Two e book readers recap a really non-book-ish Wheel of Time season 2 premiere

Andrew Cunningham and Lee Hutchinson have spent a long time of their lives with Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson’s Wheel of Time books, they usually beforehand introduced that data to bear as they recapped every first season episode of Amazon’s new WoT TV sequence. Now they’re doing it once more for season two—together with insights, jokes, and the occasional wild principle. These recaps will not cowl each aspect of each episode, however they may comprise main spoilers for the present and the e book sequence. We’ll do our greatest to not spoil main future occasions from the books, however there’s all the time the hazard that one thing may slip out. If you wish to keep utterly unspoiled and have not learn the books, these recaps aren’t for you.

New episodes of The Wheel of Time season two will probably be posted for Amazon Prime subscribers each Friday. This write-up covers the primary three episodes, which had been launched on September 1.

Lee: All proper, all people, convey yourselves again on-line… Wait, fallacious present.

Andrew: The Wheel weaves because the Wheel wills, and this month the Wheel has woven us one other season of Amazon’s Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time adaptation! It is one other eight-episode season, kicking off with an enormous three-episode drop for what Amazon tells us is technically an adaptation of The Nice Hunt, Wheel of Time e book two.

I say “technically” to not be disparaging however to set expectations: by the requirements of, say, Sport of Thrones, we’re miles away from the occasions of the e book on this one, principally proper from the soar.

Lee: It has been some time, too. We left off in November of 2021, and I really feel like we have lived via a number of subjective centuries since then. The place WoT season one’s manufacturing was very a lot impacted by the complexity of capturing throughout COVID lockdowns—and doing post-production throughout COVID lockdowns—season two offers us the chance to see some actual gloves-off status TV from Amazon, with out having to make excuses like “the trollocs regarded unhealthy as a result of our VFX crews had been all working from laptops at their homes.” However earlier than we get into that, we completely need to take a second and acknowledge what you simply stated. This isn’t your dad’s Wheel of Time.

Like, there’s a LOT happening right here that is not within the books, and actually, I am right here for it.

Andrew: It is not your dad’s Wheel of Time, but it surely is perhaps your good friend’s ship-heavy AO3 Wheel of Time fanfic.

Egwene al’Vere(Madeleine Madden), Nynaeve al’Meara (Zoë Robins), and Elayne Trakand (Ceara Coveney), sneaking about. (credit score: Amazon Studios)

Lee: Oh man. Sure. That is—properly, individuals are definitely doing the sexing like they might be in my good friend’s ship-heavy AO3 WoT fanfic. Although, okay—we have three episodes to get via, and I feel we must always begin with the when and the the place. We have accomplished one other time skip, and our heroes appear to have been scattered to the winds. Will you catch us up on the place a number of of our key gamers have landed, following our season one finale? And what about that Mat Cauthon boy? He is wanting a bit of totally different today.

Andrew: Sure, whew, we’ll in all probability not cowl each occasion in these three episodes with the identical depth we’d in a one-episode writeup, as a result of that is over three hours of tv and our time on this Earth is finite. However! That is our first massive departure level from The Nice Hunt, which launched with a minimum of a number of chapters the place all our faves from The Two Rivers had been briefly reunited in the identical place.

The largest change at, like, a manufacturing degree is that the unique Mat, performed by Barney Harris, has been recast. The circumstances of Harris’ departure have by no means been absolutely spelled out wherever that I can discover—”one thing one thing COVID” is normally the gist—however Harris did not even make it to the top of the primary season, leaving one among our foremost characters largely sidelined for the season’s climax. Mat is now performed by Dónal Finn, who cannot develop nearly as good a beard however does handle to seize Mat’s appeal and charisma just about immediately. He is caught within the White Tower with Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood), a vaguely menacing Aes Sedai.

Narratively, the larger adjustments are that most individuals assume Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) is useless, and Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) has been minimize off from the One Energy, following their confrontations with what they believed to be the Darkish One on the finish of the season. Rand is alone(ish!) within the metropolis of Cairhien, attempting to cover from everybody he loves following the revelation that he is a Man Who Can Channel, Doomed To Insanity. Moiraine and Lan (Daniel Henney) are off regrouping with different Aes Sedai, together with newcomer Verin (Meera Syal).

