11-21-2021, 08:22 PM
Random thoughts below:
I thought it suffered a little from being choppy, and sometimes felt like a collection of scenes (some of which were very strong and some of which felt a bit paint-by-numbers). But I think/hope it's just finding its stride and that the pacing continues to improve. I enjoyed the first ep much more the second time round (watching it with my husband now, who is not a book reader and literally knows nothing about WoT). The acting is very good, and I think they have done an excellent job with the casting. The scenery, costumes and general feel is very high quality imo, I don’t get the criticisms I’ve seen to the contrary.
Personally, I didn't mind the changes to Mat, I thought it set up his character very well (and makes him far more sympathetic than he was at this point in the books). Barney Harris is excellent, the show will lose a gem next season (though I'm sure Donal will also do a good job). Since it's clearly not a performance related issue I really hope the actor is okay.
Wasn't as keen on the Perrin stuff, but I was aware of the rumour so was expecting it (and expecting not to like it much). Not saying that it doesn't make sense, and I don't care that he was married, just not keen on the trope itself and not yet convinced on how well they executed it (which is no shade on the actors, they both did a fabulous job of the scene). It translates the axe/hammer conflict for TV, sure, but accidentally killing someone you love should have deep ramifications, far more than book Perrin’s internal issues. I hope they do it justice rather than leaning on it as shorthand for book Perrin’s inner monologue.
There was some tension between Perrin and Laila that I'm not sure I understood. I assumed she was pregnant at first, then afterwards wondered if it was difficulty conceiving that was the problem (hiding in work, not going to Egwene's ceremony). My husband also thought they implied she was pregnant. But nothing was really clear, it felt like there wasn't enough meat on the bones of their scenes, or that something was cut. At the moment I'm not sure if it's something they just failed to get across, or if it's something we will find out more about later. Why present troubles in a marriage when one half of it exists just to bite the dust?
My biggest meh moment in ep 1 was when they actually left. Tam went from wielding the heronmarked blade, to injured to healed, and then they were just gone. Despite Moiraine's speech and the impending second wave of attack there just lacked any kind of frantic goodbye or even much resistance. It should have been emotive, especially after the trauma of the attack (which was very well done), but it just felt disconnected to me. My husband even remarked that they all took it a bit well.
Moiraine is absolutely excellent. I think Rosamund Pike is the living embodiment of Aes Sedai. I love her rapport with Lan. Adored the intimacy of the bath without it being sexual or romantic, and the fact she did something so frivolous as make the water warmer because he asked her to. Really looking forward to Tar Valon and her scenes with other AS (especially Suian).
Nynaeve is badass, she has the character down perfectly and I loved all her scenes. Lan's surprised "oh you tried to kill me" line was spot on too.
Wasn't sure about Mat just wandering off at Shadar Logoth. I did like the scene about tools, giving Perrin the knife, and the inference that the city then presented him with something it knew he needed, but I'm not sure if the connection could have been presented more strongly. We see a shadow of I guess Mordeth, but you'd only know that if you'd read the books. Did like that they didn't make any fuss about him taking it though, and left the audience to recognise the dagger when he pulled it on Thom.
Leaving Thom's introduction until later was definitely a good call, I’m not sure how anyone can think his intro would have been done justice if squished into the first episode. I like that the cloak is now a coat (presume it's reversible). Ep 3 was definitely my favourite. Dana was very good, I actually didn't twig she was a DF until she locked the door … for which I felt a bit dumb, but by that point I was enjoying watching rather than comparing I guess. For a moment I actually wondered if she was one of the Forsaken (when she name dropped Ishy). A bit of a plot deviation, but I still wondered.
Generally I felt like things improved immensely by ep 3.
So, question: Dana said she’d had dreams of 5, so who is the 5th? First obvious thought is Nynaeve, however we spend a whole scene with her and Moiraine ascertaining that she's the wrong age, and Moiraine previously says that the rumours are that the Two Rivers has 4 ta'veren not 5 so it's not that. Do the Forsaken just have dodgy intel? Or is there going to be another candidate? The only other thing I could think of was that it might have been the guy gentled at the beginning who was "the right age" but Moiraine ruled out (nod to Dannil who RJ cut from being a main char perhaps). That seems a reach though lol.
Other things I wondered about:
Nynaeve saying the previous wisdom was turned away from the Tower at 13. More changes in lore? Nynaeve certainly implies it was because she was poor/a class divide. Not actually a channeler? Raised to Accepted then let go because she couldn't get the shawl? Moiraine doesn't say anything in response which makes me think it's an example of outsiders not being privy to AS ways, but why make a monologue of it? Just to explain Nynaeve's contempt? I did wonder if it was a suggestion of a White Tower informant (and why Moiraine knew about Nyn’s past).
The fact the gentled guy's madness manifested as a person only he could see is perhaps a hint that LTT will be presented in the same way?
Oh, and why did Rand focus on a scar on Egwene’s arm when they were washing up in ep 1? Is that a book detail I’ve forgotten or set-up for something else?
