Shannara TV series in development at MTV with IRON MAN director

[Crixus]

Manu is great as always.  I'll shall call him the Undefeated Druid.

Brilliant!

[Steinman]

A lot better than the pre-release info had me fearing for (not that I was really waiting for a Shannara series either).

Sure, in general not the best actors who can have trouble delivering on the sometimes corny dialogue, but it's fast-paced, coherent and looks nice.

[SpaceChampion]

First four episodes are available.  I assume on MTV.com for Americans.

[Veltigar]

I have finished the first episode. If the rest of the season is anything like it, I can only conclude that this series is going to be absolutely... marvellous. The whole thing is just one big, magnificent trainwreck. The acting is gloriously bad  Aside from Manu Bennett, the guy playing Flick and Gimli (although, since he betrayed his dwarven brothers to play at kings with the elfs, I disqualify his performance) everyone - and I really do mean everyone - is just awful. Most members of the cast are just about able to perform at the standard expected of a bad porno, but some really do go full Twilight.

The writing as well is just a disaster, but I mean that as a compliment. I wasn't expecting anything original or profound, since this is still based on the Shannara trilogy, but boy what they delivered exceeded my expectations. It's all just so effortlessly dumb. It really is hilarious. Every character is a stereotype, there are weird incest vibes all over the place, the dialogue is superobvious and outright embarrassing  and some of the developments are just mental 

That blindfolded run through the trees? What the fuck was that supposed to test? 

The visuals by contrast are pretty great. Again, a lot of it is cheesy and cliched (that Ellcrys set), but you can really see they splashed some money around. How the first

tree escape was portrayed in particular looked awesome. Also really liked that opening with the elven city from above

For a TV-budget, the pilot looked really impressive. I hope they have some cash left to splash out on the next episodes.

All in all, I really liked it. Heck, I think I could even come to love it. So far, it really hit that so-bad-that-it's-good-sweetspot. I hope that in the next couple of weeks, they'll really lean into the camp and just go all out on this. I see a lot of potential. If they try, this could perhaps become The Room of fantasy TV-shows  (great idea for the second season, cast Tommy Wiseau as a villain). 

 

 

[Veltigar]

The Shannara Chronicles is the fantasy drinking game you hoped it would be. Unless you hoped it would be good, in which case, sorry

I read that article, but they aren't giving me much rules to go by I feel like we, as a board, have a duty to outline a clear set of rules for this drinking game  

[Corvinus85]

I read that article, but they aren't giving me much rules to go by I feel like we, as a board, have a duty to outline a clear set of rules for this drinking game  

Every time someone makes a reference to elf ears.

[Veltigar]

Every time someone makes a reference to elf ears.

I like it  Although, you'd be pretty wasted at the end of the first episode just by following this rule alone  

Another great one, which I stole from the AV Club article and slightly adapted:

See a contemporary contraption treated like a relic? Take a drink!

[Martini Sigil]

I really liked it too.... it's lighter fair, for sure.... But well done all around.... The young people are all pretty likeable (so Far) ... plus King Gimly, Dexter's Dad and Crixus the Druid... .. the sets are amazing....The scenery in New Zealand is just beautiful.... and I like the story.

[Iskaral Pust]

The AV Club review is steering me clear of this. Cheesy cliches and wooden dialogue and acting aren't entertainingly bad for me.

[Howdyphillip]

 Screw the AV Club review, this really is a good show. I will give them that it does have a similar vibe to The 100 in places, but to me, that is a selling point as I absolutely adore that show.

 I also think that the acting is fairly decent. I mean, there isn't any Emmy performances going on, but the kid who plays Wil Ohmsford has got potential. I will concede that Amberle and the Elves are less than inspiring, but that is easily overlooked because of everything else the show has good going on with it. John Rhys Davies is awesome of course, and Manu Bennet is an inspired choice for Allanon. I would have never picked him in a million years for the role, but he fits it like a glove.

 I read this book at twelve years of age, and I couldn't be happier at this adaptation. The visuals and world building is fantastic, the story is an old fashioned good vs evil. The costumes are awesome, and the score is suitably epic. 

All in all, this show nailed it, and I'll be on board to watch. My only issue is the time slot vs the Expanse. Damn it TV executives, why do you guys have to keep putting scifi/fantasy shows head to head against each other. Was Wed or Thursday night already taken by whatever the hell else is on MTV?

 

[Ferrum Aeternum]

Just watched the pilot and was impressed enough to keep watching. Sure it's cheesy, but it's also beautifully presented and the pace is fast and fun. The acting was much better than I was expecting, given some of the reviews. Manu Bennett is indeed an awesome choice as Allanon.

 

All in all, this show nailed it, and I'll be on board to watch. My only issue is the time slot vs the Expanse. Damn it TV executives, why do you guys have to keep putting scifi/fantasy shows head to head against each other. Was Wed or Thursday night already taken by whatever the hell else is on MTV?

Agreed, no idea what they were thinking putting it up against The Expanse. I imagine a lot of folks will do what I plan on doing - watch The Expanse live and DVR or on-demand this one.

 

[SerHaHa]

I'm of like mind with many here - it's a little off the rails, but who cares, it's like SciFi/Fantasy Pizza - it's good even when it's poorly done.

And it isn't all negative, the set design is nice, there is potential for improvement with a few of the good actors, Manu is going to be great I think.

[Corvinus85]

I have to ask, since I haven't read the books, but did Terry Brooks really right the elves like this? Slap some pointy ears on a bunch of guys, and they're elves. Besides John Rhys-Davies, the rest are just below sparkly vampires. Or is this just MTV doing it?

I've watched the premiere, and since I'm a sucker for good old fashioned fantasy, I'll keep watching. I like the sets, and the visuals are fairly good. Dislike the attires.