Mat Cauthon, looking much more Dónal Finn-like than last season.

Mat Cauthon, wanting rather more Dónal Finn-like than final season. (credit score: Amazon Studios)

Lee: Within the area of 5 months, everybody’s shifted round. Fairly than following their paths from the books, everybody—besides presumably Rand’s hometown love curiosity Egwene al’Vere (Madeleine Madden)—is spun off in instructions that observe their season one trajectories and take them farther from the occasions depicted on the web page in The Nice Hunt.

For e book readers, Rand’s destiny is perhaps most jarring: his mates all assume he is useless, and he appears to have moved in with a girlfriend in Cairhien’s Foregate (form of a shantytown constructed outdoors the gates of Cairhien) and gotten himself a job within the native sanitarium, caring for madmen. It appears odd at first, however Rand is not simply trying some charity service—he is aware of that as a person who can contact the True Supply and channel the One Energy, he is cursed to inevitably go as mad because the folks he is taking good care of.

We discover out by the third episode what Rand’s purpose really is, as a result of this isn’t simply any sanitarium—it is a sanitarium that homes Logain Ablar, former self-proclaimed Dragon Reborn and now a trembling shell of a person affected by being minimize off from the Energy. Rand desires Logain to inform him the right way to get himself out of this channeling mess—the right way to keep away from going mad. Logain, after all, has some unhealthy information for Rand on that entrance: he tells Rand that he will not be capable of cease channeling, and he will not be capable of keep away from insanity. Sucks for Rand.

(I additionally actually do recognize that there are lastly characters on display screen saying “Cairhien” out loud. I have been fighting that metropolis’s identify since 1997.)

Andrew: Yeah, a massive recurring theme within the early WoT books particularly is that you just can’t run out of your destiny. However damned if these Two Rivers boys aren’t all going to strive. Egwene and Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) are literally each hewing pretty intently to their book-selves, tending to their research within the White Tower. Nynaeve’s energy within the One Energy has made her a selected particular person of curiosity to Liandrin and different Aes Sedai, even supposing she will be able to’t channel in any respect except she’s upset (within the books this was simply “offended,” however the present has expanded it a bit to embody different heightened emotional states). Egwene is coping with some low-key jealousy and in addition desires to be studying quicker, however she does make a quick good friend in Elayne Trakand (Ceara Coveney), another person that e book readers will know properly. Elayne is the Daughter-Inheritor (learn: princess) of Andor and thus, technically, Egwene is her topic, however Egwene is unimpressed by this.

Nynaeve’s arc, and one of many strongest arcs throughout these three episodes, is that Liandrin is pushing her to take the take a look at to grow to be an Accepted, the center tier within the White Tower hierarchy between novice and full Aes Sedai. Liandrin appears to have an ulterior motive that’s solely hinted at, however headstrong Nynaeve by no means met an impediment that she did not assume she may bypass by sheer power of will. The deal, principally unchanged from the books, is that you just stroll via an arch that spits you out right into a holodeck the place each simulation is out to significantly mess together with your head; sooner or later throughout this take a look at, the arch reappears throughout the simulation, and you might want to stroll again via it, away from no matter is going on. If you happen to do not return via, you fail the take a look at (and in addition you’re in all probability useless).

I do not wish to get too far into the small print of those exams as a result of I want to preserve this spoiler-light, however suffice it to say that Nynaeve continues to be a standout character and Robins continues to be giving a standout efficiency. She was one of many higher components of the primary season and that continues to be the case right here.

Rand al'Thor, played by Josha Stradowski

Rand al’Thor, performed by Josha Stradowski (credit score: Amazon Studios)

Lee: The transition from season one to season two nonetheless feels very tough for me—I am not an enormous time skip fan, and it appears like that is the second time the present has used a multi-month skip to paper over a large number of plot spaghetti that nobody had the inclination (or, extra seemingly, the time) to correctly un-tangle. I am unable to say I dig the thought of simply wiping the board clear and setting the items again up in several areas, but it surely’s accomplished, and it is a serviceable kludge that will get us into season two.

