Legend of the Seeker

[bookfan]

Aa upcoming TV series based on...wait for it...Terry Goodkind's Wizard's First Rule! In the US, it will be airing on WGN starting November 1st. I know he doesn't get a lot positive words when he's mentioned around here, but it'll be nice to see some fantasy stuff on TV even though Goodkind says he doesn't write fantasy; it is what it is.

I enjoyed his first three Sword of Truth novels, so I'll be checking it out.

 

[biodroid]

I like Goodkind's work no matter what people say. Would be nice to see this show hope it doesn't become soppy though.

 

[jenna]

Not a fan of goodkind, but I will so be watching the series. At best it will be a good fantasy romp. At worst, it will be something hilarious that we can all pick on on the boards! Win-win in my eyes!

 

[spaceseed]

Ive read a few of the books and am really looking forward to the tv version.

What scenes are you guys looking forward to seeing?

 

[Rothgar]

Well I guess I missed the premiere. For whatever reason it was on at 5pm Saturday my time. That's as strange of a timeslot for a new show as I've ever seen. Did anyone else manage to see it?

 

[Rothgar]

It looks like the critics pretty much panned the series. You can look at a compilation of the critic reviews here. How Do Critics Find Raimi’s LEGEND OF THE SEEKER?? -- Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news. Infact I have yet to see a positive review for the series.

 

[ratsy]

I watched it and yes it was on at 3:00pm and then again at 7:00pm (which is when I watched it)...It was very dissapointing. Richard is a whiny little man. A horrible casting...Zedd was good but that was about it. Kahlan and Richard had no chemistry and Darken Rahl looks like a Alan Rickman rip off. The Dharan commander was awful and couldnt act his way out of a paper bag. Bad special effects ( the gars ) made things even worse. The sad thing is I will probably continue to watch it just because there are never any classic fantasy shows on tv. That doesnt mean I wont be dissapointed every week. I sure expected more from the Raimi/Tapert combo.

 

[Wiggum]

Meh, I didn't think it was that bad.

The gars were some really low brow CGI though.

There was some quality production value that I didn't expect (not on the gars, lol).

The dialogue was fairly middling, but not terrible.

Some of the timing was horribly off though. When the one soldier tells Richard they should wait 'till daybreak to go after the Dharan, and Richard replies that was only three hours away, and then they go to the soldiers house and everyone in the soldier's family is awake serving dinner (at what must have been 4am), didn't make sense.

And when Khalan (I think) said it was an hour to the barrier, and they left in full sunlight, and arrived in complete dark.

It had it's bad moments, and fun moments.

The fight scenes were actually quite well done.

I will qualify this by saying I was very hungover from Halloween and my fiance took the main tv, and I was nursing my wounds in the back room when I watched it.

C+

 

[jenna]

… could not have been more dull if the creators had tried. The acting is amateurish. The action is sluggish. The story moves slower than a snail on a glacier. And it is just so bad there is really nothing funny about it. …


OUCH!

 

[ratsy]

I like to think that it will get better as Richard already seems to be doing "the dance of death" with the sword of truth...maybe that means he will stop being such a 12 year old. Also now that they have passed the barrier and set the characters up so they can focus on some story.

One more rant...didnt Richard read the Book of Counted Shadows as a child and memorize it then burn it. I also remember George Chyper bringing Richard into the Westlands not Zedd..am I crazy?

 

[Shingetsu]

Wow...it was horrible. I had a hard time finishing the episode. They changed so much it wasn't even funny. Richard is some kind of annoying man-boy. Kahlan is hot, but doesn't seem all that great. Plus no green eyes! Have they ever heard of eye contacts? They even screwed up the whole part about the book of counted shadows. Zedd and Richard are suppose to be friends, but he just calls him a crazy old man like he wants nothing to do with him ever. I also like the part where Richard kills 50 people and is fine with it...

Darken Rahl, where the hell is his blond hair? Since when does he move palace to palace? He stays in D'hara. Fain is suppose to be a huge guy that molests children. Not some regular brown haired guy that Richard kills in the first two episodes. Kahlan is suppose to kill him in the most interesting way (not that they would show that of course).

I guess people who haven't read the books or can turn their "goodkind radar" off enjoy the show. But I'm not sure I'll be able to do that. It does make me want to re-read the books since it was a year ago. Even with all the books issues, I'd still rather read them then watch the show.

 

[ratsy]

Yeah, Fain was awful...and werent all the soldiers after Kahlan supposed to be huge blond guys? they were pitiful...I hated the whole book of counted shadows part. I think they said he moves from palace to palace so they can stretch out the episodes...is he is Dhara at the peoples palace...no, not this week. i dont remember there being many palaces in Dhara...do you?

 

[Shingetsu]

They'll probably have him move from D'hara to the Midlands and so on. Who knows what they will do. It's impossible to predict this crap. And there is suppose to be 20 something episodes also. I wonder if it will get canceled before it's finished. I doubt there will be a second season. SFF shows don't usually last long, except for some exceptions, but at least no Goodkind fans will support it.

