The Shannara Chronicles
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So I started watching this series yesterday on Netflix (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shannara_Chronicles). It is an "adaptation" of Terry Brooks' Elfstones of Shannara. I'm disappointed. I figured that since it has been around two decades since I read the book I wouldn't have any issues with book to tv/movie translations, but this series is too much.
Here is what I imagine the preproduction conversation went like:
"Hey, Game of Thrones is wildly successful. What other fantasy series can we get to make a TV series out of?"
<months of research>
"This Elfstones of Shannara is ok if you like books. I think it needs more sex and drama though."
"I agree. And this whole plot thing? It doesn't have nearly enough plot holes. We need more plot holes."
"You're right, plot holes are what the masses clamor for. I've heard that nerds hate realistic timelines too. We should just randomly grab timespans because they sound cool."I'm not a fan at this point. I've made it 4 or 5 episodes in, and the flaws are just mind boggling. I can suspend some amount of disbelief, but this is beyond the pale. It is worse than what JJ Abrams did to Star Trek. Anyone else seen it and care to comment?
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@Kelly That's interesting. I was in attendance at ComicCon with John Rhys-Davies and Terry Brooks and both them thought the world of the series of shows. Terry said that the writers had done a tremendous job.
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@Grey said in The Shannara Chronicles:
@Kelly That's interesting. I was in attendance at ComicCon with John Rhys-Davies and Terry Brooks and both them thought the world of the series of shows. Terry said that the writers had done a tremendous job.
The acting is actually pretty well done. I don't have much issue with most of the actors at all. I had read, when the series was first previewed, that Terry Brooks was involved in the writing, so I had been hopeful. I doubt that either of them would say anything negative publicly. If Terry Brooks likes it, then more power to him.
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Man I had seen that and was thinking about starting to watch it.
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@Grey said in The Shannara Chronicles:
@Kelly That's interesting. I was in attendance at ComicCon with John Rhys-Davies and Terry Brooks and both them thought the world of the series of shows. Terry said that the writers had done a tremendous job.
Yeah I was there too and it seemed like a promising show. Terry did talk about why they started not with the first book, and how he respects the changes that need to be made to have a story work in a different medium. He actually was very impressive with his perspective on staying out of the way of experts in their field rather than trying to be the control-freak author.
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@Nic said in The Shannara Chronicles:
@Grey said in The Shannara Chronicles:
@Kelly That's interesting. I was in attendance at ComicCon with John Rhys-Davies and Terry Brooks and both them thought the world of the series of shows. Terry said that the writers had done a tremendous job.
Yeah I was there too and it seemed like a promising show. Terry did talk about why they started not with the first book, and how he respects the changes that need to be made to have a story work in a different medium. He actually was very impressive with his perspective on staying out of the way of experts in their field rather than trying to be the control-freak author.
I don't have a problem with them skipping the Sword of Shannara. That is a very poorly written book, at least at the beginning. I tried to reread it a few years ago and gave up.
Anyhow, I don't mind a few creative liberties in order to translate a book into a movie (LotR), and I was prepared to accept a certain amount of departure (I had to make a conscious effort at certain points...), but the plot holes and wandering time frames were too much for me to bear.
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The first few episodes were pretty good to be honest. Perhaps it is just this part of the season. I may stick it out a few more in hopes that they turn it around...
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@Minion-Queen said in The Shannara Chronicles:
Man I had seen that and was thinking about starting to watch it.
I got to watch one episode on MTV,.. but then they never seemed to have the rest... so I dropped it.
Since the lot of series is on NetFlix now, I may go back and watch it. But, having read the books some 20 years ago,... it didn't seem to flow right.
Terry Brooks is a great Fantasy writer!
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I've read all the books and many multiple times, including the Elfstones, and after watching the series, just got more and more pissed off. The big thing is that in this book, there was little indication of the world of technology. You know, the apocalypse.
I kept trying to detach myself from the books, but just couldn't.
/rant.
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It seems that this is a problem that most Books that get converted to TV shows have.
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Oh, I didn't realize that it had released. Cool. Sometime I'll get a chance to check it out.
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@scottalanmiller said in The Shannara Chronicles:
Oh, I didn't realize that it had released. Cool. Sometime I'll get a chance to check it out.
Saw it advertised as new release when i signed into Netflix late last week. So it is recent.