Within the look-and-feel division, season two feels vastly improved. (I am certain relaxed COVID restrictions on manufacturing performed an enormous function!) I would complained a number of instances final season concerning the present’s odd composition, the flat “digital” really feel to the pictures, the styrofoam units, and the digicam that refused to carry nonetheless it doesn’t matter what the scene; this time round, none of these issues are leaping out at me in any respect. The lighting feels natural and pure. The cinematography feels rather more like correct status TV (which is to say, it seems to be like a film). I do not know if the issue was me or the manufacturing, however no matter it was, it is effective now!

And I wished to additionally be certain that to name out the music—although, once more, I am unsure if it is the manufacturing or simply me. It appears like there is a extra unified musical “language” being employed in season two. The palette with which the music is painted feels rather more centered and constant. I really feel like I am starting to know what the music within the present goes to really feel like, very similar to how GoT or Westworld or different exhibits have their distinct musical language and colours.

Andrew: I’m glad you stated one thing about that! As a result of I minded a bit much less about how season one regarded however I do know precisely what you imply. Scoring is close to the underside of the listing of issues my mind actually grabs on to (except it is excellent or obnoxious). However listening to you touch upon it backs up my normal impression that this present is sort of a bit extra snug with itself in season two than it was in season one. It helps that you would be able to simply dive proper into plot stuff, as a substitute of beginning (as season one did) with three strong hours of character introductions and world-building exposition.

Via the primary season, the present regularly rose to the extent of “that is working higher than I anticipated it to.” The second season, to this point, nonetheless has a ton of stuff happening, and (personally) I might take a bigger variety of shorter episodes quite than eight that each one appear to run an hour-plus. However I used to be simply straightforwardly having fun with myself with this gorgeous a lot your complete time? Which isn’t a spot I obtained to with season one, or with the Amazon Lord of the Rings present.

Talking of huge exposition dumps, what else do we actually want to verify we deal with? There’s the onscreen revelation that “the Darkish One” from final season was simply one of many Darkish One’s high guys, a Forsaken by the identify of Ishamael who has been absolutely free of a weakened jail by Rand and Moiraine. There’s the introduction of Elyas Machera (Gary Beadle), a personality from the e book (although a composite character within the present) who will probably be vital for Perrin’s (Marcus Rutherford) story. After which there’s the Seanchan, the large baddies from e book two who present up for actual within the present’s second episode.

A glimpse of the Seanchan, among others. High Lady Suroth (Karima McAdams) stands flanked by her servant Alwhin (Jessica Boone) at left and a certain other dark gentleman (Fares Fares) at right.

A glimpse of the Seanchan, amongst others. Excessive Girl Suroth (Karima McAdams) stands flanked by her servant Alwhin (Jessica Boone) at left and a sure different darkish gentleman (Fares Fares) at proper. (credit score: Amazon Studios)

Lee: Ahhh, sure, the Seanchan—they’re right here in power, although sadly bereft of their book-canonical, Jordan-confirmed Texas accents. I really like that they sound so blandly American. In a world seemingly populated by all of the kinds of lilts and brogues the British Isles has to supply, the flat, near-toneless Midwestern newscaster voice of Seanchan so’jhin Alwhin (Jessica Boone) instructing the townspeople to kneel and pledge really hit fairly arduous. It is a neat solution to slap the viewers with simply how totally different these people are. (Although I suppose the scary helmets and pacifier-sporting channelers additionally make that time.)

I beloved watching our Shienaran squad dance the blades with the Seanchan—in truth, heck, each single little bit of swordplay we obtained in these first three episodes was glorious. (My spouse’s notes for this watch-through included the phrase, “UNO IS A STONE COLD BADASS,” in all caps). Lan squaring off towards the Fades was additionally glorious, and it exhibits simply how far Rand has to go if he desires to really be worthy of that heron-mark sword.

There was one other actually attention-grabbing bit my spouse caught that I did not: There is a second in episode three the place Egwene channels to cease one other character from leaving the room, and Egwene does so with none of the crowd-pleasing gestures that the opposite Aes Sedai use. We all know from the books that channeling has nothing to do with bodily actions, however many channelers study the motions with the weaves and might’t do one with out the opposite. She appears to have realized a worthwhile lesson from her time tied to a chair in Eamon Valda’s tent.

