'The Wheel of Time' Season 2 is a Payoff, not a Comeback (Review)

Almost two years ago, I wrote a relatively positive review of The Wheel of Time Season 1, and at the time it seemed like most fans felt the same way. However, in the weeks before Season 2 premiered on Prime Video, the general chatter on social media suggested that Season 1 had nearly lost many fans, and that Season 2 had an uphill battle to save the franchise. Now that it's over, Season 2's biggest triumph was proving that the show did not need to be saved.

The Wheel of Time is an adaptation of a 14-book-long fantasy series by Robert Jordan, and coverage of the show often treats that hefty source material like a hindrance, not an asset. Fans and reporters figure that the producers must be stuck between changing the story and alienating book fans or adapting this long, drawn-out saga to the letter and likely alienating new viewers in the process. The debate over these two approaches was complicated in Season 1 when COVID-19 restrictions forced producers to change the filming schedule. Season 2, on the other hand, shows how the series is streamlining the original story to maximize its impact. Even so, the story should still be viewed as a long journey with a big payoff.

Season 1 of the TV series generally stuck to material from the first novel, with a little input from the prequel novel as well. Season 2 was much more ambitious, combining events from the second and third novels while sprinkling in even more background from the prequel. By the end, this remix forced fans to stop thinking in terms of faithful versus unfaithful adaptation – and with good reason. As fun as it can be to analyze these kinds of changes, the fact is that watching your favorite book make it to the screen should not feel like you're grading someone else's homework. During Season 1, showrunner Rafe Judkins said many times that fans should consider this "another turning of the Wheel." Some disgruntled commenters called that a cop-out at the time, but Season 2 really showed how much fun that premise can be.

With all that in mind, Season 2 does an incredible job of rushing some things that deserved to be rushed in this context. The development that Egwene (Madeleine Madden) and Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) saw over these eight episodes was the highlight of the season, and Elayne (Ceara Coveney) folded into their group effortlessly, and fans got a much clearer sense of how the "One Power" works this season – and what its limitations are. After the "mystery" of who would be the Dragon Reborn in Season 1, these plot lines reminded us that there is no single main character in this story.

While the male heroes seemed to have less going on this season, they were a joy to watch whenever we got them. Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) seemed to start a handful of stories without ever finishing one of them, but seeing him pulled in different directions is actually very true to his arc. Meanwhile, actor Dònal Finn joined the cast as its new Mat Cauthon, and while I can't say he didn't miss a beat, he certainly made the course corrections as painless as could be hoped. I'll say here that this show deserves more episodes per season to flesh stories like these out, but to be fair I say that in just about every book adaptation review.

As long-time fans might have expected, the actual prophesied hero of the series, Rand (Josha Stradowski) seemed to have the least to do this season. Rand is not a typical fantasy hero, but Judkins and his team find ways to give him resonant moments here and there. Pairing him with Lanfear (Natasha O'Keeffe) for so much of the season was genius, especially as so much of the audience seems to love her more than anyone. In the end, the structure of this season succeeded in making Rand's development feel like the biggest cliffhanger, while giving the other characters something to do with all their newfound strengths. It may be more concise than the books, but it still feels like the beginning of a long and twisted arc.

All of the protagonists and their disparate plot threads were reunited in the end for a climax that combined the biggest moments from two books – and in a way, the entire series. The way these important moments were re-worked into one is the strongest testament for the show's narrative strategy. While 14 books may need 14 turning points, the fact is that those same beats would begin to feel cheap in a TV context. Here, they all come together to maximize effect without making it feel like the show's most epic battles are already over.

OK, can anyone think of a bigger TV show glow-up between S1 and S2 than The Wheel of Time ? pic.twitter.com/zL9ZBdJOSa

— In Deep Geek (@InDeepGeek) October 8, 2023

There are so many other parts of this season that feel like they deserve their own paragraph in a review – Ayoola Smart as Aviendha, Meera Syal as Verin, the introduction to the Seanchan, Min's dilemma, and so on – but that alone should read as a great compliment to the show. Season 2 showed that its world can feel as boundless and meticulously detailed as that of the books without simply adapting it word for word – braid tug for braid tug – onto the screen. It proved how much was always hidden in the subtext of these 14 massive novels and joined fans in celebrating the series. Most importantly, it promised many more great moments to come.

The Wheel of Time Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming now on Prime Video. Season 3 began filming this summer, but it's unclear how much progress was made. The original novels are available now in print, digital and audiobook formats.