The Wheel of TIme Season 1 Episode 1, 2, 3 Discussion Thread

[Kordin]

Some thoughts from Brandon: Episode Three (posted by /u/mistborn AKA Bandon Sanderson) on reddit
...

Maybe I am getting more cynical by the day, but when I read this I cant shake the feeling that Brandon is trying too hard perhaps to secure a future TV deal for his own fully original work (most of which I have read and enjoyed) particularly the Stormlight Archive. I hope he gets a deal (or deals), but this whole post comes across as "look at how well I work with screenwriters! I'm a team player! I disagree with these significant changes to persons and places, but they aren't really important anyways, right?"

Not trying to knock the guy. I might do the same in his position. But that response is a little *too* bubbly even about things he didnt really agree with which raises an eyebrow.

Quite possible.

Criticism is not actually very welcome in that industry so anyone being "too honest" might just be writting their own "death sentence".

He could also be under some kind of a contract, unable to actually speak ill of it all.

It's a nasty business....

[asharek]

Some thoughts from Brandon: Episode Three (posted by /u/mistborn AKA Bandon Sanderson) on reddit
...

Maybe I am getting more cynical by the day, but when I read this I cant shake the feeling that Brandon is trying too hard perhaps to secure a future TV deal for his own fully original work (most of which I have read and enjoyed) particularly the Stormlight Archive. I hope he gets a deal (or deals), but this whole post comes across as "look at how well I work with screenwriters! I'm a team player! I disagree with these significant changes to persons and places, but they aren't really important anyways, right?"

Not trying to knock the guy. I might do the same in his position. But that response is a little *too* bubbly even about things he didnt really agree with which raises an eyebrow.

Aren't you excited for his response on episode 5? I usually find Perrin boring and skim through his chapters and even I feel bad for the non-book readers being robbed of Perrin's arc. Do you think Sanderson actually feels they improved the initial setup for Perrin v. White cloaks that will span throughout the books? I wonder if he would feel the same if they did similar "minor" changes to his books if he was as particular as RJ with how things should be portrayed.

Btw was there a fade that forced that trolloc to chase Nynaeve into the water? I now see why people stat rogues from two rivers, that default backstab skill.

[halfhand]

Some thoughts from Brandon: Episode Three (posted by /u/mistborn AKA Bandon Sanderson) on reddit
...

Maybe I am getting more cynical by the day, but when I read this I cant shake the feeling that Brandon is trying too hard perhaps to secure a future TV deal for his own fully original work (most of which I have read and enjoyed) particularly the Stormlight Archive. I hope he gets a deal (or deals), but this whole post comes across as "look at how well I work with screenwriters! I'm a team player! I disagree with these significant changes to persons and places, but they aren't really important anyways, right?"

Not trying to knock the guy. I might do the same in his position. But that response is a little *too* bubbly even about things he didnt really agree with which raises an eyebrow.

Aren't you excited for his response on episode 5? I usually find Perrin boring and skim through his chapters and even I feel bad for the non-book readers being robbed of Perrin's arc. Do you think Sanderson actually feels they improved the initial setup for Perrin v. White cloaks that will span throughout the books? I wonder if he would feel the same if they did similar "minor" changes to his books if he was as particular as RJ with how things should be portrayed.

Btw was there a fade that forced that trolloc to chase Nynaeve into the water? I now see why people stat rogues from two rivers, that default backstab skill.

"I might get into this more in the proper episode feedback, but this plays into the entire change with Perrin and his wife. The idea is to shift his arc to being about her, instead of being about random Whitecloaks. While I empathize and understand this reasoning--as it makes the plot more personal for him--I also have problems with it, as I've talked about.

So I see this as partially a side effect of the other issue, if that makes sense. I don't think it would have been a bad choice to show Perrin rage again here, though, to keep escalating his plot.

I see a lot of effort to make certain that Egwene has things to do in the story in these scenes. I suspect (though I don't know for certain) this is part of the reason too." -BS

[Aira]

I see a lot of effort to make certain that Egwene has things to do in the story in these scenes. I suspect (though I don't know for certain) this is part of the reason too." -BS

He has a point, tbh. In the books, Egwene tells the story and Bornhald goes "there's no warder in that story". Then when... Byar? Gives Perrin a rock to cut himself free, Egwene is fast asleep, exhausted from being made to walk on a rope behind a horse while bound. Perrin had commented on how hard it was to maintain balance on uneven ground when bound and if they fell, they'd be dragged. That's moments before Lan knocks out their guards and Byar and rescues them.

