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The Wheel of Time (Amazon) (Spoiler Thread)

Once again, labeling this a spoiler thread so I don't have to worry about hiding or revealing spoilers. Visitors beware. :sneaky:

I don't have a lot to say about the first three episodes except that I loved them. I'm fully invested.

I've read the first four or five novels, when they were first published. I eventually had distractions in my life which, combined with the wait between books, led me to stop reading the series at that point.

From what I remember, the Amazon show seems to follow the first book rather well. I do think the development might seem slow to some reviewers and modern viewers. This might explain the somewhat low Rotten Tomatoes scores. For my part there's this: Epic fantasies were always, always about creating depth and broadness in the world. When I was younger, this was true. The Wheel of Time took its time, and I became immersed. (IMO, it did this a little better than GRRM's ASOIAF.) So I'm 100% fine with the fact that we're more or less still just traveling and/or discovering the world after the first three episodes.

Besides which, Moiraine is a badass.

I may have more to say after new episodes.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
I’ve only watched the first episode, and I will admit to remembering damned near nothing of the books I read way back when, heh heh. So, true to the books means nothing to me.

It was okay, shows some promise, but at the same time, it demonstrates some possible weaknesses. It’s a wait a and see, which makes it nice there are 3 episodes out now, even if I’m putting them off to get more important stuff done, heh heh.
 

Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
Hmmm. I thought it didn’t follow the book very well, and most of the changes weren’t for the better. I don’t like the pacing or tone, which also seem off to me as compared to the book. The fridging decision just seems lame. I like the cast and it looks nice but I don’t know if I’ll be able to get into it.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
That’s why it’s sometimes good to not remember the books… heh heh. My own world and stories pushed out my memories of most all other books and much of real life ages ago. Handy for writing, but terrible for remembering to pay the bills or argue the merits of a novel.

Some of the music and other thigs just kinda… I had moments of “this is nice” and moments of “rrrrrrr, eeeewww uuuummmm”. I’ll watch it, since there isn’t enough epic fantasy out there to keep me from it, heh heh.

Hmmm. I thought it didn’t follow the book very well, and most of the changes weren’t for the better. I don’t like the pacing or tone, which also seem off to me as compared to the book. The fridging decision just seems lame. I like the cast and it looks nice but I don’t know if I’ll be able to get into it.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
I too don't remember much from the books, so I'm not real invested there. In the third episode I really noticed how dirty the other folks in the town were versus the two protagonists. That struck me as typical Hollywood. There's my constant complain about how modern video seems to think the best way to communicate the confusion of battle is to shake the camera and make lots of quick cuts. There are other ways to tell that!

As for the rest, I'm along for the ride. There truly is a grievous lack of epic fantasy on the screen.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
I think LoTR and GoT in particular are the only two cinematic fantasies where I’m visually drawn into the world with the characters feeling “real” instead of just actors in costumes. GoT production I give massive credit, plus the music was excellent. I’m not sure why. Part is probably haircuts, make-up… must be a combination of things. It’s kind of like how all the cops in some shows look like models, heh heh. The Hobbit movies also fell out of the “real” to feel more like actors. Probably because of all the dwarves.

The music and dialogue are also… iffy for me. I mean, I’ll watch it and enjoy it, but I hope the Middle Earth series is done better.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
I'm a fan of old movies and the look of actors is really striking. There's a huge variety of facial types and even body types in the old stuff. In modern stuff, especially after 1980 or so, nearly everyone is pretty. No lumpy faces, no natural scarring, everyone looks reasonably well fed. It's not a huge issue and it's certainly OT. Just regard me as that guy at the party who starts complaining out of nowhere in the middle of someone else's conversation. <g>
 
My only major complaint is that it's a weekly offering.

I wasn't too bothered by the pacing. Generally speaking, I approve. But I'm not sure the present approach and format are working well together. Remember the cliffhanger (hehe) at the end of the first episode of GOT? It was a proverbial page turner, it set up some immediate high stakes character tensions, and it left everyone asking lots of questions. Has anything in WOT done that yet? There are plenty of mild questions, curiosities about the world, plot, and characters—but they are curiosities at this point, even three episodes into the season. As such, no definite high stakes tension has been created.* You need more certainties, like kids being thrown from towers by incestuous royalty, and fewer mild curiosities, for strong tension.

As I said, I'm generally fine with the pacing so far. It's just that I wish more episodes had been dropped already. I was personally invested—happy to take that meandering stream wherever it might lead. Only, it didn't lead anywhere yet. It's only hinting at directions. (Even if I do know some of the potential directions, having read the first 3 or 4 novels and remembering some things.)

