Wheel of Time: TV show - (Books in spoilers).

**Halie Satanus** · September 22, 2023, 05:01 PM

I really don't like how half the Aes Sedai are speaking falsehoods because of bad writing of dialogue!!!
No, Moraine would not say "I will tell you everything" to Rand. She cannot say that when she intends to give him the bare minimum.
And no, the Aes Sedai cannot offer compliments they don't believe in or comforting words. An Aes Sedai absolutely cannot say "I am sure it will turn up fine" to someone to comfort him when she knows it won't.

A more serious issue for the new viewers will probably be Tel'arad'rhiod. It is name dropped. And that's it. No real explanations.
"Tel'... what?" Rand asks.
"The world of dreams." Moraine's explanation. And that's it.

Morraine has been stilled, so technically, she's not Aes Sedai. I guess the writers wanted to show that change in her by having her show her manipulative side more overtly.

I wondered how they might tackle ''Tel'arad'rhiod'' and to be fair, a passing wave at it makes sense. There were too many tangents as convenient ways to bring characters together, in the books. I prefer them not going to deep into it. Makes Egwene's plight seem more desperate.

EP 6.

Probably the best episode yet, at east acting wise. Egwene's battle of wills with Renna being the highlight. I'm starting to want to know what happens next to the characters.

Perrin had a good EP 5, seems he will play a major role in Falme. Which will leave Matt somewhat of a lose end, can't see him making it there for the big event, which would be a major change from the books. Rand's story still needs to get going, but as I recall (Falme aside) his was never that engaging until he joins up with the Aiel anyway, at least he's back talking to Logain. Nynaeve is almost as annoying as she was in the books, at least she's not tugging her hair every time she gets irritated. Maybe she'll play a bigger part in the last episode of the season.

Building up nicely to Falme.

**Muizer** · November 15, 2023, 12:36 AM

Just started watching. So, one of these 4 is supposed to be the Dragon reborn. I fear I already know. Let's see, a South Asian looking woman, a black guy, a scruffy black haired dark eyed one and one fair skinned bright eyed pretty boy. If it's indeed Rand, that would be sooooooo cringe.

**alhoon** · November 15, 2023, 02:42 AM

Originally Posted by Muizer

Just started watching. So, one of these 4 is supposed to be the Dragon reborn. I fear I already know. Let's see, a South Asian looking woman, a black guy, a scruffy black haired dark eyed one and one fair skinned bright eyed pretty boy. If it's indeed Rand, that would be sooooooo cringe.

-_-

It was not a secret in the book who it was and there's a reason, a real, story-wise reason that Rand is paler than the rest of the group and the Andorans. Also, who is the black guy? There is no black guy in the group...

**mishkin** · November 15, 2023, 01:56 PM

This guy? https://m.imdb.com/name/nm8519744/?ref_=nm_mv_close (rejoice, the day we see no different races is coming).

**conon394** · November 15, 2023, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Muizer

Just started watching. So, one of these 4 is supposed to be the Dragon reborn. I fear I already know. Let's see, a South Asian looking woman, a black guy, a scruffy black haired dark eyed one and one fair skinned bright eyed pretty boy. If it's indeed Rand, that would be sooooooo cringe.

Book wise Rand should stand out like a sore thumb. Realistically his mates from the two rivers are too divers. Basically the book is a low mobility world for lack of a better term . Its no Roman empire under the pax Romana but somewhat fading kingdoms and poilities that often barely control their hinterlands and none have the energy to really claim spots on the map where polities have died off. FOr example local in opening village are nominally part of a larger kingdom but its been generations since that's been a real thing. The locals are pretty isolated people more or less just move in or from across the world.

**alhoon** · November 15, 2023, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by mishkin

This guy? https://m.imdb.com/name/nm8519744/?ref_=nm_mv_close (rejoice, the day we see no different races is coming).

Marcus Rutherford counts as a black person? He's not as dark as half the group! He is actually the dark-white color the locals were supposed to have. They are not as dark in the books as Egwene and Nynaeve are in the tv series.

**Muizer** · November 16, 2023, 04:00 AM

Well I don't know the books. I'm up to episode 4 or 5 in the series, and so far it seems rather obvious the other characters are being set up as auxiliary ones. Not just because they're not the white pretty boy, though that seemed an obvious part of it. Also because the others have had their personalities developed at record pace, while Rand is still a mostly blank canvas. At this point, other than him, only the girl seems to have some mileage in her character development. Probably because she's Rand's love interest? Hope I'm wrong though, that it's not as predictable as that.

**alhoon** · November 16, 2023, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Muizer

only the girl seems to have some mileage in her character development. Probably because she's Rand's love interest? Hope I'm wrong though, that it's not as predictable as that.

Remember the 1st episode: they broke up.