With that story already having been told in some form by Moiraine, in order to introduce the Children, Egwene would've just been a damsel in distress here. Book Egwene is seriously underpowered and underused compared to show Egwene. Not to mention as a whole, character development in the first book is slow/weak and I doubt that would do well in a show as it was in the books.

[Ashlee]

Some thoughts from Brandon: Episode Three (posted by /u/mistborn AKA Bandon Sanderson) on reddit
...

Maybe I am getting more cynical by the day, but when I read this I cant shake the feeling that Brandon is trying too hard perhaps to secure a future TV deal for his own fully original work (most of which I have read and enjoyed) particularly the Stormlight Archive. I hope he gets a deal (or deals), but this whole post comes across as "look at how well I work with screenwriters! I'm a team player! I disagree with these significant changes to persons and places, but they aren't really important anyways, right?"

Not trying to knock the guy. I might do the same in his position. But that response is a little *too* bubbly even about things he didnt really agree with which raises an eyebrow.

Sanderson did a pretty extensive podcast about his involvement with the show (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnbmku3lFmg). , his interactions with the show runner, and how his comments and recommendations were taken. The biggest gap for him seemed to be understanding what an adaptation is; once he reoriented himself to understanding that the WoT adaptation is much closer to telling the story in a different turning of the Wheel, he was able to appreciate the changes for what they were/are. Dan Wells (who was also on the podcast) also talked about how he balked at screenwriters and producers rejected some of his recommendations, but once you see the final product Dan Wells admitted that the producers were right to reject the recommendations.

He also talks about his experience as a writer in Hollywood with the adaptations to his own work and how he was treated tose projects vs. WoT. I don't think he is at all being too bubbly or trying to get his work adapted. If you follow his State of Sanderson, he has a ton of dung in the works with screen adaptations of his work. A few things that are already in contract but are hush hush.

Some thoughts from Brandon: Episode Three (posted by /u/mistborn AKA Bandon Sanderson) on reddit
...

Maybe I am getting more cynical by the day, but when I read this I cant shake the feeling that Brandon is trying too hard perhaps to secure a future TV deal for his own fully original work (most of which I have read and enjoyed) particularly the Stormlight Archive. I hope he gets a deal (or deals), but this whole post comes across as "look at how well I work with screenwriters! I'm a team player! I disagree with these significant changes to persons and places, but they aren't really important anyways, right?"

Not trying to knock the guy. I might do the same in his position. But that response is a little *too* bubbly even about things he didnt really agree with which raises an eyebrow.

Quite possible.

Criticism is not actually very welcome in that industry so anyone being "too honest" might just be writting their own "death sentence".

He could also be under some kind of a contract, unable to actually speak ill of it all.

It's a nasty business....

Sanderson says expressly that he refused to be involved with WoT as a consulting producer unless Amazon and Sony agreed not to include a non-disparagement in his contract. He wanted the freedom to be able to criticize things if he truly did not like it.

[Eol]

Have now finished episodes 1 and 2. Historic hard core book reader. Used to reread up and down and best battles.

I like. Some of the stuff in these threads seemed like a big deal when I read it here and trivial on the show. Some of the big edits when I actually see them fit/make sense.

Must keep watching. Glad to see our story on the screens. Rosamund is awesome.

[halfhand]

Nielsen Ratings are out. This is the only objective view count for streaming and it takes a month delay. Wheel of Time is number 1 for the week for Original Streaming, and number 2 overall Streaming behind Red Notice.
Apparently, WoT's audience is "slightly older" then average streamers with a profile: 65% from 35-64 age, and highest concentration of 50-64 of any show on list

11/15-11/21

Original streaming
1. Wheel of TIme 1.163 billion minutes (3 episode)
2. Tiger King 685 million (13 episodes)
3. The Great British Baking Show (74 episodes)
4. YOU 489 million (30 episodes)
5. Narcos: Mexico 428 million (30 episodes)
6. Cowbow Bebop - 414 million (10 episodes)
7. Big Mouth - 319 million (49 episodes)
8. Maid - 302 million (10 episodes)
9. Locke & Key - 293 million (20 episodes)
10. Hellbound - 272 millin (6 episodes)

All Streaming
1. Red Notice - 1.710 billion minutes
2. Wheel of Time - 1.163 billion
3. Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings - 878 million
4. Cocomelon - 869 million
5. Jungle Cruise - 722 million