Bit of a low bar to clear 🙂 But yes , I do reckon it is picking up a lot - despite , as DreadLord31 said above , having plenty of details we book purists can nit pick if we wish. So the only things I would really nit pick about the first three episodes are : the Morgase out-of-character brutality on her ascension to the throne (I presume that was intended to be actual history and not Gaebril messing with our memories !) ; and the rather unnecessarily violent arrival of the Blacks into Tanchico : both strike me as "shock spectacles" which make little sense and add nothing to the plot... For all they are shuffling the order of events about , they do seem to be moving closer to the main book themes. The dark characters are all good (getting more prominence than they did on the page , which is fine). It has meant Liandrin and Lanfear have arguably taken a lot of the focus off our heroes so far but again that is OK as long as they handle all the main arcs properly over succeeding episodes. And liking Faile's arrival (Mandarb joke and all ) But I am still missing Thom !

I get the cruelty and Semirhage connection : but I think the sneaky "effectively invisible" aspect of the grey men rather screams Made by Moggy , does it not ?

Probably best not to over analyse the fight scenes : they are intended to be spectacular but obviously not too bothered about being realistic. Can live with that in context of a "magic" tale. Though I must admit I do have a little trouble with seeing someone getting two swords stuck right through them , presumably collecting vital organs on the way , but emerging intact with a little magical help from her friends 🙂 That plot armour is powerful stuff...

Generally a quite entertaining episode...the show is getting better as it goes on (though it is pretty clear they are keeping only the bones of RJ's story and basically writing their own narrative ; probably going to wind up in the same place , more or less) Not that this is awful in itself : as long as it results in a compelling TV show that is fine - even if a lot of it disappoints many of us who were hoping for something a bit closer to the original. But I really didn't like the Morgase as brutal killer queen opening : unnecessary at best and surely undermines the whole business of a once much loved queen with a reputation for benevolent rule over a happy populace ... until suddenly this is overturned when she falls under the malign influence of Rahvin and acts in a manner that swiftly alienates supportive houses and general population alike . As others have said , looks like a cheap shock scene to inject a bit of GOT into the show. Gaebril messing with everyone's heads so he's seen as being around for ten years also seems a bit of an unnecessary complication but it is quite a cool idea so I don't have a problem with it. Expected to see a bit more of Egwene's trip through the Arches ? Maybe will do so later in flashbacks ? Or not... I didn't much care for her rudeness to the Amyrlin on the way out either ; but since she was my least-favourite major book character and hasn't won me any more in the TV show I won't lose any sleep over that 🙂 I am still in the category of only about... oh , 45% happy with the show (up from 40) but if they continue to improve will keep watching with renewed hopes...

Bit pointless taking a boat from Falme via Tear to TV ; only to sail back to Tear immediately though ? I guess plans change ; but still...

She is certainly an "interesting" character. And more nuanced than the other Forsaken. But tragic ? I mean , a lot of serial killers have messed up childhoods...but I wouldn't say that makes them tragic. Except in so far as any human failing that leads to widespread harm to innocents is tragic in itself. Depends how you define it , I guess.

I think we need Asmodean : can't imagine any of the others acting , even under duress , as any sort of mentor to Rand. Sammael/Rahvin/Demandred are all pretty much interchangeable really. Need one of them to be Gaebril but don't need all three. Be'lal Balthamel Aginor all get killed off early without doing much so unless the show wants to embrace the complicated reincarnation stuff with the latter pair (unlikely since they never appeared in the first place ) we can forget them. Mesaana does perform eventually but only very late in the story. Not sure she is needed ? And Semirhage seems to mainly be in the story as a striking demonstration of Ultimate Nastiness rather than a big plot mover 🙂 With Graendal already on board we probably only need one of them ? My guess : The five already confirmed/shown ; Asmo ; Rahvin and one of the other females , depending on what they want to do with the story down the track.

