The villagers’ merriment is cut short by the arrival of creatures known as the Trollocs. “Leavetaking” closes with the hook needed for a pilot: a huge action sequence. A scene between Moiraine and Mandragoaran cryptically hints at things to come, whereas also serving as a showcase for Rosamund Pike and Daniel Henney’s authoritative talents.
#Wheel of time pilot episode series
Although the rest of the town doesn’t quite know why they’re there, the series keeps us privy to their inner workings. In tow is her assistant, the stone-faced al’Lan Mandragoaran (Daniel Henney). The Wheel of Time‘s plot in macro picks up steam upon the arrival of Moiraine. It’s the kind of arc women rarely get in these types of stories. Madeleine Madison is stupendously understated, torn between duty and passion. Egweine is being prepped to become the village’s next Wisdom, a role that entails leadership but precludes being wed. The women, who wear their hair in braids, are almost exclusively the controllers of magic. Much like Dune (and this year’s exceptional adaptation), the world of Wheel of Time is one of a somewhat matriarchal bent. Egweine has a significantly more gripping story behind her. They’re simply laying in wait for the adventure to begin. There’s some engaging character work with Mat, his family troubles, and bad habits, though it’s fleeting. Rand and his buddies don’t quite have their defining characteristics yet. What remains is not so easy to parse out. Nevertheless, that familiarity and admittedly beautiful cinematography do much of the heavy lifting. It helps that Amazon seems all-in on the series, financially, leading to gorgeous sweeping shots of rolling green hills and the mountains behind.
Nothing wrong with that, as it does give a comforting sense of familiarity in establishing this world. Proceedings, naturally, recall the opening stretch of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Drinking with his friends, the delightful Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) and Mat (Barney Harris), and falling head-over-heels with Egweine al’Vere (Madeline Madden). Young shepherd Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradoski) has the makings of your typical fantasy protagonist. As far as hooks go, not bad! READ: ‘Passing’ Review: “The Importance Of Knowing Who You Are”Ĭut to the village of Emond’s Field, where the story starts proper. Moraine is in search of him or her for as of yet undisclosed reason. Earlier in time, The Dragon’s power had caused mass destruction. Moraine is searching for the reincarnation of someone known as “The Dragon”. As a member of the Aes Sedai, a group that can channel a sort of elemental magic and strictly adheres to the idea of time as cyclical. In the episode’s pilot, we meet Moraine, played with grace by the great Rosamund Pike in a vague high fantasy setting. If the intention of the first episode of The Wheel of Time, entitled “Leavetaking”, is to pique interest in Jordan’s world, then I’d say it does a serviceable job. Now, after decades of attempts, we have that adaptation in the form of Amazon’s new series. I guess I had always hope there would be some kind of a screen adaptation to ease me into the mythology.
Yet, I never quite got the itch to read them. To a large swath of television viewers, that name will mean nothing to my uncles, however, the Wheel of Time series of novels by Robert Jordan were the highest of literature. It’s surreal to say, but The Wheel of Time is finally here.
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