I've read the books and love them. I was hoping to love the TV show, as well. I can appreciate the need to alter the story a bit to make it more cinema friendly, however, this show seems like a perversion of the books. Things I think they did well:
Casting (except for Loial)
Nynaeve and her love story
Aiel fighting and tenacity
They missed the entire essence of the books, however. The whole story should be driven by Prophecy and manipulation. This is what drives each of our characters to do what they do throughout the story. Moiraine, in the books, is driven by her determination to guide them to the fulfillment of prophecies, and uses gentle manipulation to that end. She's well-learned, adaptable, and seems in-control (like Aes Sedai are supposed to be). This Moiraine seems like a shadow of her self - she makes things up as she goes; is easily overcome by everything; and is hardly in control of others, let alone herself. She "can't figure out" who the Dragon Reborn is? What about the Kareathon Cycle that foretells each thing the Dragon Reborn is supposed to do? This is one of the ways Moiraine knows how to guide Rand. This is how Rand knows how to guide himself!
Again, I understand the necessity to alter/adapt the books to the TV. A lot of reading has to do with introspection and observations that can't easily be conveyed on TV. Sometimes you have to change the story to capture the important parts while still sticking to the essence of the story. This show just decides to take some terms and bits from the original story and make up elements that make no sense and serve no purpose in the Wheel of Time series. Robert Jordan, may he rest in peace, created a whole world with currency, religion, culture, laws, prophecy, and it seems like these writers and director said "cool story bro", didn't read it, and just perverted the parts they heard second-hand.
Again, I get altering it - I expected it, but the outcome that was created... just seems unnecessarily incorrect. I wish they would have at least stuck to the essence of the books.