Stepin and Kerene Nagashi are from New Spring - the prologue. Remember they are adapting the series not EotW.
What we see on screen "parallels" some of the NS material from 20 years early. Puts a whole new spin on Kerene's death for example. NS also describes Moiraine taking her oath - the official trailer shows Moiraine in white with her AS oath as a voice over which also happened in NS and is when Moiraine's relationship with Siuan started (of which we have had a hint with the dog story) and the secretstart of the hunt for the dragon. So much back story which is also a part of the series. They have said that they are not "making things up". Adapting, compacting and showing things that happened "off page" which - due to the books being POV account we didn't see - but not making up.
So far I see the show operating on two levels. One for non-book readers - who they have to carry along - but also one for book readers. OK some of the book stuff is very brief but its there: the nod of approval from Tam when Rand looked at him before they left; the name of the inn they met the dark friend in; the briefest flash of red hair on the Aeil that Thom cut down; the name of the little doll Matt was given and what the gird said the doll wanted to do; the angreal; the heron marked blade; the shadowy shape that led Matt to the dagger; the bravery of the EF folk when they attacked a trolloc; that Padin had visited TW for "years"; the whistling that is following Padin around; Rand's shock that his father could fight; Thom's song (they actually admitted that this was deliberately subtle and not something non-book readers would pick up on until the story has unfolded); the angreal; even a reference to crows. So much that resonates drawn from the source that will pass over the heads of non-book readers ..... for now.
They have also explained that its not practical to cover some people/places that have "minor" parts early on but become "major" later because they couldn't guarantee getting the same people to play the part or the same location to shoot in. Which seems to fit what has happened with Camlyn and the people introduced there in EoTW. I assume they pick up from the arrival scene in TGH and Siun can fill in any "critcal news" from Camlyn when she returns from there in episode 6. (And they will have no problem with young actors growing older either if it runs to multiple series!)
Despite these and other limitations though they are covering the story. Check out this site's chapter by chapter summary https://dragonmount.com/books/eye_of_the_world/chapter-recaps/ . When you see the book laid out as 1 or 2 lines per chapter and compare that with what we have gotten so far - its impressive. And we can't rule out that some gaps may yet be filled in later e.g. Siuan is returning from Camlyn to Tar Valon in episode 6 so extra details may be provided about events in the city; the prologue stuff may get covered in the last episode.
Now personally I could have lived with less Stepin! Seeing the reaction of many, many non-book readers though - it worked. As one of the people who "started again" when a new book came its easy to forget just how much there is and how easy it would be to lose those who have no idea how vast the story is.
As an adaptation of the series though in my opinion its in excellen hands. We even got the story of Manetheren and the opening "The Wheel turns ..." at the end of episode 1 which some non-book(?) reading critics described as exposition! Which they are not but were added anyway - just Robert Jordan let readers know that it was a big world with a lot of history.
Review of "Blood Calls Blood"
in TV Show
Posted · Edited by gervaise
Stepin and Kerene Nagashi are from New Spring - the prologue. Remember they are adapting the series not EotW.
What we see on screen "parallels" some of the NS material from 20 years early. Puts a whole new spin on Kerene's death for example. NS also describes Moiraine taking her oath - the official trailer shows Moiraine in white with her AS oath as a voice over which also happened in NS and is when Moiraine's relationship with Siuan started (of which we have had a hint with the dog story) and the secretstart of the hunt for the dragon. So much back story which is also a part of the series. They have said that they are not "making things up". Adapting, compacting and showing things that happened "off page" which - due to the books being POV account we didn't see - but not making up.
So far I see the show operating on two levels. One for non-book readers - who they have to carry along - but also one for book readers. OK some of the book stuff is very brief but its there: the nod of approval from Tam when Rand looked at him before they left; the name of the inn they met the dark friend in; the briefest flash of red hair on the Aeil that Thom cut down; the name of the little doll Matt was given and what the gird said the doll wanted to do; the angreal; the heron marked blade; the shadowy shape that led Matt to the dagger; the bravery of the EF folk when they attacked a trolloc; that Padin had visited TW for "years"; the whistling that is following Padin around; Rand's shock that his father could fight; Thom's song (they actually admitted that this was deliberately subtle and not something non-book readers would pick up on until the story has unfolded); the angreal; even a reference to crows. So much that resonates drawn from the source that will pass over the heads of non-book readers ..... for now.
They have also explained that its not practical to cover some people/places that have "minor" parts early on but become "major" later because they couldn't guarantee getting the same people to play the part or the same location to shoot in. Which seems to fit what has happened with Camlyn and the people introduced there in EoTW. I assume they pick up from the arrival scene in TGH and Siun can fill in any "critcal news" from Camlyn when she returns from there in episode 6. (And they will have no problem with young actors growing older either if it runs to multiple series!)
Despite these and other limitations though they are covering the story. Check out this site's chapter by chapter summary https://dragonmount.com/books/eye_of_the_world/chapter-recaps/ . When you see the book laid out as 1 or 2 lines per chapter and compare that with what we have gotten so far - its impressive. And we can't rule out that some gaps may yet be filled in later e.g. Siuan is returning from Camlyn to Tar Valon in episode 6 so extra details may be provided about events in the city; the prologue stuff may get covered in the last episode.
Now personally I could have lived with less Stepin! Seeing the reaction of many, many non-book readers though - it worked. As one of the people who "started again" when a new book came its easy to forget just how much there is and how easy it would be to lose those who have no idea how vast the story is.
As an adaptation of the series though in my opinion its in excellen hands. We even got the story of Manetheren and the opening "The Wheel turns ..." at the end of episode 1 which some non-book(?) reading critics described as exposition! Which they are not but were added anyway - just Robert Jordan let readers know that it was a big world with a lot of history.