Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I wanted to love this. I wanted to love this. I grew up on these books and I still think this is one of the best fantasy series ever written. (A pity Jordan never finished it.) The sweeping story, the weaving of different cultures, myths, and legends under a common umbrella, made me fall in love with this, not to mention the strong moral core of this story. “Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain…” Remember that? When I found out that this was being made I was super excited to have it brought to screen… And here we are. This is something I looked forward to for quite some time but three episodes in I found myself asking “why do this?!” It seems that this is something that was/is a lost opportunity to create something wonderful. After three episodes I am not optimistic that this can be salvaged from the cringy, lackluster, and dull approximation of a beloved story. Granted, for those who know nothing of this story, this will all seem like simply fanboy whining. Fine. I’ll take the label and all that comes with it. However, for those looking for a GOT replacement or alternatively, a LOTR-like fix, this will disappoint because it simply lacks the gravitas of those titles and the cinematography itself is flat. This is really a travesty. Honestly. With a story this rich and with so much source material to work from, as well as a story that is so recognizable from the outset, how can you get this so wrong and absolutely dull? For those for whom this is a brand new thing, enjoy. Stop reading here. Enjoy the eye candy and get lost in the narrative for a while, ignore those of us cringing in the background, gnashing our teeth. By the numbers… Story: Is it necessary to create a narrative that does not exist in the books? Matt’s father is a philanderer and his mother an alcoholic? Why? Why even go there instead of the scene where Rand’s father buckles on the sword belt and then later in his ravings starts spilling the backstory to Rand that he is not actually his father? The thing they did with Matt is not essential. The opportunity that they lost with Rand and his father is monumental, as that sets the narrative for Rand to start questioning who he is and where he comes from. What made GOT so effective is that it stayed close to the original text, the show went off the rails in the end, because they no longer had source material. Here it seems we are in a fever dream of what the story should be but never quite make it because the showrunners had others read the books for them and are working from cliff notes… Skipping essential things to create elements that don't exist, why? Four Ta'veren? No. There are three. The three boys. Moreover, Moraine does not explain this is and its significance. Again, why do this? Why is Perrin already married? So no Davram Bashere and that whole story with his wife, their army, etc…? Matt is a “troublemaker” not a sleazy creep. This is a bad choice. Rand is meant to be open, a bit naïve, only to grow moody and despondent later, finding his balance and his humanity towards the end. Originally Jordan wanted to make Rand an older man in his thirties – from what I recall – but he realized that would have lost the young man’s wonder of seeing new things and interpreting those things through a young person’s perception, where we see Rand grow over time. Here Rand already seems – at least in his attitude – to be “too old.” We start off with him already racing down the hill with moodiness. The thing with Egwene at the outset… Why? Why was that necessary? The whole point here is that this is not in keeping with Two River’s values, it becomes meaningless when they are all apparently meant to be scandalized later as the story progresses. Incidentally, why is Thom kept to being introduced in episode 3? The whole point here is that from the outset Moraine knows who Thom is when she sees him in the Two Rivers. He is the buffer between Moraine and the boys and provides necessary friction, from the start. Did we forget about Min? Where is Min?! Also, where is Elyas? The wolves don't just lead Perrin and Egwene to the Tinkers. There is Elyas. This is a key component of Perrin’s story. The thing with the wolf by the water… That was cringy. The famous fishing scene is also gone. That’s just pure fun that this show misses. Casting: Perrin is perfect, Rand is perfectly cast, Egwene is miscast in large part because she comes across as flat. Nyneve is great but I hope she has more than one note to play here. Lan is TERRIBLY miscast. Wrong physique, lack of gravitas, lack of menacing power. Thom was well cast and played. Well done there. Matt, will need to a whole transformation to become the reluctant hero and “good guy” here. From the outset he is unlikeable. Rosamund Pike is a brilliant actress but here she is wasted as Moraine, looks anemic – if that is their version of “ageless it doesn't work – and seems like she is phoning in her lines. The one time we see her shine is when she is telling the story of Manatheren. But that is it. Moreover why is that monologue given on the road and not in the village? The whole scene in the book there has special significance later in the story, or are we just going to dispense with coming back to the Two Rivers? Lastly, the whole point of Moraine is that she is tiny but has a larger-than-life presence and power. Rosamund Pike is 5’9”. Great actress, amazing range, etc… But she is miscast here. This would have been the right part for someone of smaller stature, like Jodie Foster. Sets: Okay. So well done. Costumes: I get it that the White Cloaks are loathsome but why, or why armor their left shoulders and make them look goofy? Also, what is up with the serpent rings? The description is that they are simple, subtle and don't stand out. The trollocs I found were actually well done. I don't see why people are complaining about that in other reviews. Vibe: Where GOT had a cinematic feel of grandeur and openness throughout the story, this has a very much a “made in the early 2000’s for TV by USA/Syfy” vibe to it. This makes the story feel small when in reality it is not. In fact, Jordan’s worldbuilding is richer, more intricate, and more detail-oriented than what Martin created, but all this is lost with the flat delivery of how this is both filmed and presented. This could have been so much more. Considering how much money is allegedly being spent on this show, slightly better cinematography and a closer reading of the source material could have done wonders for this enterprise. Will I watch this? Sure, but this is a watercolor at best of what this could have been. Very disappointed.