9 things the first season of The Wheel of Time needs to get right

From the costumes to the fantasy creatures to the magic, there’s a lot Amazon’s show has to do right if it’s going to please fans of The Wheel of Time.

With shows based on both The Wheel of Time and The Lord of the Rings on the way, Amazon is hoping to scratch every itch fantasy fans have or ever will have. We’re particularly excited about The Wheel of Time show, since Robert Jordan’s epic book series has never had a worthy adaptation. But it’s a big story, and Amazon will do a lot right if it wants the show to be the next big fantasy hit. Let’s get into what:

1. Costumes

A well-done fantasy outfit catches the eye and inspires cosplayers the world over. A poorly done one just makes you wonder what else is on. Jordan wrote in copious detail about the clothing in his invented world, so The Wheel of Time will have plenty of costumes, coming in many different shapes, styles and hues.

For example, in the books, the desert-dwelling Aiel wear scarves with brown and gray coats and breeches to fade into the background. Compare that with the bright clothing of the traveling Tinkers, and you’ll see how the attire varies vastly from region to region.

The Aes Sedai sorceresses wear everything from ball gowns dripping in jewelry to more practical clothing with fine cuts. Variety is key, but it’s one thing to write about it on paper and another to render it on TV; this show is going to need a lot of fabric and people who know what to do with it.

Viewers don’t want to be distracted by outfits that look out-of-place or plain silly. Vibrant costumes are a hard sell on television, and the ones on The Wheel of Time will have to be well-designed and well-made enough to convince us.

The characters from Emond’s Field — Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene and Nynaeve — have a rags-to-riches vibe throughout the books, and change their dress as the story goes on. Personally, I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see how elaborate and regal Moiraine’s blue dress and shawl will be.