At that stage in book 1 there had already been plenty of explanations as to why that was not ridiculous. Moiraines explanations to Nynaeve about how channeling manifests itself without training are sufficient to make clear what has happened.

Regarding the random nature of finding the bracelet from a random guy met in a bar. Specifically this was a random guy Mat met in a bar - in the books in Ebou Dar they find the bowl of winds purely due to Mat's random selection of an inn to stay at. Random is how his nature as a ta'veren manifests. If he had been pushed off the dock when arriving in the city it would be fine for him to come up clutching the bracelet.

Except this is the one thing they do not bargain over. The one seeking passage offers a gift and they either offer the "gift of passage" or do not, there is no haggling. Technically this is a way to force the traveler to bid high as there is no opportunity to raise your bid but to refer to the gift of passage as a deal would offend them.

For me the most glaring omission from the column visions was in the vision where the Aiel are being sent on their mission. In the books the Aes Sedai sending them explicitly refuse the request for some of the Aiel to remain and refer to the actions of the Aiel in trying to delay or divert one of the hundred companions from destroying a city - referring to thousands of Aiel linking arms and singing to him while he destroyed them. Why bother to set this up in series one with the tinkers linking arms to block the whitecloaks and not have the payoff in the visions? Establishing that even in the age of legends Aiel pacifism was not a passive thing but involved active resistance to evil was important.

although it could be a good move for someone deliberately baiting a trap...

To me this makes a lot more sense than the book obsession with keeping novices / accepted away from men. These are grown women (admission at 14-16 and a 10 year + training period other than for those of exceptional ability) and the majority of them will never have the strength to test out as Aes Sedai - most will be expected to leave the tower and not openly practice channeling, so a fully cloistered training regime makes little sense. The most gifted would be expected to concentrate on channeling, the others less so.

The books do have people take oaths "on the hope of my salvation and rebirth" - so they have at least the concept that rebirth depends on actions in your current life (although this is only the view the people have, it does not mean that you can actually forfeit your rebirth - certainly Ishy/Moridin appeared to be of the view that he would be endlessly reborn no matter what until the DO got free and ended time).

I think those were all series set in the contemporary world (usually medical or police dramas) - relatively low production costs other than wages once you have built the regularly used sets. Wardrobe and props are all off the peg. For fantasy and historic drama every costume, prop and location is a bespoke item (+ CGI costs). Even GOT at its height had only 10 episode seasons (although some episodes were longer than 1 h).

Suggesting they are conflating Sammael with Be'lial (book weakest) so he may be in Tear.

For me there is a big question regarding how much Gaebril/Rhavin has altered Galad and Gawyn's personality. In the books they were gone from Caemlyn long before he arrived, here he states he has amended their memories to include him (and presumably Elaine's as well, as soon as they met). They are both shown as much more arrogant and abrasive than their book characters. Also is the Morgase succession scene a real memory or something he has imposed?

Are these comparable figures? I suspect these are inclusive of the payment to secure the licence (very big in the case of RoP) rather than just the costs of wages, set and costume design, writing, CGI etc. The licence payment should be stripped out if the aim is to compare the production achievement against budget.

When Verin discusses the excavated male Choedan Cal statue with Rand in TGH when they meet up in Cairhein she explicitly states that the female of the pair is on Tremalking and of current sisters only Moiraine, Siuan and Elaida are strong enough to survive using it. Of course that could be an unreliable narrator or otherwise false (and clearly she discounted Cadsuanne being still alive). Even with a buffer preventing burnout the channeller appears to experience amplified fatigue such that a lesser talent would perish from exhaustion when using it.

Except that in book cannon none of the dark sisters are strong enough to survive using it. Also the one taken could prove to be the damaged one found in the Panarch's collection in the books, presenting no issues if it falls into the wrong hands.

The only individual I recall defeating more than one fade at once in close combat is Lan, in the final book. More than one dies in the battle of Emond's Field (mostly to massed longbow fire) but most of their edge is wasted in a daylight mass charge - their role there is to force the trollocs to attack.

At the start of book 3 Perrin has the skills to beat a fade single handed after being significantly injured by a trolloc, and later to take on several whitecloaks at once and impress an Aiel with his skill - appears to be a substantial jump in proficiency from that described in book 1 and early book 2, even allowing for time training over the winter camping in the mountains.