bluenine-2 Reviews

The Wheel of Time: Daes Dae'Mar (2023) Season 2, Episode 7

One step forward, two steps back

[4/10 · 30 September 2023]

A big step backwards, such a poorly written episode in a season which was finally finding its feet.

Lan's entire arc this season has been terrible, starting from that forced conflict with Moiraine, to roaming aimlessly with the warders, all for the negligible payoff in this episode. Lan still cannot fight fades with his sword, but instead he knows more about One Power in the age of legends than Moiraine. What a terrible take. Lan is unrecognisable from the books & its not a casting issue.

In this episode, a lot of scenes felt rushed. The Gitara cold open could have & should have been epic, but was flat. The Aiel scenes felt like a fanfic cosplay on youtube.

5/10 & I'm being generous. A pity, since I rated the last 2 episodes 9/10.

The Wheel of Time: Damane (2023) Season 2, Episode 5

Finally

[9/10 · 15 September 2023]

Lanfear says "Finally" and the entire Wheel of Time Fandom felt it. This is the Daughter of the Night we all have been waiting for.

Great Episode. While the story is still completely different from the books, it is mirroring the storyline of the books.

• Lanfear ruled the episode, of course
• Perrin & Aviendha vs the Whitecloacks was fun to watch, though it felt a bit rushed
• Moiraine & Rand scenes were good
• Seanchan looked & felt like Seanchan

The only scene that was poor was when Nynaeve & Elayne escape the Seanchan. That was too rush & looked too easy - like they escaped by running for a minute in the forest & no one gave chase. That whole scene felt like a low budget 90s fantasy. Apart from that, I enjoyed this.

Lanfear compels me to give this a 9/10, by far the highest I have ever rated a WOT episode.

The Wheel of Time: What Might Be (2023) Season 2, Episode 3

Great Episode, could've been 10/10

[8/10 · 1 September 2023]

Great episode, loved the accepted trial of Nynaeve. I liked it that they deep dived into it like the books. The emotions felt real. Until the fake out death of Nynaeve, once again. This is the 3rd time Nynaeve "dies" only to comeback alive in just 11 Episodes. Its too much. My partner who hasn't read the books felt that Nynaeve should've stayed dead this time!!

The fake out deaths were the worst part of Season 1. And they keep doing that. At this point, I don't feel anything for the real deaths. Uno died & I didn't care. Coz he had also died a few episodes ago (S1 Ep 8) only to be alive in the next episode without any explanation, just like Loial.

WOT world building has some fake out deaths built into its metaphysics. It did not need any more.

Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing (2023– )

Death of a Great TV Series

[1/10 · 12 May 2023]

I'm not really into reality shows. Not my jam. Hate the drama & the scripted "reality".

That said, Naked and Afraid XL was one of my favourite shows. It wasn't like other reality shows, this one was about survival and felt mostly real. Unlike other survival shows which are so scripted. Loved the struggle, the relationships, the desperation, the brilliance of survivalists in the most difficult of situations. Its brings out the best in people sometimes, and the worst at times. It was about serious achievement, you get no money just fulfilment. Can you make it in a hostile wilderness naked for 40 or 60 days? Your best chance todo so is to help each other. Like early mankind. It wasn't a reality game show at all, it was hard reality documentary.

Now they have ruined that by making it into a gimmicky reality competition where you need to backstab each other for a chance to win some money. Welcome to the game show business guys. Yuck. Its only 1st episode, but I know I won't be watching this melodrama anymore.

Please bring NAA:XL back. Make it more real, not less.

The Mandalorian: Chapter 22: Guns for Hire (2023) Season 3, Episode 6

This is the way, NOT!

[5/10 · 9 April 2023]

I loved S1 of Mando, it revived this franchise for me like many others here. S2 was good too, the cameos & easter eggs were fun.

But now the lack of a story line is starting to show. Its almost like the script of this episode was just a couple of lines, and they let the actors improvise the rest. The dialogue is actually that bad. The droid problem filler which was like 80% of this episode would have been acceptable if we were in the first third, not the final third of the season.

I know the storyline of Mando has to merge with that sequel trilogy at some point, but does the quality of the story also needs to match?

