Wheel of Time Season 3

[Kitiara]

I dont think the show will have the screen time to fully get into the snakes and foxes and all that lore... Because lets be honest... It was fairly flimsy in the books... Probably the least fleshed out 'world/magic system' in WoT.

I liked this part of the books for the same reason I liked Tom Bombadil in The Fellowship of the Ring. The author is basically saying, "you know what, you dont know the half of what's really going on out in this universe, wise guy". It dissolves the upper bound of what is possible and understandable so no matter how many loose ends get tied up with the Dark One and how much is finally revealed about Ishmael and Rand's philosophical struggle, there's always...that other thing--what the hell was that about? I thought of Mordeth in the same way, up until Sanderson kind of ruined Fain. Just like Bombadil, people will theorize about the Finns and Mordeth but their weird nature will never truly be answered, especially now that both Tolkien and RJ likely took their secrets to their graves.

Edit: and perhaps like Tom Bombadil, the Finns may never really make it on screen (except in poorly done tellings of a prior age ).

I totally agree for the books. I loved the Towers and all the weirdness and questions. But for a TV series... its hard to dedicate screen time to stuff like that when they only have ~6 seasons to cover 13 books...

Great that its part of the book story, but in adaptations somethings have to be left on the cutting room floor, and this seems like an easy choice to keep the story moving.

[Evee]

Was the target 6 seasons?

If so, that should give them a decent cushion for screen content since largely everything from books 8-10 (maybe 11?) can be condensed into half a season.

[Sarinda]

Was the target 6 seasons?

If so, that should give them a decent cushion for screen content since largely everything from books 8-10 (maybe 11?) can be condensed into half a season.

Target was reportedly 8 seasons but that feels long compared to the attention span of the average consumer in this age of streaming.

I think the production value of season 3 has been a huge step up. I’ve genuinely enjoyed most of the episodes and have watched them all twice. There are plenty of changes but I’m willing to give them more grace this year because the changes are more sensible and necessary to condense the plot.

I sighed a little when Perrin told Faile his secret so early on because I still remember fondly the scene from the books where they have a heart to heart about his powers and her captivity among the Shaido. I worry a little about Egwene so quickly revealing that she broke her promise to the Wise Ones to not enter the World of Dreams without their permission and that she is not a full Aes Sedai, because I think it makes some of that character development that is so crucial to her story in my opinion to feel rushed and somewhat shallow. But I really like the actress’ delivery of the character and think that Egwene’s personality shows really well on the screen.

Josha has really impressed me this season because I feel like his acting has leveled up. I was worried in season one that he would be too vanilla to portray the Dragon Reborn. I think that he has done some excellent performances this season in multiple episodes to really make the audience care about him as a character.

The character I’m the most concerned about and feel the least attached to is Min. I feel like her character motives and relationships are really out of whack compared to the books at this stage in her arc. The number of scenes that they have written with her and Mat having almost a romantic undertone worries me because it feels almost like the audience should expect the two of them to get together. And somehow suggesting that she would willingly work for one of the Forsaken undermines her critical thinking and just sets her up to seem like she has really bad judgment. I am hoping that she does something useful this season or goes through a lot of character development in the next season, if one happens, because otherwise she seems like a shadow of the character from the books.

[halfhand]

8 seasons always seemed like an incredibly over-ambitious especially with the planned shoot schedule of 1 season every 2 years. That would be 16 (!!) years of trying to have same actors and not losing any rating inertia. It would have to catch the world on fire to get to year 16.

[halfhand]

Episode 7:

It was a good episode. It's hard to ruin the Battle of Two Rivers. They gave it the entire episode runtime, which was much needed, and there was a noticeable area where they just had to cut things.

The pacing and atmosphere was good. It was intense and emotional at the times it needed to be. I think the stages of the battle was appropriate for TV.
Major characters. The acting was good including Perrin (Rutherford has been hit or miss), Faile, Loial, and Dain. RIP Book brother, but if he had to go, this would be a good sendoff.
Alana was good, but I'm getting a little tired of Aes Sedai just tanking multiple fatal wounds at this point. Even when she got arrowed this time, it was "Hey,can you heal this again? No? Okay I'll still be fine."

Minor characters. The Shining sisters was creepy in a good way. It really seems like Valda can see Saidar (half the time I think the show forgets the One Power is invisible until it manifests). He also went from a completely legitimate threat (multiple Aes sedai rings) to being worf'd by every character that comes by him. Padain Fain is completely 1-dimensional now. Gaul is obviously never going to show up now. What is even the point of Lord Luc/Slayer now?

It was a anticlmatic end to have Fain just give up and call everyone off.
It was fine for the Children to join in this time.
I'm not against them changing the story with Perrin turning himself in, it would be an interesting twist, but I'm not convinced they can write off-canon plot well at all.

