[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

I liked that trailer much more than the Winternight one. Use of the One Power looks less Avatar: The Last Airbender in that one. Very much on board for watching the first few at the very least!

EDIT: Anybody know who Blondie who was talking about "servants of all" is?

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 28 October 2021 - 07:10 AM

[Tsundoku]

I think they were saying Aes Sedai means Servants of All or something.

Which - thinking about it - wasn't that explained in The Shadow Rising (?) with all those flashbacks to the time of legends?

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 28 October 2021 - 07:56 AM

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Tsundoku, on 28 October 2021 - 07:55 AM, said:

I think they were saying Aes Sedai means Servants of All or something.

Which - thinking about it - wasn't that explained in The Shadow Rising (?) with all those flashbacks to the time of legends?

Yes, that's him - I was wondering which character it is. Only blonde chap I could think of this early was Gawyn and he's too old to be him. Maybe a Warder?

My memory of the series is poor but that flashback stuff sounds right.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 28 October 2021 - 07:59 AM

[Tsundoku]

There's only one thing to do, our only hope.

I cast: Summon Terez.

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 28 October 2021 - 08:44 AM

[Avatar]

I tried the first book when it just was released, I was around 15, but it didn't catch then. But looking forward to the series, not sure if I will like it, but it was 1 of the reasons to renew my Prime subscription. Just read about the production: almost limitless resources / funds, whole villages built and burned down, just for a episode. It sounds massive!

[Cyphon]

Tsundoku, on 28 October 2021 - 08:44 AM, said:

There's only one thing to do, our only hope.

I cast: Summon Terez.

I think we should just ask our local Ta'vern to arrange for Terez to appear. Not sure how we find out who they are though. Anyone spoken to any talking humanoid animals recently? Apart from Abyss?

[worry]

I'm pretty sure that's Thom Merrilin.

[Malankazooie]

WoT reddit is convinced he's a Warder, double teaming with another Warder for one Aes Sedai. But damn, this Friday we will find out (or soon after). Is Beezows Prime releasing all the episodes at once or will it be classic linear television episodic and so - "tune in next week kiddos for the next spine tingling episode of Wheel of Time"?

Also, does anyone know if in any of the trailers they put out, if a Draghkar makes an appearance?

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

First three episodes drop all at once on the 19th, then I believe it's weekly from there. And no, I don't think we've seen a Dragkhar yet (I've watched Daniel Greene's roundups and he hasn't mentioned one that I'm aware of, and he knows a lot more what he's looking for than me).

[Cyphon]

There's a big promo event today where selected WoTers will see at least the first three episodes. Let's see what the verdict is. I know Wert is going to it.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Cyphon, on 15 November 2021 - 01:06 PM, said:

There's a big promo event today where selected WoTers will see at least the first three episodes. Let's see what the verdict is. I know Wert is going to it.

Just seen Daniel Greene's initial thoughts video having seen the first two episodes at the London launch. The fact he's as happy as he is with it, and mentions quite a bit of editing has happened post-trailers for the better, makes me feel reasonably confident

[Cyphon]

Yeah the social media buzz seems good from the WoTians. Sounds promising.

I'll still wait for wert's view before I start pushing the hype train out of the station.

This post has been edited by Cyphon: 16 November 2021 - 08:32 AM

[Abyss]

BELLA LIVES OR WE RIOTTTTTTTTTTTTT

[Tsundoku]

So ... anyone watched yet?

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Yes - just finished watching the first three episodes.

On the whole, I'd say solid 7.5 to 8 out of 10, and I'm pleasantly surprised. There are some changes that will (and have already) upset purists but to me they are either improvements or they in the very least make sense as either adaption shorthand or updating some book choices. I will be interested to see how someone who hasn't read the book finds it as it's so difficult to tell how it will come across when you don't have the background in your head.

I'll spoiler my specific thoughts for people who haven't watched yet:

Spoiler

I think a lot of the bitching about the changes made are coming from people who expected a word for word, page for page adaption of the book on screen. They were never going to get that and they deserve to be disappointed. Same for those whose reaction to some of the decisions is to whinge about it going "woke". Crawl back under your rock, nobody cares that you hate inclusion or women or whatever else.

