Let me just preface this by saying I love Robert Jordan’s “The Wheel of Time” book series. I love Robert’s writing, in general; his “Conan the Barbarian” stories are dark and awesome, too, if you find yourself in a reading mood. His way of world-building and laying out storylines like threads on a beautiful weave are some of my absolute favorite pieces of writing ever.
I have read the entire series, prequel to “Memory of Light”, twice all the way through (although I have done a couple of readthroughs of just reading Mat or Perrin’s point-of-view) and I own the gigantic companion text to keep all the crazy amount of information sorted out. To say I love this book series is an understatement.
That being said, I knew realistically that we would not get large sections of what we’d want in an adaptation. Even though they got a large budget, it was obvious that there would need to be massive changes for Rafe and company to cram a seven-hundred-plus book into eight episodes.
Would I have liked to see the “Play For Your Supper” section play out onscreen? Absolutely. Who wouldn’t want to see Rand playing a flute and Mat juggling for lodgings?
Would Caemlyn and everything that happens within it have been awesome to experience in lieu of Tar Valon? Oh yeah. I would have loved all of those scenes (no spoilering for the non-book readers, but it’s good stuff). Adaptations are always going to make adjustments.
Do I need more Loial monologues giving me lore drops? Most definitely. I need me some Ogier rambles!
THE NARRATIVE
There are some bumps in the end, particularly in the final two episodes, but Season 1 overall was an entertaining ride. Adapting Jordan’s massive tale was always going to be a nearly impossible task, but Rafe Judkins and Co. do a pretty good job in laying the foundation for the series to come. Book readers will have more gripes than newbie viewers in terms of story choices and plot development,
The key to Robert Jordan’s storytelling is the threads of foreshadowing that he lays out all over his books. What might feel like an insignificant tidbit in Book 1 might end up being a key arc in Book 3, and in many ways, the show seems to be following a similar format. Already, there were several subtle hints for book readers to catch onto as to where the show is definitely heading (see episode three, little girl holding a doll with Mat scene),
For the actual story, it is a bit of a classic fantasy tale: evil forces descend on a little backwoods village, flushing our great young heroes out into the world to shift the foundation of history. Moraine and Lan, an Aes Sedai (lady magic user) and her Warder (bodyguard) are searching for The Dragon Reborn (the reincarnated soul of the man who destroyed the world), and in their search they stumble upon five possible choices in a sleepy mountain town. When the Trollocs of the Dark One invade during a time of festival, Moraine and Lan take the five away from the lives they knew and into the chaos of a world on the brink of the Last Battle.
Over the course of the eight episodes, Rafe and Co. do a pretty great job of establishing the diversity and complexity of the Wheel of Time universe. We are introduced to the power and political dynamics of the powerful Aes Sedai, the dangers of men using magic, and the sinister nature of the Dark One’s forces. While there are some hiccups in the story (I and many others will forever hate much of poor Perrin’s story arc in S1 since it is so wildly divergent from Book Perrin), the first season does seem to be laying the ground work for a rich and deep show.
THE PERFORMANCES
The performances of the cast were top notch, from the primary Two Rivers cast all the way down to the various Darkfriends they encounter along the way. Honestly, they’re all great. Usually, you can point to someone and be like “That actor sucks, he has to be a producer’s nephew,” but each episode is filled with rich performances in practically every scene from a wildly talented ensemble cast.
The primary characters for the show put on excellent performances throughout the season. Rosamund Pike is just magnificent as the mysterious Aes Sedai Moraine. She displays power, wisdom, and vulnerability throughout the season, with her relationships with her Warder, Lan (played to stoic perfection by Daniel Henney), and the leader of the Aes Sedai, Siuan (Sophie Okonedo totally crushed her assignment) giving the viewer deep insight into the motivations of Moraine, as well as how much she is willing to give up to save the world.
The “Emond’s Field Five”, which are the five main protagonists of the series, are a young group of actors that don’t get to stretch their wings too much in Season 1, but each had moments throughout the season where they shined. Zoe Robins (Nynaeve), in particular, put on a memorable performance that will only get more fascinating in future seasons. She stole multiple scenes, and the big finish of Episode 4 is all about the awesomeness of Nynaeve. Josha Stradowski felt at times like Book Rand had walked off the page onto the screen while Madeleine Madden gave readers strong Egwene vibes when showcasing her toughness and intelligence throughout her story arc. Marcus Rutherford was unfortunately mired with storytelling problems beyond his control, but he gave us glimpses of the anger and sadness that are in a tug of war for Perrin’s soul in the books. Barney Harris won’t return for future seasons as the mischievous Mat, but he put in an excellent performance for the six episodes he is present for.