With one episode left, it's going to be really crammed. They have to get through Tanchico (Moghedian and Liadrin's confrontation, Mat's "doorway" experience), The Tower coup, Rand's declaration and Shaido revolt, AND Moiraine vs Lanfear. 0 room for Asmodean who will likely to be cut, whatever they're trying to do with Sammael, and likely zero denuoement for the Two Rivers conclusion.

[Katherine]

*** as usual, book and show spoilers ahead ***

Major characters. The acting was good including Perrin (Rutherford has been hit or miss), Faile, Loial, and Dain. RIP Book brother, but if he had to go, this would be a good sendoff.

The writers like to play "gotcha!" with deaths and other events which should be plot changing. Thom died, uh oh, he's ALIVE! Gotcha! So who knows with Loial. I will say that I was disappointed in that scene. Loial, in my interpretation of the books, represented Robert Jordan himself. Authors sometimes write themselves into their own stories. After the Last Battle, Loial presumably finishes his chronicles of all that happened during the past 2-3 years. He is literally writing the books that we are reading similar to how Tolkien wrote his books in the mode of a history narrative written during the Fourth Age. We also know that RJ was heavily inspired by JRRT. So by "killing" off Loial, the writers are symbolically killing off RJ, which seems fittingly appropriate given their lack of respect for the source material.

With one episode left, it's going to be really crammed. They have to get through Tanchico (Moghedian and Liadrin's confrontation, Mat's "doorway" experience), The Tower coup, Rand's declaration and Shaido revolt, AND Moiraine vs Lanfear. 0 room for Asmodean who will likely to be cut, whatever they're trying to do with Sammael, and likely zero denuoement for the Two Rivers conclusion.

Ep 8 may end up being about Rand being declared Car'a'carn and the Battle of the Stone in Tear, which leads to him taking Callandor. This would presumably include the Shaido proclaiming Couladin as the Car'a'carn and leaving. Earlier in the season Rand wanted to know how he could take the Stone of Tear and the answer was with the "People of the Dragon". So taking the Stone with the Aiel at his back would bring us full circle.

Just guessing here, but the next season's central theme is likely to be Elaida vs Rand. So given that theme, Ep. 1 might start out with her coup and Rand defending Cairhien from the Shaido, Ep 6/7 would be when he was captured and abused by the Aes Sedai, and then Ep 8 would be Dumai's Wells with the "surprise" first appearance on-screen of the Asha'man led by Taim who we get to see for the first time. We might get to see the scene that includes the "kneel or you will be knelt" command given by Taim (or by Rand, depending on how the writers want to go with it).

Season 5 could be Rand vs Taim, Matt and Tuan, and Perrin vs Lord Luc. It should include the cleansing of saidin. We might also see Logaine regain his channeling ability and take over the BT from Taim.

Season 6 could be the final season with the final episodes occurring during the Last Battle.

The Battle of the White Tower could happen in either S5 or S6. I hope they dont leave this battle out. This is the moment Egwene truly becomes a total badass and even Alanna looks at her in awe. Its also the resolution to Elaida's story arc and leads to the restoration of the Tower. This battle also involves the Seanchan, so for that reason, it makes sense that it occur during Season 5, assuming only 6 seasons.

I wonder if the writers will kill off Rand at the end, contrary to the real ending. RJ's ending is not game of thrones enough for these sophomoric writers. They will want Rand's end to be sensational.

I'm not against them changing the story with Perrin turning himself in, it would be an interesting twist, but I'm not convinced they can write off-canon plot well at all.

The story is flipped for whatever reason. Faile was supposed to be captured before the battle. I guess this sets up a rescue attempt by Faile early in the next season which gives Perrin and Faile something to do while a lot of other events are playing out between Rand and the Aes Sedai leading up to Dumai's Wells. Perrin's story after the Two Rivers battle is a masterclass on how to get paid by the word and say almost nothing. Reading those middle books sometimes required inhuman patience with RJ. In any case, I dont see them spending much time on Lord Goldeneyes in Ep 8, but who knows?

[halfhand]

Episode 8, Season (Series?) Finale

It was a good finale (although still have some nit picks). The pacing was very good, and I'm pleasantly surprised how much they were able to get in it. I think it was probably the best finale they have.

Tower storyline. Cold opening was okay, but it worked to sandwich the two Amyrlin storyline. I think Siuane's ending and speech was good. Her death was very emotionally weighted and a good conclusion to her character.

The Tanchico storyline. My biggest issue is the choice for the Tanchico Palace, it seems abandoned, poorly lit, crampy, and not palatial. It keeps of feeling like reusing set pieces and just poor lighting to mask it. Matt's doorway experience was good, but the Eelfin looked like Cat in the Hat and didn't have enough buildup, suspense, or curiosity, just "Oh it's an Eelfin. What do you want?" The fights in the palace was good. I wished Balefire effect looked better (and the Black Ajah doesn't even seem to try to aim?), but the time reversal effect was pretty good.

