Legend of the Seeker (TV series)

So is anyone else watching the Legend of the Seeker?

It is a fantasy fiction (sword & sorcery) TV series on WGN (at least in N. IL). It is based on The Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind. The show is in its 2nd season, so that's a good sign that maybe it will be around for a while. It is the best Fant-Fic show that I've ever seen and better than a lot of Fant-Fic movies I've seen. If anyone that has watched knows of better shows please post about them (perhaps separate thread preferred).

I think it has pretty good production values and the main actors tend to be pretty good (as actors). The plot and stories tend to stay interesting and there is a steady parade of fairly hot ladies in hot outfits, including a steady diet of tight leather, and lately some thigh high boots. I'd probably watch even if the stories weren't interesting ...or perhaps I am and don't know it... ;-)

P.S. this is the 2nd iteration of this thread. A Forum glitch resulted in the 1st attempt going bye-bye.

 

I watched the original run, up until the "phallusmancer" chick, then lost interest.

 

I thought I'd replied to this thread but I guess I didn't....odd.

My wife and I both watch LoS on Netflix. It's nice because Netflix updates the show on a regular basis. It's, imo, the best Sword & Sorcery series on TV and we enjoy it immensely.

It has really good feel to it and I must say the women on it are, in Luke's words, "Hubba Hubba."

 

I watched it with fair regularity until the end of the first season... where I just lost interest. The women are quite attractive, yes. I actually thought the woman playing the "Hubba Hubba" focus was particularly entertaining and have tried to find a few other shows she's been in -- which haven't been all that much outside of Australia. There were some exceptionally intriguing episodes but overall there wasn't enough to sustain me. I'm guessing I should just read the books someday...

I'll check in from time to time to see if there might be anything to pick up my interest again.

 

The books have a lot of sexual connotation in not only the magic system, but in politics and other social areas. What annoys me most about the show is the changes to the storyline from the books. I understand that there are bound to be discrepancies between film and literature, but some of the changes weren't done to make this a more family-friendly show.

 

I just got done watching the entire 1st season... I kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't.

The first 3-5 episodes I was wondering if George Lucas was getting some writing credit for the obvious Star Wars story rehashed in a fantasy setting. There were many other instances that the writers seemed to borrow heavily from other sources, that I found little originality in the series. Even the climatic ending episode was like a bad Star Trek alternative timeline story- God, that episode sucked so bad.

There were a few good episodes, but I struggled along hoping they would "hit their stride" and find the path of greatness, but sadly it just didn't do it for me. At least Luke-- I mean Richard (aka The Seeker) got to kiss someone in the series that was not his sister.

I would give it a 6 on a 10 scale grading system.

 

Dale, are you familiar with a book called "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" by chance?

 

Yes, George Lucas came out and stated he borrowed many elements from others genres to craft his movie. The swing with Luke & Leia on the Death Star was from a Tarzan movie if my memory is correct.

"For Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope, Lucas borrowed the plot line from Japanese film maker Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress. Many other story elements of A New Hope pay homage to the films called Metropolis, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Fistful of Dollars and dozens of other classic movies in many different film genres."

However, Lucas wove a story that was compelling and fresh to movie goers. Unlike, Legend of the Seeker- it was "damn" predictable.


// Very - Damn : http://thinkexist.com/quotation/substitute-damn-every_time_you-re_inclined_to/164150.html

 

As I stated previously, the series has changed/removed several elements present in the books. For one, Darken Rahl is not Richard's brother, but they are related to one another. I blame this in part on the studio producing the show, as well as the general nature of television in general.

 

My review was not against the book series- just the screenplay(s).

God, they changed so much that it would drive book purist to fall on their sword. I have not read any of the books, but have read the reviews online and that is a constant complaint. It sounds like the book series (as in most cases) is far better than the screen adaptation.

 

Well, I have not read the books yet. But I continue to be entertained by the show. I have never seen a better fantasy fiction TV series, and if there are better ones out there, I would love to hear about them. Seeker is certainly better than Xena and Hercules, which I did not mind for the most part, despite the campy-ness.

Dale, if you bought season 1 and want to sell it, drop me a line before GC3

 

Well, the show is produced by ABC Studios, which, I assume you are aware, is owned by Disney.

 

In the first season, the three main characters always seemed to take a back seat to the secondary players. I really enjoyed the actor playing Darken Rall (sp?), but the main actors were a little weak.

However, Bridget Reagen looks great this season, and I can never get enough Tabrett Bethell. Throw in guest spots with Jessica Marais and Jolene Blalock, and it is staying on my DVR list.

 

The only American fantasy t.v. show that I've ever even remotely liked (BBC does a little better) was Roar, which ended before it even got going, even though it was planned to be finite (just not that finite), if memory serves. Xena and Hercules were both pathetic drivel. I couldn't even have them on in the background without getting angry at their ridiculousness. I've only seen a little Seeker so far and liked what I saw, but not enough to comment.

 

I've lately read the 1st two books in the Sword of Truth series, and of course like them well enough. I don't like all the rape material, but understand the need/desire to put that in to show how evil and vile the villains are and to (hopefully ) get you to hate them that much more.

It is interesting some of the things that they seemingly changed for no reason, such as the Richard/Darken relationship. So far having read the books has not made me dislike TV series any more, but of course the season has ended, so maybe I won't know until next season. I will have to read book three before fall to see if book first makes a difference in my view.

I didn't see the comment here now, but I thought I remember (perhaps from the thread that got deleted) that someone complained about the afterlife concept of the TV series (and perhaps books?). The TV series definitely makes it seem like everyone that dies goes to "hell", whereas my take on the book is that there are different levels of hell and that there are some levels that the "good spirits" go to.

 

It may have been my comment. All I can say is that I still find it frustrating because death is a lose-lose situation for everyone. I'd be much happier if they at least had a Greco-Roman take on the Underworld but as it stands in the TV series it makes everything seem a bit hopeless. (I mean, yeah, I get the concept of enjoying life right now but an eternity of pain afterwards? Why? I just don't see how it makes for a good cosmology.)

 

I caught some of one episode not long ago.

Was not impressed.
Will not devote any of my time to watch anymore of it

Though the two chicks kissing thing caught my interest for all of 15 seconds (that's all it seemed to last!)
:lol:
:x
:cry:

 

I've only caught a few episodes on TV, however I will buy them when I get the chance.

The first few I caught were great. I saw a few mediocre ones two - but I enjoyed them all. I know about the books they're based on but haven't read them.

I also liked Earthsea and Roar.

 

I read the first book and liked it. I was a little surprised by the sexual/rape content, but understand why it was there. I've managed to read a few other fantasy fiction books lately and they too have varying and to me surprising levels of graphic content. I guess when you grow up reading JRR Tolkien, then this "new" flavor is a bit unsettling.