Movies and TV Wheel of Time

lawrenceRaider · 09-20-2023, 11:42 AM

The second season of Amazon's series "loosely" based on the Wheel of Time books is pretty damned good.

Season 1 was absolutely terrible and I had resolved to not watch season 2 at all. An old friend, who also thought season 1 was terrible, told me season 2 is a huge step up and actually good TV, and he's right.

Have watched up through episode 5, and each one gets a bit better than the one before it. Episode 1 wasn't great, but the rest have been very good.

If season 1 is/was a D, season 2 is about a B+. I still have issues with the adaption of the books to the series, but they've fixed most of the problems from season one with writing, direction, acting, and costumes.

JohnnyV13 · 09-20-2023, 12:48 PM

I only read about 5 of these books because I thought Robert Jordan was "juicing" the story to keep it going as long as possible. I thought it was vastly inferior to Lord of the Rings in terms of themes and literary value.

I watched the first season, but had only vague memories of the book. And yeah, wasn't that impressed. Season two started off confusing, but has had some pretty darn good episodes. The costumes and sets are terrific.

Third Eye · 09-20-2023, 01:08 PM

Interesting. Like most, I thought season 1 was terrible outside of 1 episode. I have only watched the 1st episode of season 2 and wasn’t impressed either. I had pretty much written it off, but it sounds like I need to continue.

lawrenceRaider · 09-21-2023, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyV13

I only read about 5 of these books because I thought Robert Jordan was "juicing" the story to keep it going as long as possible. I thought it was vastly inferior to Lord of the Rings in terms of themes and literary value.

I watched the first season, but had only vague memories of the book. And yeah, wasn't that impressed. Season two started off confusing, but has had some pretty darn good episodes. The costumes and sets are terrific.

Jordan's wife was his editor and she definitely didn't do a great job trimming out the fluff. Books 1-7 are pretty good, though they start getting a bit bloated, and books 8-10 should have been 2 books at most. Book 11, Jordan's last, is probably the best of the series. Sanderson did a good job wrapping up the series.

Third Eye · 09-21-2023, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

Jordan's wife was his editor and she definitely didn't do a great job trimming out the fluff. Books 1-7 are pretty good, though they start getting a bit bloated, and books 8-10 should have been 2 books at most. Book 11, Jordan's last, is probably the best of the series. Sanderson did a good job wrapping up the series.

I'm somewhat sad I never got there. Unfortunately book 10 killed it for me and I DNF'd.

lawrenceRaider · 09-21-2023, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Third Eye

I'm somewhat sad I never got there. Unfortunately book 10 killed it for me and I DNF'd.

I'm a masochistic completionist.

dlphg9 · 09-28-2023, 11:17 PM

There was a bigger thread during season 1. This show has really picked up in season 2. Finished episode 7 tonight and can't wait for the finale. Just hate that it's the final episode of the season. This show is so ****ing good.

**Indian Chief** · 09-29-2023, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlphg9

There was a bigger thread during season 1. This show has really picked up in season 2. Finished episode 7 tonight and can't wait for the finale. Just hate that it's the final episode of the season. This show is so ****ing good.

Season 1 being so bad turned a lot of people off I think. I read all the books and was excited for the show, but couldn't even finish the first season. I think I stopped after 4 episodes.

cookster50 · 09-29-2023, 06:07 PM

Season 1 was atrocious when it came to keeping true to the spirit of the books. Season 2 is way way way better, while there are still some "why why why" moments overall it's keeping much more true to the overall themes of the books other than completely neutering Rand so they can focus on girl power instead.

lawrenceRaider · 09-30-2023, 04:53 AM

Episode 7 had a LOT of WTF are they doing/thinking moments. Hopefully they don't repeat the horrifically bad finale style like they did season 1.

At some point Rand needs to become a bad ass. Season 2 finale is that time.

dlphg9 · 10-02-2023, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

Episode 7 had a LOT of WTF are they doing/thinking moments. Hopefully they don't repeat the horrifically bad finale style like they did season 1.

At some point Rand needs to become a bad ass. Season 2 finale is that time.

I liked season 1, but Im not a book reader. I think Rand goes full ****ing Dragon on some mother****ers or at least he better.

Spoiler!

I'm ready for some bad assery from several of that friends group and those Aiel women are badass bitches. Wanna see some more of them lol.

KentuckyChief · 09-30-2023, 06:16 AM

Let’s start with what the series has done right. The castings of Rand, Mat, Moraine, Lan, Elayne, Fain and the Maidens are pretty good. The sets and environments are also very well done. Costuming as well. Fades, Trollocs and the Whitecloaks are spot on.The weaves of the One power are pretty close to how I envision them, although it seems as everyone not born with the spark can see them.
Now for what they’ve done wrong. I don’t mind the diversity in castings, it was just poorly done, like they did it randomly for the sake of diversity without a care for the cultures each character was from. Moraine was never a lesbian. Lanfear is supposed to be the most beautiful woman in the world, clearly missed the mark there. Nyneave isn’t bitchy enough. They’re turning Hopper into Perrin’s pet. Speaking of Perrin, where the **** is his axe. The Seanchen are mostly wrong. I’m tired of typing so I’ll just say everything else is wrong.
Oh, and where the **** is Perrin’s axe!

dlphg9 · 10-05-2023, 11:45 PM

Holy ****ing shit. That finale. Damn it was good. Best episode of the series by far for me!

lawrenceRaider · 10-06-2023, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Holy ****ing shit. That finale. Damn it was good. Best episode of the series by far for me!