Also, keep in mind that whether you ask book readers or not-book-readers, season 2 is much better than season 1. Do not be dissuaded by the finale in episode 8.

**chriscase** · November 17, 2023, 12:30 AM

All I can say is, it’s a Wheel-of-Time-inspired story set in a Wheel-of-Time-ish setting, loosely based on characters from the Wheel of Time books. It brings to mind the days before Peter Jackson proved an epic film rendition of LOTR could be done despite the common wisdom that no live action film rendition of an epic fantasy book could ever be anything but a disappointment to fans of the book. Sadly where Peter Jackson defied those expectations, this production does not.

**alhoon** · November 17, 2023, 07:02 AM

If you go to that show with the book in mind, you will be sorely disappointed. As a series, it is 6.5 / 10 in the first season (not the finale; it has some nice things in eps 4 - 5) IMO and 7/10 in the 2nd season.
Honestly, the parts I enjoyed most are the things that ARE NOT in the books.

**chriscase** · November 17, 2023, 01:29 PM

Sure but how am I supposed to watch a show that purports to be “The Wheel of Time” and not think of the books? I’ve probably read The Great Hunt like 10 times.

**conon394** · November 17, 2023, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by chriscase

Sure but how am I supposed to watch a show that purports to be “The Wheel of Time” and not think of the books? I’ve probably read The Great Hunt like 10 times.

My problem is reading the Great Hunt I thought there might be a more tight say 5-6 book series at hand but not the seemingly endless I'm going to jam every possible part of my world build into more and more books series happening oh and resurrected bad guys.

**conon394** · November 17, 2023, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by chriscase

All I can say is, it’s a Wheel-of-Time-inspired story set in a Wheel-of-Time-ish setting, loosely based on characters from the Wheel of Time books. It brings to mind the days before Peter Jackson proved an epic film rendition of LOTR could be done despite the common wisdom that no live action film rendition of an epic fantasy book could ever be anything but a disappointment to fans of the book. Sadly where Peter Jackson defied those expectations, this production does not.

Sorry LOTR was a rather big disappointment for me as a book fan and the decisions that made it so are baffling to this day since they need not have been made. Only made worse by the hobbit adaption. realistically I can only manage to re watch the Fellowship after that its down hill fast.

**alhoon** · November 17, 2023, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by chriscase

Sure but how am I supposed to watch a show that purports to be “The Wheel of Time” and not think of the books? I’ve probably read The Great Hunt like 10 times.

Well, the books are still there.

But if you watch this expecting something more than it is, you will be disappointed. Only the Seanchan are close to the Seanchan in the books - still with changes.
If you cannot switch off your book brain, then you will not like this.

**chriscase** · November 18, 2023, 01:35 AM

Originally Posted by conon394

Sorry LOTR was a rather big disappointment for me as a book fan and the decisions that made it so are baffling to this day since they need not have been made. Only made worse by the hobbit adaption. realistically I can only manage to re watch the Fellowship after that its down hill fast.

I can understand that, particularly because I’ve never been a big fan of Tolkien

. So to me Fellowship was a real breakthrough. But maybe GoT is a better example. Certainly when I was a kid the high marks of fantasy cinema were films like Beastmaster, or maybe The Wizard of Oz. Tackling something as dense as LOTR seemed completely out of the question.

**alhoon** · November 19, 2023, 07:14 AM

I just wish, and I wish it hard, that the developers would have the guts and insight to contact Sanderson and Jordan's estate and hire them to write a side-story happening during the WoT times.
I.e. instead of a bastardized synopsis, give us something new in the world. Like a group of mercs and an Aes Sedai as Arad Doman goes into chaos because of Graendal with news about the Dragon coming as news. Or a guy that can channel and is hiding that ends up in the care of the Reds, only to escape with the help of friends and end up an Asha'man fighting in Dumai Wells, with Rand showing in the baaaackground during the explosion.

Effectively, professional fan-fiction written with the help of Sanderson and Jordan's estate.

**Halie Satanus** · November 26, 2023, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Muizer

Well I don't know the books. I'm up to episode 4 or 5 in the series, and so far it seems rather obvious the other characters are being set up as auxiliary ones. Not just because they're not the white pretty boy, though that seemed an obvious part of it. Also because the others have had their personalities developed at record pace, while Rand is still a mostly blank canvas. At this point, other than him, only the girl seems to have some mileage in her character development. Probably because she's Rand's love interest? Hope I'm wrong though, that it's not as predictable as that.

Ah, you've applied real world ethnicity stereotypes to a fantasy world setting. Don't want to spoil it for you, but ethnically Rand comes from a marginalized and much hated ethnicity. The odd part is it's not pointed out more in the books or the show, just how different and obvious his origin is. He's a bit of a Clark Kent in that sense. Could be worse, at least they didn't cast Denzel Washington in the role for the sake of wokeness.

And alhoon is right, season 2 is way better than season 1.