Wheel of Time (spoilers)

[Berkut]

Well, I have watched the first 5 episodes, and I am pleasantly surprised.


Some notes and observations:


1. Having read maybe 2/3rds of the series a couple decades ago, the show is reminded me of just how rich and complex the story was - you have a pretty serious world with a lot of interesting players.
2. The production is overall very good. It should be, they spent enough money on it.
3. The complaints about the Fades and Trollocs are silly. They both look damn good, IMO.
4. There is some bog standard television dumbness. Somehow a bunch of 8 foot tall trollocs managed to crash an ongoing party and nobody noticed at all until one of them dramatically has its axe point burst through the throat of a party goer from behind? DUMB
4A. Darkfriend has our heroes "captured". Oh shocking, a knife appears in her throat!. UHHHH YOU ALREADY DID THAT ONE GUYS!
5. The acting is very uneven. Varies from mediocre to decent. So far none if it is good though, and I don't see anyone as immediately and obviously going to be good.
6. The casting is weak. None of the actors are particularly charismatic at all. Egwene, Rand, Nynaeve are all very blah. Mat is actually pretty good, but I heard he got fired or left after the first season.
7. Did Perrin have a wife he killed in the books? I don't remember that.....


Overall, despite my complaints, I am very much enjoying the show. And I expect as it goes on, the actors will improve as they settle into their roles.


Now, if only I can get over the angst of all those candles and the questions they demand answers to! Who makes all that wax? What kind of thread do they use for their wicks?

[HVC]

Still,ok, not good not bad. Last episode was better though you could see the ending a mile away.  I like the leader of the white cloaks. Just enough over acting to be enjoyable.

[celedhring]

I have a weird feeling of "I should enjoy this but for some reason I don't" when watching it. I think the blah acting and ponderous dialogue are the main culprits. They have way too many "this is a character moment! Look at the serious dialogue!" scenes that just don't work and drag the whole thing down. Also, as Berkut points out, a fair share of dumb moments played for effect that take me out of the story.

The world and mythology seem intriguing enough (I only read the first book and that was 10+ years ago).

[garbon]

I continue to enjoy it. Sure it has some dumb moments many do in the scif-fi/fantasy genre.

[celedhring]

I continue to enjoy it. Sure it has some dumb moments many do in the scif-fi/fantasy genre.

I think GoT might have spoiled me. Until the final seasons, they seemed to hit every note just right.

Going back to WoT, I read they fired the guy playing Mat Cauthon. Has to be due to some off-set stuff, because he's easily the less bad of the young actors (although his character is the most interesting, too).

[jimmy olsen]

7. Did Perrin have a wife he killed in the books? I don't remember that.....

No, he did not.

[grumbler]

Going back to WoT, I read they fired the guy playing Mat Cauthon. Has to be due to some off-set stuff, because he's easily the less bad of the young actors (although his character is the most interesting, too).

We don't know whose choice it was to recast the role.  It is entirely possible that some health or personal reason forced Harris to give up the role.

It's hard to play a whiney character sympathetically, and was, IMO, beyond him and/or the writers.  Better luck with the next guy.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I continue to enjoy it. Sure it has some dumb moments many do in the scif-fi/fantasy genre.

I think that's why I like reading fantasy more than watching it.  Actually hearing the dialogue by someone who is emoting it makes me cringe.

[The Minsky Moment]

Now, if only I can get over the angst of all those candles and the questions they demand answers to! Who makes all that wax? What kind of thread do they use for their wicks?

The candles are nothing compared to the extraordinary travelling laundry and ironing facilities that the guys in the white robes must have.

[Grey Fox]

I've read the entire series.

I'm happy that they actually included the Forsaken. I was starting to doubt it.

[Berkut]

Now, if only I can get over the angst of all those candles and the questions they demand answers to! Who makes all that wax? What kind of thread do they use for their wicks?

The candles are nothing compared to the extraordinary travelling laundry and ironing facilities that the guys in the white robes must have.

LOL, no shit. I had not even thought of that. They are fucking *pristine* aren't they!

[Eddie Teach]

One complaint I recall having about the books is the amount of time spent describing what people were wearing.

[Berkut]

One complaint I recall having about the books is the amount of time spent describing what people were wearing.

The ability to skip ahead a paragraph or 5 is important when reading WoT.

[Threviel]

Now, if only I can get over the angst of all those candles and the questions they demand answers to! Who makes all that wax? What kind of thread do they use for their wicks?

The candles are nothing compared to the extraordinary travelling laundry and ironing facilities that the guys in the white robes must have.

Jokes aside this is the kind of lazy ass shit that ruins immersion in a lot of badly thought out shows. If the writers/producers/directors/whoever can't be bothered to think about this crap there'll probably be cracks the size of Grand Canyon in the story.

[viper37]

Now, if only I can get over the angst of all those candles and the questions they demand answers to! Who makes all that wax? What kind of thread do they use for their wicks?

if Languish was to stop such things as discussing pointless, minor issues, what would be left of our community?