9 things the first season of The Wheel of Time needs to get right
By John Fallon
A throwback to Day 1 on the #WOTonPrime set. Can you tell where we were? pic.twitter.com/WDTIiNfpI2
— The Wheel Of Time (@TheWheelOfTime) February 19, 2020
7. Nations and Cultures
Throughout The Wheel of Time, we’ll visit a lot of different areas and get immersed in many different cultures. From the watchful warriors of the Borderlanders to the survivors of the Aiel Waste to the invading Seanchan and well beyond, all of them fascinatingly unique. Viewers want to experience every one of them, and to know at a glance where they are in the world and who they’re looking at.
That means the production has their work cut out for them in bringing together the right costumes, languages, sets, movements and more to make every culture feel distinct. And the casting team has an opportunity here to bring in a diverse actors from all around the world to represent the different people of Randland, as it’s known among fans.
Readers will feel at home if the Cairhienins speak in their precise accent from the books, enunciating every word. We should know we’re in Andor based on the wealth and might of the architecture. These cultures are the bedrock of the story, and getting them right will truly bring this fantasy world to life.
8. Sword-fighting and Combat
Fantasy stories usually come with their fair share of sword fights and the like. In the books, Jordan left the actual choreography of the fights largely up to the reader’s imagination, using titles for sword techniques without descriptions of what they actually looked like when performed. For example, Rand might go into “The Cyclone Rages” or “Cat Crosses the Courtyard” and before we knew it, the fight was over.
On television, there’s no room for interpretation. Fans will witness high-quality swordplay in all its glory, which means the fight choreographers will have to get creative and add weight and heft to Jordan’s whimsical descriptions.
In short, expect duels and battles. “We have a for-real sword-master on the show who walks into every room and tests everything out as a weapon,” said showrunner Rafe Judkins. “He could most definitely kill me with any item in my office.” As any true Warder chould.