Wheel Of Time.....

[Colin YNWA]

So is anyone watching this? I know nowt about the books and story etc but fancied getting onboard with something from the off and so decided to try this.

Thought the first episode was poor. It was almost as if it was trying to NOT be GoT (from what I've seen) and as such was neat and colourful in a way I don' think that (GoT) is. Characters so earnst and cliche, none of them capable of drinking rather than swilling! The big battle with the Trollocks - its so tempting - at the village was utterly unconvincing and came across as daft rather than desperate. BUT so many telly shows need three or four episodes to get into so wasn't too worried.

So watched the second tonight and it was much, much better. Really quite enjoyed it. Still has considerable problems, but its warming up. Some of the characters, now its focused more, are developing nicely. Still think the ginger one is an daft, annoying twat, rather than edgy as I think he's meant to be.

The biggest problem - and I can't be the only one doing this - every time I see the Trollocks running as a horde, I just want to shout out 'Stupid, stupid rat characters'

[Colin YNWA]

Just watched the third episode and it was actually really rather good, a few sticking points aside. As I said often it can take three to four episodes and so it would seem. Let's see if it keeps this up...

[Radbacker]

I’m watching and even as a huge fan of the books agree the first episode is a tad weak but I’m guessing it’s the fact it needs to set a lot up.  There have been some changes but it seems to get it right most of the time.  It does seem a bit generic at the moment but the first book in there series is a homage to LOTR but really starts to become its own thing as the series progresses.  The Trollocs look great its good to see they went practical for them, and if the ginger guys is getting on your nerves now wait till this hits season 3-4 to really grind your gears 🙂 ,though without spoiling anything that is part of his character development.

As a huge fan of the books I am enjoying what has been put to screen so far but will admit from a non fan point of view it could all come across as a bit generic I’ll just say stick with it.  I’d give the first 3 episodes a high 7 out of 10.

CU Radbacker

[broodblik]

As a huge fan of the books I am enjoying what has been put to screen so far but will admit from a non fan point of view it could all come across as a bit generic I’ll just say stick with it.  I’d give the first 3 episodes a high 7 out of 10.

I am about engage with the books and the tv series at once or should I rather do the books before the series ?

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

As a huge fan of the books I am enjoying what has been put to screen so far but will admit from a non fan point of view it could all come across as a bit generic I’ll just say stick with it.  I’d give the first 3 episodes a high 7 out of 10.

I am about engage with the books and the tv series at once or should I rather do the books before the series ?

Books first, always. You get to use your own imagination, rather than have the text filtered by a TV director

[wedgeski]

It's about as good as I expected based on the trailers, which is to say, solidly middling, and I will look forward to it week on week. I'm mourning the conclusion of Foundation and really need something to look forward to on Friday night TV!

Unlike the esteemed Colin YNWA, I thought the attack on the village was what saved the first episode. The trollocks are pretty scary, and having a geunine battle mage tear them to pieces was pretty damn cool.

[Tiplodocus]

Yeah that was ok. Loved the Trollocks myself even if the order of some of the fight seemed a bit jumbled. But deffo took a turn for the better when the earnest dialogue gave way to character through action.

[paddykafka]

If "Trollocks" isn't adopted soon as a swear word, then I don't know what has gone wrong with the world. 

[Pyroxian]

If "Trollocks" isn't adopted soon as a swear word, then I don't know what has gone wrong with the world. 

I'm hoping it's just a setup for a "Never mind the Trollocks!" line later...

[JayzusB.Christ]

If "Trollocks" isn't adopted soon as a swear word, then I don't know what has gone wrong with the world. 

It very much was among my mates when I was a kid. 

[Colin YNWA]

Well fourth episode had some incredible moments. The quieter character driven pieces allowed folks to developed and allowed the end to explode out into something that felt quite astonishing.

Okay I might be into this now...

[Jim_Campbell]

OK. Watched two episodes of this now. I'm entirely unfamiliar with the books, but is this ever going to stop being sub-Tolkien, second-rate-D&D-campaign shit?

I mean, even the "No, it's fantasy but POST-APOCALYPSE FANTASY" thing was already thoroughly played out by the time Terry Brooks' execrable 'Shannara' books were done with it.

I'm really struggling to find a reason to watch another episode of this.

[von Boom]

OK. Watched two episodes of this now. I'm entirely unfamiliar with the books, but is this ever going to stop being sub-Tolkien, second-rate-D&D-campaign shit?

If it's at all similar to the books, then no.

If you read the books you can follow the characters as they 'level-up'. I would say it's AD&D 2nd Edition.

[Tiplodocus]

The fact it was very D&D is what I liked about it. Felt a very nostalgic pang watching it.

[Radbacker]

Well he first couple of books were written as a bit of a homage to Tolkien but after that it does do it’s own thing, the whole post apocalypse side of things isn’t really important that it is our world it’s just an aside that things used to be much better and more advanced than the darkish ages they live in now (in fact I’m not sure if it is ever explicitly explained that this is our earth in the far future).  I’d say give it another couple of episodes Jim and you’ll know that f you’ll want to stick with it, just think in this first season they we going to do a couple of flashbacks one to the Aeil war and one to the age of legends which should help bring it out as something a bit more original than it seems at the moment.  I loved episode 4 and am really enjoying it now can’t wait for some of the big book moments to be put on screen.

CU Radbacker