The Wheel of Time Season 3 Premiere Packs a Magical Albeit Directionless Punch Towards a More Layered Story

The Amyrlin Seat has been turned over as things at the white tower fall into chaos. Read The Wheel of Time Season 3 Premiere Review here!

The post The Wheel of Time Season 3 Premiere Packs a Magical Albeit Directionless Punch Towards a More Layered Story appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Talk about flying by the Amyrlin Seat of our pants.

The Wheel of Time did not miss an opportunity to kick things off with a magic-packed bang.

What started as a fantasy series that kept it light on the magic side compared to some ill-fated Netflix shows, yet more so than a few other HBO and MAX series, has kept the flow of mystical elements consistently strong.

When you tune in for The Wheel of Time, you know you are going to get at least three things: fun uses of magic, expansive scenery of wherever the characters are walking, and magic-wielding women with more than a few screws loose.

While the clip has been circulating long before The Wheel of Time Season 3 Premiere, the first part of “To Race the Shadow” was nothing short of a George R. R. Martin good time.

The Wheel of Time Is Paying Out the Investment It’s Made in a Character for Over Two Seasons Now with Truly Unhinged Results

The Wheel of Time took everything it established with the hierarchy of The White Tower and threw it on its head. However, it seems we are getting the payout for a very long investment.

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We always knew it was only a matter of time before Liandrin showed her true colors. However, it was still pretty shocking to see how many other Darkfriends there were amongst the Aes Sedai.

Again, though, the story has always felt like it was headed down this path from the first time Liandrin turned her strong jaw towards Moiraine in The Wheel of Time Season 1.

The character has consistently stayed on the precipice of unhinged, but ever since Lanfear killed her son, Liandrin has been an extra special kind of crazy.

At the very least, the series is finally utilizing a character that has left us itching for more every time she steals a scene.

Who else but Liandrin Guirale could pull off such a devastating entrance when she burst into that wedding in a red dress that was serving 2010’s Lady Gaga?

Is it me, or is The Wheel of Time leaning into its more campier storytelling elements?

How else do you explain Olivia Williams in a role that gutted us like the unsuspecting characters she killed?

Jane Austen Meets Denis Villeneuve with the Introduction of This Award-Winning Actress’s Character

Who had the living embodiment of a Jane Austen novel on their Wheel of Time bingo card? No one?

I definitely didn’t have Olivia Williams in a blonde wig, which spoke volumes about what kind of mental state her character, the queen, stays in.

First, it has to be said that there isn’t a single TV Fanatic who didn’t recognize Mrs. Williams from one of her hundreds of incredible roles over the years — especially if you love fantasy and sci-fi.

Real ones will remember her characters on ill-fated shows such as The Nevers or Dollhouse, but she’s also been in a couple of slam dunks like Funny Woman and The Crown.

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And now she’s playing the royal mother to Elayne Trakand, a character who also came out of nowhere and has not missed a chance to steal a scene.

It’s funny, though, because as I was watching The Wheel of Time Season 3 Premiere, I couldn’t help thinking that the show has entered its Dune era.

Didn’t it feel like that as ” A Question of Crimson” dove into Andor and the politics surrounding the great houses?

That fits when you consider that Olivia Williams is currently starring in the prequel series Dune: Prophecy. However, she wasn’t the only iconic actress to debut on The Wheel of Time.

The Wheel of Time Brings in A Familiar Face and Voice That Every TV Show and Movie Lover Should Recognize

Any time an actor can bring something unique to the table to add a little personality to their character, it can go a long way toward leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

In the case of Shohreh Aghdashloo (The Penguin), however, she is the whole table because the actress never fails to deliver a memorable performance no matter what she does.

Seriously, Aghdashloo could do a Cheez-Its commercial, and I’d watch the whole thing from beginning to end.

Of course, it makes sense that she would find herself as a red ajah. But what exactly is her agenda at the White Tower?

She was left behind by Queen Morgase, but the character has mostly spent her time in the Harry Potter-esque red ajah common room, acting like the former head mean girl she likely was in her glory days.

Speaking of glory, after two seasons, the series finally shines a light on a character whose existence has been questioned on more than one occasion.

The Wheel of Time Season 3 Is at a Crucial Point in the Story That Asks Audiences to Come Along for a Wild but Somewhat Directionless Ride

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I’m not insinuating that Mat Cauthon has been an utterly useless character until recently — I’m actively saying it in the loudest possible way.

Ever since he left his friends behind the first time Rosamund Pike’s (3 Body Problem) Moiraine opened a way gate, I have wondered why the story kept coming back to Mat Cauthon.

You have to admit that the character has never served a real purpose other than being the “self-proclaimed” screwup. He spent two seasons brooding all over the land, and now he’s finally smiling because he blew a horn.

Don’t get me wrong — I’m happy for the character, but in the first three episodes of The Wheel of Time Season 3, all he’s done is talk in another language and spar with Elayne’s hot brothers.

While we’re on the topic of that handsome duo, you all cannot tell me that the scene where Mat was stuck between the two brothers’ rooms while they were knocking boots wasn’t an obvious joke at Game of Thrones’s constant use of sex during critical dialogue.

As far as premieres go, The Wheel of Time delivered a pretty action-packed Season 3 with no real direction.

There are a lot of plates spinning in the air, and without a more straightforward course, some viewers may not hang on for the ride. However, the show could bring things back home now that Perrin has returned to Two Rivers.

The main thing that needs addressing is what exactly is going on with Moghedien and Lanfear. Although, I’m not in a rush with Moghedien because that chick is creepy with her shadow-dwelling self.

Lanfear, though, is the one to watch, and not just because she’s quite possibly the most incredible character on the show.

She’s also one of the most complex, which makes it impossible to know her true intentions.

The Wheel of Time’s third Season is shaping up to be one of the most intense for the Amazon series if it can finally find something for Rand to do other than run around and get haircuts until the final battle.

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What did you think of The Wheel of Time Season 3 Premiere?

Is this season looking better than the last?

Please drop a comment below to let me know what you think, and join me again when I review another episode of The Wheel of Time!

Watch The Wheel of Time Online

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The post The Wheel of Time Season 3 Premiere Packs a Magical Albeit Directionless Punch Towards a More Layered Story appeared first on TV Fanatic.