Amazon’sThe Wheel of Timewas a divisive TV show, but there are some positive takeaways that are hard to deny. Since the adaptation of Robert Jordan’s prolificWheel of Timebookspremiered on the streamer,fans of the books have seemingly been split down the line, with some loving it and others consistently calling for its cancellation, claiming it to be a disgrace to the late great author’s memory. The TV series obviously had its flaws, but there are some silver linings worth examining now that it’s gone for good.
WithThe Wheel of Time’scancellationhappening over a month ago, Amazon apparently not being interested in selling the show elsewhere, and actors saying their goodbyes on social media, it seems like it’s time to close the book on this fantasy title. Despite tens of thousands of fans working to spread an online petition, there has been no news to suggest a renewal or a change of heart from Amazon. So, while we wait for any news on The Wheel of Time as a multimedia franchise,it’s worth talking about what the show was able to accomplish in four years of television.
6The Wheel Of Time Show Has Led New Readers To Robert Jordan’s Books
The Wheel Of Time Book Sales Have Increased Since The Show Aired
There are plenty of book fans who think that the TV series is disparaging to the novels’ legacy, but I think it’s quite the opposite. The fact of the matter is that this show had a lot of fans, even if it wasn’t as big asGame of ThronesorSeinfeld. When a TV show attracts attention, it’s bound to bring fans to the bookstore, and in this case,Jordan’s work was given a second life over a decade afterA Memory of Lighthit shelvesand ended the series.
While many fantasy book series from the 1990s are out of print and nearly impossible to find in retail bookstores,The Wheel of Timehas dedicated sections and has been selling out shelves. If you love the books as much as I do, it’s heartwarming to see them receiving new attention. The beautiful thing about adaptation is that,no matter how cranky it can make some of the long-term readers, it only develops their fan communities further. The books will always be there, and the Amazon adaptation only introduced new readers to them.
5The Wheel Of Time Is Now A Massive Multi-Media IP
The Wheel Of Time Has Other Projects In The Works
The Wheel of Timeas a whole is growing in ways that could be very exciting, and a lot of the additional momentum in recent years is due to the TV show putting its name out there. In recent months, we heard news about an AAA open-world RPG video game set in the world ofThe Wheel of Time. This sounds like ithas the potential to be a dream come true for fans of the book series, especially with games likeThe Witcher 3in mind, demonstrating the potential of a complex fantasy landscape being used as the setting for a video game.
Fans have rightfully accused the production company Iwot of mishandling the IP before, but the game seems promising. This company is also reportedly developing other projects based on theWheel of Timeuniverse, including feature films based on the Age of Legends, and an animated film titledThe White Tower.
This company has a notorious reputation for starting projects and never delivering anything just to maintain rights, but the TV show’s three seasons could have made it beneficial to see some of these through.An immersive open-world RPG is undoubtedly the most exciting if it can manage to achieve the scale of something likeSkyrimorBaldur’s Gate 3.
4The Wheel Of Time Sparked Discussion About Hollywood Fantasy Adaptations
Amazon’s Adaptation Sparked Positive Conversations
The good thing about a divisive adaptation is that it sparks discussion, and no, I’m not talking about the mean, disrespectful kind of discussion.The Wheel of Timehasgenerated a ton of thoughtful discussion online regarding how Hollywood can adapt epic fantasy to the screen, as, realistically, it’s still something the industry is new at. Ten years ago,Harry Potter,TheLord of the Rings, andGame of Throneswere the only fantasy titles that had really managed to reach beyond fans of the genre. Now, fantasy is one of the driving forces of the film industry.
With anything new, it’s going to take time before this genre really works on television.Game of Thronesgot everyone thinking, “Hey, maybe TV is the right place to adapt these 800-page books that couldn’t possibly work in movies.“The Wheel of Timehas now helped everyone realize that it’s not that simple, and building a brand-new world to bring to people’s screens is much more of a long-term investment that requires extensive blueprinting. All we can hope for now is that lessons will be learned for the next series.
3Rosamund Pike Was Perfect As Moiraine
Rosamund Pike Was A Champion For The Wheel Of Time
I’ve seen some book readers saying that Rosamund Pike didn’t work as Moiraine because she’s not as short as her book counterpart. I can get where they’re coming from, but I think this is one of those areas where the pros outweigh the cons almost entirely. Rosamund Pike is an exceptionally talented actress who excels in period pieces, anda fantasy TV show with no prior live-action projects of this caliber was fortunate to have her on board. Not only did she deliver in her performance, but she also went above and beyond, embracingThe Wheel of Time.
Rosamund Pike’s passion for Moiraine andThe Wheel of Timewas evident, and not allowing her to complete the story will always be saddening.
Rosamund Pike wasn’t a fan of Robert Jordan’s books when she started working on the series, but she went on to love them and discover her enjoyment of the fantasy genre. She narrated four books of the series for Amazon, contributing movie star talent to the reading of the novels, offering fans an alternate method to consume Jordan’s work. Rosamund Pike’s passion for Moiraine andThe Wheel of Timewas evident, and not allowing her to complete the story will always be saddening.
2The Wheel Of Time Brought Robert Jordan’s World To Life With Some Incredible Costumes
Great Fantasy Costumes Aren’t Easy To Make
I’m not going to say all the costume work inThe Wheel of Timewas exceptional. As is often the case with fantasy TV adaptations, the series had its misses. That said, the costumes that did work were exceptional, and it felt like Robert Jordan’s vibrant world was being brought to life straight off the pages. Various Aes Sedai costumes were particularly fantastic, allowing for a beautiful spectrum of colors. Not to mention the day-to-day wear of the main characters, with their attire making the world feel more lived-in.
1The Rhuidean Episode
Season 3, Episode 4 Was Exceptional
Months ago, before watchingThe Wheel of Timeseason 3, I wouldn’t have had much faith in the TV show’s adaptation ofRand’s venture into Rhuidean. It’s one of the most complicated, metaphysical sections in the novel that I had to re-read several times, and the chapters inThe Shadow Risingfelt like they would be particularly challenging to do justice to. I’ll also be the first to admit I wasn’t particularly fond of the first two seasons. “The Road to the Spear” turned my perception around entirely.
“The Road to the Spear” turned my perception around entirely.
The Wheel of Timeseason 3, episode 4, was not only an outstanding adaptation of some of Robert Jordan’s most profound mythical ideas, but it was also one of the best fantasy TV show episodes I’ve ever seen.Rand’s visions in this episode are brief but extraordinarily effective, expanding the world-building of Amazon’sWheel of Timeshow in a drastic way. This episode also allowed actor Josha Stradowski to demonstrate his exceptional acting chops, truly feeling like the Dragon Reborn after being relatively sidelined for seasons 1 and 2.
