Interviews and News Articles

[Elder_Haman]

14 hours ago, Mailman said:

Sounds like the character development will be done off screen.

 

Because there's a time jump? C'mon, man. 

[DojoToad]

46 minutes ago, Skipp said:

There is very little reason to assume much of anything, postive or negative, based on what was said in the interview.

 

"There is a time jump".  Well there are 2 time jumps in the 2nd book and 1 in the third so this isn't surprising news.  It will be interesting to see how long they will have the time jump be what what will happen in that time.

 

"Characters will be less naive and more jaded/Dark"  That describes both Perrin and Rand's journey in the next two books. We'll see how they adapt it.

Correct - I should have said: hopeful, pessimistic, or neutral.

 

Folks have been waiting impatiently for a long time on the next season.  Some of us are reading too much into whatever new material is released.  Just wait until something really meaty comes out...  🤯

[DojoToad]

36 minutes ago, Elder_Haman said:

Because there's a time jump? C'mon, man. 

Imagine a lot will happen off screen whether it be character development, sword training, political machinations, etc.  Not a bad assumption considering we still don't know how many seasons/episodes are coming.

[Elessar]

I enjoy the interviews and the passion that both Rafe and the actors seem to have for the tv-adaptation (and the aforementioned 'time jump' I understand will be necessary for movement of plot and it does not concern me). I hope season 2 will be better than season 1 which I found decent but lacking in several respects (pacing, plot choices, cgi, and not the least imo drifting far too much from canon and the story we know and love).

 

Though it saddens me somewhat I have had to accept that this adaptation will not be the story as we know it, rather an alternate version of the Wheel of Time as if taking place in a parallell portal stone world, and have tried to enjoy it for what it is. Now that it is taking them so long to give us season 2 (in itself not a bad thing if it makes for an improved end result) I am, however, becoming deeply concerned that we will not get the 8 seasons this story seriously needs to do it justice.

 

With 1.5 years or more pr season as it looks I don’t think Amazon will give it the 12 years or more it needs to get through 8 full seasons, it will be almost impossible to hold on to the actors and production for that long. And so I fear Amazon will give us fewer seasons to the great detriment to the story, perhaps say only 5 or 6. This concerns me.

 

More than any other fantasy show The Wheel of Time with its huge complexity, intricate detail, fascinating magic system, valuable nuances, personal journeys etc needs many seasons to grow and blossom into the amazing fantasy tapestry that we all cherish and love. I do hope Amazon understands this.

Edited February 16, 2023 by Elessar

[Vartija]

It would also help if Amazon gave it 10 episodes instead of 8 per season. HBO gave both GoT and HotD 10 episodes per season and have a vastly superior product as a result. I just don't get why they thought WoT wouldn't need those two extra episodes when the world is even more complex than GoT.

[Mailman]

5 hours ago, Elder_Haman said:

Because there's a time jump? C'mon, man. 

No because he said there will be a time jump and the characters will be more mature and less naive. Either one in isolation and I would not have made the assumption.

 

My guess is that season 2 will start with a 3 to 5 minute recap of season one and then we will get an approx 6 months later time jump.

[Scarloc99]

17 hours ago, Vartija said:

It would also help if Amazon gave it 10 episodes instead of 8 per season. HBO gave both GoT and HotD 10 episodes per season and have a vastly superior product as a result. I just don't get why they thought WoT wouldn't need those two extra episodes when the world is even more complex than GoT.

Until they stopped giving them 10 episodes (apparently a show runner request though) and suddenly it got rubbish. 

The main argument, I guess, for season 1 is that you have far less POV storylines to follow? As the seasons progress we know that the POV will become as separated out as GOT was. If not more so.

I lose track at the worst moment just how the GOT stories spread out, I think at its worst the most separated parallel story threads with real TV time in the same season are. 

Jon Snow 
Stannis Baratheon
Arya Stark
Sansa Stark
Bran Stark
Daenerys
Kings Landing events 

You can equate this to the Books where as I see it the main POV will be. 

Rand
Mat
Perrin
The White Tower 
The Rebel White Tower
The Black Tower
various combinations of Nyn, Elayne, Egwene, Min going off travelling doing stuff when not in the tower
Morraine (seems to be becoming more of a POV character in season 2 then in book 2) 

Those will I think be the main thrusts of the TV show, so roughly the same in terms of complexity. Remember the girls generally tend to be a unit of some combination, so will be in scenes together largely, or with one of the other main characters/at one of the white towers. 
 

