Brandon Sanderson’s Public Comments on Adapting the Books

[Requiem]

Brandon understands that his words have weight with the wider community and doesn't want anything he says to be taken out of context or used to attack Rafe. He isn't ever going to really comment on these things, it isn't his place to do so and he isn't going to burn bridges unnecessarily. 

 

He can do more good by giving them feedback on the scripts than he could if he was asked not to continue because he trashed the show repeatedly online.

[notpropaganda73]

  On 1/27/2022 at 4:07 AM, TheMountain said:

The thing I find extremely frustrating about Brandon's reviews: the minute they start to get close to touching on the controversial changes, they change to the next subject.

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I think he just doesn't want to go too in depth on them, but at the same time he spent a good portion of this talking about Perrin which is one of the most controversial in terms of changes I would have thought? 

 

I think it was @ashiwho talked about Perrin's internal struggle with the Way of the Leaf vs. the wolf, and hearing Brandon talk about what they could have done in S1, having gone down the path of the fridging, it's pretty baffling that they didn't focus in on that clearly. They spent time with the Tinkers and you could sort of see an idea of Perrin following the Way of the Leaf taking shape, but then there's no actual conflict or any moment where he refuses to protect himself, so they just didn't use his time with the Tinkers at all. 

 

I think reading between the lines it is pretty obvious what he thinks about episode 8 in particular. But as has been pointed out he knows that this video and other comments will be poured over by fans, so it's only right that he's careful with his words. 

 

I was interested that he thought the reveal of Rand landed, I think most people felt more like Dan

[DaddyFinn]

  On 1/27/2022 at 9:59 AM, notpropaganda73 said:

I was interested that he thought the reveal of Rand landed, I think most people felt more like Dan

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I actually even leaned forward on my couch when the flashback sequence started and Rand was revealed. I was happy with the result.

[king of nowhere]

  On 1/27/2022 at 12:46 AM, SingleMort said:

come on man enough with the derogatory names for people. You'll call them something, they'll call you something back and it just goes on and on and on. If you want people to find common ground stop giving them the finger. Much as I disagree and was surprised at someone finding episode 8 their favourite I did actually agree with most of the other points they discuss.

 

Personally I'm not sure Brandon could have done it better. Brandon is a good writer but that doesn't necessarily mean he'd make a good showrunner because books and TV are very different mediums. I think the best option would be if Brandon was more involved with the show if he was an active part of the writing or at least someone who could be in the "room" (physical or virtual) with the writers. But I also understand that might be tough because he's got he's probably very busy with his own stories and can't afford to make WoT his fulltime job.  

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Actually, i wasn't aware that bookcloak was derogatory. I heard that they have their own reddit subforum where they call themselves thusly, so i figured it was a neutral designation.

 

And i agree that brandon may not be the best scriptwriter. But he's an awesome storyteller, so they should probably listen to him for plot structure.

When brandon descrived nyn and egw fighting at fal dara, realizing they are not trained enough to be effective, lan helping nyn and protecting her like he did moiraine... I though, what a wonderful chance we missed

[Cauthonfan4]

  On 1/27/2022 at 2:43 AM, ilovezam said:

He thinks Rafe did a "good" and "decent" job with the "adaptation style they chose

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Ahh thanks for clarifying that. Was confused how he could say he did a good job adapting it.

[Cauthonfan4]

  On 1/27/2022 at 9:39 AM, Requiem said:

He can do more good by giving them feedback on the scripts than he could if he was asked not to continue because he trashed the show repeatedly online

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He can only do that good if they actually listen to his advice.

[DaddyFinn]

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:17 PM, Cauthonfan4 said:

He can only do that good if they actually listen to his advice.

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They have. Of course they won't do everything that Brandon suggests. Otherwise Brandon should be the showrunner.

[Cauthonfan4]

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:21 PM, DaddyFinn said:

They have. Of course they won't do everything that Brandon suggests

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And let's see. Minimal consulting on 5 and 6 and yeah, No consulting on episodes 7 and 8. Easily rhe weakest part of the season.

Thry ignored his advice avout perrin and we all see how that turned out...

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:21 PM, DaddyFinn said:

Otherwise Brandon should be the showrunner

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I'm 10000% okay with this. 

 

[Cauthonfan4]

  On 1/27/2022 at 11:57 AM, king of nowhere said:

But he's an awesome storyteller, so they should probably listen to him for plot structure.