The Aiel storyline. The leadup and ending was very good. The rain in the waste was a good addition. The set piece (this seems to be a theme) was lacking. I always imaged alcair dal as this massive canyon/rock bowl, ampithere, and this slight hole in the ground was not...impressive and the scale really was lacking. Moiraine's fight was good but it really seems like Rosamind Pike might be overacting a little. melaidrin's death from the oaths raises some big issues with Verin in the future, although I suspect we will never get to that point in the show.

All the nitpicks aside, I think it was a good finale for a decent season. The setpieces really could use some work and should really inspire some awe, and the locale seems pedestrian.

[Aira]

Fortunately, Tanchico has a stash of old timey items that doesn't just consist of the sad bracelets and the Mercedes logo. There might just be a certain red doorway in the palace/ place they visit. Considering Min's art, it's not a horrible conflation of storylines.

Called it.

Also, major hehehe at the hailstorm and ice spikes.

[Katherine]

Generally good episode from a narrative perspective. I am surprised they left Tear for Season 4. And guess we wont see Rand battle Sammael for Illian. Sammael is dead. Gotcha! He's just been captured. Sammael is going to teach Rand how to channel! He's going to take Asmodean's place in the plot! Gotcha! Sammael is now REALLY dead after all! Sammael's net contribution to the show's plot: zero. (or IS it!???)

"Eelfinn looked like the cat in the hat" (haha, I kept giggling at that imagery while waiting on my tea to heat). I always imagined that the Eelfin appeared to have features that reminded one of a fox but still quite alien looking as if from a completely different planet or dimension, but dont actually look like fox people themselves. Kind of like how some people have "mousey features" but dont actually look like actual furry mice. I like nuance more than over-the-top costumes. The only thing more overcooked than Rosamund Pike's acting at the end of this episode is probably the costumes. Why was the Eelfinn wearing platform shoes? I shouldn't complain though. At least we got to see the Eelfinn. How are the Eelfinn going to run in those when they chase our heroes in Towers of Midnight? What was Sevanna wearing around her chest at Alcair Dal? I thought she loved jewelry not costume pieces? Why did they dress up Lanfear to look like Maleficent? There are design choices I liked, but those were weird.

I guess Moiraine is deviating from her plot again and so has Siuan. It will be interesting to see if Verin and the other Aes Sedai with her go to Salidar and found the Little Tower or if they just end up going straight to Rand as the counterweight to Elaida and Galina or maybe becoming the Aes Sedai that bend the knee to Rand after Dumai's Wells. I dont put anything past these writers, but Salidar's plot arc was crucial for Egwene's story development. I really hope they dont try to rewrite all that as something completely different.

Mat's visit to the Eelfinn was flawed unfortunately and the changes to his boons were unnecessary. The first and last boons were fairly close to the books. The second boon was quite different from the books. In the TSR, Mat asks for the holes in his memories to be *filled* not taken away. But hey, same thing right? (Gotcha! he's going to start having flashbacks in Season 4 which is not what he asked for at all. LOL! aren't we clever?!) So far Mat's net contribution to the show's plot: zero. How is it we've seen three seasons and Mat remains a useless main character?

The biggest positive for this season is that its tracking much closer to the source material than before. Its not perfect, but this story is recognizable, mostly.

[halfhand]

Here are my thoughts/predictions for Season 4. We're getting into more of the mushy part of the storyline where things can be changed more (and will have to with the changes they have made and scattering the casts).

They will likely have to skip Cairhien. The Shaido and the People of the Dragon will have to fight over Tear instead, and Rand will take Callandar mid-season. They're going to to teleport Matt here in time to establish his battle credentials and the Band of Red Hand. Matt will enter second doorway (which somehow gets mcguffind from the White Tower). The Shaido gets scattered. Setup for Dumai's well for the season finale.

White Tower rebels flee and establish their version of Salidar. Introduce the key players here, and Egwene and Nynaeve will need to come here.

Black Tower needs to get established here for Dumai's watch for the series finale. Taim/Demandred will be introduced.

Elayne is probably going to be slated to hit Caemlyn to free Morgase from Rahvin, and likely will be the main hero here and have no involvement from Rand. Unsure how she is going to get any further time with Rand to further their relationship line.

Perrin's storyline is missing a lot of setup pieces to get to his Trial. My assumption is that they're going to have any renegade Shaido attack the Whitecloaks and he and his allies will save the Children. They will need to fast forward Galad here.

Lots of moving pieces with pieces that are out of place so lot of teleporting like what we saw in earlier seasons.