DoctorAtomic

I liked how fish out of water they Two Rivers' folk were shown to be in this episode. Mat got his purse snatched on an obvious and clumsy move, and the other two looked terrified when they met the Tinkers. I think many people have been over their heads at times. Then throw in they're literally being hunted down my monsters.

The exposition wasn't as clunky as I thought it might have been. I think it helped with the action happening so fast. She seemed kind of worn out to me. I think that's a good choice, since the show was showing that she and Lan were basically hoofing it all over the place.

To be fair, in the scene, she hid in 'deep water'. Given the general Trolloc aversion to it, I can buy that she got the drop on it. He also missed stabbing her when she was underwater before she popped up to steal the knife. 9 times out of 10? The Trolloc probably wins. This was the one. I can roll with it enough. Mat - 'that's not how roads work.' Do keep up the sass.

Anyone else watching? I watch them before the episodes.

Where'd that map come from? I never saw it before. They zoomed in on the heron so hard that you know it's going to come back. Well, it has to anyway. Rand becoming a real swordsman was a cool development in the book. I mean, he goes toe to toe with the Seanchan noble. I would think Lan might be the one to talk about it. I would think there's plenty of time for some Tam flashbacks too. Rand is currently great with the bow. When he uses it, he may think of Tam and they can show a flashback. I think you still have to have Byrne because being such a 'great general' (I mean, they wouldn't shut up about it) essentially endorsing Egwene's rebel faction gives her a legitimacy than just being some 'rebel girl'. I don't think having it just be the greens leading the siege works. I would find it a stretch that they would have the stomach to attack the tower. Having Byrne there shows that that wider world, in a sense, has a stake in this. He does contribute a lot to the last battle too iirc if not just to hold the dark back until Mat and the heroes get out there. But you won't find me arguing about dropping any of these so-called 'romances' though.

Oh for sure. Judy only said taint.

Bob always wanted a burger place though. They did a flashback with his father arguing about it. I don't know why the restaurant isn't more popular though. Jimmy's is slop. Whenever they actually do something like Valentines day, they pack the place.

Doug had it coming. Was Bortus the new boss?

I don't see a problem with Bob wanting to be in the kitchen alone. Linda didn't need to make one of the kids go in there.

I was surprised to see the family at odds. That really hasn't happened on the show. I'm dying to know Moon's swear word.

I don't think 'Disco Stu is hetero flexible' would be anything I would have heard in my life. I did like that Homer set them up. The 'you like my top?' joke actually made me laugh out loud.

In my defense, I wasn't as worldly wise when I started reading the books as I am now. Also in my defense, I knew that wasn't good. tbh, all the so called romance was just so high school. With the world literally ending, it was such a waste of time to me. The only 'romance' scene I liked was Ny screaming at Rand and Lan trying to be about 75 light years away from the room.

I'm as 21st century and woke as anyone, but pillow friends totally blew by me for about 15 years.

I'm taking up E2 now. I'm 3 minutes in, and I already can't stand the whitecloaks. You're kind of limited by tv on what you can do with the Trollocs, but I think it's a good job. They were sufficiently unsettling and creepy. I do like how Moraine and Lan are 'talking' without saying anything. I imagine having to explain the bond might be difficult without being clunky. Did they ever say 'the last dragon broke the world and the next will save it' in the books? Seems like I should remember that. Lan was always kind of aloof in the books for me early on, but I really like the actor's take. He's much much more of an actual person in the show. I can't wait till he mops the floor with Demandred. It looked to me that he actually likes Rand. I liked Lan sending everyone to bed. I like Rand getting all pissy and, then May was like, 'ok. Knock it off.' That's just perfect. When does Mat get his big hat? I always see him in my head with the hat. I think they're doing a decent job not just dumping information to overwhelm the viewer. I mean. you're riding horses around; you're going to talk. When they were talking about Manethern and Moiraine said the Queen took up too much of the power, the camera was right on Egwene. I don't know if that was deliberate or not, but if it was, nice work. Shout out to Bela already! Wow, Shadar Logoth looks kind of like I thought it would. I'm yelling at Mat not to pick up the dagger. I don't think he's going to listen.

