A Seeker’s Legend

Here comes Legend of the Seeker!
This weekend the bestselling fantasy novel Wizard’s First Rule, written by Terry Goodkind, makes its way to Disney-ABC as an ongoing television series adapted by Sam Raimi (Spider-Man, Evil Dead) and produced by several people including Robert Tapert (Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys). It is the story of woodsman Richard Cypher (Craig Horner) and the mysterious Kahlan Amnell (Bridget Regan), who must stop a powerful and evil wizard from unleashing an ancient and terrifying power upon the world.
Here is my Good, Bad, and Simply Ugly Truth about this new television series!

Now, first off, I’ve only watched the first 10 minutes of the premiere. After I watch the full two hours this weekend I’ll come back and give my thoughts on it. But for now, here are some things in my opinion I already know to be true:
What is the Good?
Expanding the fantasy genre into prime time and keeping it fresh in the forward consciousness of the public. The fantasy genre has enjoyed almost eight years worth of undeniable prominence when it comes to book reading and Hollywood. Thanks in part to JK Rowling and Harry Potter, thanks in part to Peter Jackson and the Lord of the Rings movies, the fantasy genre has been embraced by more and more adults as a valid medium of storytelling and entertainment. Legend of the Seeker is one more step in obliterating the stigma that fantasy stories are simply for kids.
The Bad?
In a prime time venture like this, it is necessary to snag viewers quickly with thoughtful, intelligent storytelling. The producers who have brought Legend of the Seeker to the small screen also brought us Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Now, this is not a critique on the people who loved those two shows—because we all know those people are legion—but those shows just didn’t work for me. They were glorified camp in many ways, like Raimi’s Evil Dead movies, and although they were a necessary step in the evolution of bringing fantasy to the mainstream just wouldn’t work right now in today’s climate—at least I don’t think they would.
People want something more serious when it comes to their fantasy; they want to see fantasy stories told with a level of honesty and integrity and seriousness. All of these stories have elements of people overcoming obstacles we all encounter on a daily basis in the real world. Movies like Lord of the Rings, Batman Begins and Iron Man all have one major thing in common; the subject matter of each was handled with care and adoration while keeping the fantasy elements from overwhelming the story and characters.
That must happen here with Goodkind’s book. Campiness does not fit the Wizard’s First Rule story, at all. The fun and quirky moments found in Xena and Hercules will detract the gains the genre has seen as of late if they show up in Legend of the Seeker. I hope Raimi stays away from his predilection of B-movie camp.
On a side note, I had a minor annoyance with the 10-minute preview? The excessive use of slow motion took me completely out of the excitement. Maybe for some people it will work but we all know one of the hallmarks of Raimi is incorporating massive amounts of slow motion. It might work on the silver screen but I found it detracting in the preview. Perhaps only the beginning of the series will have this. Time will tell.
The Simply Ugly (Ughly) Truth?
While taking part in the San Diego Comic Con Legend of the Seeker panel, Goodkind answered a question put to him concerning the adaptation of the books to Disney-ABC domestic television and the darker elements found in the story. After all, network television does not allow anywhere near the level of sex or gratuitous violence that takes place in Wizard’s First Rule. How would that be handled in the adaptation?
Very paraphrased here, Goodkind answered that he does not see a problem with the lack of those elements not being portrayed in the series. He said the books are about heroes and the journey of those heroes through hard times. He also said the sex and gruesome violence found in the novels doesn’t need to be seen for the story to be told.
I found that interesting, as that has been one of my major problems with The Sword of Truth series—among several others I won’t list today. As a writer myself and someone who critically reads any book put before him, I have to say what Goodkind said irks me a bit. If the sex and violence is not needed to tell a good strong story, then why have it? If it does not drive the narrative at all, then why is it necessary? Filler? I don’t know.
But I do know this.
I don’t want people who have read the books to be turned away from this G/PG rated television series; I don’t want them being upset that The Sword of Truth series is not a faithful adaptation because it lacks the sex and violence of the books. By Goodkind’s own admission, those darker elements are not needed and in my opinion probably were not necessary in the books to begin with. Let’s see if they get the story of Richard and Kahlan right! If they do, I’ll be pleased.
At any rate, let’s all watch Legend of the Seeker this weekend! And let’s come back here to talk about it on Monday!
Legend of the Seeker premieres in your area either on Saturday or Sunday—check your local listings!