They nailed the characters, the story beats, the villains, costumes, everything. I was skeptical after season 2 though I’m not a book purist, but they really know what they’re doing. Even constrained by the stupid 8 episode per season limit by Amazon.
And that episode this season is probably one of the best episodes of fantasy television.
I always felt drawn in by the world, and honestly the imagery in the first season had me excited. The remains of buildings and other links to the past were compelling.
spoiler
Now… We visit the Panarchs palace and it is a few dimly lit rooms and some corridors with what 5 - 6 guards. Instead of watching Nynaeve prove that when she is mad enough she is a force of nature. She gets thrown in the lake and the voice of her dream child makes her sad enough to channel.
Instead of Elayne being in control and showing how poised someone who is raised to rule can be we have her trying to best Jaskier in the fantasy series earworm stakes.
Instead of Moiraine being the ultimate enigma who always has an angle and is revealed to be a master manipulator who has been pulling everyone’s strings she makes a deal with Lanfear and acts like the worlds oldest emo.
Siuan Sanche gets blindsided and deposed by Aes Sedai who scheme about as well as the current US administration and almost as subtly. I seriously don’t know why they even mention Gareth Bryne when we seem to have effectively written out the other half of that plot thread.
All the shit they did to and with Loial.
I think they read Mat as someone who inspires everyone to punch him repeatedly in the face until he shuts up… That’s not roguish charm to me.
I’m sorry, I like the books and my main problems with the characters are Jordan’s insistence on repeatedly recycling the same mannerisms over and over (tugging on braids) not the way they are written on a mental or emotional level.
You might be right! In fact that’s a good point. But they still did not do anything for me… But ai get your point, we got several very good moments amputated, and tbey decided to cut a lot of fun characters too…
I think their choice was mostly pragmatic… They needed to make 8 episodes that would convince the studio to produce a fourth season.
In a non capitalistic art world, your vision would have been the right answer I think…