The Mandalorian: Chapter 17: The Apostate (2023) Season 3, Episode 1

This is NOT the way

[6/10 · 1 March 2023]

I really want to like the Mandalorian. S1 brought me back into StarWars after the sequel trilogy had ruined this franchise for me. S2 was good, tho a bit gimmicky. This first Episode is the worst bits of S2 and little of the charm of S1.

The issue is the story. Its just not moving. A lot of scenes are just there to showoff familiar characters, and add nothing to the story. Nothing happens in this episode that we already didn't know. Except the Mandalorian flying across the galaxy again & again to meet old friends & have meaningless conversations most of which we already knew.

If they think this is "fan service", I'm sorry but they are mistaken. Once or twice is fun. But they already overdid this "fan service" in S2 & Boba Fett. Now focus on the story please. Learn something for Andor, which is now my favourite StarWars content since Mandalorian S1.

Willow: Wildwood (2022) Season 1, Episode 5

A bit cheesy but charming nevertheless

[7/10 · 21 December 2022]

Not the best fantasy series out there, but now Willow is slowly finding it grove. I enjoy seeing some of the characters I loved as a child. And finally it is catching up to the charm of the original, even if some of the tropes feel a bit dated and scenes that feel a bit cheesy. But thats part of the fun, my kids are enjoying this like I did the original movie.

Love Warwick as Willow, charming as usual. Also like Erin Kellyman as Jade, good to see the story focussing on her in this episode. I liked her in Solo as well as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. This young actress will go places. Some of the other characters are a bit less annoying with time, still growing on me.

If you like a kids fantasy series, I would recommend this.

The Wheel of Time: Origins (2021– )

So much better than the actual show

[10/10 · 20 October 2022]

These origin stories seem to really capture the feeling of the books, the story we fell in love with. They do it so much better than t he actual live action show, it makes me wonder whether this should have been an animated series to begin with.

Love the art, love the dark atmosphere, love everything about this. Even the ones which are "original" writing like the Ogier one. This is how you adapt, the Wheel of Time showrunner could learn a lot from this.

Also most reviews here, specially the bad ones, seem to be talking about the show and not Origins. These are probably just trolls, coz I can't believe anyone would be stupid enough to review the show on the wrong page.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Adar (2022) Season 1, Episode 3

Sometimes feels like an advert for middle-earth

[8/10 · 9 September 2022]

There are a lot of slow motion shots exploring the beauty of middle earth or the sets that have been built or just Galadriel horse riding. It feels like the show runners think they are selling holiday packages to middle earth. Almost every scene starts with a beauty shot, and the visual are stunning. So I guess I will take the deluxe package please.

This episode was better. The story has finally started moving. Loved the scenes of Numenor, that story arc was awesome. Must admit, every time they cut to the harfoots, it was annoying. I'm not enjoying watching these ancestors of hobbits.

Its been a long, slow buildup for almost 3 episodes. Please, please let there be some payoffs soon. If they have a great action packed Episode 8, my rating will jump from 7 to 8 or even 9. I am hopeful.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

They is so not the way

[5/10 · 27 May 2022]

Disney, please do yourselves a favour and make sure Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni are involved in all Star Wars projects from now on.

I was really excited by the trailer. But so far, it looks like that was all the story they had. The first 2 episodes have some of the production values of The Mandalorian, but the story telling & pacing are very average. That Leia kidnapping scene was quite Nickelodeon-esque.

I will not be watching anymore, unless the reviews of people I trust change after all 6 episodes are out. If you haven't watched this yet, I strongly recommend you do the same.

Naked and Afraid XL (2015– )

Great survival show, please stop showing the same clips again & again

[9/10 · 11 May 2022]

Love XL, its even better than the normal size naked & afraid. But my only problem is that they keep repeating clips again and again and again and again, and that gets SO ANNOYING. I have to literally sit with a remote, fast forwarding the first 5 minutes, then after every break and the rating stuff. I swear they show some events like 5-6 times!! They clearly have so much footage, this show will be a 10/10 if there were no repetitions.

