User reviews

I loved season 1 and gave it a rating of 7.

Season 2 is nothing like that. I really have to pay attention not to fall asleep watching each episode. The mystique is gone and the entertainment is waning. I have reached episode 6 and found it no different from the forgoing episodes. The time has come to face the truth; season 2 is not worth a rating of 7. I therefore downgrade the series to 6 and hope that it doesn't get worse, when it no longer qualifies to watch.

Pity. I have never read the books so cannot compare it with the written words. I will see season 2 out, but cannot guarantee to watch a season 3, if this is on the cards.

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.

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.

I love this series of books..what I am really tired of in general is when they turn these book series into tv series or movies and they can't be true to the story, I hate when they add stuff in that doesn't belong. I hate when they change the order if events. I hate when if in a book they describe a characters looks a certain way and they look nothing like the description. I hate when they add characters in that weren't a part of the book to begin with. I would rather see 2-4 episodes per book and do it right as per the book.

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.

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".

I'm extremely picky when it comes to watching shows. I have to care. I'm glad to admit that I care! It's not perfect, it has it's downfalls, but this show is very special. There are reasons why it's not a perfect 10, and I'll eloborate about it below. I'll also address some of the criticism this show gets here.

The bad -

The show is aimed at a younger audience, as in teens to young adults, but it has a mature theme. Some might call it a bit "edgy" (very slightly though in my taste) but not to the point where it seems too strained, and it really depends if you're bothered by that or not.

Character arcs and especially character development only really happen to the supporting roles. Whether it's the Elves or the Rovers. Some of the time to finish the arc the character has to die. But we'll come back to that below.

The good -

The show isn't afraid of killing characters, even ones you were introduced to from the start, which what sets it apart from Twilight, and especially Shadowhunters (both books and the tv show) and what gives it even more purpose, sense of danger goes well with the other mature themes that it has. More shows should do this, honestly.

Arcs are well planned out. You really get what motives the character to act like it does and what makes it do the things that it does and say. I never felt like a character died before it needed to do what it's supposed to do.

World building is the greatest quality this show has. They really did an excellent job on this, perhaps it's even on par with Stargate.

Eretria might be my favorite female character ever.

The middle -

Because the show has a strong complex female lead, it get a lot of unwarranted criticism about it's "women empowerment" and I beg to differ! Women are not acting masculine and men are not disempowered in this show, unlike many other stories in recent media (comics, book, other TV shows). It also doesn't do the opposite, where the female lead just waits for her hot vampire boyfriend. I honestly believe it's men and women, working together for a better cause. As much as it has it's female lead, it also has an equal amount of male lead.

If you have any doubts, give this show a try. It's one of the only worthwhile fantasy shows that going on at the moment.

It's been a very long time since I've read THE SWORD OF SHANARA, and I really don't recall it having to do much with this, as SWORD was nearly identical to the adventures of Bilbo's nephew in Middle Earth.

Hard to see much originality in the type of world of these chronicles, and that was accepted a long time ago.

However, all these Middle Earth clones have their own little nuances, for lack of a better word.

These chronicles look to be off to a good start. It's obviously written for young men, since the women are the mystery characters. And that's the switch that makes this original. Too many of the "fantasy" films and novels have been written for women, alienating the young men. This is a long overdue response to a one sided market that snubbed the guys.

And guys have been snubbed because producers have correctly noted that the women in the household make the decisions. Men do what they're told. The most henpecked of men are the ones who are so beaten that they can't admit it.

This show is a fantasy world of hot women being enigmas and being cool, and men doing the observing and reacting.

Since the male characters are observing and reacting to the actions of the beautiful women of this show, this is a total male fantasy. There'll be some women who like this, too. The more confident ones.

Any special effects, any trolls or gnomes or demons, are all just "dividends" here. The show is fantasy for males, and that's good. The two chief male characters are a likable combo of experienced tutor (a druid in this case) and "anointed young man" who actually is quite believable under the circumstances, and that will antagonize the Beavis and Butthead bubble boys, of course.

Still, the audience for this is educated young people in need of entertainment and release of stress. There is no "great lesson" here. It's release of tension. The situations so far are almost all life and death, or at least extreme. And that makes the hero's sense of humor give him a 007 appeal. He isn't the superman that the women and gay guys want, but rather an ordinary sort who tries his best, and does his best.