When brandon descrived nyn and egw fighting at fal dara, realizing they are not trained enough to be effective, lan helping nyn and protecting her like he did moiraine... I though, what a wonderful chance we missed

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Exactly. They didn't use Brandon at the end and didn't listen to his advice elsewhere and it backfired. He may not be a scriptwriter but he came up with a far better adaptation then them and that's with him being polite to avoid throwing them completely under the bus.

[DaddyFinn]

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:30 PM, Cauthonfan4 said:

Minimal consulting on 5 and 6 and yeah, No consulting on episodes 7 and 8.

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And the reason? Covid IIRC.

 

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:30 PM, Cauthonfan4 said:

Thry ignored his advice avout perrin and we all see how that turned out...

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Some like it, some hate it, some are indifferent. I am on the WAFO-wagon.

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:30 PM, Cauthonfan4 said:

Easily rhe weakest part of the season.

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Purely subjective. Episode 7 is my favorite because of Tigraine and Rand.

 

 

[Ralph]

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:17 PM, Cauthonfan4 said:

Ahh thanks for clarifying that. Was confused how he could say he did a good job adapting it.

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He did say he did a good job adapting it. Watch the video

[Ralph]

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:30 PM, Cauthonfan4 said:

And let's see. Minimal consulting on 5 and 6 and yeah, No consulting on episodes 7 and 8. Easily rhe weakest part of the season.

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Never said minimal consulting on 5/6. Watch the video

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:30 PM, Cauthonfan4 said:

Thry ignored his advice avout perrin and we all see how that turned out...

 

 

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Originally he said he advised doing the same but killing Haral. That is what they ignored. He is saying that would have allowed him to get over it earlier in the season. I'm not sure that is true

Edited January 27, 2022 by Ralph

[Ralph]

  On 1/27/2022 at 9:59 AM, notpropaganda73 said:

 

I think he just doesn't want to go too in depth on them, but at the same time he spent a good portion of this talking about Perrin which is one of the most controversial in terms of changes I would have thought? 

 

I think it was @ashiwho talked about Perrin's internal struggle with the Way of the Leaf vs. the wolf, and hearing Brandon talk about what they could have done in S1, having gone down the path of the fridging, it's pretty baffling that they didn't focus in on that clearly. They spent time with the Tinkers and you could sort of see an idea of Perrin following the Way of the Leaf taking shape, but then there's no actual conflict or any moment where he refuses to protect himself, so they just didn't use his time with the Tinkers at all. 

 

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I thought it was very obvious actually. Surprised you don't 

 

His hairstyle changes to that of Aram. He tells Rand about the WotL. And the final episode conversation with Loial and then when PF comes in. 

 

I also think that is why they don't have him actually attacking Valda - it would contradict what they have done until then. They want that conflict to come up properly only in Ep8

[Ralph]

  On 1/27/2022 at 11:57 AM, king of nowhere said:

 

And i agree that brandon may not be the best scriptwriter. But he's an awesome storyteller, so they should probably listen to him for plot structure.

When brandon descrived nyn and egw fighting at fal dara, realizing they are not trained enough to be effective, lan helping nyn and protecting her like he did moiraine... I though, what a wonderful chance we missed

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Agree completely. 

 

He also said himself that he missed the pacing being off in Ep1 bc he is not a screenwriter

[Cauthonfan4]

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:49 PM, Ralph said:

He did say he did a good job adapting it.

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For how they chose to adapt it. Key words.

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:49 PM, DaddyFinn said:

Purely subjective. Episode 7 is my favorite because of Tigraine and Rand

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And yet also had badly written teenage drama as well. Cold open was okay. The Rand reveal was middle of the road.

 

[notpropaganda73]

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:52 PM, Ralph said:

I thought it was very obvious actually. Surprised you don't 

 

His hairstyle changes to that of Aram. He tells Rand about the WotL. And the final episode conversation with Loial and then when PF comes in. 

 

I also think that is why they don't have him actually attacking Valda - it would contradict what they have done until then. They want that conflict to come up properly only in Ep8

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But it didn't go anywhere is my point. There's no actual conflict or resolution for Perrin in S1. What he says to Loial feels sort of out of nowhere in the context of the episode - I think they really should have had him needing to protect someone and refusing violence because he was following the WotL. Otherwise it's just all internal, which is the big problem with Perrin as a character anyway. Which is what Brandon was saying. 

 

I think even if they were trying to show this, the fact that doesn't land with the vast majority who watch the episode tells you something is off. I know that if Perrin says something like "I did nothing because I was trying to follow the WotL" or something like that in S2, my other half will say "eh, what?" 