Maybe the show runners are confused about their target audience - they are trying to get the mass audience with more drama and repetitions of dramatic events, which is alienating the actual audience for shows like these. Forget about the people who will never be regular watchers of the show, focus on your existing dedicated audience and give them better quality - no repetitions, focus more on survival stuff, even if parts of it look a bit like a documentary. Some of the hunt scenes could be longer, you don't need a voiceover all the time, give us a real feel of the situation, etc.

The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World (2021) Season 1, Episode 8

Reinventing the Wheel

[2/10 · 24 December 2021]

A bit underwhelmed...

Let me start with the positives. There were some good bits in it. I liked the cold open, and the fact that it was in the old tongue. It was awesome to see the future in the past. Ending the episode with the Seanchen invasion was a good idea too.

But unfortunately the changes to the book by the writers were their undoing, as the story is sacrificing logic for cheap thrills and needless drama. After a great episode 7, this one underwhelmed. Key issues:

1. That battle needed to be epic. It just wasn't. The CGI looked cheap and unconvincing. Maybe Brandon should teach his laws of magic to Rafe. Every time they solve an impossible situation with an explosion of unexplained power, the story dies a little. The best scene of the whole season (blood snow cold open in Episode 7) didn't have any use of magic - that should give them a clue. STOP USING MAGIC AS A CRUTCH FOR YOUR POOR WRITING. Remember, you have an amazing and well loved source material at your disposal.

2. They have turned Moiraine into an idiot who has no knowledge of the prophecies, no plan, just going to the eye with a hope and a prayer that something will happen. Her big plan was to hold a knife to Rand's throat when the "dark one" shielded her - did she really think the "dark one" cannot take the knife away? Another example of poor writing. Moiraine is supposed to have dedicated her life to this mission, did she learn nothing in the last 20 years? This episode ruined Moiraine a bit for me.

3. If Loial is dead, so is this series - so I am sure he isn't and this was just another bit of that annoying needless fake-out drama where the writers keep trying to make WOT look like the grim-dark GOT. WOT isn't GOT, its different and as great. I wonder how much Amazon interference is the cause of these bad "shock factor" plots, coz surely as a fan of the books Rafe would not do this?

4. Nynaeve looked dead at one point, only to be magically healed. I'm hoping Egwene hasn't learnt how to bring back the dead, coz thats what it looked like. Please refrain from these cheap fake-outs for shock factor, it detracts from the show. Also Nynaeve "healing" Egwene from burning while being in a circle led by someone else is possibly the biggest departure from how one power works in the books, it destroys an epic scene of sacrifice from the books later - why? Just for some cheap drama? Please stop using magic as a crutch for poor (re)writing.

Loved the Seanchen ending. Did miss the leashes though. In the books, the leashes on the Damane made it all so horrifying and repulsive. If you wanted a real shock factor, that was it - seeing Aes Sedai on a leash. I think Rafe & team missed a trick there.

Just a few changes and this episode could have worked:

• Add one epic sword fight between Lan and a fade in the blight with the background of the 7 towers of Malkier
• Change the awful battle to one hopeless/selfless suicide charge of the cavalry on the trollocs to give civilians more time to flee - a bit like Faramir's charge in LOTR
• Tone down Nynaeve's burning out, no fake-outs pls
• Add the leashes on the damane

Thats it. Just those changes could have made it a 9/10 for me instead of the current 6/10.

Overall feel a bit let down. Wish I had the power of balefire so that I could use it on this episode. Now I can't un-see this. I was so looking forward to watching the season again over the holidays, but after this finale, I just don't want to.

The Wheel of Time: The Dark Along the Ways (2021) Season 1, Episode 7

Reinventing the Wheel

[8/10 · 17 December 2021]

Finally a quality episode, this is the best one yet.

The story continues to be different from the books, I still do not like some aspects of the changes like the Mat storyline and the needless YA-style love triangle. But it is starting to feel like the show runners are getting into a rhythm and telling a compelling story. Perhaps I am finally aligning to Sanderson's view that this TV series is a different turning of the wheel, and starting to enjoy the TV series on its own merit. In this Episode I felt like they finally got the pacing right, there were no awkward continuity issues. Whoever directed this Episode knows what they were doing, give him/her some more episodes please.