The "genre" and "sub genre" aren't original, but the way this is handled is very risk taking in a culture where young heterosexual men are alienated and have little say in the decisions of TV and movies.

A welcome change. It will be welcomed by the straight young men, for sure.

I've read the Terry Brooks books for over 25 years. I've read all of them and I love them. Is this show a faithful adaptation to the letter of those books? No. Is the show terrible? Absolutely not. Any review that says it's low-budget with sub-par effects is trolling. Pure and simple. The show has effects equal to any on network or premium television and is in the same league as some big budget movies. It has the spirit of the Shannara books and I found it fun, entertaining and exciting. The first couple of episodes were a bit rushed making story transitions that were likely days seem like mere moments but that is a minor issue. My rating system is simple if I was entertained and want to see more then it at least gets a 7. I can watch it with my teenagers then it gets an 8. If I liked it enough to write a review - 10. I hope MTV keeps sex out of it (there's some near-nudity in the first 2 episodes that could have been skipped). It's not necessary and Brooks' books simply don't have it. I like the cast, the acting is actually decent (despite the ridiculous troll reviews) and in some instances good. If you like high fantasy, you will probably enjoy this. If you hate seeing young people portraying young people, or don't like fantasy then stay away.

The Shannara Chronicles, is a sci fi/fantasy show that would appear to be pitched squarely at a teen audience.

The hero's of the piece are all late teens, vying to make their mark on the world and in one case, avert an impending apocalypse.

I would start by saying this show has, in my estimation, very limited appeal outside, what appears to be, its target demographic. It lacks the maturity and depth to attract adult viewers. For teens however, I personally think the writers and producers have done a reasonable job.

The story whilst not terribly original (its reminiscent of Lord of the Rings) has enough interest to engage the viewer. There's good story development too with enough detail and action, to keep the viewer happy. The characterizations are predictable and a little clinched but not so much so, that they come across as cardboard cut outs.

All in all, not a bad little series, that I would say, should have, reasonable appeal to a late teen and maybe, early twenty something audience. Seven out of ten from me.

I have read every book that Terry Brooks has written (except Star wars Ep1) Yes there are differences between this and the book, lets be fair there had to be. (same thing happened to LOTR, The Hobbit and Harry Potter)

I loved all of the books and enjoyed this also, yes the episode is a little scrambled compared to the book and yes it will take a while to get used to the actors playing those parts but I think it will get there.

I would however like to add that Manu as 'Allanon' was an epic choice and he suits the role well, and I don't mind Austin as 'Wil'l either as I think he will develop into the roll.

All in all a good bit of TV, and I think people will be more interested in future episodes as there will be more action and effects... just remember how long it took Thrones to get good!!!..

Do yourself a favour, give it a view and give it a chance before you damn it into eternity.

So much potential.. nice production, picture, landscaping, soundtrack, special effects, all are quite good for a TV Series. There aren't many shows now days combining all of these elements, particularly in this genre. But it does have its flaws in my opinion two major ones... at least so far (6th episode). The acting is mediocre for most characters with main actress Amberle, being by far the worst. You think Kristen Stewart is bad wait until you see Poppy Drayton, all her acting and emotions are resumed in maybe and yes, I am being generous, 3 facial expressions! You will never know whether she's happy, scared, crying.. it all looks quite the same. Another major issue is the fact that the script tip toes on the border line of teen stupidity way too often. It's quite sad because the whole thing has so much potential often I feel like the age bracket could kick up a notch. But hey it's MTV and that's their public right? The good thing is as I mentioned it sort of tip toes on this issue so you will experience some adult dialogs and scenes with Manu Bennett (Allanon) acting as the adulthood anchor. He gives the story some credibility. Without him it's like kinder garden meets The Hunger Games with a sprinkle of Lord of the Rings. If you can get past the sub par acting and all the teen cheesiness you will have a good time and it will be a nice addition to your Series ''Portfolio'.

A quote "I don't want your sloppy seconds" I don't recall that from the Terry Brooks books. I was happy to give this a go but it was absolute drivel. Rubbish script and just borrowed the name from the books to fool people. Avoid.

