Les chroniques de Shannara

I waited for this expecting a new fantasy show, an interesting world, fantastic characters with different traits and magic and... all I got was a stupid teenage soap opera. What a garbage. But then I read "MTV", great, stupid me expecting quality when all they produce is quantity. So so sad...

Before I started wacthing this, I saw a lot of negative reviews, so I was expecting a poor show, but since I like fantasy genre, I've decided to give it a try and can't say I'm dissapointed. On the contrary, I've enjoyed this series greatly. This is a simple, entertaining fantasy series and it should be in my opinion reviewed and rated based on what it tries to be. And it delivers quite exactly what it promises.

The plot is simple and pretty much linear: there is a bad guy, there is a need to perform a quest to defeat him and there are twists and obstacles in the way that have to be overcomed to achieve the goal. I saw people laughing at the simplicity of a plotline. Well, I don't expect multi-layer plot in heroic fantasy like Lord of the Rings or many other movies that belong to this genre, this is just not a place for it. So I was not at all dissapointed by plotline.

The characters are also rather typical for the genre, mostly black & white with an interesting shades of grey in the middle (like Eritrea) that stir things a bit. Actors are mostly young so you won't probably see some tremendous acting in Shannara Chronicles, but James Remar stands out greatly among them, his Cephelo is tremendously played character, even if he's a cliche of a rogue.

The world portrayed in the series is interesting, it's not a typical fantasy setting, but a world that arose on the ruins and ashes of our world, with riuns scattering the landscape and remnants of an old technology here and there. It convinced me to read the books upon which the series is based.

Overall, I think most bad reviews come from putting Shannara Chronicles on the wrong shelf, as for simple fantasy which is meant to entertain, it is a very good show.

As someone who has read almost every book in the Shannara series multiple times, I can understand why there is such an uproar about this show being picked up by MTV. However, after last night's two hour premiere I found myself very excited about this series. Now for a quick breakdown of what I liked and disliked:

The Bad: As this is an MTV series, it is VERY geared toward the young adult audience. This much is apparent right off the bat. Now while this is a slight "con" for me as I am no longer a young adult, it could certainly be conceived as a "pro" for those young adults who strive to watch more on their favorite TV channel than pregnant teens and gyrating pop stars. That being said, there were some very cheesy conversations and "Twilight-y" moments, but not enough to be overwhelming.

The Good: The Shannara Chronicles is chock-full of spectacle. The sets are detailed and immense, the characters are intriguing, and the CGI is magnificent without being overbearing. The two standouts for me are Allanon and the Dagda Mor. Manu Bennett conveys just the right amount of power and mystery. The Dagda Mor could be one of the coolest villains I've seen in quite a while, and that's just based on what little we've seen of him so far. Another surprising treat is the music. Hard to explain, but to me it just feels like a perfect fit so far.

I hold a lot of hope for this series. Even though it's been noticeably MTV'd, there is plenty there for fans of the books and discerning viewers looking for something original and entertaining. So give it a solid chance, go in with no expectations or preconceived notions, and I think you too will find yourself pleasantly surprised.

I have not read the source books (never even knew they exist), so I do not have any reference to how much the TV version deviates from it. But I found the world presentation pretty good, all the overgrown technology etc. I would welcome a bit more of the other races (Gnomes/Dwarves), but it might be too soon for that.

However, I think that the "eyes up here" scene at river in Episode 3 was a bit pointless, but probably had to be due to it being on MTV. Also, Wil in few scenes sounds like Hayden Christensen in SW prequels, which is to say, awful, but it is just few scenes, so it is bearable.

But, the special effects are pretty good or a TV show and most actors are pretty good as well.

I would give the series a chance, see how it develops.

In presenting "The Shannara Chronicles", MTV leaves the real world behind and, surprisingly, gives us a scripted fantasy series. It might be described as "The Hunger Games" meets the LOTR. The protagonist is a young elven woman, Amberle (Poppy Drayton), who is drawn into a quest to save the Four Lands, which are threatened by demons.

All the trappings of a fantasy tale can be found in this story, including incantations, runes, trolls, gnomes, swords, magic artifacts and even a large tree that is a metaphor for the health of the land and its inhabitants.

The characters are not as developed as one might wish, given how quickly the narrative moves. But there is a wide array of interesting characters, including Wil (Austin Butler), a human/elf halfbreed and Eretria (Ivana Baquero), a rover who lives off the land and the people she meets. And there is Allanon (Manu Bennett), a Druid warrior with mystical powers.

The strengths of the series are its visuals: detailed costumes, striking sets, strong CGI, imaginative makeup, and wonderful scenery, thanks to the New Zealand locations.

I have not read the novels that are the source material for "The Shannara Chronicles", but I believe shows should stand on their own. As such, it is engaging. No doubt some will be enthralled by the fact that two of the three strongest characters are young women. Fans of LOTR cycle and "The Hobbit" should feel comfortable in this world.

Update 3/7/16: The quality of the acting and the plot dropped somewhat in the last episode and a half of the first season. I am dropping my grade to "7".

Update 11/1/17: The writing has grown weaker. Now the dialogue and storyline feel uninspired and contrived. I am dropping my grade to "6".