Andrew: Sure, I feel one other character feedback on Egwene not doing the hand motions sooner or later. Early books typically depict the White Tower as an ivory tower, an ossified and insular establishment weakened over time by closed-minded adherence to previous guidelines and traditions. I am unsure how a lot time the present must set that up. (Already there is a doable alternate rationalization for Egwene, Elayne, and Nynaeve’s energy: “The sample is giving us weapons for the Final Battle” quite than “We’re not discovering these folks as a result of we’re not wanting correctly.”)

Two issues about being a e book reader who did not return and watch the primary season earlier than leaping into the second: First, it is easy to lose monitor of who has been launched and who hasn’t, who’s a composite character, and who has been invented to elide a few of the e book’s convoluted plotting. Second, let’s simply say that there’s a scarcity of plot armor for secondary and tertiary characters.

Jordan was recognized for introducing reams and reams of named characters to assist flesh out every of the e book’s areas and to present PoV characters somebody to speak to as soon as they’d been flung to reverse edges of the map. An inconceivable variety of these characters survive proper up till the series-ending confrontation on the Final Battle. Unhealthy information, e book readers—I can principally assure that this present will find yourself killing a number of of your faves earlier than you are prepared.

Lan Mandragoran (Daniel Henney). Tall, dark, brooding, deadly. Who wouldn't want a warder like him?

Lan Mandragoran (Daniel Henney). Tall, darkish, brooding, lethal. Who would not desire a warder like him? (credit score: Amazon Studios)

Lee: Talking of killing your faves—how about that spike on the backside of the large Seanchan pyramid? My spouse and I each observed it within the close-ups and began guessing what it is perhaps for. I used to be pondering ornament, and he or she was pondering it was for perhaps cleansing mud off of 1’s boots earlier than genuflecting to the Excessive Girl. Yeah. Nope. We each missed the mark on that one.

Andrew: For my closing thought, I want to circle again to the subject of how sexy this present is, as a result of I really feel prefer it’s one thing some e book readers may battle with. (“They’re simply sexing it up for TV,” and so on). Whereas it is true that the characters in Randland are all fairly puritanical about premarital bodily touching, these books comprise an unlimited ocean of subtextual horniness. Do not blame Rafe Lee Judkins and Amazon for sexing the present up, blame Robert Jordan for making a world the place like a 3rd of the characters are polyamorous magicians. That is all to say, the occasions have been modified dramatically, however I really assume the vibe of season two is fairly near being proper.

Lee: Proper, yeah—the cinematography might need modified, however the quantity of boot-knocking current within the present has not. Of us within the WoT TV universe aren’t terribly bothered by the concept adults have intercourse (properly, Egwene is perhaps a bit of postpone when she walks in on Alanna Sedai of the Inexperienced making the beast with three backs together with her warders, however that is admittedly not one thing you see on daily basis). Rand, alternatively, appears completely content material to have freaky-deaky One Energy-infused intercourse with Selene—although perhaps we must always come again to Selene one other day. Present watchers who have not learn the e book have seemingly picked up on the truth that there’s one thing odd about her (what may she have meant when she stated Rand “cannot” harm her?), whereas e book readers—properly, like I stated, one other day.

I will finish my very own facet of this with the remark that to this point, with these three episodes, it feels to me just like the scenes the present does greatest are the wholly authentic ones. I wasn’t tremendous thrilled with how the gathering of evil (referred to by e book readers as “the Darkfriend Social”) performed out, and the twist to Nynaeve’s Accepted testing and the way lengthy that scenario attracts out in comparison with the books felt low-cost and pointless. Then again, Min hanging out with Mat of their cells was enjoyable—way more enjoyable than the transient assembly between Min and Rand within the first season. Many of the different locations the place we have swerved from the textual content—particularly Rand speaking with Logain within the sanitarium—additionally felt solidly accomplished. When the present is free to search out its personal approach, it stops being so self-conscious and truly turns into gratifying.

Possibly that is simply the character of tailored works. In that case, I am not a e book purist—the present wants to face by itself, identical to another adaptation. Adjustments are to be anticipated. It is a good factor.

Andrew: I do just like the Mat/Min dynamic lots. I ship it, regardless of the Issues this could have launched within the e book. OK, that is removed from complete, however I feel that virtually catches us up! We’ll be again with weekly episode recaps, beginning subsequent week with episode 4. Joyful (nice) searching, everybody!