• Egwene is ta'veren. This makes no material change as of yet, it remains to be seen if they alter her story further because of it. Personally I suspect they won't because -
• That choice (I think at least) is to mask who the Dragon Reborn is for as long as possible for those who have not read the book - and really, what harm is there in that? The little chat between Moirane and Nynaeve at the sacred pool told them it isn't Nynaeve because she's older than the other four - and so it leaves the possibility that any of them could be until the moment the show reveals who it is. Given they share dreams for a while anyway, I honestly can't see the harm in this.
• Perrin. I honestly didn't really blink at the fact he's married and accidentally kills his wife in the fight with the trolloc in terms of "massive change". We now have a solid reason he hates the axe and rejects leadership roles in the later story (presuming they stick with all that). It seems like a quick shorthand choice to set that up and given it's been widely discussed that the Emonds Fielders would be aged up, I don't think it's out of the realms of possibility.
• I LOVE the Whitecloaks change. From my albeit poor memory of the books they felt a little neutered to me in terms of threat level overall and that one scene turned their threat up to 11. Abdul Salis is so beleiveable as a religious fanatic.

Overall thoughts aside from my irritation with ranting folks on social media (by the way, this isn't me saying people have to like it. But rabidly calling it the worst thing ever because it wasn't a word for word copy is very tiresome). Anyway:

• Casting is superb overall. On first watch, standouts for me are Rosamund Pike, Zoe Robins, Madeleine Madden, Marcus Rutherford and Alexandre Willaum, but nobody is dropping the ball in the slightest.
• The weird brightness level from the trailers has either been turned down or isn't so noticeable when watching a full episode, can't quite decide which. Either way, overall it looks stunning - the scenery is to die for.
• Who the hell gave the Red Ajah and particularly Liandrin permission to turn up and be that menacing? I'm here for it!
• Missing Eylas but the wolves have been included in an interesting way so far. Looking forward to seeing how wolf dreams are handled.
• My only criticism really would be some of the on-the-nose and stitled dialogue but I would put most of that down to how much set up is having to be done and some of it you are just going to have to have the characters say outloud. That should improve as the series goes on I think.
• Someone made a comment I saw that it somehow feels like the show is in a rush but also at a standstill all at once - and I get the same feeling but can't place why. Not offputting overall though.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 19 November 2021 - 02:59 PM

[QuickTidal]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 19 November 2021 - 02:57 PM, said:

Yes - just finished watching the first three episodes.

On the whole, I'd say solid 7.5 to 8 out of 10, and I'm pleasantly surprised. There are some changes that will (and have already) upset purists but to me they are either improvements or they in the very least make sense as either adaption shorthand or updating some book choices. I will be interested to see how someone who hasn't read the book finds it as it's so difficult to tell how it will come across when you don't have the background in your head.

I'll spoiler my specific thoughts for people who haven't watched yet:

Spoiler

I think a lot of the bitching about the changes made are coming from people who expected a word for word, page for page adaption of the book on screen. They were never going to get that and they deserve to be disappointed. Same for those whose reaction to some of the decisions is to whinge about it going "woke". Crawl back under your rock, nobody cares that you hate inclusion or women or whatever else.

• Egwene is ta'veren. This makes no material change as of yet, it remains to be seen if they alter her story further because of it. Personally I suspect they won't because -
• That choice (I think at least) is to mask who the Dragon Reborn is for as long as possible for those who have not read the book - and really, what harm is there in that? The little chat between Moirane and Nynaeve at the sacred pool told them it isn't Nynaeve because she's older than the other four - and so it leaves the possibility that any of them could be until the moment the show reveals who it is. Given they share dreams for a while anyway, I honestly can't see the harm in this.
• Perrin. I honestly didn't really blink at the fact he's married and accidentally kills his wife in the fight with the trolloc in terms of "massive change". We now have a solid reason he hates the axe and rejects leadership roles in the later story (presuming they stick with all that). It seems like a quick shorthand choice to set that up and given it's been widely discussed that the Emonds Fielders would be aged up, I don't think it's out of the realms of possibility.
• I LOVE the Whitecloaks change. From my albeit poor memory of the books they felt a little neutered to me in terms of threat level overall and that one scene turned their threat up to 11. Abdul Salis is so beleiveable as a religious fanatic.

