I’m doing an experiment with The Shannara Chronicles. This is one of the few reviews I’m going to do in which I not only am not familiar with the source material, but I’m going to not read it until I’m finished watching the series. Why do I commit this breach of “nerdom” you ask? I wanted to experience a fantasy series in visual media for the first time without any bias for books. I never got that chance with The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or Game of Thrones. If they make a Wheel of Time series, it will certainly be too late for that as well. I want to see how I genuinely feel about the story and characters that the media of television presents to me. (Or at least this is my excuse. I really hate when I’m not familiar with the source material of something I’m watching.)
What I did allow myself to learn about The Shannara Chronicles is that the show is based off of The Elfstones of Shannara, the second novel of the first trilogy by Terry Brooks. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic future earth in that is every high-fantasy lover’s wet dream with magic trees, elves, demons, swords, and sorcery. The story begins when Wil, a half-elf country boy learns from Allanon, a powerful druid he may be capable great magic. Meanwhile, Amberle, an elven princess must find a way to heal the afore-mentioned magic tree she swore to protect. I’m pretty sure I’ve played this campaign in Dungeons and Dragons.
The first few episodes certainly looked pretty enough to draw me in. I’m not just referring to the special effects and computer generated scenery, which I would rate as “passable” for television. The costumes, set designs, and ACTORS very much please the fifteen-year-old fantasy-lover girly girl hiding in the back of my head.
Come to think of it, everything about this show so far appeals to a part of me I’ve been working for ten years to repress. The “me” I was before I had to teach myself that fantasy should be only dark and gritty. Not that The Shannara Chronicles is lacking in that (and some decent gore!) I can’t quite put my finger on it, but the show also has this teenage romantic innocence about it. One can chalk that up to a little underlying cheesiness and some hammy CW style acting. Yet for some reason, I don’t hate it.
I anticipate I will soon have what people refer to as a “guilty pleasure” in this show. You can watch the first two episodes for free on mtv.com. Or catch it on Tuesdays at 10/9c.