 

[Ramoth's Rider]

I think im happy that Im not watching the series!!!
I know on the Goodkind forum they have said it doesnt exactly follow the book but from what you guys are saying it sounds like they chucked the book in the shredder and picked over the bits n the bin!

 

[AndyMauger]

Hey all.

Well, what can really be said?

I am a big fan of the books, and strongly believe that "certain" parts (if related into film/TV should be kept.

EG: "The book of counted shadows" (for anyone who has read the books/all of them) is an integral part in the ENTIRE series. And how it is found, the story behind it, is not accurate at all.

Richards Mother: Wasnt she related to a "Certain" key character? Hence why that "Character" moved to Westland!!! According to the TV series, she isnt Richards "Real Mother....." Which in turn means that "Certain" key character isnt Richards grandfather (oh darn, gave it away...)

I dont remember Chase's daughter being kidnapped. In fact, if the TV series creators had kept to the original plot, it would have made more sense.

Dont get me wrong, I did enjoy the first 2 episodes, and will continue to watch, but at the moment far too much has been changed/left out to have any relevance to the original books...! I can agree that TG would not have allowed the series to air, if he thought "Hello, what the hell is that" but surely, keeping the "main" aspect that continues through the book series is "key" for allowing the plot to unfold naturally!

Another negative (and speculation): Richard doesnt find out about Khalan for ages, yet in the TV series he finds out very early (thats an integral part of the story) the "Book" is never stolen by "D'Haran troops" and Zedd doesnt cross the Boundry with Richard and Khalan...! Correct me if I am wrong: But aren't those apects of the book(s) "KEY" to the entire series?

AndyM

 

[Ice fyre]

I have seen a bout two minutes of it, I have the first two episodes down loaded for me by friend, I will reserve jusdgement till i have seen further but, so far it looked ok. We will see as time goes on.

I think that the acting from what I saw looked a bit ropey, but who knows maybe it will get better will post once I've watched it.

 

[Wiggum]

Nothing in the series follows the books.

I'm just happy to have some swords and fireballs to watch before my fiance and I go out to dinner on Saturday.

It isn't very good, and the acting and script are mediocre at best, but there's such a dearth of the fantasy genre on TV, that it's an enjoyable, if underexcuted romp.

I didn't expect Roots, but I did expect some swordz a fightin' and some wizard fire flingin', which is what the show is.

 

[LJonesy]

… could not have been more dull if the creators had tried. The acting is amateurish. The action is sluggish. The story moves slower than a snail on a glacier. And it is just so bad there is really nothing funny about it. …


OUCH!

As "Ouch" as it is, it's true... The scene where Richard and Kahlan fight against the Quad is a perfect example of the acting. It's fake, and under-rehearsed. Additionally, you'll see how even Zedd looks like he's just had a hot shower and make-over. There's no reality to their looks, everyone looks so clean and well-kept - and that's matched by how B-grade hollywood their acting is...

I can remember my favourite Author answering a question about whether he would let his book become a movie. He said no, that a book loses it's power once it hits the screen. It's significance and meaning are transformed into 2 hour blocks of entertainment. That's my interpretation of the point, that when a book is a book, there's a certain strength in the meaning that it can convey, once it sells out to hollywood, it loses it.

That's what so ironic about our dear friend Mr. Goodkind. So adamant to conquer the world with his philosophy that he ends up selling out to film in order to publicise it and make some more money.

 

[jenna]

Well, I still think it will be fun to watch. I watched the 10 min preview on You Tube and it seems pretty awful, but in a good way. (This is from someone who lists Grease 2 and Showgirls as awesome movies!) They could definitely have done a better job casting Richard. He is meant to be big, muscly and what not. He is a bit of a twerp in the movie. They did a good job with Kahlan, she looks very whiney - perfect!

I don't remember too much about the plot of the books, it was years ago that I read them, but from the sounds of it they have changed some random things. My opinion is that it's OK to take artistic license with the story, you can change things if it is necessary for the flow of the film. However, what is the go with changing the character history? How does that serve the story?

Yes, SELL and OUT definitely come to mind when I think of good old Tezza!

 

[LJonesy]

Well, I still think it will be fun to watch. I watched the 10 min preview on You Tube and it seems pretty awful, but in a good way. (This is from someone who lists Grease 2 and Showgirls as awesome movies!) They could definitely have done a better job casting Richard. He is meant to be big, muscly and what not. He is a bit of a twerp in the movie. They did a good job with Kahlan, she looks very whiney - perfect!

I don't remember too much about the plot of the books, it was years ago that I read them, but from the sounds of it they have changed some random things. My opinion is that it's OK to take artistic license with the story, you can change things if it is necessary for the flow of the film. However, what is the go with changing the character history? How does that serve the story?

Yes, SELL and OUT definitely come to mind when I think of good old Tezza!

Entertainment is still entertainment...