[WhiteVeils]

Good observations, @Sir_Charrid .  If I were the show runner, (which I'm not), I think I'd follow 6 main threads:  Rand, Perrin, Mat, Egwene, Nynaeve, and Moiraine/Lan.  The Moiraine/Lan one would be primary in Seasons 1 and 2, and introduced strongest at the very beginning as the single one we immediately identify with, in order to allow that pair of characters to introduce the 5 Ta'veran. They have to start with one, because almost all stories start with a single POV and that's what we're used to. But then, through that single POV, we get introduced to the 5 ta'veran equally and all in balance. If we were introduced through Rand and followed him, he'd be 'the most important ta'veran' and it would be much easier to dismiss the other 4 as side characters, where they're trying to make it a balance of 5.  It is easier to keep the 6th POV when the ta'veran are generally paired up together.  In the show S1, this means the POVs are Rand(+Mat), Egwene(+Perrin), and Moiraine(+Lan+Nynaeve).  In S2, we'll probably mostly have Moirane(+Lan), Perrin, Rand, Mat, and Egwene+Nynaeve.  4 POV instead of 3.  In S3, at a guess, we have Perrin, Egwene+Moiraine+Lan, Rand+Mat, and Nynaeve.

Later in the series...probably S3 but maybe S4, you have split up all 5 of the ta'veran.  But also, at that point in the series, The Moiraine/Lan POV drops out.   Moiraine dies, and Lan's story isn't followed directly, but more as it attaches to either Egwene or Nynaeve's story. That's when we have a full separate 5 POVs. I wouldn't allow any more than that.

Every other POV other than the Ta'veran after that I would put in cold opens or really separate it from the others, or use it just when necessary.  That means cutting all the Elayne solo stuff, and the Aviendha stuff.   

[mogi68]

I was listening to the Origins audiobook and at the end there's an interview with Rosamund Pike, who said that Bayle Domon is in Season 2 and is played by a Welshman.

 

Apologies if that's old news!

Edited March 13, 2023 by mogi68

[DojoToad]

Hmm.  I didn't get that from the hardcover.  Move into the 21st century old man!!!

[DaddyFinn]

12 hours ago, mogi68 said:

I was listening to the Origins audiobook and at the end there's an interview with Rosamund Pike, who said that Bayle Domon is in Season 2 and is played by a Welshman.

 

Apologies if that's old news!

https://www.wotseries.com/2022/04/13/scoop-julian-lewis-jones-cast-in-season-two-of-the-wheel-of-time/

 

 

[SinisterDeath]

 

[Wassup]

I know this is an older topic, but

 

the trailer comes out tomorrow and here is an article about the announcement. 
https://nerdist.com/article/wheel-of-time-season-2-trailer-preview-images-egwene-elayne-perrin-lan/?amp

[DaddyFinn]

https://nerdist.com/article/wheel-of-time-season-2-costume-sketches-seanchan-siuan-moiraine-costume-designer-sharon-gilham/?utm_campaign=social+flow&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social

 

Poor kid.. Looks like they are searching for marath'damane

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by DaddyFinn

[nsmallw]

I wonder what's the fascination with braids in the show. The Seanchan seem especially obsessed with them but even most of the Randland women in the back ground have them.

[DaddyFinn]

4 hours ago, nsmallw said:

I wonder what's the fascination with braids in the show. The Seanchan seem especially obsessed with them but even most of the Randland women in the back ground have them.

I guess braids are practical, comfortable and easy to keep consistent while filming. 

[Samt]

On 7/27/2023 at 10:42 AM, DaddyFinn said:

I guess braids are practical, comfortable and easy to keep consistent while filming. 

I think historically braids were quite common and practical.  Braids are just a simple way to keep hair clean and out of the way.  They're great for filming for the same reasons that were great in the past.

Edited August 1, 2023 by Samt

[Ralph]

https://winteriscoming.net/2023/08/14/rand-will-become-really-dark-the-wheel-of-time-moiraine/

 

few interesting things here - are they bringing forward some of Moiraine and Rand's developing relationship from tSR (using her "stilling" to bring it in now), and also some of Rand's darkness from later books? although he has some of that in tDR

[Pandemonium]

 

I watched some of the interviews, and this was one of my favorite.  Daniel talks about some of the problems with season 1 and why season 2 will be much better.  He talks about better pacing, more breathing room, lots of action, a little darker, and season 2 feeling more complete.  He also talks about some of his katana forms.  It sounds like he will have some neat sword work at the end of episode 1.  

Can't wait to see if I agree with his assessment.  

[Vartija]

14 hours ago, Ralph said:

few interesting things here - are they bringing forward some of Moiraine and Rand's developing relationship from tSR (using her "stilling" to bring it in now), and also some of Rand's darkness from later books? although he has some of that in tDR

Does sound like it. So we might go from Moiraine being hands off and absent in tGH to the frustrated guide in the Aiel waste. This would fit with one of the lines in the trailer (Guiding him, that is the only thing that matters!). 