So you aren't a book reader.

The finale was maybe a 3/5. Which is a big step up from the 1/5 of the season 1 finale. I'd like to give season 1 finale a 0.

So many missed opportunities that likely are directly related to budget. Whitecloaks vs Seanchan should have been outside the city.

While the heroes of the horn scene was cool, it was drastically less cool than the book version.

Was nice to see at least a glimpse of the real Mat in this episode. Of course they had to **** that up by having Mat stab Rand.

Where the **** is Gaul? I know he should have appeared a few episodes ago, but not including him a a huge mistake.

The "fight" between Rand and Ishmael was a total ****ing dud.

We also got cheated out of an amazing sword fight between Rand and Turac. Having Rand kill him with the Power was cheap. Though it is keeping with the theme of nerfing Rand.

dlphg9 · 03-16-2025, 11:54 PM

I'm wondering if any of you are still watching, because this season is absolutely stellar. Easily the best thing on Amazon Prime right now.

09-20-2023, 11:42 AM	Topic Starter
lawrenceRaider Here We Go Again Join Date: May 2002 Casino cash: $-1086456	Wheel of Time The second season of Amazon's series "loosely" based on the Wheel of Time books is pretty damned good. Season 1 was absolutely terrible and I had resolved to not watch season 2 at all. An old friend, who also thought season 1 was terrible, told me season 2 is a huge step up and actually good TV, and he's right. Have watched up through episode 5, and each one gets a bit better than the one before it. Episode 1 wasn't great, but the rest have been very good. If season 1 is/was a D, season 2 is about a B+. I still have issues with the adaption of the books to the series, but they've fixed most of the problems from season one with writing, direction, acting, and costumes.
Posts: 15,258

09-20-2023, 12:48 PM	#2
JohnnyV13 Veteran Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tucson AZ Casino cash: $5425200	I only read about 5 of these books because I thought Robert Jordan was "juicing" the story to keep it going as long as possible. I thought it was vastly inferior to Lord of the Rings in terms of themes and literary value. I watched the first season, but had only vague memories of the book. And yeah, wasn't that impressed. Season two started off confusing, but has had some pretty darn good episodes. The costumes and sets are terrific.
Posts: 4,221

09-20-2023, 01:08 PM	#3
Third Eye Veteran Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: JoCo Casino cash: $-1390000	Interesting. Like most, I thought season 1 was terrible outside of 1 episode. I have only watched the 1st episode of season 2 and wasn’t impressed either. I had pretty much written it off, but it sounds like I need to continue.
Posts: 3,540

09-28-2023, 11:17 PM	#7
dlphg9 In Search of a Life Join Date: Oct 2010 Casino cash: $-1360347	There was a bigger thread during season 1. This show has really picked up in season 2. Finished episode 7 tonight and can't wait for the finale. Just hate that it's the final episode of the season. This show is so ****ing good.
Posts: 20,332

09-29-2023, 06:07 PM	#9
cookster50 Supreme Commander of My House Join Date: Apr 2004 Casino cash: $133622	Season 1 was atrocious when it came to keeping true to the spirit of the books. Season 2 is way way way better, while there are still some "why why why" moments overall it's keeping much more true to the overall themes of the books other than completely neutering Rand so they can focus on girl power instead.
Posts: 3,445	1 0

09-30-2023, 04:53 AM	#10
lawrenceRaider Here We Go Again Join Date: May 2002 Casino cash: $-1086456	Episode 7 had a LOT of WTF are they doing/thinking moments. Hopefully they don't repeat the horrifically bad finale style like they did season 1. At some point Rand needs to become a bad ass. Season 2 finale is that time. __________________
Posts: 15,258

09-30-2023, 06:16 AM	#12
KentuckyChief Starter Join Date: May 2019 Location: Louisville Casino cash: $1510400	Let’s start with what the series has done right. The castings of Rand, Mat, Moraine, Lan, Elayne, Fain and the Maidens are pretty good. The sets and environments are also very well done. Costuming as well. Fades, Trollocs and the Whitecloaks are spot on.The weaves of the One power are pretty close to how I envision them, although it seems as everyone not born with the spark can see them. Now for what they’ve done wrong. I don’t mind the diversity in castings, it was just poorly done, like they did it randomly for the sake of diversity without a care for the cultures each character was from. Moraine was never a lesbian. Lanfear is supposed to be the most beautiful woman in the world, clearly missed the mark there. Nyneave isn’t bitchy enough. They’re turning Hopper into Perrin’s pet. Speaking of Perrin, where the ** is his axe. The Seanchen are mostly wrong. I’m tired of typing so I’ll just say everything else is wrong. Oh, and where the ** is Perrin’s axe! Last edited by KentuckyChief; 09-30-2023 at 07:29 AM..
Posts: 102	1 0

10-05-2023, 11:45 PM	#13
dlphg9 In Search of a Life Join Date: Oct 2010 Casino cash: $-1360347	Holy ****ing shit. That finale. Damn it was good. Best episode of the series by far for me!
Posts: 20,332

03-16-2025, 11:54 PM	#15
dlphg9 In Search of a Life Join Date: Oct 2010 Casino cash: $-1360347	I'm wondering if any of you are still watching, because this season is absolutely stellar. Easily the best thing on Amazon Prime right now.
Posts: 20,332	1 0