The cold open was by far the best one yet, what an awesome intro to the Aiel for the non book audience. Glad we got to see blood snow! The ways were done nicely, even though Machin Shin was very different to how I imagined it. The Blight looked cool, again different from the books but such visual liberties are understandable. The dragon reveal was done neatly, it made sense within the TV story so far. I liked the subtlety in the script instead of over explaining everything - eg, Moiraine gently pushing Lan towards Nynaeve, giving herself the opportunity to mask the bond without raising his suspicions. While this was not in the books, "book Moiraine" would have done exactly the same if she believed she was going towards a certain death.

The book readers finally got the Tam-Rand scene missing from Episode 1, and also the Avendesora leaf for the way gate which caused such overreaction in the last episode (see bonus stuff). Seriously book fans who continue to give 1/10 ratings need to get a life. I am giving a 10/10 to counter those idiots, but IMO this was a solid 8/10.

All in all, a great episode. Finally getting a feeling that this is an epic. Can't wait for the final episode. For the first time, I have a good feeling about this.

The Wheel of Time: The Flame of Tar Valon (2021) Season 1, Episode 6

Reinventing the Wheel

[6/10 · 10 December 2021]

I guess now its clear that this is another turning of the Wheel. This is certainly not Robert Jordan's WOT.

I don't know what to make of this story. The episode was entertaining and well acted, on its own it was great. But the eye of the world is now the dark ones prison, the horn sounder has refused to join the road trip to get the horn, and all 5 of them could be dragons? I sure hope the show runners know what they are doing. I hope they have written the script of all the seasons and all the loose ends tie up in the end and make sense. Otherwise they risk destroying a great story where all the various threads come together beautifully in the end to make one coherent pattern that is WOT.

We have waited 3 decades to watch the wheel of time translate into the visual medium. This isn't it. Rafe's WOT is a different turning of the Wheel, a different telling of the story. I am enjoying it for what it is, but the inconsistencies are starting to creep in due to the massive tampering with the story, and it is starting to ruin the overall plot and world building. For eg:

Moiraine kept telling the kids that lets go to Tar Valon where the sisters will keep them safe. Then when they get to Tar Valen, she hides all of them from the sisters and runs away from the Tar Valen to keep them safe. It doesn't make any sense. This problem wasn't there in the books coz the story is different.

This is just one of the many examples I can give of how they are creating more and more problems for themselves by tampering with the story. Many of these changes will make future storylines make no sense. Its almost like the writers are making up this story on the fly. Which is sad considering the fact that they have such rich source material at their disposal.

A wasted opportunity.

The Wheel of Time (2021– )

Reinventing the Wheel

[7/10 · 8 December 2021]

Its been a decent start. For me, this is the greatest fantasy story ever written, definitely one of the most complex works of world building. So I understand its not easy to translate this complex, extensive material into a visual medium.

Let me start with the positives - of which there are many, and I guess I am predisposed to like WOT because of the books (hence the 10/10 rating). I was a bit worried about the "woke" casting, but that isn't the problem here as the main cast embody their characters from the books well. Its actually great casting apart from perhaps Lan, who is nothing like what that iconic character should be like - but even there, the actor cast is doing a great job of making up for it. I also love the fact that the TV series is capturing the soul of WOT, despite the storyline deviations. The easter eggs in terms of details (like the heron on the sword, the 4 kings outside the inn, etc) are awesome for book fans like me.

My main problem with WOT so far is that they are completely rewriting the scenes and the dialogues. I understand there need to be some changes to translate from books to TV and that a lot of the story from the books will get cut. But I expected 80% of the scenes that do make the cut to be from the books, and 20% new - not the other way around. Why O why would you want to reinvent the wheel?

This is one of the reasons why some conversations seem forced, feel a bit too much like exposition. When you have such great source material, why change everything? The writers should learn from GOT's example - it was a brilliant TV series for many seasons as long as they stuck very close to the story in the books. Then in the last season, without the source material the tv writers made their own story, and they completely ruined it. Please be careful and don't do this to WOT. This is still easily rescuable.