Overall thoughts aside from my irritation with ranting folks on social media (by the way, this isn't me saying people have to like it. But rabidly calling it the worst thing ever because it wasn't a word for word copy is very tiresome). Anyway:

• Casting is superb overall. On first watch, standouts for me are Rosamund Pike, Zoe Robins, Madeleine Madden, Marcus Rutherford and Alexandre Willaum, but nobody is dropping the ball in the slightest.
• The weird brightness level from the trailers has either been turned down or isn't so noticeable when watching a full episode, can't quite decide which. Either way, overall it looks stunning - the scenery is to die for.
• Who the hell gave the Red Ajah and particularly Liandrin permission to turn up and be that menacing? I'm here for it!
• Missing Eylas but the wolves have been included in an interesting way so far. Looking forward to seeing how wolf dreams are handled.
• My only criticism really would be some of the on-the-nose and stitled dialogue but I would put most of that down to how much set up is having to be done and some of it you are just going to have to have the characters say outloud. That should improve as the series goes on I think.
• Someone made a comment I saw that it somehow feels like the show is in a rush but also at a standstill all at once - and I get the same feeling but can't place why. Not offputting overall though.

This gives me hope TRB! Thanks. I'm not going to be checking it out for a while yet (no Prime at the moment), but I'm happy you are enjoying it. And yeah, I don't care about any of the changes really at all, but then I was only ever a fair-weather fan of the books anyways so I was never going to be a purist.

[Gorefest]

But let's get to the real question we all want to know: was there any spanking?

[Werthead]

Cyphon, on 16 November 2021 - 08:32 AM, said:

I'll still wait for wert's view before I start pushing the hype train out of the station.

I was under an Amazon NDA, but I should have a review of 101 on Dragonmount this weekend and the first three on my blog next week (I've been trying to get the next three as well, but no luck yet).

The premiere was enormous fun. Spent a lot of time chatting to an American guy called Alan Ritchson. Had no idea who he was until he said he was the next Jack Reacher. I thought I hadn't seen anything he'd been in, until a friend later on told me was the young Sully in BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, which I immediately recognised him from (apparently he's a lead in TITANS and was Aquaman in SMALLVILLE, but I haven't seen those).

Also spent the premiere sitting next to someone who was vaguely familiar and I couldn't place them, but chatted a bit about the show. It was only later I realised it was Dominique Tipper (Naomi) from THE EXPANSE, one of my favourite TV shows of the last five years, which was a total headdesk moment. In my defence, she'd grown out her hair a lot from the show (since they finished filming, presumably they no longer needed their hair to stay the same for continuity) and the lighting was really bad in the cinema.

WoT was pretty solid. I'd rank it better than the equivalent episodes of THE WITCHER and SHADOW & BONE, occasionally reaching the levels of the comparative episodes of GAME OF THRONES but also having some issues with how much lore and worldbuilding to impart and how much not to. My biggest issue was with the change to Perrin's motivation, which felt overly melodramatic. The thing I liked the best was that the show was not afraid to lean back from constant action to have quieter character moments. Moiraine reciting the Fall of Mantheren (in a different time and place to the books though) was probably my highlight, maybe Tam al'Thor's memorial for his wife as well.

[Macros]

Might try make the wife watch this tonight

[Tapper]

Macros, on 19 November 2021 - 06:34 PM, said:

Might try make the wife watch this tonight

I did that. She stepped out early on in episode 2, which I finished. So far, I very much like it (love Eamon Valda's cartoon villain, dislike the lack of Thom so far) - with the caveat that Rosamund Pike sounds like they asked her to do a copy of the Galadriel/Elrond gravitas, so imho instead of serene and calm she mostly sounds out of place.