So the first 3 episodes of the show dropped a few days ago on September 1st. They're actually fairly long. Each basically a full hour (altho a bit of a recap at the start). Still about 5-10 mins longer than most of the episodes in S1.
I'll put the actual events in spoilers although I will say I feel like the actual production value for S2 is significantly better than S1. I've read some things that S1 had a lot more COVID restrictions as it had started filming basically a couple months before COVID broke out in 2020 and stopped everything for basically a year (also may be one of the reasons Mat's actor left). When the filming resumed it was rushed and under travel restrictions still and used green screens (that didn't look very realistic) with similar impacts to the special effects and music as well.
S2 looks markedly better.
Now for the spoilers
I'll put the actual events in spoilers although I will say I feel like the actual production value for S2 is significantly better than S1. I've read some things that S1 had a lot more COVID restrictions as it had started filming basically a couple months before COVID broke out in 2020 and stopped everything for basically a year (also may be one of the reasons Mat's actor left). When the filming resumed it was rushed and under travel restrictions still and used green screens (that didn't look very realistic) with similar impacts to the special effects and music as well.
S2 looks markedly better.
Now for the spoilers
There are significant changes and alterations to the books. Which were expected. There was no chance of adapting such a massive amount of text into a TV show without major changes and condensing. So I try to be understanding when those changes happen as long as the story is progressing in a reasonably similar manner.
Not that happy the show continues to keep everyone separated, which I think is partially fall-out from how they had to write out Mat's character because reasonably at least him and Perrin should have been together.
I'm still very much unimpressed by Rand's actor. Which is bad because Rand is the main character... Although the show certainly has attempted to lessen his screen time. The flip-side is the two significant characters paired with him were fantastic. The actor playing Logain continues to be very good and Natasha O'Keefe as Selene.
Selene book spoiler
Those playing the Aes Sedai continue to generally be pretty good. Interested to see how Verin in the show is compared to the books.
Also the show is obviously not going to be keeping minor characters alive the same way the books did. Uno went out pretty gruesomely. He made it through the entirety of the books.
Speaking of Uno's death... The Seanchan's introduction was pretty fierce and done very well... which is a shame because I would have liked to have gotten more time with Perrin and his companions.
The Nynaeve stuff... Let me say I haven't read the books in a long time and there were A LOT of books so I'm sure I don't remember things entirely. I know the arches thing was from the books, I'm not sure how exact it was compared to the books... but as a TV ADAPTION. I think having Rand go through something VERY SIMILAR in like the last episode or 2nd to last episode of S1 and then immediately in the first episode of S2 having Nynaeve go through an alternate present/future thing comes across as a bit of a redux.
Still Nynaeve's actress Zoe Robbins did a fantastic job in the scenes.
Not that happy the show continues to keep everyone separated, which I think is partially fall-out from how they had to write out Mat's character because reasonably at least him and Perrin should have been together.
I'm still very much unimpressed by Rand's actor. Which is bad because Rand is the main character... Although the show certainly has attempted to lessen his screen time. The flip-side is the two significant characters paired with him were fantastic. The actor playing Logain continues to be very good and Natasha O'Keefe as Selene.
Selene book spoiler
Obviously there were complaints that the character described by Robert Jordan as 'the most beautiful woman in the world' more or less does not live up to the visual expectation once a real person was cast in the role... but I worry more about the performance and Natasha O'Keeffe was great
Those playing the Aes Sedai continue to generally be pretty good. Interested to see how Verin in the show is compared to the books.
Also the show is obviously not going to be keeping minor characters alive the same way the books did. Uno went out pretty gruesomely. He made it through the entirety of the books.
Speaking of Uno's death... The Seanchan's introduction was pretty fierce and done very well... which is a shame because I would have liked to have gotten more time with Perrin and his companions.
The Nynaeve stuff... Let me say I haven't read the books in a long time and there were A LOT of books so I'm sure I don't remember things entirely. I know the arches thing was from the books, I'm not sure how exact it was compared to the books... but as a TV ADAPTION. I think having Rand go through something VERY SIMILAR in like the last episode or 2nd to last episode of S1 and then immediately in the first episode of S2 having Nynaeve go through an alternate present/future thing comes across as a bit of a redux.
Still Nynaeve's actress Zoe Robbins did a fantastic job in the scenes.
