The Shannara Chronicles is not Game of Thrones, and that’s a good thing

I recently had the pleasure to sit down and binge-watch the first four episodes of The Shannara Chronicles via MTV On Demand, and decided to go into my viewing with the objective of comparing the show to Game of Thrones, as several other critics have done. This was the wrong approach. If you aren’t familiar with The Shannara Chronicles, the series was developed by MTV and Iron Man director Jon Favreau (in an executive producer capacity), and is based on the highly successful Sword of Shannara Trilogy from author Terry Brooks.

I was first introduced to the trilogy when I first read The Sword of Shannara as a kid in the ’80s. Terry Brooks is every bit the mastercraftsman world-builder that George R.R. Martin is, with the exception that Shannara is much more family-friendly that A Song of Ice and Fire. That’s not to say that Terry Brooks created this series to be young adult novels, but that he and Martin have taken two very different paths so far as tone is concerned.

The Shannara Chronicles kicked off with its two-hour series premiere by introducing the heroes of the story:

• Wil Ohmsford, portrayed by Nickelodeon star Austin Butler.
• Amberle Elessedil, portrayed by Downton Abbey alum Poppy Drayton.
• Druid Allanon, portrayed by Spartacus and Hobbit star Manu Bennett.

Where Game of Thrones takes place in the medieval-esque world of Westeros, Shannara is set in Earth’s future, after the fall of civilization. The world has been divided into the Four Lands, ruled by Humans, Elves, Gnomes, and Trolls. During the timeline of The Shannara Chronicles, magic has left the world, along with the last Druid, Allanon.

The Elves (pointy ears and all) are the ruling class, and the show opens with an ancient rite of passage where guardians of the sacred Ellcrys tree are chosen. The princess of the Elves, Amberle, wins a spot as a guardian. The ancient Ellcrys tree awakens and shows her flashes of the future, when Demons are loosed upon the Four Lands. Allanon is awakened from his long sleep, and Wil Ohmsford is given his birthright, the Elfstones.

Here’s where Game of Thrones and The Shannara Chronicles vastly differ: Shannara is steeped in high-fantasy. Although it’s been dormant for many years, magic is prevalent in the Four Lands. In fact, Shannara would be better likened to Lord of the Rings, but because Thrones is the most popular fantasy show of our time, Shannara gets unfairly compared to it.

That doesn’t mean that the success of Game of Thrones didn’t have an effect on the show. As showrunning Al Gough told The Hollywood Reporter, even though the two shows bear little resemblance, Game of Thrones “kicked the doors down and…proved that you could do high-quality, high-level fantasy.” The Shanara Chronicles wouldn’t be on MTV if not for Game of Thrones, but now that it’s here, it can and should stand on it its own.

The Shannara Chronicles is a fun and exciting show. Because it’s on MTV, it’s definitely directed at a younger audience, but it still can be enjoyed by more mature viewers.

While MTV certainly pushes the younger stars of the show into the spotlight, it’s Manu Bennett as Allanon who shines brightest. Bennett’s gruff exterior and deep, gravely voice match the character perfectly. This is exactly how I imagined the legendary Druid to look and sound when I read this story years ago.

So, should you watch The Shannara Chronicles? Absolutely. However, do not go into it with the expectations of the show living up to Game of Thrones…because they are two very different animals. My suggestion is to cleanse your television pallet before watching Shannara, and to enjoy the show for what it is: a high-fantasy, magical romp through a futuristic Earth that is ruled by characters that seem to be cut directly from Lord of the Rings.

The Shannara Chronicles gets 8/10 stars from me. Watch this show.