The Wheel of Time Season 2: Unforeseen Twist Led to a Complete Rewrite!
The Wheel of Time Season 2 undergoes a dramatic transformation as one actor's departure leads to an entirely rewritten storyline Discover the intriguing journey of showrunner Rafe Judkins and his team as they embrace unforeseen changes
Summary
Season 2 of The Wheel of Time underwent significant changes due to the departure of actor Barney Harris, resulting in a complete rewrite of the entire season.
Showrunner Rafe Judkins clarifies that in the current narrative, the spotlight is on the individual journeys of the five main characters, diverging from the original content of the book.
Notwithstanding the difficulties encountered, the alterations implemented in the second season have garnered positive feedback, allowing the show to maintain the distinctive elements of The Wheel of Time while accommodating the limitations of television.
The production of the first season of The Wheel of Time faced significant challenges. Filming was initially halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the show experienced the departure of Barney Harris, one of its core actors, for undisclosed reasons. As a result, the character of Mat was recast, with Donal Finn now portraying the role in season 2. Finn delivers an impressive performance as Mat, even though the show's storyline for the character has undergone significant changes. In fact, not only Mat but also Rand and Perrin start season 2 in very different circumstances compared to what book readers might expect. In a recent interview with Screen Rant, showrunner Rafe Judkins sheds light on the reasons behind these alterations, connecting them to Barney Harris.
How Barney Harris' Exit Changed Season 1's Ending
: The entire season underwent a complete rewrite, with our focus shifting towards portraying Mat as a hero who remains unaware of his own heroic qualities. Although we were unable to explore the captivating tale of the three boys embarking on a quest for the Horn of Valere, we firmly believe that in the realm of television storytelling, there is no room for apologies. Therefore, we fully embraced the narrative of the five inhabitants of Emond's Field, known as the Emond’s Field Five, as they embarked on separate paths for the very first time.
The reception of The Wheel of Time season 2 has been largely positive, indicating that Judkins and the rest of the filmmaking team have successfully embraced the necessary changes. Interestingly, Harris' departure has had an impact on the ending of season 1 as well. The following conversation confirms that certain moments in the season 1 finale deviated from the original material as part of a setup for the new direction of season 2.
Screen Rant: So, does this imply that Rand's decision at the end of season 1 was meant to lead to their separation because of Mat?
Rafe Judkins: Absolutely. This was a crucial aspect we wanted to explore, the notion of them being independent characters. We made this choice intentionally and successfully portrayed compelling storylines for each of them individually.
Production is underway for The Wheel of Time season 3, and with COVID-19 closures becoming a distant memory and Donal Finn solidified as the actor for Mat's role, the path ahead looks promising. However, it is anticipated that there will be alterations from the book. Television and book writing have distinct rules, and trimming and compacting certain elements can enhance the storytelling. Nevertheless, Judkins' intention has always been to uphold the exceptional qualities of The Wheel of Time.
