The Wheel of Time quietly put out one of the strongest seasons of a fantasy show that I’ve seen in many turns of the wheel. While I found Seasons 1 and 2 somewhat inconsistent – Season 3 finally finds its strong footing. The main protagonists have come into their own, supported by intriguing, new supporting characters, with the show also finding the right blend of action, CGI, and story.
While watching, I kind of felt like I was playing Zelda and exploring different regions of the map with all the beautiful, diverse scenery and cinematic shots. Season 3 finds the story visit a “Venice”-like port city, a sandstrewn desert with a haunted, ancient city, and the Trollic-plagued town of Two Rivers – home of our heroes. This season was truly a feast for the eyes, and one that is bound to make you look at booking a trip to Slovenia (one of the filming locations.)
The story also traverses both space and time, with one episode in particularly designed to give you capital “B” backstory, showing many generations of Rand’s descendants and his family’s history. The action sequences were particularly well done, with mesmerizing hand-to-hand combat and magic weaving CGI-infused battles. With only 8 episodes, there was a lot to get through, so each episode was packed-to-the-brim, but, perhaps for that reason, there was no lull and I stayed off my phone the entire time (the modern day litmus test of quality TV.)
I particularly enjoy the “big bad” of Lanfear, played by Natasha O’Keeffe, who does a wonderful of job of making a multi-dimensional villain who I find myself not wanting to be overcome. And, the addition of Shohreh Aghdashloo this season was a most welcome surprise – in a role that has allowed her to keep her opulent garbs from The Expanse, no less.
Now, I did not read the books. I tapped out because the names were “too long” when I tried to read the first book at twelve. So, I don’t know if they’ve basterdized key parts of the book – but honestly, I don’t care. Although, sometimes I find myself not understanding the complexities of the plot, and having to read a post-show review to fully capture what’s happening.
My hope is that those who gave up on the show, because of the weaker opening seasons, can stick around to reap the rewards of season 3. If this season proved anything, it’s that the world and story of Wheel of Time is bigger and better than ever – and I am hopeful we get to see a satisfying conclusion.
