37 minutes ago, CaddySedai said:

 

Well not yet - sofar. Loial may still be needed to navigate the Ways - which would work towards his need in the books too. 

 

And the other change only really affects how the Ways can be opened. So it is more of a later problem rather than a now problem. 

 

And it could be that channelers are needed, that maybe there are also ter’angreal like the leaf to allow non channelers can use it. Or a combo of the two. 

 

Maybe most waygates have the leaf or other means, but this one does not due to its proximity to Tar Valon so it was removed for safety reasons (both for the city and for wayward travelers entering the dangerous Ways) and can now only be opened by a trained channeler. 

Great points, thanks for putting it in perspective ?

I liked most this episode. Unlike 5 it didn’t seem like a waste and I could see where some of this episode could relate to future plots vs just being filler. 
 

That said, the changes to the ways and Mat being left behind made it a bit of a wash. Maybe they’ll redeem themselves with Mat but the change to how the ways works makes no sense to me and really undermines Loial. 
 

6 hours ago, Elder_Haman said:

I'm a little baffled that they didn't start the series where I would have - a slow scene where young Moiraine and young Siuan hear Gitara's prophecy. That would have been the perfect framing device for the question of "who is the Dragon". It would have been the obvious beginning to Moiraine's quest. And it would have fit perfectly.

 

I would have happily sacrificed a bit of the Winternight attack for the prophecy as the cold open.

 

I disagree with using the prologue. It's a little confusing the first time. And I think it can have a far more visceral impact later in a tv series once you begin to understand the connection between LTT and Rand. 

I might like this more than the one I found on Reddit. Or even in combination with that one, and they could show the 5 EF’ers in the inn to keep the ambiguity they seem to be going for around who is the dragon. 
 

but in any case, great idea for how to better introduce the lore!

Given when the books were written I don’t think it’s that out of place. Plenty shows, movies, etc. used these stereotypes, for better or worse. 
 

As I’ve had more time to mull over the show so far, I’ve realized in some ways the start of the whole show for me was pretty mediocre and so feeling good about it has been an uphill battle since (which ep5 did not help). I was going down Reddit rabbit holes and came across someone’s suggestion for an alternative opening to the show that I quite like as an idea.

This got me curious, how would folks here change the show’s opening (if at all)? 
 

for reference, here’s what that post suggested:

Imagine Bel Tine, Thom is in the Winespring Inn telling the Karaethon Cycle. Done in a style that is like Hercules by Disney with story book illustrations showing the breaking of the world and the Dragon. While he’s talking the camera pans to Rand, Matt, Perrin in the corner talking about seeing a shadowy figure on a horse following them. Morraine walks into the inn.

(for the Mods, I tried looking back a few pages and thought this would be somewhat unique albeit similar to some other topics)

Min, Faile, Hopper, various Aiel 

Thank you!

Hi there,

Been rereading the books this summer/fall and with the start of the TV show thought it’d be fun to check out DM again.
 

Apparently it has been 10 years since I joined and posted much. Looking back at my posts and profile name I just shake my head a bit and wonder, who was that? 
 

Anywho, look forward to chatting with folks here and there. 

I just finished ep5 and I selected dislike for the show. I really want to like it because this is one of, if not my favorite, book series.
 

Overall I like the cast and the acting, but my issue with it is how much they’ve deviated from the book storyline and episode 5 only made that worse. I understand condensing parts of it for TV, but introducing a new character who gets a good chunk of screen time while ignoring more important elements from the book - e.g., Rand meeting Elayne;  Min; more time on developing the 2 rivers; more about shadar logoth; etc. - makes me worry that the writers for the show are an awful fit. 
 

My only glimmer of hope is that it seems to be popular enough with people who haven’t read the books that maybe it will get additional seasons with more budget and episodes. And if it does that, just maybe they’ll be able to put something together that’s approaching the quality of early GoT seasons as an adaptation of a fantasy series.