I've just seen the first double episode with my roommate and we both were very amazed with the special effects, storyline (we haven't read the books and it's interesting that the story is in the futuristic human world that was destroyed) and how it was directed in general.

I was very taken by the scenery and how they portrayed this futuristic world. The cast is very good. But the thing that really pulled me in was how realistic and good were special effects.

With a lot of newer fantasy TV shows I was very disappointed because their special effects basically sucked and were very disturbing in a way.

I really hope this TV show will stick and we're looking forward to the development of the story and characters.

For anyone, who still is in doubt, I really recommend to just watch it and be pulled into this amazing fantasy world...

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...

Well i didnt expect much but it was way better than i expected season 1 were way better thou season 2 lacking due good world building maybe coz they all killed because of budget shortage? Im not sure

MC is also making weird faces in season2! Un related to the mood of around him!

Not mention woke BS in season 2 is way too overbearing

nonetheless enjoyable show

i hope some day see season 3 as well.

I've been looking forward to this for years. Terry mentioned it several times to me in passing but it seemed that he would not allow anyone to pick up Elfstones without proper support. It would take a team with vision and integrity to make the story come alive, and Terry was waiting for the right combination. It appears that MTV was that group.

Everyone needs to lighten up a bit. I was disappointed in LOTR when it hit the screen. My disappointment was mostly centered around the world not being "fantastic" enough for my imagination. And although both series (LOTR and Shannara) are centered around the concept of "earth" as the physical location, LOTR was missing the "fantasy" piece (IMO) that a movie like Neverending Story and/or Legend had in spades. It took several movies to really bring out the best of LOTR's vision; likely due to budget restrictions. Return of the King was by far the most spectacular of the 3 movies in regard to "fantasy". Likely because the movies were fairing so well at the box office. So on that note, I applaud MTV for doing a great job on the sets and CGI. At some point, going down the CGI road is a never-ending money-pit and generates just as many complaints from avid fans that want more story (like the previous Star Wars movies.) It is true that the elves are just humans with pointy ears so far, and I'm waiting to see how fantastic the rest of the races are portrayed. One interesting observation was the portrayal of Trolls having "gas masks" of sort. Akin to a Steampunk future. This interests me because it appears MTV is setting up a link to Armageddons Children. Having commented on that; I was surprised to see how much of the "current" world is in The Shannara Chronicles. I always imagined the "Great War Of The Races" was thousands of years in the future and not much, if any, of the old world existed. In TCOS, Wil and Amberle are already walking past old rusted out cars and buildings. Whose to say the Seattle Space Needle will still even be standing not unlike the twin towers? Especially after the Great War of the races? In that regard I think the vision of TCOS was a little short-sighted. I would have liked to see a world more "made-over" by natural disasters caused perhaps by human influence and war. For instance, I hope the Dragonsteeth mountains are not just a rename of some mountain currently in New Zealand. I would like to see something that cannot be witnessed on our current planet...mountains that rise 50-70,000 feet type thing. Because that is what fantasy is all about. Letting our imaginations run wild. The Chronicles of Shannara is just that, Fantasy. Somewhat humanlike races, along with humans, living in a totally different world... a world we shouldn't be able to recognize any longer as the one we now live in.

Putting the book to screen is daunting because it begins to remove my personal rendition of the book and characters, and it now forces me to accept a lesser portrayal of the world of Shannara simply because the screen writers and directors lack the vision and budget. However, would I rather my most beloved author and good friend never see this opportunity to expand his audience, with the hopes that a new generation will find the same fantastic world I did over 30 years ago? I could never deny him that opportunity, nor should I cringe when evaluating all the petty, small things while watching the show. Even if the show fails miserably... I'll always have the Elfstones waiting for me on my book shelf, signed over to me by the man himself... Terry Brooks. If the show finds wings and sprouts a new audience...who knows?, we may see many more years of Shannara movies and TV shows...and that can never be a bad thing.

Footnote: I own every book Terry has ever published. 1st editions, in triplicate. All signed. Along with any anthologies he's been party to writing. Along with any books written by other artists (Rowena & Keith Parkinson) 1st editions, signed by Terry. I have all of his books on tape, cd, etc... all signed by Terry. When my wife & I married, Terry & Judine were invited to our wedding. It has been one of the great privileges of my life to have known them. We have many hand-written letters and Christmas Cards from the Brooks' and they reside in a special bookcase reserved just for Terry Brooks. So, in that regard I feel I have "some" input since I've read the Elfstones over 20 times along with the rest of his material.