*Edit: With the exception of some action sequences, whether involving the Trollocs invading Two Rivers or the escape from the cursed city. The bats in throats and dreams and so forth might increase suspense momentarily. But how everything fits together is not answered for the casual viewer.
 
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Episode 4 was nearly perfect. My problem now is that I'm fine with the Egwene and Perrin arc disappearing altogether, heh. I mean, One of these things is not like the others / One of these things just doesn't belong / Can you tell which thing is not like the others / By the time I finish my song? At least for this episode, this song came to mind.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
>But we have only three more episodes, and what has happened so far?
Plenty has happened. I'm guessing what you mean is that nothing has happened that has seemed very interesting to you. That's fine. Me, I'm still enjoying the production itself--costuming, sets, panoramas. The story is already moving much faster than it did in the books.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
It would have to happen faster than the books, heh heh.

I’m enjoying it, though I haven’t watched the latest episode, but it still doesn’t suck me in. Still feels like a bunch of modern people slapped into a movie to me rather than getting me that extra step into the suspension of disbelief.

>But we have only three more episodes, and what has happened so far?
Plenty has happened. I'm guessing what you mean is that nothing has happened that has seemed very interesting to you. That's fine. Me, I'm still enjoying the production itself--costuming, sets, panoramas. The story is already moving much faster than it did in the books.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
True dat. Everyone is too pretty. A couple of faces have character, but for the most part the skin is too smooth, the teeth too straight, the eyes too clear. With most movies I can ignore that, be oblivious, but it is somehow more noticeable with fantasy movies, or with anything set pre-modern.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Yeah, not sure why that hits me more in fantasy and medieval period stuff. Name of the Rse was one that really worked for me. Most don’t, even if I enjoy them.

True dat. Everyone is too pretty. A couple of faces have character, but for the most part the skin is too smooth, the teeth too straight, the eyes too clear. With most movies I can ignore that, be oblivious, but it is somehow more noticeable with fantasy movies, or with anything set pre-modern.
 
>But we have only three more episodes, and what has happened so far?
Plenty has happened. I'm guessing what you mean is that nothing has happened that has seemed very interesting to you. That's fine. Me, I'm still enjoying the production itself--costuming, sets, panoramas. The story is already moving much faster than it did in the books.

I’m enjoying it as well, the same things. I’ve found a few things very interesting. I rated episode 4 as “perfect." But for a season, there’s not been much movement in the plot, and the season is about to end.
 
With episode 6, I feel like the plot is finally getting moving. We've been introduced to the characters and the world at last, and now it's time to get on with it. I mean, there'll be some good ol' fantasy adventuring. (And new characters, new parts of the world, even so.)
 

Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
I felt like this episode pushes me more toward thinking this is a mediocre adaptation at best. Not sure I’m going to watch the rest of it at this point. I still like the cast.

edit to add: just saw the last part of ep. 6. I’m going to say it’s a bad adaptation. They should have just created a new IP.
 
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Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
I still haven't even watched #4... but I blame polishing up the audiobook for Whispers of Ghosts, heh heh. Fortunately, I recall so little of the books that sticking to the story won't matter, heh heh.
 
I remember so few details from the books, I can't tell whether significant story-breaking changes have been made.

I do seem to recall that Moiraine was not the main character, or at least not the only main character. Rand was the POV character for much of the early story, right? But it seems the showrunners have decided to make Moiraine the focal point.

Although I've enjoyed the Rand/Mat and, less so, the Egwene/Perrin diversions, their arcs haven't been as fully developed. The emotional and intellectual focus has been on Moiraine and her warder; those other arcs have presented curiosities, mostly.

I've also begun to worry this development strategy might continue. Sure, the four Two Rivers friends have "suffered" in one way or another in the episodes leading up to #6, but by their reunion at the end of episode 6 any character growth seems to have been put on hold. Perhaps Mat escapes this treatment—he has truly changed in some way—because he broke with his book self and chose to stay back. But the others? Just hugging and greeting one another again and, again, blindly stepping where Moiraine tells them to step.

BUT. I very much love Moiraine in this show, and I guess I love the actress who is playing her. I really could enjoy a whole series based around her. (Except, I'd miss the-series-that-could-have-been, in which the others step into the limelight as well.)

I will keep watching, waiting and seeing. I will be a little upset if this character development for the others doesn't get much attention this season and I have to wait for next season. Two more episodes so...we'll see.
 
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