Well if Ishy doesn't come back it will mean they have totally lost the plot - and much of the point of the whole story ! Apart from depriving us of a charismatic actor... So I imagine they will somehow re-introduce him , still in the same body , in good time for the final confrontation at the Last Battle. Agree the body/name changing stuff is unnecessary for the show. Though I suppose one final "body switch" will be required , right at the end 🙂 But then again they may totally change the ending ... if we ever get that far.

Blimey ...this one is apparently going to run and run...Is it really worth all this argument ? I tend to agree with expat that it just isn't worth getting excited over some details of an "action" sequence (which we probably haven't seen in full yet) , even if some aspects do appear a little unrealistic. "Battles" on screen often have to be allowed a bit of poetic licence , no ? I have generally noted widespread approval of a particular scene already shown - indeed it is often held to be one of the best sequences of the TV show so far. But how realistic is it to expect a woman , not only heavily pregnant but actually about to give birth and suffering labour pains , to singlehandedly dispose of half a dozen well armed and armoured soldiers ? ( She is Aiel so a free pass ?) But it doesn't spoil my enjoyment of the show... To be honest I have a number of aspects of the TV show with which I am less than delighted ; but nit-picking over details in a scene designed primarily for spectacle isn't something I want to bother with. More interested in how they go forward with the story : and the way they have chosen to kick off this third season actually has me hopeful that the improvement that was made in season two (with the exception of that rather clumsy last episode !) might flow through to this one. I'm giving the Sneak Preview a tick 👍

Well , up to a point. Moiraine doesn't seem to be too bad at combat despite being a Blue. Not that it all matters much - however unlikely the outcome of the punch-up it serves to reveal a bunch of Blacks and get them exiting the Tower : though I will be intrigued to see what one Green is going to do to stop them in the streets as the episode continues...

Plenty of action ! OK nothing like the books but we are getting used to that. Will be interesting to see what follows from this for the White Tower . If the 8.38 shot (which I confess I failed to spot) indicates the Finn are actually on for an appearance I will be very glad as I reckon the story - especially around Mat , but later Moiraine - loses too much if they are not part of it. Will wait and see.

Aside from the current issues... I am now four episodes into a first season rewatch. Can't say it has improved my general feeling of disappointment with the show (not total disaster by any means ; but I think it could have been done much better) but at the same time I can appreciate some of what they were doing. Unlike many , I really like the casting for Lan : nothing much like the book physical description but he seems to me perfect for the character. Also approve of the Tinkers 👋 Less so the casting of Thom who just doesn't look or sound right at all. Not too bothered with many of the minor differences. Just vexed by the silly idea to raise the chance of the Dragon being a woman , in order to feed the "who is the Dragon ?" question . The whole idea behind the fear that is felt across the land about the Dragon's rebirth is that because he is a man he is going to go mad and destroy everything ! Kind of lost if he were reborn female , no ?

As I said , opinions will vary. Perhaps I should have said "unnecessary".

Confess I do like the way some of the villains are being portrayed - a plus for the show. On the other hand , I think the gags on the Damane look pretty stupid. And basically pointless. Opinions as usual will vary...

Well you could cut out a lot of stuff and still get to the end of the story... But what would be the point ? It would no longer be the book series Jordan wrote , which has so enthralled all of us that we spend time on here nit picking about every tiny detail 🙂 Any long book - or series thereof - is likely to contain some fluff that might be done without : but opinions would differ as to which bits are best removed. I for one am happy to take it as it was written ... minor flaws and all...

Rather an important little medallion , no ? If he doesn't meet the Finn , Mat's story is surely going to be pared back in several areas. I know they have to cut things , etc , etc ... but I do fear the whole show is going to be "simplified" to a degree that most book fans will not be particularly happy about. It may well end up decent enough TV , especially for more casual viewers ; but I think it is a pity they look like dropping so many of the most interesting (to me , anyway) magical details . But will watch anyway and maybe I'm wrong and season three will continue the trend of a (mostly) improved second - except for again rather messing up the season finale. To be fair , from here on they don't have to deal with book endings which themselves were a bit untidy ... Crossed fingers.

