What do ya’ll think about it? I can’t wait! It looks incredible!
That snippet of Selene snuggling up to Rand. I am SO shipping that (if you know, you know).
But I think what gets my blood pumping the most is that last snippet of Rand standing off the soldiers. We know what scene that is, and it’s a badass setting for it.
The whole thing feels like it has much more…integrity…than S1. Not that they are following the book more closely, but that it has more internal consistency and prominent touch points. It clearly will be different than the books, but this trailer makes it feel more familiar to book readers.
I’m one of those diehard readers who turned into a diehard show fan, so I don’t exactly see a lack of “integrity” in season 1… but I’m deeply in tune with the fact they are rapidly going to the dark horrific side where the Wheel of Time really thrives.
The reason I think WoT ultimately outshone RoP in viewers (e8 actually winning in a straight count) was because despite all the 1-star reviews before E1 even aired, and the COVID issues, the casting was spectacular and every single actor (and hopefully Donal Finn) can quickly become our headcanon of themselves even on rereads.
My Rand will forever be Josha, now. And my Moiraine, Rosamund.
My issues are more about the show’s internal consistency, rather than consistency with the book. For example, Dragonmount is west of Tar Valon - even on the map hosted on the Amazon Prime web page for the show. How does it make sense that Mat and Rand see it behind Tar Valon when approaching from (again, according to their map) the south? How does it make sense that Tear is higher in elevation and behind Siuan when she’s traveling north from the fingers of the dragon?
There are other small changes that I felt were unnecessary - they didn’t shorten an event or make it more clear to viewers - that I wish they’d just leave alone. Like Sanderson pointed out - if you don’t mention it in the show, it can still be “unchanged” in the minds of the viewers, even if the show handles it differently.
Anyway, I agree 100% that the casting is spot on, and will carry the show. I think combining the 2nd and 3rd books is a smart move. And I think moving on quickly from the adolescent attitudes of the EF5 was a necessary adaptation for TV.
My issues are more about the show’s internal consistency, rather than consistency with the book. For example, Dragonmount is west of Tar Valon - even on the map hosted on the Amazon Prime web page for the show. How does it make sense that Mat and Rand see it behind Tar Valon when approaching from (again, according to their map) the south?
I’ve always found “placement of background doesn’t match map” complaints to be contrived in any show. It’s there so it’s more visible. But if we must focus on it and try to explain it, they clearly left the beaten path to avoid Shadowspawn, and we see them walking mostly on something that does not resemble a massive thoroughfare to the most epic city in Randland. Which means if you must whine about consistency, side-roads coming in from a slightly more easterly angle, ultimately entering through the Cairhien-facing gate.
How does it make sense that Tear is higher in elevation and behind Siuan when she’s traveling north from the fingers of the dragon?
Tear does not show higher in elevation, the Stone of Tear does. And that’s canon. Yes, technically the location is a little off as she sails away. I reiterate the point from the above about harping on background topography like it’s the most important part of the show.
There are other small changes that I felt were unnecessary
There’s changes I didn’t agree with, but I would say each one of them either solved a problem or created dramatic value that I think defended itself, even if the change itself could have been done differently. But I’m also not an expert on writing shows, so I defer to the ones who put Amazon in the awkward position of their less expensive fantasy show outshining their Billion Dollar Baby.
Anyway, I agree 100% that the casting is spot on, and will carry the show. I think combining the 2nd and 3rd books is a smart move. And I think moving on quickly from the adolescent attitudes of the EF5 was a necessary adaptation for TV.
Ironically, I think that’s the part that’s gotten to me the most, though I got over it. I’ve always loved the Arthurian feel to TDR, and rate it a lot higher than many readers do. I would have even taken tSR+tFOH combining to get a TDR season that ends in Tear. Maybe I’ll get that later, but it’s definitely not happening in S2 now that we’ve seen as much as we have.
Here’s a better example:
Steppin goes to Nynaeve for tea to help him sleep. They joke about it being sheepstongue root. Sheepstongue root a) doesn’t help you sleep and b) tastes awful. That would be fine - and we could all know that Nynaeve thinks Steppin is acting the fool. However, Steppin uses the tea to drug Lan, who presumably doesn’t taste it in his wine, and it knocks him out cold. I call that an “unforced error” - they could have made up any name for the concoction and we would have accepted it, or if they were really good, they’d look up what Nynaeve gave Moiraine to help her sleep in Shader Logoth. Instead, in their eagerness to drop an easter egg, they went with something that doesn’t make any sense in context.
