After watching is a couple times I am not getting a strong "world" vibe. Maybe it was the different ethnicities - which I like but which draw away from a sense of world or maybe the varied costumes without much or any explanation which made me feel disjointed.
Obviously I'll watch it, but it looks pretty bad.
After watching is a couple times I am not getting a strong "world" vibe. Maybe it was the different ethnicities - which I like but which draw away from a sense of world or maybe the varied costumes without much or any explanation which made me feel disjointed.
Not sure if you have read the books but why does it draw away from a sense of world? WoT is most definitely not modeled after medieval Europe, and the actual prose in the series makes clear that Rand was a different ethnicity compared to the other Two River characters.
This is a good read on folks assumptions about WoT and race.
That wasn’t a “good” read, it was a most excellent read. Thank you for sharing, BadFerret. Everyone should take a look.
Obviously I'll watch it, but it looks pretty bad.
It’s a three minute trailer, let’s not jump to conclusions, here.
At the very least, go with “it didn’t appeal to me.” Because no, it does not “obviously” look bad.
Just finding this thread after the trailer came out. That article is superb. Thanks, Badferret!
I hadn't paid any attention to the casting, as aside from Pike, I hadn't recognized any of the names. Bit of a digression: I generally don't get all chuffed when a white character's skin or gender gets changed for these things, especially in older material. To me, that's just correcting a mistake that an author/creator might not have made if they were creating now.
I always come back to something Richard Garriott said about the moongates in his Ultima series when he started using colors (red and black) other than the assumed blue (paraphrased): "It's not that the gates between worlds weren't red in those older games. We just didn't know they were red." At some point, he had a direction he wanted to go in later games that required him to retcon something he hadn't originally intended. But it was important to him, so he just said, "This was always this way. We just didn't realize it."
I like that, and I think of it whenever something supposedly sacred is changed to better fit a modern context, especially with regard to characters. So after watching the trailer (and before reading the article), my only thought was on it was, "Good on them [the show's producers] for making this a fantasy world that isn't so pasty." The thought that hadn't occurred to me was that my memories and assumptions about the text had been wrong. (Even if not completely wrong, still wrong enough to matter to me.) And worse, they'd been definitively reinforced for so long by the covers (which egads to that).
I'm super glad the cast is so diverse. I'm much less glad I've held bad assumptions about the text and those characters for so many years. The article does a service, highlighting how predisposed people like me are to assuming so many of those characters were all white to begin with. It wasn't malicious, but it was arrogant, and you can bet your ass that's something I'll be reflecting on and trying to be better about moving forward.
That wasn’t a “good” read, it was a most excellent read. Thank you for sharing, BadFerret. Everyone should take a look.
SallyNasty wrote:Obviously I'll watch it, but it looks pretty bad.
It’s a three minute trailer, let’s not jump to conclusions, here.
At the very least, go with “it didn’t appeal to me.” Because no, it does not “zobviously” look bad.
Please take a break from braid tugging and reread the text that you quoted. I said obviously i'll watch it, not obviously it looks bad(i does look kinda bad, but I plan to watch it).
Not sure if you have read the books but why does it draw away from a sense of world? WoT is most definitely not modeled after medieval Europe, and the actual prose in the series makes clear that Rand was a different ethnicity compared to the other Two River characters.
This is a good read on folks assumptions about WoT and race.
Thank you. That was a good read and did rather hit the nail on the head about my assumptions.
Oh and it mentioned Waldenbooks so I loved the article. I spent so many hours in there looking for new Dr. Who books.
I always come back to something Richard Garriott said about the moongates in his Ultima series when he started using colors (red and black) other than the assumed blue (paraphrased): "It's not that the gates between worlds weren't red in those older games. We just didn't know they were red." At some point, he had a direction he wanted to go in later games that required him to retcon something he hadn't originally intended. But it was important to him, so he just said, "This was always this way. We just didn't realize it."
They were blue. 
That article was… fine. It took a long time to simply state it was the covers of the books that inaccurately shows the characters as white so fragile white people might actually read them.
I don’t recall how Lan was described in the books, but I have a big nit to pick. Shouldn’t he have a beard?!
Eleima wrote:That wasn’t a “good” read, it was a most excellent read. Thank you for sharing, BadFerret. Everyone should take a look.
SallyNasty wrote:Obviously I'll watch it, but it looks pretty bad.
It’s a three minute trailer, let’s not jump to conclusions, here.