tbh, all the 'romance' nonsense in the books just caused me to tune out most of the time. If, for the show, and I know this isn't going to happen, they decided that Rand wasn't going to be involved with anyone because he's the Dragon and he thinks he's going to go nuts, I'd be fine with it. I don't think you can make Mat totally gay though because he's supposed to marry the Seanchan (I can't wait to hear how that's not pronounced as it is in my head) princess. And he's with the queen of wherever for a while too. If they actually have them on the show. If they made Mat like Captain Jack that would be just as fine. I tend to think the AS do all the handwaving with the channeling more for show. I can't see a no nonsense Aiel gesticulating. Anyone watched any of the animated shorts?

It was crisps.

Good someone knows what's going on then. Having this thread is helpful. I did like Moraine channeling, but then I had a good laugh because she's not particularly strong. I'm excited to see 1 - when you get some real channeling and 2 - what it's going to look like for the guys. I hope they can really make the taint tangible.

I only watched E1. I haven't gotten to them yet. They never really did a lot except get in the way. I know there were Two Rivers girls in the Tower, but I don't remember who tested them. I thought Moraine did. I thought she was there way longer before the Trollocs hit.

Right. I forgot that. I was posting off the top of my head. I honestly don't remember how they left Two Rivers. Mat just wanting to take off iirc wasn't a big deal. On the show, E1, yes. In the books, that was my question. iirc, which was a long time ago, Moraine tested Ewgene who could channel, and she was like packing to go to the White Tower that day. She tested all the girls while she was there. It's not a big deal for the tv show. I'm just trying to line it up.

I don't recall Mat's home life being so awful, but again, I'll roll with it. I didn't think he needed much push to leave. I'm wondering if the non book readers are going to be calling bs on the three 'getting lucky' all the time. Loved the close up on the heron mark sword all the way in the first episode. Rand going toe to toe against the Seanchan down the line is just a great scene I'm looking forward to. I think the fight in the Two Rivers folk on the show is laying the groundwork if they get that far in the series to Menetheren. Didn't Moraine have time to test the village women to see who could channel before they all left? There were some of them. The end of E1 with just the four up and leaving seemed abrupt.

Oh, right. I wasn't calling bs, but Mat was all 'FU PADAN FAIN', and I just didn't recall. I know he was in there early. I'm reaching deep, deep into my memory banks here. Good we have this thread to ramble. I had to look at the online wiki earlier in the week.

Dude. I missed *all* the 'pillow friends' hoyay the first time around. (I'm fine with all that.) You can't have good genre without the hoyay. Don't feel bad.

I never could take them seriously. They're patently ridiculous. I mean, I get in places like Two Rivers in the west, you're going to get militias coming through. Two Rivers never really had a national Andor identity. But, the richer nations? No. It was such a slog whenever there was Whitecloack heavy plots. I mean, I can get that there's people who just don't want channeling. But it's there. It struck me more as a church/state issue. These guys seemed more vigilantes.

The names doesn't sound like it does in my head! I never read it - Eyez-sed-i. That's just funny to me because I typically butcher names. I always said TA-ver-an. That's going to crack me up. I'm averse to the episode threads proper because I don't want to spoil. This is my E1 discussion. I think I'm going to clear out the rest by next week. Was Fain introduced so early? I don't care, but I thought they met him after they left. It's kind of silly that 'we don't know if the Dragon is a boy or a girl', even since the animated short made it clear that the Dark One tainted the men. But, whatever. I am in no way a purist, and it bothers me ziltch. I liked that the initial gentling was painful though. I get Perrin being married because they aged everyone up. I always liked Lan, but after 20 minutes, they've done about 1000% better with him on the show. Also Ny. I always liked her being mad. I get mad. It's ok. Slight nit, Moiraine was supposed to be really short, no? I mean, it's not a deal. The actor playing Tam is perfect wow.

Did anyone see the big verdict today?