Here’s a better example:
Steppin goes to Nynaeve for tea to help him sleep. They joke about it being sheepstongue root. Sheepstongue root a) doesn’t help you sleep and b) tastes awful. That would be fine - and we could all know that Nynaeve thinks Steppin is acting the fool
This should be the moment where you realize you’re making excuses (or others have, and you believe them), but maybe it won’t. Here’s the big problem. Goatstongue root is a canon sedative, mentioned in Winter’s Heart, and in fact the herb (per show and transcript) that Nynaeve gives Steppin.
I call that an “unforced error” - they could have made up any name for the concoction and we would have accepted it
…by you. They picked an herb mentioned and used in the books, and it exhibited the symptoms formally assigned to it.
To reiterate… They got goatstongue root correct in the show and you are the one mistaken.
And I’m trying to be charitable to you, but I’m not going to lie. In the last 2 years, I have debunked no fewer than 2 dozen lore-adherence accusations by people complaining about the show. About half the time, it devolves into the other person hating on diversity or the role of women. It is really hard for me to see people who simply have a flawed grasp of the lore accusing the show of these utterly non-issue things and not see them as making excuses to hate the show. I’m sure you’re in the 50% of haters who aren’t whitecloaks, but can you see why someone on my side starts to take issue with all the silliness? I was back theorycrafting about in the mid 90’s and never stopped being a diehard, yet I seem to think they did a bang up job with the show and it easter eggs.
Don’t like Wotshow? Don’t watch it. Seems fair to me.
Moiraine is too tall.
But really I see it as another rotation of the Wheel. Things are the same, but different.
“Hey, you made a mistake”
Hm, really? Perhaps I did. My bad.
condescending rant about how I don’t like the show
- I do like the show, and don’t think it would be that hard for them to adjust a few things to quiet a lot of the critics
- Your condescending tone is not a great way to grow a community.
Take a breath, read more slowly, don’t assume everyone is a hater.
Well put.
Oh yeah, haha, that shot of Selene against his chest gave me chills! I look forward to seeing how they handle their time together on screen. It would be interesting if the show alters the relationship dynamic a bit to add some more reciprocation (from Rand) and overall nuance to it. In the books the dramatic potential felt very underutilized, and just kind of ‘haha, look at this naive farmboy not knowing how to handle a woman that knows what she wants’ - which to me just seems so cliche and uninteresting.
Love the trailer! I’ve probably seen it 10-15 times now between my own views and watching others react or live stream to it.
I am incredibly hyped to see Nynaeve’s episode dealing with those arches; it looks like she comes out of it with two wounds in her abdomen and I can’t wait to see how that goes down. Also, Perrin fighting Whitecloaks - it’s going to be badass to see the antagonism between he and they ratchet up a notch.
Other highlights/observations
No sign of Padan Fain (unless it was super subtle)
Turak v. Rand is going to be epic
Dude with flaming sword killing a fade, wtf is going on there (I need to know)!?!?
Egwene’s face @1:02 in the trailer, she’s wearing some unfortunate neckwear and looks in bad shape
Whitecloaks or Heroes riding through the dust/smoke @1:22???
Rand meeting Siuan (so glad we’re getting this scene!) - does Lan teach him Cat Crosses the Courtyard?
Aviendha looks deadly as hell in combat from the brief glimpses
Very excited to see what the great writers, actors, and other crew members have put together for us lucky fans. I hope they get what they’ve rightfully earned by their hard work, solidarity with WGA and SAG-AFTRA all day.
Just a few thoughts and facts.
No sign of Padan Fain (unless it was super subtle)
Large consensus says he’s a specific person at the table at the Social.
Turak v. Rand is going to be epic
Awwww yeah. My second favorite part of the trailer behind “cuddle time”.
Rand meeting Siuan (so glad we’re getting this scene!) - does Lan teach him Cat Crosses the Courtyard?
I really hope so. I missed this until my third watch and hearing someone say “wow, that’s one cocky swagger” when it clicked exactly what it was.
Large consensus says he’s a specific person at the table at the Social.
Of course, how did I not think of that! Thanks, I was thinking about Bors and some of the other characters that might have been there, but totally forgot Fain. Time to zoom in on that shot to see some more details, lol.
My latest thought is: what scenes shown in the trailer are more TDR than TGH? That scene near the end with Mat driving his spear into something (or someone) is immediately followed by an explosion at what looks like a castle or fortress - if those shots are actually connected, then this is very reminiscent of his activities near the end of TDR. But other than that, most every scene I recognized looked to be from TGH (which is not necessarily a bad thing, since I think TGH has more television-friendly moments in it throughout than TDR does).
It definitely feels a lot more TGH to me. I think we’re only getting a nod to TDR and some Aiel in Falme.
I’ll live, though. It’s still gonna be great.