The “Emond’s Field Five”, which are the five main protagonists of the series, are a young group of actors that don’t get to stretch their wings too much in Season 1, but each had moments throughout the season where they shined. Zoe Robins (Nynaeve), in particular, put on a memorable performance that will only get more fascinating in future seasons. Josha Stradowski felt at times like Book Rand had walked off the page onto the screen. Madeleine Madden gave readers strong Egwene vibes when showcasing her toughness and intelligence. Marcus Rutherford was saddled with storytelling problems beyond his control, but he gave us glimpses of the anger and sadness that seem to be at a tug of war for Perrin’s soul in the books. Barney Harris won’t return for future seasons, but he put in an excellent performance for the six episodes he is present for.
The background characters are absolutely STACKED with incredible performances. Whoever is the casting director for the show needs to be getting some sweet ass bonuses this year. Alvaro Morte is so good as the powerful but mad Logain, providing viewers with an insight into the dangers and power scale of the male side of magic in the universe. Hammed Animashaun brings one of the book series’ favorite characters, Loial, to life in a way that always brings a smile to my face. Alexandre Willaume gives a gritty and world-weary portrayal of fantasy’s greatest gleeman, Thom Merrilin. Johann Myers’ Padan Fain is perfectly creepy and sinister, always floating about in the background of some of our character’s journeys; for those of you into Easter Eggs, just listen for the whistling. Kate Fleetwood was a scene stealer as the powerful Aes Sedai Liandrin, but Maria Doyle Kennedy as Ila takes the cake for “best supporting role performance”; she not only brings warmth and motherly tenderness with her portrayal, but she has one of the most powerful and heart-wrenching monologues of the entire season.
If you like great acting performances, “The Wheel of Time” will not disappoint.
THE PRODUCTION
Rafe Judkins and his team do their damndest to weave a re-telling of “The Wheel of Time” book series, even if it was a bumpy ride at times due to circumstances outside their control. They had profound issues to overcome during shooting, from the COVID shutdown to one of the primary cast leaving the show (Barney Harris, we know not why you leave, but you will be missed as Mat). These unfortunate events led to a bit of a clunky finish to the season; if it feels like Perrin gets lost in the shuffle in episodes 7 and 8 and only serves as a vessel for exposition dumps and plot development, you would not be the only one viewer who thinks that.
The overall quality of the production is pretty fantastic, especially for a fantasy series. The wardrobe is extremely awesome, the set work (while at times a bit confining) was nuanced and well done, and the overall quality of the lighting and cinematography is top notch. The graphics are pretty great in the first half of the season, but they do take a bit of an odd nose dive in the back half, especially in the final episode; in many ways, it felt like the show was rushed to finish ahead of a production deadline rather than taking a month or two to properly finish the work.
Note: Please keep in mind I am not trying to defend the decrease in quality for the final two episodes as part of my recommendation. I am simply pointing out that these issues were real and contributed to the issues.
CONCLUSION
For myself, I enjoyed the show thoroughly, overall, especially upon a second viewing. Rafe and his team paid Robert Jordan a respectful homage in how they are laying out the various threads of the overall story. Like the books, you can get a better idea of where the story might be heading on a second go-through.
For non-book readers, if you are looking for an intriguing new binge of the fantasy/epic persuasion, take the eight-episode plunge into “The Wheel of Time” on Amazon. Not only was it one of the most highly streamed shows of 2021, but it also converted a significant enough chunk in its viewership to launch “Wheel of Time” back onto the bestsellers’ list. If you like the show, you’ll LOVE the books.
For book readers who have somehow not watched the show, give it a go. It’s not a chapter-by-chapter adaptation, but it is true to the soul of the story.
For the Bookcloaks out there, think of Jordan’s books like Thom Merrilin were to tell the story of the Karaethon Cycle while the TV show is some other gleeman telling it. It might not be the same as Thom’s telling, but it can still be quite an enjoyable experience, if you could just get your head out of your ass long enough to notice.
- How many seasons: 1 (currently shooting seasons 2 and 3)
- Where can you stream it: Amazon Prime
- Come For: The excellent cast from top to bottom, the gorgeous landscapes
- Stay For: A unique journey through the fantasy genre
The B Report 
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