After watching cancellation of The Wheel of Time after season 3, and it immediately sent fansinto an uproar. The TV show was meant to adapt Robert Jordan's fifteen-book fantasy series, and halting at this point is a tremendous disappointment, only covering the content of three of those novels. The worst part is, the show was just starting to find its stride.
After The Wheel of Time seasons 1 and 2 received mixed reviews from book readers, season 3 showed tremendous improvement. There was still a broad spectrum of opinions regarding the show, but it's hard to deny the numbers on sites like Rotten Tomatoes that demonstrate a general upward trend. The Wheel of Time was canceled for monetary reasons, but it's worth exploring the viewing journey that I, and I believe many other fans, experienced over the past four years.
The Wheel Of Time Got Off To A Slow Start
Seasons 1 & 2 ittedly Weren't Fantastic
I'll be the first to it that The Wheel of Time season 1 didn't do much for me. The production value and computer effects were jarring, and the numerous story changes made it hard to believe it was the same story Robert Jordan wrote. While I eventually grew on almost every casting choice, the chemistry and performances that had defined titles like Game of Thrones and Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings films just weren't present. Everything felt rushed, and the show didn't have the cinematic feeling that I thought Robert Jordan's books deserved.
My point here isn't to rub salt in the wound or put down the show, but merely to illustrate an awe-inspiring contrast.
Season 2 had some improvements, and that was when audiences really started to come around on the show. The season 2 finale was particularly well-reviewed, and my hope in progressing through the show at the time was that there might be something special waiting for me at the Battle of Falme. Each episode went by, including that finale, and while there were moments and elements that felt like pure magic, they were still offset by less thrilling scenes. My point here isn't to rub salt in the wound or put down the show, but merely to illustrate an awe-inspiring contrast.
Why Wheel Of Time Season 3 Was Such An Improvement
The Wheel Of Time Capitalized On The Dragon Reborn
Image via Prime Video
When the first trailer for The Wheel of Time season 3 came around, I thought, "This looks pretty good, but anything can be disguised by a well-made trailer." My expectations were still low, but I noticed an almost immediate improvement in several aspects of season 3's opening episodes. The premiere immediately opens with a darker tone as Siuan Sanche stands, looking out into the rain from the White Tower, and I instantly felt excitement for one of my favorite book plots: Elaida's coup, which ended up happening in the season 3 finale.
That darker tone defined season 3, and the White Tower was one of my favorite narratives, as I expected. As usual, Rosamund Pike was perfect as Moiraine. Nothing unexpected there. The biggest takeaway was that this season, Pike didn't have to put The Wheel of Time on her back, as Josha Stradowski was the one to steal the show. Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, finally had his moment in the spotlight, and with the series finally focusing on him as the books do, everyone benefited.
By focusing on Rand, and with Stradowski showing that he was just as integral to the series as Rosamund Pike, the show began to flourish.
Rand had been struggling with his role as the Dragon since season 2 began, but this was the first time we really saw how the One Power was beginning to take hold of him. The internal conflict of Rand is the bread and butter of The Wheel of Time, carrying the series even through its least popular novels. By focusing on Rand, and with Stradowski showing that he was just as integral to the series as Rosamund Pike, the show began to flourish.
The Wheel Of Time Season 4 Could Have Continued An Upward Trend
Everything Pointed In A Positive Direction
Image via Prime Video
The Wheel of Time's success in season 3 wasn't a fluke. There were two reasons for it: an evident response to criticism in the production behind the show, and the strength of Robert Jordan's material in The Shadow Rising. As I mentioned, the production value was notably improved between seasons 2 and 3, with wigs, sets, and costumes taking drastic strides in embellishing The Wheel of Time's world. Consider the distinction in quality between season 2's Horn of Valere and all the sets and technology in season 3's Rhuidean episode.
Amazon Canceled The Wheel Of Time Just When It Was Turning Into The Game Of Thrones Replacement They Always Wanted
Amazon wanted The Wheel of Time to be its Game of Thrones replacement, and it was finally reaching that potential just before it was cancelled.
Aside from production quality, the writers seem to have noticed the tremendous criticism of seasons 1 and 2 for not featuring Rand, Perrin, and Mat enough. While Mat's story was still sidelined, and I had some issues with Perrin's, I already mentioned how spectacular Rand's arc was in season 3. The Battle of the Two Rivers arc from The Shadow Rising also comes with an inherent excitement, even though I felt like Perrin's internal arc wasn't handled well.
The Shadow Rising is worth noting, as it's commonly considered to be one of the best Wheel of Time books. Everyone has their own favorite novel in Jordan's epic, but The Shadow Rising is the book where the series transforms from a more typical hero's journey to a wide-spanning fantasy saga that sees numerous cultures and factions in the build-up to The Last Battle. That's what makes The Wheel of Time so prolific, and with four storylines in season 3, the show was doing its best to demonstrate that.
The Wheel Of Time Deserved A Proper Ending
Season 3 Didn't Provide Any Closure
The Deadline article that announced The Wheel of Time's cancellation stated that the show's third season was executed in an effort to provide some closure, but I don't see how that could be. Perrin was arrested by the Children of the Light, Rand was touching on the madness of the One Power, Mat, Moiraine, and Nynaeve all almost died. The show ended on tremendous cliffhangers, and there was still so much story left to tell for all of these characters.
The Wheel Of Time Series Is Getting An Open-World RPG
Following the success of its current three-season television adaptation, The Wheel of Time is slated to receive an open-world RPG video game.
Realistically, the Amazon adaptation couldn't have effectively covered the remainder of Jordan's books in a timely fashion, but having at least a couple more seasons could have allowed for an ending—maybe not a great ending or one that would satisfy readers, but an ending. Amazon's The Wheel of Time deserved something conclusive, at least to accommodate the ionate following behind the series, and the cast and production team who gave so much to the show.
The Wheel of Time
- Release Date
- November 18, 2021
- Network
- Prime Video
- Showrunner
- Rafe Judkins
Cast
Moiraine Damodred
al'Lan Mandragoran
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Sanaa Hamri, Ciaran Donnelly, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Thomas Napper, Maja Vrvilo, Wayne Che Yip
- Writers
- Amanda Kate Shuman, Dave Hill, Rohit Kumar, Justine Juel Gillmer, Celine Song, Rammy Park, The Clarksons Twins, Katherine B. McKenna
- Franchise(s)
- The Wheel of Time
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