Hey Dojo Toad ... I agree with you on almost everything in your list of likes and dislikes above... But : I hated the "Moiraine using stones from the inn to blast trollocs" thing. Struck me as an illogically complicated use of force . Just fry the wretched creatures surely ? Why wreck the infrastructure in the process ? Too gimmicky for me. Which I guess just goes to show you can't please all of the people all the time 🙂

About ten years ago I first picked up EOTW (had read some comments about the series on a mainly sports chat site so thought would give it a try). Was hooked very early on and resolved to follow to the end - which I have done , whole series twice and the early books multiple times. I never get bored. I see a lot of critical comment about the first three books - from people who obviously have a deep fascination with the series ; and it frankly puzzles me a bit. Sure , the first in particular is very much the well trodden path of relative innocents being uprooted from a mundane existence and propelled into a world of magic and earth shattering events : but IMHO it was done rather well ; and the detail that RJ has gone into brings the world alive beautifully. The ending was a bit messy but other than that I don't really see much to complain about : thought it set a lot up for the future story lines and certainly ensured I for one would be back for more... Characters seemed real : far from perfect , sometimes - well quite often - infuriating. But isn't that true in our own lives ? They manage to have you caring what happens to them which is surely the important basis for the start of a long narrative. Some probably find the constant minute detail a bit much , when they want to get on with the story. Each to his own : but I really enjoyed the details supplied every time the characters walked into the common room of a inn ... the host , the waitresses , the musicians : they all seem to live , so that you feel you are actually in the room observing whatever takes place. I think he does this as well as any author I can think of - not just in the fantasy genre either. Oddly enough I don't go nuts over all the grand action events ( Emonds Field battle , Dumai's Wells etc ) . I mean they are obviously important but you sort of knew how they were going to end even before you read the first time : it is the slow build up , the foreshadowing , the whole way in which you can immerse yourself in this complex other world , for all of 14 books , that keeps me fascinated with it enough to come on here and devote a fair deal of time seeing what others think about it all. That's probably enough rambling on from me but I think you get the picture : I am a fan 🙂

She is also fully clothed so they are certainly introducing some "variations" from the books...what a surprise 🙂 I am holding out some hopes for Mat and the Finn. But fearing the worst...

There is also the reference in TSR to Gautama Buddha and his attaining enlightenment sitting beneath the Bodhi tree : Rand , seeing Avendesora in Rhuidean : "I can believe the stories . Ghoetam , sitting beneath Avendesora for forty years to gain wisdom. Right now , I can believe". More ,I am sure , even some that I haven't found yet.

Yes indeed ... and " filtering through the Ages" distorts the details : as "Lenn" would seem to refer to John Glenn - who was the first American to orbit the Earth - and whose Mercury capsule seemed to him to be enveloped in fire on re-entry due to issues with the heat shield , which thankfully survived OK ; while of course it was Armstrong and the Eagle who landed on the Moon. There are other historical figures mentioned in gleeman's tales which I am sure you will also pick up... Just another fascinating detail of RJ's world.

Have to agree about Lanfear : surely the best of the villains . Although Moggy has her moments and Ishy a lot of importance in the story , her appearances - in a number of guises - are all highlights. There are a lot of relatively minor characters who are nevertheless interesting. I like Aludra : her dry humour in dealing with Mat appeals to me.

That would be my take. The medallion stops him being affected by channelling ; but if channelling sets secondary forces into action (be it lightning , stones or lumps of mud) they can hit him like anyone else.

After many years resident in Australia I have rarely seen a Koala move at all unless it has to , let alone "waddle" ; though they do a lot of placid leaf chewing...also I'd call them grey more than brown. Though heaven knows what Aginor might have done in the way of modifications ! This big eyed creature sounds more like some sort of Lemur to me .