[SpaceChampion]

Watched the 3rd and 4th episodes.  The anachronistic and awful dialogue continues, but so does the fun. 

I'm still perplexed the Four Lands is about the size of a city block, at least it appears so with how fast they're zipping around.  Storlock is in the Eastlands, for instance, but it takes Wil and Allanon a few hours to get to Arborlon in the Westlands?

Book spoilers:

Read somewhere there will be no Stee Jans in the series.  I hope they still have the Free Company at least.  However, if no Stee Jans then maybe no Free Company, and maybe no epic Demon army.  I suspect the Elf army's retreat from Sarandanon to Arborlon is just beyond their budget, and they'll make do with just Demon guerrila attacks.

[Corvinus85]

 

I like it  Although, you'd be pretty wasted at the end of the first episode just by following this rule alone  

Another great one, which I stole from the AV Club article and slightly adapted:

I agree with that one, too. Also take a big swig whenever you recognize a location from Lord of the Rings; like the creepy forest through which elf princess rides. I was expecting Sam, Frodo, and Gollum to walk by on their way to the pass of Cirith Ungol.

[Magnar of Skagos]

I'm probably going to check out the pilot at least. I'm trying to remain optimistic, but the trailers I have seen so far do not look very promising.

[Crixus]

Manu Bennett deserves some good material to work with; he's a good actor with an incredible screen presence and a shit-ton of charisma. For him, I shall suffer through rivers of cheese!

Someone cast the man in a worthy project already! I know Arrow was good for his career and it was fun in a light sort of way, but in my view Spartacus was the best vehicle he's had. Hopefully Shannara will propel his career forward. 

 

[Mexal]

This show cracks me up. I'm with everyone else, so bad it's great. I've seen the first 3 episodes so far. I'll definitely continue.

[Veltigar]

I'm at episode four right now and it has actually improved a lot since the pilot imo. There are still more than enough moments where the show drinks enthusiastically from the so-bad-that-it's-good-well. Basically every time the uncle of Poppy Drayton's character shows up and the story just grinds to a halt to scream INCEST at the viewer (and I really don't think we're supposed to get incest from their relationshp, which makes it even more fun). At other times though it's almost legitimate entertainment.

It's never going to be Shakespeare or say anything interesting about the human condition, but as a fun ride filled with thrills I have a feeling that it is probably going to succeed. A bit like a fantasy equivalent to BBC's The Musketeers, only better looking and without having to butcher actual great source material. 

The dialogue is still attrocious ("don't mistake terror for bravery" or something shitty like it had me cringe), but some of the younger actors are kind off making it work. Probably more a result of their likeability than acting, but if it works, it works. The only one I really don't care about as of now is the girl from Pan's Labyrint. I must say that I didn't really expect that, given how great Pan's Labyrint is, so I thought she'd be easily the best young actor, but I don't know, I guess her character isn't doing it for me. 

The effects continue to impress me. This really is a good looking show really. I already prefer the dark creatures in this one to the White Walkers. Kind of remarkable how good they look. Does anyone know whether this has a particular high budget? 

Manu Bennett deserves some good material to work with; he's a good actor with an incredible screen presence and a shit-ton of charisma. For him, I shall suffer through rivers of cheese!

Someone cast the man in a worthy project already! I know Arrow was good for his career and it was fun in a light sort of way, but in my view Spartacus was the best vehicle he's had. Hopefully Shannara will propel his career forward. 

 

Spartacus is one of the most underrated series out there imo. And he was the best thing about it. Shannara might make him more famous, seeing how from the start it is clear that he's the best character they have. And you know more people are going to see this, because it doesn't have nudity or gore in it

I think you'll really like the ending of episode two and the beginning of episode three  

I agree with that one, too. Also take a big swig whenever you recognize a location from Lord of the Rings; like the creepy forest through which elf princess rides. I was expecting Sam, Frodo, and Gollum to walk by on their way to the pass of Cirith Ungol.

Good one, although after you have kicked back a few shots it's going to be hard to keep track off the locations   And since I don't have an original bone in my body, I'm stealing another one from the AV club:

Incestuous undertones? Take a drink!

This drinking game is going to be bad for people's health I tell you  

[SpaceChampion]

Hilarious review on IMDB from a.... well, you'll see:

These chronicles look to be off to a good start. It's obviously written for young men, since the women are the mystery characters. And that's the switch that makes this original. Too many of the "fantasy" films and novels have been written for women, alienating the young men. This is a long overdue response to a one sided market that snubbed the guys.

And guys have been snubbed because producers have correctly noted that the women in the household make the decisions. Men do what they're told. The most henpecked of men are the ones who are so beaten that they can't admit it.

This show is a fantasy world of hot women being enigmas and being cool, and men doing the observing and reacting.

Since the male characters are observing and reacting to the actions of the beautiful women of this show, this is a total male fantasy. There'll be some women who like this, too. The more confident ones.

Any special effects, any trolls or gnomes or demons, are all just "dividends" here. The show is fantasy for males, and that's good. The two chief male characters are a likable combo of experienced tutor (a druid in this case) and "anointed young man" who actually is quite believable under the circumstances, and that will antagonize the Beavis and Butthead bubble boys, of course.

Still, the audience for this is educated young people in need of entertainment and release of stress. There is no "great lesson" here. It's release of tension. The situations so far are almost all life and death, or at least extreme. And that makes the hero's sense of humor give him a 007 appeal. He isn't the superman that the women and gay guys want, but rather an ordinary sort who tries his best, and does his best.

The "genre" and "sub genre" aren't original, but the way this is handled is very risk taking in a culture where young heterosexual men are alienated and have little say in the decisions of TV and movies.

A welcome change. It will be welcomed by the straight young men, for sure.