It's a great show for me to watch. I know all the characters intimately, calling them by name even before their names are mentioned, and I'm immersed in a Shannara-world I recognize, but am excited by! Why? Because now there are new things to see.

I am a huge fan of the Shannara series since I started reading many years ago. I knew that the TV series would not be close to the books and did not expect it to be so since it was so much in the book that would be difficult to put into special effects. Watching the premier, I can say I have found myself saying different from the book but I am enjoying the story just the same. I love fantasy in general so it is nice to see the characters I have read so much about. For those reviews who disapprove, their expectations should not have been to hold the series to the letter...but to expand on the stories we love to read and reread for our imagination to run wild with the added effects from the series....

I didn't read the books. If I should describe shortly the context I'd say it looks like a GoT but with a bigger part of magic and fantastic creatures.

The first episode is in fact 2 episodes (lasts 80mns). The first part isn't really good but if you give it a try and wait approximately 30mn, it gets really great.

Of course there is a little teen drama side but the plot overly compensates it.

The scenery is beautiful. Of course it is CGI but really well done, I'm quite surprised by MTV on this one.

I don't like some of the actors but if you watched GoT you know that's not that problematic.

TL;DR : a bit of teen drama but watch it, it's good.

The show is pretty much your classic MTV show, piled on top of Terry Brooks' novels. Female empowerment angle? Check. Lazy exposition where a character says things for no reason other than to inform the audience? Check. Teenagers being super moody, irrational, all while doing cool things? Check. It's far from the worst thing I have ever watched, but also far from what could have been done with these novels. The show is largely targeted at the young teen crowd, and you can see elements of twilight all over it.

Short breakdown: Costumes: 3/10 For the most part looking like kids in costumes (there are a few exceptions). Stitching and materials all looking modern. Elf ears look plastic.

Plot: 6/10 The plot isn't complex, but is consistent and followable.

Dialogue/acting: 4/10 Again, more modern teenage angst than appropriate for the world it is set in.

Worldbuilding: 8/10 Terry left them a good world. They only messed it up a little. Hopefully we will see some more in future episodes.

Synopsis: I'll probably watch another few episodes, and I will probably regret doing so.

**might contain spoilers**

It was awesome. I read all the books, and- yes, there are differences- but there OBVIOUSLY had to be differences. Look at LOTR, Harry Potter, and many others, there are always differences because it's a different way of story-telling. The photography is absolutely amazing, and the cast is really good too (Allanon is freaking amazing, and i'm absolutely in love with Poppy Drayton). The only thing that's disappointing me right now is the absence of the Ripper which i hope will soon be introduced as it was one of my favorite characters in the books. Can't wait for more!

Review of Season One:

I watched THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES mainly because I'm a fantasy fan and I vaguely remember reading the books some twenty or so years ago. The stories haven't stayed with me so it was as if I came to this series feeling fresh. I'd hoped for something intelligent and authentic, maybe along the lines of GAME OF THRONES, although of course I wasn't foolish enough to expect anything approaching the quality of that production. What I got was a TV series that verges on the amateur. This is closer to IN THE NAME OF THE KING than LORD OF THE RINGS, and in every single episode the lack of a decent budget is more than apparent. At times the set-bound adventures look like they should be taking place on a stage in some cheesy theatrical production; certainly the costumes and in particular the look of the monsters is quite ridiculous.

The storyline has been condensed down so that there seems to be a lack of material to fill the episodes. What we do get is a dumbed down script that seems to have gone for the young adult market, so most of the cast is populated by bland youths who simper around and spend far too much of the time navel gazing instead of getting on with stuff. Not that THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES is all bad. There's a fantastic role for the reliable Manu Bennett (Crixus from SPARTACUS), who is undoubtedly the best thing in it and who automatically raieses the interest. John Rhys-Davies is here too. Some of the CGI effects aren't too shabby, and I was pleased to note that with a few violent scenes that this isn't a production entirely aimed at the kids. But I notice that they're making a second season of this show, and if they want it to be, you know, good, then they're going to have to do a lot better than this barely-passable offering.