Tim Piatek

Unfortunately, Amazon and Rafe Judkins took a modern, very progressive tale that has a number of strong characters both male and female, with a strong message that men and women are strongest working together, then decided they could do better at story-writing and character development. Leaving the production issues (costuming, sets, lighting, cinematography, etc.) aside, the show fundamentally changes everything book one and two set up in the series. Without giving spoilers of specific happenings: - The women of Emond's Field are homicidal in a bizarre ritual where they attempt to drown other women. - Sex without concern for children is apparently a very real, normal thing in this world. - The Aes Sedai see themselves as the owners of this world (sayeth the Amelyn Seat). - Stoic warders are reduced to wailing and rending their clothing, while farm-girls are stoic, unbreakable, and easily able to stab both warriors and monsters to death. - Several characters accidentally murder other people. - Aes Sedai can't feel the potential in other women, but Men can see women channel. - Upstanding book characters are transformed into alcoholic gutter-trash that care nothing or are incapable of caring for their families. I'm simply at a loss - the characterizations are wrong, the story is wrong (meaning they'll need to change things more to make it work), and I'm stuck watching this show like a trainwreck, wondering how they can insult Robert Jordan's work further. The comedy in all of this? The showrunner and producers appear to think the books lacked for strong women! Tell that to book Moiraine, Egwene, Nynaeve, heck, even Lanfear! The longer the show continues, the more it resembles a weak fanfic. Cancellation is the only mercy we can hope for, so the show can be properly adapted. Oh, you want some positive comments? Sure! Many of the principal actors are excellent. The scenery is lovely. The sets have the potential to be attractive with better, more natural lighting (everything's very well-lit and flat).