Das Rad der Zeit

The Wheel of Time is an ambitious fantasy series based on Robert Jordan's iconic book series, bringing to life a sprawling world filled with magic, prophecy, and a battle between light and darkness. Visually, the show is stunning, with breathtaking landscapes, detailed costumes, and a rich cultural tapestry that sets it apart from other fantasy adaptations. The special effects and world-building are genuinely impressive, capturing the epic scale and complexity of the source material. Rosamund Pike delivers a powerful performance as Moiraine, grounding the story with wisdom and mystery. The supporting cast also brings energy and diversity, representing the wide array of cultures and nations that exist within the Wheel's turning. However, despite all these strengths, the show's momentum is noticeably held back by the portrayal of its central character, Rand al'Thor, played by Josha Stradowski. While the character is meant to evolve from a humble farmer to a world-changing figure, Stradowski's performance often feels flat, lacking the emotional depth and inner turmoil that defines Rand's journey in the books. His stoic demeanor comes across more as wooden than reserved, making it difficult to connect with him or fully invest in his transformation. Given the importance of Rand to the overall narrative, this casting misstep significantly impacts the emotional resonance of the series. One can't help but wonder how much stronger the show could have been with a more dynamic actor in the lead role-someone capable of conveying the vulnerability, fear, and reluctant heroism that Rand embodies. For instance, imagining an actor with the nuanced charm and range of a young Daniel Radcliffe, best known for his portrayal of Harry Potter, could have dramatically altered the feel of the series. Radcliffe's ability to grow with a character and express internal conflict would have added layers to Rand's arc, making the story more compelling and emotionally grounded. That said, the rest of the ensemble cast works hard to elevate the material, and the showrunners deserve credit for attempting to streamline an incredibly dense series into a television format. The narrative pacing has its highs and lows, occasionally feeling rushed or disjointed, especially for those unfamiliar with the books. Still, fans of the series will appreciate the nods to the original lore and the attempts to stay true to the themes of balance, destiny, and the cyclical nature of time. With strong female leads, diverse representation, and a deep mythology, The Wheel of Time has a lot going for it, but it also struggles under the weight of its own expectations. If the central performance had been more engaging, it could have elevated the entire production to a different level. Instead, the series sometimes feels like it's spinning in place, trying to find its emotional core. Despite this, there's still potential for growth, especially if the character development sharpens in future seasons. As it stands, The Wheel of Time is a visually rich and thematically ambitious adaptation that is held back by uneven acting and some awkward narrative choices-but with a few key changes, it could still become one of the greats in modern fantasy television.

To start with, I have read the series of books and although they were not perfect, they were highly enjoyable and epic in their scale.

Now to the series.

A show or movies based on a book or series of books is generally bound to infuriate as the finished product cannot compare to the imagination of the reader, and there are not many examples of where this has been overcome.

So far I have been watching a show that has the main characters of the books relegated to supporting characters with little to no dialogue in some episodes.

There were over 2000 named characters in the book and they still felt the need to create new characters for the show that serve no real purpose.

The acting is fairly bad. With the amount of money spent on the cinematography, you would think they would have hired better actors.

I could see how someone who hasn't read the books would be confused as to what is going on, as the explanations as to what is going on are vague, which makes me wonder who this show was made for.

If it was to introduce people to the world that Robert Jordan created then they failed.

If it was for fans of the books, then they have again failed, as they have been changing things that didn't need to be changed and generally angering fans.

If you are going to adapt a series of books, then do so correctly, otherwise write your own original story and do what you want with it.

My positive takeaway from The Wheel of Time is that the cinematography is excellent, and unfortunately that is the only thing I find worthwhile.

Maybe it will get better, but I highly doubt it.

If you enjoy reading, I would recommend giving the series of books a glance, as this show is a pale reflection of the story Jordan wrote.

I've been struggling to put into words exactly what it is that makes me dislike this tv show, the best I can do is say that Rafe Judkins has removed, changed and added so much that the resemblance to this book series is at best passing. What he has created from a classic fantasy story is a Frankenstein's monster with a rushed story that makes little sense in a world robbed of any character or depth. I watch because I love the book series, and seeing them mangle one of my favourite series is like witnessing a car crash happen in slow motion, I don't want to watch but I can't bring myself to look away.

I could go into detail, but nobody wants that so I'll save you that torment. The book readers know what the changes are, and the tv show enjoyers don't really care. Each to their own, Keeping Up with the Kardashians has been on television for 20 years so it's not like the bar is incredibly high. The crux of my criticism of the Wheel of Time steaming series is this; Rafe Judkins believes himself a better storyteller than Robert Jordan, that is the only way to explain how and why he made the changes that he did. That is the only way to explain it. There are moments that could have been book accurate, but weren't. For what reason? Only Rafe knows.

I never read the books for The Wheels of Time so I had no idea what to expect but I have to say that I've truly enjoyed it so far. This show hooked me from the first episode and held my attention to the last. I binged the first two seasons in less than a week and was still hoping for more episodes when I was done so I'm glad season 3 is finally here. It seems like some of the people who read the books didn't like it as much but as long as you try not to compare it to the book and just enjoy it for what it is...and that's an entertaining fantasy series. The series should be judged on its own and not compared to the book. I'm not saying it's the best show I've ever seen but it's definitely worth watching. The world building and cast are the best things about the show and I can't wait for more.

Waited until last episode to review, if you have read the books this show will be painful to watch. Might be mildly enjoyable if you haven't read them but you'll probably be confused as they cram a lot of details in without fully explaining. They've taken the world and characters and then pretty much just made up a story. You get characters that never existed, storylines that never happened, completely made up dialogue. When you have 4.4 million words of quality source material you might try using some of it? Cinematography is top notch with some beautiful landscapes, but special effects look like early 2000's. Cast is okay, some strong performances and some weak ones. Unfortunately actor playing Matt had to leave the show, he was one of the highlights. Perrin is almost unwatchable.