Another criticism is that with these changes, WOT is missing out on the "Yoda moments" from the books. We learn about the world from the eyes of these 5 innocent village kids, and some of that is being captured well in the episodes like Moiraine teaching Egwene about the one power. But too much is being missed. Like Rand learning sword fighting from Lan, Perrin learning from Elyas, Mat from Thom, etc. These "yoda moments" are an important part of world and story building - there is a reason why "Empire Strikes Back" is considered the best Star Wars movie. Hoping the show will give some time to this - there will be plenty of opportunities (Eg: Egwene at white tower and with the wise ones, etc).

So a humble request to the makers of WOT - please stick to the story in the books as much as possible, coz its already an epic story. Only make a few changes where absolutely necessary. Apart from that, a big thank you from bringing my favourite story to the TV screen! Looking forward to the next turning of the wheel!

The Wheel of Time: Blood Calls Blood (2021) Season 1, Episode 5

Reinventing the Wheel

[5/10 · 3 December 2021]

Its a decent episode, not as good as the previous one, but not bad.

My main problem with WOT so far is that they are completely rewriting the entire story and the dialogues. I understand there need to be some changes to translate from books to TV and that a lot of the story from the books will get cut. But I expected 80% of the scenes that do make the cut be from the books, and 20% new. WOT so far feels like the opposite. At least 80% of the story/scenes/dialogues are completely new and have little to do with the books. Why O why would you reinvent the wheel?

This is one of the reasons why many conversations seem forced, feel a bit too much like exposition. When you have such great source material, why would you completely change everything? It almost feels like the writers of this show hate the source material and think they are superior to it. They clearly are not. They should learn from GOT's example - it was a brilliant TV series for many seasons as long as they stuck very close to the story in the books. Then in the last season, without the source material the tv writers made their own story, and they completely ruined it.

So a humble request to the makers of WOT - please stick to the story in the books as much as possible. Only make a few changes where absolutely necessary. You are not better than Robert Jordan.

The Wheel of Time: The Dragon Reborn (2021) Season 1, Episode 4

Reinventing the Wheel

[8/10 · 26 November 2021]

WOT finally found its rhythm. After a shaky first 3 episodes, we finally get the WOT we all have been waiting for. The pacing finally felt right, there was more character development, and some great action. I can now even understand why they invented a wife for Perrin - that fast-tracked Perrin's character development into what he is going to become.

Yes, there still are big deviations from the books, but thats ok. The only deviation I am not happy with is the suggestion that dragon can be a female - that goes against the very premise of the one power on which this entire world is built. Please snap out of that stupidity asap.

The Wheel of Time (2021– )

Reinventing the Wheel is pointless

[7/10 · 19 November 2021]

WOT is one of the greatest works of epic fantasy. The world building in these books is the best I have ever read. When you have that foundation to build upon in a TV series, don't make changes unless absolutely necessary.

I don't mind most of the changes. "Woke" casting I don't mind, most main characters are relatable from the books (perhaps with the exception of Lan, but that actor is doing a decent job of making up for it). I also like the attention to some details, for eg the heron on Rand's sword. They have made the story darker, but that makes sense too.

But a few of the changes I did not like at all:

1. The dragon can be male or female? That is ridiculous. The entire world building is based on Saider and Saidin (female & male part of the one power) with the taint on Saidin. The dragon uses Saidin and hence can go mad, you mess with that basic premise and the entire world of WOT stops making sense. Why do that??

2. A whitecloak burning an Aes Sedai alive was another unnecessary "hollywoodisation" which we could have done without. That shouldn't be possible, even with their hands cut. Please don't change how one power works!!

3. Perrin having a wife who he kills, what was the point?

Instead of these unnecessary distractions, wish they had spent more time building the characters and introducing the world through their eyes, like in the book. The story so far could have done with an extra episode, letting the audience to like the main characters and get to know the world better - instead of using voiceovers/monologues from Moiraine to tell us this background - thats just lazy writing. Also, hope they have some lighter moments too, that was one good part of Jordan's writing and characters like Thom & Mat.

Hope the improve on these aspects from now on. Not really impressed with the first 3 episodes, I really hope this improves from here on.

The Wheel of Time (2021– )

Why unnecessarily mess with such a great story?

