, from the number of people that started watching S1 (where it started reasonably well), to the number of people that were still watching by the end of S1, and how badly they ended it, I wouldn't expect much in the way of people for S2.

I'm actually kinda hoping the writer's strike will push studios into using AI more and we can get WoT using the actors RJ wanted. Imagine Audrey Hepburn as Min because AI could use her image and voice to create the character. I'm hoping they get to the point they can do that.

Disney owns a 25% stake in RT, and Amazon owns IMDB

[Syegfryed]

I think this is the same with Witcher, my sister and her husband love Witcher, but noted they haven't read the books, so as you said, different audiences. :P

I know one guy that loved rings of power yet, out of a fuckton of people that i talked with about the show, only this dude liked, his answer to why was just "its a fantasy show, it have swords, fighting and elves",didn't care about the plot or history, its just something to kill time, he will probably love wheel of time too.

It is an different audience, but imo, still is shooting yourself in the foot, since you are, on purpose, targeting a small audience while activelly pushing others aways, the one that you should aim for, that will carry your show out

[TirielWoW]

For those more interested than I.

I mean there are some good things I liked here. Still a bit cautious because the first season burned me so bad with how much they tried to squeeze into one season all the while inserted their own story into it making it even harder to fit the plot of the first book within. The stuff they did manage to adapt and keep in was good and the stuff they added themselves pulled it down for me. alot of stuff I would have prefered they added they cut out, and I felt the plot itself was messy.

I hope season 2 changes this, I hope its focused on the Great Hunt book, I don't mind if they interweave from other books or whatever cos it looks like we are getting Elias here judging from that trailer, so I am getting some hope that book one wasnt completely ignored. But I am just very cautious I just know I am not going to like this which is why I will probably give it a wide birth.

For those that like the show, I am jelly because I wish I could

EDIT: Also is that Halsey on the theme. Nothing against the singer (she sounds fine) but why is she like everywhere?!

Yeah it is Halsey.

That...well. That seems like it's going to be a big step up from S1. I get Prime Video automatically with my Prime subscription, so I'll likely watch this regardless.

But...I'm a little bit more interested than I was before.

[Mace]

wow Rand got shafted to top right. Not that I would complain if Gandalf ever got put front and centre over Frodo or Aragorn :P

Moiraine - i.e. gandalf as the main hero in this type of story DOES NOT work.

It's not told for /about them as the main - you need a very different story. When he wnated Moiraine the lead, he wrote A new spring - you have a differnet type of story.


Look, they could have made Moiraine the centre, but they would have had to tell a completley differnet story. if they wanted to keep Robert Jordan's sotry in tact, they needed to create a show that followed her, as the centre while supporting the dragon reborn and the other characters - it's writing something entirely new with the main books serving as the official canon of events while you tell your side story.

[Shadowferal]

if they wanted to keep Robert Jordan's sotry in tact, they needed to create a show that followed her, as the centre while supporting the dragon reborn and the other characters - it's writing something entirely new with the main books serving as the official canon of events while you tell your side story.

But rj never wanted to keep the story intact.

[Corvus]

I didn't recognise anything from that trailer that really resembled any events from book 2 or 3. The line about how they freed the dark one.... it was pretty explicit in the books that if he ever broke the seals and git free it was game over.