The Wheel of Time

[Payton]

Again, didn’t read the books, but I think we are in a period of television where is doesn’t do any of us much good to overthink things.

I’d take a story/canon like a Mass Effect in ANY form they’d like to deliver it to me at this point (as an example) and have fun with it. I don’t get the snobbery unless it is just plain garbage, which this really isn’t.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

Again, didn’t read the books, but I think we are in a period of television where is doesn’t do any of us much good to overthink things.

I’d take a story/canon like a Mass Effect in ANY form they’d like to deliver it to me at this point (as an example) and have fun with it. I don’t get the snobbery unless it is just plain garbage, which this really isn’t.

In a universe like Mass Effect the diversity would make way more sense and actually reflects the story. The Witcher has done it well imo in mixing in diversity even though the source material doesn't call for it as with huge sprawling casts you have to have some diversity obviously. But this just feels way way overkill. Oddly so.

It's not so much an issue to me with having diversity with the leads it's the background that is jarring.

Except they could've picked a better looking Nynaeve... my God you can land a plane on that forehead

 

[flyerhawk]

Did it occur to you that it might be the same folks that complain about both?

(Not me, mind you. Just sayin’)

LOL. Very true.

 

[flyerhawk]

Decent show. Lost my interest at times but all the different characters and names make it a little difficult to follow.

The diversity is pretty ridiculous. It does seem like they try checking boxes for the hell of it these days.

It's only ridiculous if you think that shows should be dominated by white people. We all grew up expecting that so it can be jarring. But for the younger millenials and Gen Z people, it is more jarring when they see a overwhelmingly white cast. But ultimately, why does it matter what skin color the characters have?

So if you are a show runner that is trying to appeal to the 20 something crowd, it makes complete sense to have a diverse cast. It costs them nothing to do it, and will get them praise for doing so.

 

[flyerhawk]

Except they could've picked a better looking Nynaeve... my God you can land a plane on that forehead

I agree with this. The actress playing Nynaeve isn't ugly certainly but she isn't striking either. Egwene I find to be very plain.

It seems like the show runners intentionally chose to not hire really pretty people.

 

[Mebert]

It's strange to me that people would get upset about the racial composition of the show. Who the heck cares? It's a fictional world and Hollywood is becoming more and more race neutral with its casting.

If Alexander Hamilton can be played by a Puerto Rican and Thomas Jefferson can be played by a black guy, I think we can accommodate some ethnic diversity in a fictional fantasy land.

I have but read upset into it at all. @Hank Kingsley thought it was dumb they tried for one of everything. Which I agree with, you can have diversity without treating like a checklist.

After that it turned into an argument about two rivers history more than diversity. Nobody thinks their casting ruined the show, lots of other things in that show that ruined it.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

It's only ridiculous if you think that shows should be dominated by white people. We all grew up expecting that so it can be jarring. But for the younger millenials and Gen Z people, it is more jarring when they see a overwhelmingly white cast. But ultimately, why does it matter what skin color the characters have?

So if you are a show runner that is trying to appeal to the 20 something crowd, it makes complete sense to have a diverse cast. It costs them nothing to do it, and will get them praise for doing so.

I don't care what skin color a cast member is at all. Provided it makes sense. If Khal Drogo's army was made up of a bunch of white people I'd say the same thing. As others have pointed out the degree of diversity is jarring considering the storyline. It makes no sense whatsoever. It doesn't ruin the story for me or anything but it's a fair point to be made. If anything It would make more sense if an entire village was nearly entirely black or Asian or whatever. Then okay you can sell me on it.

Again..it doesn't break the story or anything but it's overkill imo.

 

[flyerhawk]

I don't care what skin color a cast member is at all. Provided it makes sense. If Khal Drogo's army was made up of a bunch of white people I'd say the same thing. As others have pointed out the degree of diversity is jarring considering the storyline. It makes no sense whatsoever. It doesn't ruin the story for me or anything but it's a fair point to be made. If anything It would make more sense if an entire village was nearly entirely black or Asian or whatever. Then okay you can sell me on it.

Again..it doesn't break the story or anything but it's overkill imo.

Khal Drogo was written as s distinctly different racial group. GRR Martin spent a fair amount of time creating distinct racial identities for at least some groups. And those racial identities were actually part of the story. And it was at least somewhat based off of medieval England.

This is an entirely made up world. It isn't obligated to adhere to any racial sorting. So it doesn't have any rules it needs to follow and it would be simple to create an explanation for why the area was so diverse if the show runners felt a need to do so.

As I said, this is going to be the norm more than the except for shows going forward.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

Speaking of Mass Effect it does appear there are discussions of making it an Amazon series as well. Hopefully they'd make it a Shephard centric storyline.

 

[Payton]

In a universe like Mass Effect the diversity would make way more sense and actually reflects the story. The Witcher has done it well imo in mixing in diversity even though the source material doesn't call for it as with huge sprawling casts you have to have some diversity obviously. But this just feels way way overkill. Oddly so.

