Almost every fantasy show is trying to be D&D or Game of Thrones

[Zardnaar]

How is Willow not sticking to the theme of its setting?

Have you watched the movie recently?

 

[MGibster]

yeah I'm curious myself. I mean WOT was just incredibly generic, RoP was....fine....just not great. But at no point did I get a GoT or DND vibe from either of them.

I haven't watched the series, and won't, but the original books didn't seem all that generic to me. Whatever faults he had as an author, he managed to create a setting that felt real. The Domani, the Seanchan, and the people of Two Rivers were fairly well thought out and he was pretty good about coming up with characters. A little too good after a few books, but I digress. It's got a fairly generic fantasy plot, but the Aes Sedai were something new to me, the Whitecloaks were interesting, and even the Trollocs and Myrddraal were interesting. It probably helps that there aren't a bunch of elves, dwarves, or other non humans populating the world save for the Ogier. It was certainly very different from D&D in 1989.

It suddenly occurs to me that you might be talking about the series. Which I can't comment on. I'm just going to leave my post here as a monument to my discombobulation.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Its left me wondering if a lot of the showrunners are CR fans frustrated that they don't have access to D&D worlds like Forgotten Realms or Exandria, so they try and make the fantasy setting they get into D&D shows even when it doesn't fit the setting.

... no?

The bad fantasy shows are bad for the same reason bad fantasy shows have always been bad. Cocaine is easy to get and a lot of these showrunners don't have any ambitions beyond getting paid.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think its actually due to creators prioritizing evangelizing the same shared progressive ideals rather than be faithful to the source materials and their fandoms.

What?

How on earth are the flaws of Wheel of Time (which are many) due to its non-existent politics?

 

[AnotherGuy]

The bad fantasy shows are bad for the same reason bad fantasy shows have always been bad. Cocaine is easy to get and a lot of these showrunners don't have any ambitions beyond getting paid.

Bad fantasy shows are crushingly bad these days because in addition to the reasons you gave and as Jaydin mentioned, the creative teams behind these awful shows prioritize evangelizing the same shared progressive ideals rather than being faithful to the source materials and their fandoms. All this leads to unlikable characters which doesn't bode well for the series/movie.

It is why the numerous podcasters of pop culture these days are having their subscription and viewership numbers swell up.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Fantasy show that doesn't try to be GoT or D&D: His Dark Materials (BBC/HBO).

 

[Jahydin]

What?

How on earth are the flaws of Wheel of Time (which are many) due to its non-existent politics?

Not sure what you're asking?

I'm saying Wheel of Time, Rings of Power, Blood Origins, and Willow all look incredibly similar due to the creators' shared "vision" of how "modernizing" these franchises should look like. Instead of unique settings with their own morals, cultures, and fashions, we get slight variations of fantasy "modern day Hollywood".

WotC is also feeling the same vibe, thus the similarities. I don't think any of these shows are copying D&D, I think they are just in creative agreement.

Personally, not my thing. I enjoy fantasy that's completely different to my own world and sensibilities. Probably why in recent memory my favorite movies have been The Green Knight, The Northman, and The VVitch.

 

[aco175]

This may be a case of there are no original ideas. One could argue that all medical shows are based on Quincy MD, or City Hospital from 1951, but I had to look that one up. Are all cop shows based on Dragnet with Col. Potter.

Wasn't there some line asked to Salvatore about Drizzt books and how many are too many. He said something about how many cop shows are based in New York.

 

[billd91]

I'm saying Wheel of Time, Rings of Power, Blood Origins, and Willow all look incredibly similar due to the creators' shared "vision" of how "modernizing" these franchises should look like. Instead of unique settings with their own morals, cultures, and fashions, we get slight variations of fantasy "modern day Hollywood".

What shared vision? Modern fabrics? Modern speech patterns or wisecracks? A notion of respect toward individual rights?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Most shows are bad.

That there are more bad fantasy shows is simply a result of there being more fantasy shows, period. Which is good.

This is the golden age of fantasy TV- simply because we have the special effects to make the series, the proven market, and the desire to make serious fantasy. That we can bemoan misfires like Wheel of Time is actually a testament to how far we have come - that would have been event TV at almost any other time.