[7/10 · 19 November 2021]

WOT is one of the greatest works of epic fantasy world building and storytelling, and as a fan of these books I am a bit disappointed after watching the first 2 episodes.

The sets and the CGI are awesome, clearly they have done a good job with attention to detail on those aspects. I was a bit worried about the "woke" casting, but that isn't the problem here (apart from perhaps Lan, who is nothing like what that iconic character should be like). My problem is with the pace and the unnecessary changes to the storyline.

The storytelling feels rushed, and instead of spending some time on world building, they have added new scenes which don't add anything. And whenever they have to explain anything, they just give Moiraine a voiceover or something - its just lazy scriptwriting. But the worst bits are the changes they have made to the story, for eg:

1. Why does Perrin have a wife? Whats the point of that?

2. How can the whitecloaks burn an Aes Sedai alive? It detracts from the initial build up about the power of the Aes Sedai in the books, and beats all logic. The Aes Sedai could have easily killed all those whitecloaks. The only way a whitecloak could kill an Aes Sedai is an arrow on the back.

3. The worst of them all - how can Moiraine think the dragon could be a woman? That just destroys the very premise behind WOT, the difference between Saidar and Saidin, the female and male halves of the one power. This one has potential to ruin the entire story.

When you start taking such liberties with a great story, you leave gaps in logic which risk turning this series into senseless YA crap. I hope thats not the case here, but after watching 2 episodes, I am a bit concerned.

Shadow and Bone (2021–2023)

Teeny bopper drivel, politely known as YA

[5/10 · 24 April 2021]

I haven't read the books, so I cannot say whether this is a dumbed down version of a good fantasy series or a good representation of an average YA source material.

Very little character building, which is always a poor start. The fantasy world of Ravka and the premise show a lot of promise as do the costumes and sets, which as a fantasy and sci-fi geek is very exciting for me. But unfortunately the story telling assumes we are all dumb 10 year olds. Everything is over-explained and simplified, and some of the characters act like they are teens from modern day New York who are experiencing life in Ravka for the first time.

Overall, its marginally better than most YA crap that is sold as fantasy at Netflix these days due to the budget. Its ok in parts, liked most of the crows story arc. Not as good as The Witcher. And please don't even compare this to GOT which was a serious attempt at fantasy adaptation. This is teeny bopper drivel politely known as YA.

WandaVision (2021)

Wow, are they really going there?

[8/10 · 6 February 2021]

I must admit, I was put off by the first 3 episodes. Doing a sitcom world is refreshing for 10 minutes, but they did drag that on a big. This series really starts with Episode 4, but the ending of Episode 5 was mind-blowing!

Are they really going there? This could be a game-changer for MCU.

---- SPOILER ALERT ----

That was Pietro from X-Men, wasn't it? Could we really see Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy & Michael Fassbender in the next Avengers? That would be so EPIC!

The Mandalorian: Chapter 16: The Rescue (2020) Season 2, Episode 8

I sense something, a presence I've not felt since...

[10/10 · 20 December 2020]

...the Return of the Jedi. This episode is perfection.

The Mandalorian (2019– )

This is the way

[8/10 · 7 December 2020]

Just amazing. This brought back memories of watching the original movies as a kid. The level of detail to Star Wars universe is brilliant, there are so many surprises for Star Wars fans.

My only negative is that this storyline ends with the utter garbage we saw in the new movies. I wish I had never seen those films, it would make me enjoy this so much more with the possibilities. I hope they could just erase the those terrible films (VII to IX) and start this universe again from here...

The Mandalorian: Chapter 13: The Jedi (2020) Season 2, Episode 5

This is the way

[10/10 · 30 November 2020]

This episode is possibly the best thing to come out of Star Wars franchise since the original trilogy. Can we please reboot the sequel trilogy so that we know this amazing universe that The Mandalorian is developing does not end with that absolute mess?!

The Mandalorian (2019– )

WOW. The real Star Wars!

[8/10 · 12 January 2020]

Good storytelling, great characters, and the exact star wars universe. The best thing to come out of Lucasfilms since the Return of the Jedi. Finally something that feels like a continuation of that story.

Only wish the new movies were like this.