Gertrude

The longer this series goes without airing the second season, the less my interest for it grows. I was pretty underwhelmed by the end of it, but thought it had potential and was excited to see if it found it's footing. I'm just about over it now, though. I've been hearing speculation that it will air in the fall and that Amazon wants to perhaps alternate releases of WOT and RoP so that they have a big fantasy show in the fall each year for consistency. I say fuck that and I won't be interested in watching either, thanks.

This is exactly how I feel. They are good and enjoyable to watch, but I haven't been grabbed yet.

Well, just seeing naked bodies is titillating enough for most. It's not like I expect them to go out of their way to make it sexy with perfect lighting and angles, etc. That is not the purpose of the sex scenes. The quick and easy flash of skin - yeah, that's the intentionally titillating part and why they like to go there in this franchise.

Ah, glad to see that. It was a good decision.

I'm guessing doggie style is because you can see both actor's faces, so is just easier. The sex scenes are not meant to be sexy.

Yeah, the tourney was violent by any standard. Like I said though, it does a lot of work through symbolism. It showcases Daemon's violence as well as showing the stupidity of it all as we watch Aemma in her own fight to the death. And yes, that was very traumatizing, and I am glad they went there. Women face death just like the men, they just don't get to wear cool armor and have cheering crowds adore them.

Well, Viserys was given the choice of losing his wife or losing his wife and child, so I don't think he did anything wrong, just had a really hard choice to make. (well, he could have actually told her instead of letting her figure it out in terror, so maybe point conceded) Also, I think the violence of the tourney worked really well juxtaposed to the birthing bed. Highlighted the differences between the battles both sexes have to face as well as showing the needless violence of the tourney for entertainment.

Look who doesn't live in a state with copious pig farms. (oops, sniped by karaddin, but I stand buy it.)

My first thought was that by buzzing his hair, it makes the red less obvious, but it's still kind of obvious, so .... *shrug* Am I the only one who is not particularly a fan of the art style of the Origins? The substance is fine, but the art style is not my cup of tea.

Nah. 8:00 - 3:30 was the standard I remember as well. If you don't count the lunch break (1/2 hour) then you're at 7 hours and that sounds about right.

In my head I don't see Rand leading the Aiel to Tear nearly as compelling, but I'm not a writer. The idea of them randomly showing up to Tear is easily explained by the magic plot device of ta'veren. I also think they've kind of seeded the thought of the Aiel out and about searching with the Aiel in the mining town. I'm not sure how you get Mat, Egwene and Moiraine into Rhuidean with Rand if they don't go together - again, write something different, I know. I also kind of dislike the idea of seeing the glass columns before we've really spent time with the Aiel. It just seems like a lot to put into a season that already has the Horn. I can see combining Rand's book 2/3 because he doesn't do much in 3, but 2 and 4 has a lot for him. We'll know in a year I guess. If we don't get Dumain's Wells, I fear the fan base will well and truly riot. There is only so much you can cut. I do hope it's the end of the Shaido however - a very good place to excise them as a cohesive group.

Yeah, I don't know how the story flows well if Rand goes to Rhuidean before Tear. There's just so much in the waste. The aftermath of Couladin and the Sahido breaking away doesn't seem as urgent if you switch the order. They let the Shaido just do their thing while they detour to Tear, fulfill a quick prophesy or two, then clean up their mess. Again, things can be written around, but why does Mat even go to Rhuidean with Rand in this scenario? Like I said, things can be written around, but there's plenty of things to happen without pulling in the Aiel in full force yet. Just my opinion.

Min is the best relationship because they actually spend enough time together talking to one another and doing couplish things that it seems fleshed out. when in reality it's badly written as well. I do think Rand needs Min - someone who sees him as the woolheaded sheepherder, the one who grounds him, and yes, shoulders his emotional burden - the romance is a bonus. I kind of don't mind that Min is the one doing all the work just because it's the end of the world, ya know? I wish it were written better, but it's not, and Rand does need that support, so at least he's getting it? I'm sure if the roles were reversed, Rand would be best boy for Min when she needed it. We've all been in relationships where our own needs take a backseat for a while because our partner is going through it, right? Min does do research which (I think?) kind of leads Rand to breaking the seals or affirming a hunch he had. Something. The part where Min has no choice in this relationship but to fall in love mainly bothers me in one way - that she doesn't let herself see if she even likes Rand before devoting herself to him. OK, she knows she will fall in love with him. She can accept that and not fight it, that's fine. But instead of just telling herself 'I guess I'm in love now", I would have liked to see her just spend time with him so she could get to know him and let herself fall inevitably in love. No need to rush headfirst into it. It's so frustrating. As for whatever they do with the harem, I don't really care. If they do it well, they can do just about anything. If they do it poorly, everyone will hate whatever they do. I don't have any expectations on that score. As for justifying a polyamourous relationship - no, in our world it doesn't have to be justified, but in Randland it's not exactly a known quantity. What Rand is doing is scandalous to Eg and Nyn. In the show Nyn seemed a little surprised by Alanna's set up, so again, maybe it does need a little bit of justification? Mainly because it's not something Rand had considered before leaving home.

The harem was one thing in the books that I tolerated when I read it because surely I thought there had to be some payoff. It was so awkward and weird that there had to be a reason, right? Now that I know the payoff (none) and the reason (lol) if just unreasonably pisses me off. I don't think it would if I hadn't spent years making myself withhold judgment when my instinct told me all along that it was stupid.

Honestly, this would be my assessment. I made it through, but I'm still not sure the overall payoff was worth the read.