 

I wonder if Selene will be used kind of like Ba'alzamon in TEOTW - feeding Rand's distrust of Aes Sedai and tempting him to the dark side. I don't think the show quite succeeded in planting the seeds of mistrust between Rand & Moiraine/Aes Sedai in the first season so it would make sense to fan the flames a bit so that the Rand & Moiraine mistrust doesn't look too much like Rand being a complete dolt. Also, this descent into darkness worries me a bit because this would be early for Dark Rand. I feel like the show still has work to do to make us really like Rand and if he starts flirting with the dark side already viewers might not learn to like and care about him in the first place.

 

If they're comfortable bringing TSR elements already into the show then I think Asmodean might be replaced with Logain which is also something they're hinting at in the trailer. 

[DreadLord31]

7 hours ago, Pandemonium said:

 

I watched some of the interviews, and this was one of my favorite.  Daniel talks about some of the problems with season 1 and why season 2 will be much better.  He talks about better pacing, more breathing room, lots of action, a little darker, and season 2 feeling more complete.  He also talks about some of his katana forms.  It sounds like he will have some neat sword work at the end of episode 1.  

Can't wait to see if I agree with his assessment.  

yes. I’m very hopeful (even though my loins are girded) that S2 is gonna be good Tv. 
 

I love the books. But I’m not a book purist, there are a number of things the show can improve upon and from what I’ve seen they are leaning into those potential improvements in this S2. 
 

For example, in the books - very few, if any, of the antagonists were well developed or relatable. It looks to me from the Dark Friend social scene that was released and is at the end of S1 now, that they are developing Isha’mael. He doesn’t see himself as evil, he’s just acting according to his nature. “He’s hungry.” The show can lean into developing Isha’mael as the main antagonist to Rand, Lanfear to Moiraine, Liandrin to Nynaeve, Seanchan to Egwene, Fain to Matt, Whitecloaks to Perrin, ect… 
 

The pacing that Henney mentions - yes, S1 had weird pacing and really none of the characters (or male characters anyways) had great development IMO. But the Books had pretty terrible pacing on occasion too. Every experienced reader gives a warning to their new reader friend about “the slog”. 
 

The romantic relationships…let’s be honest, wasn’t RJ’s strength. Show will give more time to Siuan/Moiraine, Nynaeve/Lan, Rand-Egwene/Elayne/Min/Avi … yeah, spoiler, Rand has his moments with all the younger ladies… 

 

And, since S1 had a moment or two of action brilliance, really hopeful what he says is true and S2 has more Dragonmount-esque scenes! 

[nsmallw]

There seems to be a rush of interviews lately. This one by Daniel Henney, there's one with Josha and Rosamund and another one with Marcus, Donal and Ceara. 

 

We're they shot before the Writers/Actors strikes began ?

 

That would make sense but Ive also heard that the WOT isn't affected by the strike, or is that just the filming of season 3. I'm not sure. 

[SinisterDeath]

35 minutes ago, nsmallw said:

We're they shot before the Writers/Actors strikes began ?

Yes

  

35 minutes ago, nsmallw said:

That would make sense but Ive also heard that the WOT isn't affected by the strike, or is that just the filming of season 3. I'm not sure. 

It's affected by the WGA strike.

It's not affected by the SAG strike. 

 

Most of the actors are European, and are not SAG members.

While many of the European actors would love to join them on the strike, there exists legal hurtles for them joining.

I recall reading an article stating it's illegal for UK actors to join the SAG strike due to contract obligations or something along those lines.

 

Long short is, Season 3 might still film depending on how complete the script is. But any reshoots/script work will be delayed until after the strike unless they find a scab.

[king of nowhere]

3 hours ago, Vartija said:

 I don't think the show quite succeeded in planting the seeds of mistrust between Rand & Moiraine/Aes Sedai in the first season so it would make sense to fan the flames a bit so that the Rand & Moiraine mistrust doesn't look too much like Rand being a complete dolt. Also, this descent into darkness worries me a bit because this would be early for Dark Rand. I feel like the show still has work to do to make us really like Rand and if he starts flirting with the dark side already viewers might not learn to like and care about him in the first place.

I'd say the books also did at best a fair job there. And the books had much more time to develop that mistrust. Here's another issue where the show must do better than the books.

[Vartija]

6 minutes ago, king of nowhere said:

I'd say the books also did at best a fair job there. And the books had much more time to develop that mistrust. Here's another issue where the show must do better than the books.

True enough - though I do think RJ did set the basis for this mistrust more thoroughly than the show did. Starting from how the Dragon was much more feared in the book than in the show where it sometimes felt more like a nuisance for the EF5 rather than something to be deathly scared of. It's understandable that Rand would flee and disbelieve that fate which is the driving theme in books 2 & 3. Then there was Thom who from the start warned the boys not to trust Aes Sedai. His influence on the boys was much smaller in the show. And especially Ba'alzamon who fed the boys stories of false dragons and how Tar Valon would put him on a leash. And underneath it all the "stubbornness of Two River folk" who do exactly opposite what other people want them to.