The Wheel of Time: Another Turning (No Book Spoilers)

[Zorral]

23 minutes ago, Babblebauble said:

Wanna see my belly

Folks who try to deflect w/flesh are not interesting, right? Unless one is of a certain sort.  And if one is, one is.  And if one isn't, one isn't.  It is what it is, right?

 

[Jace, Extat]

10 minutes ago, Zorral said:

Folks who try to deflect w/flesh are not interesting, right? Unless one is of a certain sort.  And if one is, one is.  And if one isn't, one isn't.  It is what it is, right?

 

Ruff! Ruff! 

[Theda Baratheon]

OK THIS is the thread I’ll go back and read and join in with soon  not the book spoiler one. 
 

i know nothing about the books really but I’m enjoying the show. Red headed guy is my least fave and I just know he’s going to end up being the dragon or something. Yawn. But I DO love Nynaeve and interested in his other friends. 
 

[karaddin]

I'm loving Nynaeve, I think Zoe Robbins is doing a great job bringing her to life. Same for Henney as Lan as well and his dynamic with both Nyn and Moiraine.

[Spockydog]

1 hour ago, karaddin said:

Same for Henney as Lan as well and his dynamic with both Nyn and Moiraine.

Yes, loving this character and the actor's performance. I know the chest-pounding grief ritual received a lot of hate in the other thread, but I thought it was really effective. Got me right in the feels, and when the screen went dark, I had to take a moment before I was able to speak.

Job done, as far as the writers are concerned.

 

 

[SpaceChampion]

42 minutes ago, Spockydog said:

Yes, loving this character and the actor's performance. I know the chest-pounding grief ritual received a lot of hate in the other thread, but I thought it was really effective. Got me right in the feels, and when the screen went dark, I had to take a moment before I was able to speak.

Job done, as far as the writers are concerned.

It might have been suggested by Henney himself, to play on his Korean heritage, which to my understanding has a similar "designated wailer" dynamic.

[felice]

13 hours ago, Theda Baratheon said:

 

i know nothing about the books really but I’m enjoying the show. Red headed guy is my least fave and I just know he’s going to end up being the dragon or something. Yawn.

If he does turn out to be the Dragon, maybe going insane will make him more interesting? We can probably rule out Egwene, comparing her big channelling moment this episode to Nynaeve's the previous week.

[Infidel]

42 minutes ago, felice said:

If he does turn out to be the Dragon, maybe going insane will make him more interesting? We can probably rule out Egwene, comparing her big channelling moment this episode to Nynaeve's the previous week.

Isn't the idea that the Real(tm) Dragon Reborn would not go mad? Just all these imposters?

[felice]

1 hour ago, Infidel said:

Isn't the idea that the Real(tm) Dragon Reborn would not go mad? Just all these imposters?

Hmmm... I don't think they've mentioned an exception for the Dragon, but it would make sense; I don't think they've mentioned that Nynaeve or Egwene would be far preferable to one of the boys either, which would be a major concern if they have an advantage in the madness stakes.

[Zorral]

It's interesting how much nonbookers are enjoying this series,  over all.  It helps a lot that the protagonists aren't actually kids, evidently. Also that it isn't full of naked sex/rapey stuff, but a lot of tender and connecteng moments, even among people who are naked, as in the bath scene with Moiraine and Lan.  People are liking this stuff a lot!  Plus the diversity of cast.  Not to mention the sunshiny location-landscapes and so on.

Admit to really liking Moiraine a lot.  Lan too, not just with Moiraine, but him, himself, as shown in the later episodes, showing his has his own interior life and character too.

Sheer entertainment that has us engaged -- at least so far. And not doing that other stuff.

'Course that wheel always goes round, doesn't it?  

[fionwe1987]

Curious to know what viewers who haven't read the books think of this episode, and the big new character we met for the first time. 

[Zorral]

What this nonbooker watcher thought:

Spoiler

Seemed to play in a muted tone, despite a whole lot happening.  Of course Moiraine and the Amyrlin Seat / Siuan (Sophie Okonedo, last seen by me in Mayday-Acorn, previously in The Hollow Crown)  are long-time lovers. For at least 20 years they’ve been together attempting the mission of putting an end to the Big Bad At the Heart of the World, while he still weak(er).  Time is running out – or, around?

 Of course we need another separation, this time only Mat, though healed of the curse dagger by Moiraine, maybe, chooses not to go through those time-distance gates.

 We knew what that odd edifice was out there on the empty plain immediately.  It looked like the ones on the DAW covers of C.J. Cherryh’s Morgaine series – especially Gate of Ivrel (1976). The Morgaine trilogy's got a time-traveling heroine, Morgaine, and companion / Warder-like  Nhi Vanye i Chya.

What was this viewer's big surprise was Margaret Brown (Sandy McDade) from Larkrise to Candleford  in the Seat / throne room!  It was grand to see uer;

Lordessa do these episode move!

[BigFatCoward]

I thought at least it progressed the story. But I get the feeling they have had to cut for too much to make it fit in 8 episodes, as it isn't making a whole lot of sense narratively. Also a lot of the dialogue in this episode was wooden and cheesy at the same time.

[Infidel]

Rosamund Pike continues to do a ton of heavy lifting for the show. Getting her on board was the best decision the show runners made.

[Zorral]

  Absolutely! 

[DaveSumm]

I don’t really get why Moiraine let Matt stay behind, if there’s a chance he’s the dragon … but at the same time, I don’t get why the others were so surprised. Super evil looking place after what he’d been through, and some heavy “you’ll probably die” vibes from Moiraine. I’d stay behind too.

I’m still enjoying it, it feels like it might buckle under the weight of exposition at any minute though. The previous episode revolved mostly around how devastated the Warder was, which I interpreted as just exposition for Moiraine and Lan’s relationship. There’s no way round that I guess for this type of show. Agreed that Rosamund Pike does a huge amount.

[Arakasi]

Not that this is a spoiler for the book, but for the show episodes 1-6 were filmed pre pandemic and 7-8 after they came back from a layoff. During that time the actor who played Mat quit the show under some cloudy circumstances. It’s also clear that last scene was refilled post filming break. So the choice was leave him behind or recast him on the spot. No real easy decisions there.

[Zorral]

37 minutes ago, Arakasi said:

episodes 1-6 were filmed pre pandemic and 7-8 after they came back from a layoff.

That's really rough.

I've seen on some other series I've followed, in which layoff due to pandemic -- even for 12 months + -- that this can really disrupt quality significantly.  It generally takes at least 2 or 3 eps for any season and series to find its legs anyway, even without a pandemic. Losing a cast member has to make it all the worse, with or without a pandemic.  The cast, writers and crew should get a lot of sympathy, dealing with that.

 

[DaveSumm]

Ah shit, that sucks. I like him as Mat. That does make sense of the scene though.

[Myrddin]

They could've done an Ironman 2 mid-season switch.

Perrin (reunion in Tar Valon): Mat. I didn't expect to see you here.

Nu-Mat: Look, it's me. I'm here. Deal with it. Let's move on.