 

 

[notpropaganda73]

And it's interesting hearing others POVs, personally his idea about Lan saving Nynaeve in episode 8 sounded super cheesy and OTT/hamfisted to me. I'd have preferred it to Lan doing absolutely nothing in episode 8, sure, but I can just imagine the outrage and blame that Rafe would get if Lan abandoned his duty to Moiraine in the season finale, yet it was Brandon's idea. 

[Ralph]

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:55 PM, Cauthonfan4 said:

For how they chose to adapt it. Key words.

 

 

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Did you watch the video? 

[Ralph]

  On 1/27/2022 at 2:08 PM, notpropaganda73 said:

 

But it didn't go anywhere is my point. There's no actual conflict or resolution for Perrin in S1. What he says to Loial feels sort of out of nowhere in the context of the episode - I think they really should have had him needing to protect someone and refusing violence because he was following the WotL. Otherwise it's just all internal, which is the big problem with Perrin as a character anyway. Which is what Brandon was saying. 

 

I think even if they were trying to show this, the fact that doesn't land with the vast majority who watch the episode tells you something is off. I know that if Perrin says something like "I did nothing because I was trying to follow the WotL" or something like that in S2, my other half will say "eh, what?" 

 

 

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Interesting you think this. I felt the conflict about the horn and Loial was very clear. I haven't spoken to that many people about it, would like to know what the vast majority thought

[Jaysen Gore]

What the show runners chose to do with Ep. 8, IMO, was emphasis the series over the season, and not everyone got plotlines that had a satisfying plot point fall within that schedule. So instead of moving the timelines around, they chose to emphasize the major plot points in the blight, and ignored the others.

 

On one hand, it's good, because it could be interpreted as them keeping their eye on the prize, which is a consistent singular story of the Wheel of Time, with less fidelity to the individual books /seasons that make up that story. That also aligns with what Rafe has said about telling it as a single story.

 

On the other hand, it creates disappointment, since character milestones WON'T fall into the traditional ready made TV break points - season start, season end, cliffhangers, etc, and that can be frustrating. Things seen in season 1 won't payoff until later seasons, and they may not pay off when we expect them to.

 

IT's like he's trying to make a 64 episode binge-able series for the ages, where - after all is said and done - the emotional beats of the series won't be tied to the production schedule at all

[nsmallw]

• " He had little influence with Ep 5-6, and none with 7-8. "

 

Imagine if BS had had more influence on the last 4 episodes. I think they'd have been even better.

 

Certainly if you look at the  last 4 eps. they have the least amount of book events in them than the 4 episodes that BS had a good amount of influence upon. I think that's quite telling.

[ilovezam]

  On 1/27/2022 at 2:11 PM, notpropaganda73 said:

And it's interesting hearing others POVs, personally his idea about Lan saving Nynaeve in episode 8 sounded super cheesy and OTT/hamfisted to me. I'd have preferred it to Lan doing absolutely nothing in episode 8, sure, but I can just imagine the outrage and blame that Rafe would get if Lan abandoned his duty to Moiraine in the season finale, yet it was Brandon's idea. 

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I don't think Lan would ever be cool with abandoning Moiraine for love either. Maybe they could have had Nynaeve lead Lan to Moiraine using some saidar tracking shenanigans (instead of "she has a tell") through the Blight they could have given Lan some cool action sequences to protect her, and then Rand can take Tarwin's Gap like he's supposed to T_T

Edited January 27, 2022 by ilovezam

[DaddyFinn]

  On 1/27/2022 at 2:29 PM, nsmallw said:

Certainly if you look at the  last 4 eps. they have the least amount of book events in them than the 4 episodes that BS had a good amount of influence upon. I think that's quite telling.

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I doubt it's that simple

[Gothic Flame]

  On 1/27/2022 at 1:55 PM, Cauthonfan4 said:

For how they chose to adapt it. Key words.

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He is careful in his word usage. Like a lawyer...or a writer.

[king of nowhere]

  On 1/27/2022 at 2:27 PM, Jaysen Gore said:

 

 

IT's like he's trying to make a 64 episode binge-able series for the ages, where - after all is said and done - the emotional beats of the series won't be tied to the production schedule at all

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Yes, he's trying to do that.

And it's good. It's quintessentially wheel of time. RJ also decided to write a bingeable book series where the emotional beats are not tied to production schedule, and he did, and most fans like wot that way.

 

That may or may not work with tv audiences