It's not so much an issue to me with having diversity with the leads it's the background that is jarring.

Except they could've picked a better looking Nynaeve... my God you can land a plane on that forehead

I get what you’re saying. I mean I went back in the Witcher thread and saw where I was complaining about what they did with Triss, and my complaint there had more to do with how the canon beat into our head her hair color, if nothing else. It looks like in season 2 they tried to weakly pacify us, as she appears with red hair, but it is kind of weak still.

However, I’m determined not to let it affect my enjoyment and it isn’t.

 

[Payton]

Speaking of Mass Effect it does appear there are discussions of making it an Amazon series as well. Hopefully they'd make it a Shephard centric storyline.

Cool! And like I said, I will just enjoy it for what it is, unless it’s outright ridiculous… If the Asari are all red? I’m outta there!

 

[Mebert]

Khal Drogo was written as s distinctly different racial group. GRR Martin spent a fair amount of time creating distinct racial identities for at least some groups. And those racial identities were actually part of the story. And it was at least somewhat based off of medieval England.

This is an entirely made up world. It isn't obligated to adhere to any racial sorting. So it doesn't have any rules it needs to follow and it would be simple to create an explanation for why the area was so diverse if the show runners felt a need to do so.

As I said, this is going to be the norm more than the except for shows going forward.

I don't care what race they pick for anything. I just think when casting looks like they are trying to fill out their diversity bingo card it is dumb.

I understand it the norm going forward, I don't think any one said different. The comment that started all of this even flat out stated this is the way it is now.

 

[Payton]

I agree with this. The actress playing Nynaeve isn't ugly certainly but she isn't striking either. Egwene I find to be very plain.

It seems like the show runners intentionally chose to not hire really pretty people.

Ever noticed how in shows like this, we end up settling on “beauty” a bit? Best example I can think of is Walking Dead. None of the cast were particularly stunners at all, but over time Maggie gets thrust forward as somehow being “Drop dead gorgeous”, when in reality she’s nice, but…

Happens with athletes too. Danica Patrick is meh, but for a race car driver she’s an 11 ! . Alex Morgan is another…

 

[flyerhawk]

I don't care what race they pick for anything. I just think when casting looks like they are trying to fill out their diversity bingo card it is dumb.

I understand it the norm going forward, I don't think any one said different. The comment that started all of this even flat out stated this is the way it is now.

Not sure what we are even disagreeing with here. I guess I'm indifferent to the racial makeup of the actors and you think it is dumb which is fine.

 

[Mebert]

Not sure what we are even disagreeing with here. I guess I'm indifferent to the racial makeup of the actors and you think it is dumb which is fine.

I think we agree on most. My overall point is Two rivers would be homogenous based on what the town is. Which is what most of the argument had been on. You jumped in saying we all wanted them to be white, which was nit accurate.

 

[flyerhawk]

Ever noticed how in shows like this, we end up settling on “beauty” a bit? Best example I can think of is Walking Dead. None of the cast were particularly stunners at all, but over time Maggie gets thrust forward as somehow being “Drop dead gorgeous”, when in reality she’s nice, but…

Happens with athletes too. Danica Patrick is meh, but for a race car driver she’s an 11 ! . Alex Morgan is another…

Yeah. But I find it hard to believe that they couldn't find some really attractive people if they wanted to. Athletes have a requirement of being good at sports. Actors generally have a requirement of being good looking.

Looking at the cast the only ones that you could say are really objectively good looking people are Moraine and Lan.

 

[flyerhawk]

I think we agree on most. My overall point is Two rivers would be homogenous based on what the town is. Which is what most of the argument had been on. You jumped in saying we all wanted them to be white, which was nit accurate.

I get your point. I just don't see why we have to believe that Two Rivers, or any other made up place in a made up world, would need to abide by specific expectations.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

I think we agree on most. My overall point is Two rivers would be homogenous based on what the town is. Which is what most of the argument had been on. You jumped in saying we all wanted them to be white, which was nit accurate.

This.

 

[calsnowskier]

It's strange to me that people would get upset about the racial composition of the show. Who the heck cares? It's a fictional world and Hollywood is becoming more and more race neutral with its casting.

If Alexander Hamilton can be played by a Puerto Rican and Thomas Jefferson can be played by a black guy, I think we can accommodate some ethnic diversity in a fictional fantasy land.

The racial makeup in Hamilton was the entire point of that play, though. Are you making the point that the total diversity in Two Rivers is the point of WoT? I haven’t read the books. Maybe it is and I just don’t get it.

 

[flyerhawk]

The racial makeup in Hamilton was the entire point of that play, though. Are you making the point that the total diversity in Two Rivers is the point of WoT? I haven’t read the books. Maybe it is and I just don’t get it.

No. I don't think it is the point, although I think it is possible. At least with the core group of kids. The fact that they are all "special" could mean that they aren't all from the same gene pool. That would make some sort of sense.

But I suspect they were just trying to appeal to as many people as possible.