I thought it suffered a little from being choppy, and sometimes felt like a collection of scenes (some of which were very strong and some of which felt a bit paint-by-numbers). But I think/hope it's just finding its stride and that the pacing continues to improve. I enjoyed the first ep much more the second time round (watching it with my husband now, who is not a book reader and literally knows nothing about WoT). The acting is very good, and I think they have done an excellent job with the casting. The scenery, costumes and general feel is very high quality imo, I don’t get the criticisms I’ve seen to the contrary.
Personally, I didn't mind the changes to Mat, I thought it set up his character very well (and makes him far more sympathetic than he was at this point in the books). Barney Harris is excellent, the show will lose a gem next season (though I'm sure Donal will also do a good job). Since it's clearly not a performance related issue I really hope the actor is okay.
Wasn't as keen on the Perrin stuff, but I was aware of the rumour so was expecting it (and expecting not to like it much). Not saying that it doesn't make sense, and I don't care that he was married, just not keen on the trope itself and not yet convinced on how well they executed it (which is no shade on the actors, they both did a fabulous job of the scene). It translates the axe/hammer conflict for TV, sure, but accidentally killing someone you love should have deep ramifications, far more than book Perrin’s internal issues. I hope they do it justice rather than leaning on it as shorthand for book Perrin’s inner monologue.
There was some tension between Perrin and Laila that I'm not sure I understood. I assumed she was pregnant at first, then afterwards wondered if it was difficulty conceiving that was the problem (hiding in work, not going to Egwene's ceremony). My husband also thought they implied she was pregnant. But nothing was really clear, it felt like there wasn't enough meat on the bones of their scenes, or that something was cut. At the moment I'm not sure if it's something they just failed to get across, or if it's something we will find out more about later. Why present troubles in a marriage when one half of it exists just to bite the dust?
My biggest meh moment in ep 1 was when they actually left. Tam went from wielding the heronmarked blade, to injured to healed, and then they were just gone. Despite Moiraine's speech and the impending second wave of attack there just lacked any kind of frantic goodbye or even much resistance. It should have been emotive, especially after the trauma of the attack (which was very well done), but it just felt disconnected to me. My husband even remarked that they all took it a bit well.
Moiraine is absolutely excellent. I think Rosamund Pike is the living embodiment of Aes Sedai. I love her rapport with Lan. Adored the intimacy of the bath without it being sexual or romantic, and the fact she did something so frivolous as make the water warmer because he asked her to. Really looking forward to Tar Valon and her scenes with other AS (especially Suian).
Nynaeve is badass, she has the character down perfectly and I loved all her scenes. Lan's surprised "oh you tried to kill me" line was spot on too.
Wasn't sure about Mat just wandering off at Shadar Logoth. I did like the scene about tools, giving Perrin the knife, and the inference that the city then presented him with something it knew he needed, but I'm not sure if the connection could have been presented more strongly. We see a shadow of I guess Mordeth, but you'd only know that if you'd read the books. Did like that they didn't make any fuss about him taking it though, and left the audience to recognise the dagger when he pulled it on Thom.
Leaving Thom's introduction until later was definitely a good call, I’m not sure how anyone can think his intro would have been done justice if squished into the first episode. I like that the cloak is now a coat (presume it's reversible). Ep 3 was definitely my favourite. Dana was very good, I actually didn't twig she was a DF until she locked the door … for which I felt a bit dumb, but by that point I was enjoying watching rather than comparing I guess. For a moment I actually wondered if she was one of the Forsaken (when she name dropped Ishy). A bit of a plot deviation, but I still wondered.
Generally I felt like things improved immensely by ep 3.
So, question: Dana said she’d had dreams of 5, so who is the 5th? First obvious thought is Nynaeve, however we spend a whole scene with her and Moiraine ascertaining that she's the wrong age, and Moiraine previously says that the rumours are that the Two Rivers has 4 ta'veren not 5 so it's not that. Do the Forsaken just have dodgy intel? Or is there going to be another candidate? The only other thing I could think of was that it might have been the guy gentled at the beginning who was "the right age" but Moiraine ruled out (nod to Dannil who RJ cut from being a main char perhaps). That seems a reach though lol.
Other things I wondered about:
Nynaeve saying the previous wisdom was turned away from the Tower at 13. More changes in lore? Nynaeve certainly implies it was because she was poor/a class divide. Not actually a channeler? Raised to Accepted then let go because she couldn't get the shawl? Moiraine doesn't say anything in response which makes me think it's an example of outsiders not being privy to AS ways, but why make a monologue of it? Just to explain Nynaeve's contempt? I did wonder if it was a suggestion of a White Tower informant (and why Moiraine knew about Nyn’s past).
The fact the gentled guy's madness manifested as a person only he could see is perhaps a hint that LTT will be presented in the same way?
Oh, and why did Rand focus on a scar on Egwene’s arm when they were washing up in ep 1? Is that a book detail I’ve forgotten or set-up for something else?
![[Image: thal-banner-scaled.jpg]](http://thefirstage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/thal-banner-scaled.jpg)