At the very least, go with “it didn’t appeal to me.” Because no, it does not “obviously” look bad.Please take a break from braid tugging and reread the text that you quoted. I said obviously i'll watch it, not obviously it looks bad(i does look kinda bad, but I plan to watch it).
Braid tugging? Really, that's what's you're going with? Seeing how that braid tugging is characterized (an idiosyncrasy indicating anger and somewhat ridiculous as we progress), might I suggest you refrain from applying it to me. I'm not angry, I'm perplexed as to why you would a, make assumptions about something's quality based on a sample that is probably unrepresentative, and b, watch something which you think would be bad. Regardless of me misquoting you.
Additionally, "it looks bad" is a turn of phrase that is highly subjective and questionable. Other options include "I'm not super convinced", "it didn't really get my motor going." Instead of shooting down something which other people might be excited about.
My comment was meant to be thrown away and I am not trying to yuck anyone's yum.
This is escalating unnecessarily I am not interested in continuing with (and apologize for) this derail.
The only one that looks really spot on to me is Perrin.
I guess it is because they start off as peasants but Matrim doesn't give me any "game player" vibes.
I love Rosamund Pike but she would be better cast as Siuan Sanche I believe. The height thing is an issue since she is nearly as tall as Lan!
But it really boils down to how the tell the story and how they adapt to it rather than the bodies and faces that are representing the characters.
I can't wait to see Avienda and Berelain.
The outfits are so plain too. Specifically Moiraine and Lan. I mean the description of Lan's coat is amazing not just black. And Moiraine is blue but it should have some ornate details since she is an ajah. That dull scarf does nothing for her either. I noticed that Egwene has one too that is doing her no favors.
Ninaeve, Perrin and Rand are the only well costumed characters in that shot.
ubrakto wrote:I always come back to something Richard Garriott said about the moongates in his Ultima series when he started using colors (red and black) other than the assumed blue (paraphrased): "It's not that the gates between worlds weren't red in those older games. We just didn't know they were red." At some point, he had a direction he wanted to go in later games that required him to retcon something he hadn't originally intended. But it was important to him, so he just said, "This was always this way. We just didn't realize it."
They were blue.
Hope rising.
Trollocs, White Cloaks and Aiel, oh my!
Well that looks very good. I hope it is.
*although on second viewing I didn't see one braid tugged. I changed my mind. It sucks.
Well that looks very good. I hope it is.
*although on second viewing I didn't see one braid tugged. I changed my mind. It sucks.
There was a very prominent braid flip.
There was a very prominent braid flip. :)
I loved it. I feel like that's got to be a little wink from the producers.
Now that was a better trailer.
Watched a third time - Where?
Watched a third time - Where?
Nynaeve at the 52 second mark.
More of a whip than a tug
More of a whip than a tug :)
Maybe you read my whip as tug? Cause otherwise, whip and flip are pretty much the same thing.
farley3k wrote:Well that looks very good. I hope it is.
*although on second viewing I didn't see one braid tugged. I changed my mind. It sucks.
There was a very prominent braid flip. :)
Anyways, the most important thing is braids!
Braid are only tugged as a sign of stubbornness or annoyance at the stubbornness of someone else, there weren't many scenes of either in the trailer. I'm sure we'll get some in the actual series though.
100 out of 10. Would watch more trailers.
That is really good without being too spoilery, and upon looking up the show-runner afterwards, I discovered he almost won Survivor 10 years ago.
I had to look at a wiki. So many names and creatures thrown around that I had forgotten that I forgot.
First season drops at midnight GMT which is 7pm EST tonight.
Critical review aggregate is mixed leaning slightly positive, with the most consistent complaint being too quick pacing, followed by an underdevelopment of the Two Rivers characters.
Almost all of the negative reviews I have read have contrasted the show with GoT, which is understandable to a degree. Additionally, about half of the negative reviews also mention, often in quite derisive/snarky ways Jeff Bezos and or nerd culture.
My inner seventeen year old self who still vividly remembers reading an ARC copy of EoTW back in 1990 can't quite still believe we have reached a place where these stories are now appearing on screen.
My hope is that show finds enough of a following, and is given the chance to breathe over the already ordered next two seasons to allow for the pace to slow down and for the characters to really develop.
I gave up on the books about the third one, but I'm going to try the show at least.
I mean, hey, I watched all of season 1 of The Shannara Chronicles, this has to be better than that!
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