# "Shannara Chronicles" - coming to MTV soon! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 8, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585 "2015-07-08T15:46:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/21 "2015-09-01T15:00:33Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I expected it to be a lot worse than that, that actually looked promising. I guess John Favreau is producing it. I hope that means it is decent. I would have been happier to learn Sam and Ivan Raimi are involved. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/22 "2015-09-01T15:54:32Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I did like that the the Shannara setting was post apocalyptic. Except that that was just an attempt to distance it from Tolkien. IIRC, it had virtually no real significance to the plots or characters. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/23 "2015-09-01T16:09:55Z")
In the first book there was a scene set in some old city ruins. And there was the guy who was a master of chemistry in a much later book. But yeah, the apocalypse was really a way to explain the origin of the various races. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/24 "2015-09-01T16:13:46Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > In the first book there was a scene set in some old city ruins. And there was the guy who was a master of chemistry in a much later book. But yeah, the apocalypse was really a way to explain the origin of the various races. Except the Elves. The Elves had always been there. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![JayRx1981](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@JayRx1981](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayRx1981)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/25 "2015-09-03T00:14:21Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Except that that was just an attempt to distance it from Tolkien. IIRC, it had virtually no real significance to the plots or characters. It was eventually used to tie together Brooksā€™ Word and Void series (set in ā€œourā€ world) with the rest of the Shannara universe via the Genesis (trilogy) and Legends (duology) of Shannara series. One almost has to wonder when/how heā€™s going to tie the Magic Kingdom of Landover into the whole thingā€¦oh wait, he did that in the first Landover book by separating those worlds by some magical Faerie megaverse with little pocket worlds inside of it. Iā€™ll probably give it a watch. I didnā€™t expect much from Arrow, The Flash, or the Vampire Diaries, and I do enjoy watching those now. Legends of the Seeker on the other handā€¦someone get me some brain bleach, both for the show and the books. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2015, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/26 "2015-09-05T04:24:20Z")
> [@Wolverine](#): > > The trailer was just released. [Link here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDR8b1SpoSc&index=1&list=PLBPLVvU_jvGszbxBRdSqe3bcWLDotuP3z) > > Iā€™m another ā€œRead it as a pre-teenā€ so I donā€™t have the hate for the series like I probably should. The show looks better than I was expecting but thatā€™s mostly due to the trailer not showing the actors trying to emote. As long of the actors donā€™t get in the way of the scenery (especially the ruin porn - which looks great), it could be even be a decent show. They actually spent some money on it, so already a better quality production than I expected. ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/27 "2016-01-03T12:54:21Z")
Bumping because it premiers in 2 days. The reviews have started to come in and theyā€™ve been positive. There arenā€™t many respected review sources (metacritic and rotten tomatoes have both 0 reviews listed) but here are a couple Iā€™ve found. [Collider](http://collider.com/the-shannara-chronicles-review-mtv/) [Forbes](http://www.forbes.com/sites/merrillbarr/2015/12/28/the-shannara-chronicles-game-of-thrones-star-wars-mtv/) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/28 "2016-01-03T17:45:01Z")
> [@Wolverine](#): > > Bumping because it premiers in 2 days. The reviews have started to come in and theyā€™ve been positive. There arenā€™t many respected review sources (metacritic and rotten tomatoes have both 0 reviews listed) but here are a couple Iā€™ve found. > > [Collider](http://collider.com/the-shannara-chronicles-review-mtv/) > [Forbes](http://www.forbes.com/sites/merrillbarr/2015/12/28/the-shannara-chronicles-game-of-thrones-star-wars-mtv/) Iā€™m definitely curious. I just want it to be as good as the Legend of the Seeker TV show, which was far superior to the books it was based on. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/29 "2016-01-05T00:59:31Z")
50 on Metacritic now, 4.2/29% on Rotten Tomatoes. Hmm. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/30 "2016-01-05T23:50:34Z")
Reviews are definitely mixed, but it is in my genre. Iā€™m cheering for it. I just hope the MTV angle doesnā€™t turn it into crap. I havenā€™t seen a show on MTV since Beavis and Butthead. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/31 "2016-01-06T00:00:14Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Lol wut r shooz Shoes are the tools of the oppressor. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/32 "2016-01-06T01:03:25Z")
I remember, from reading the series when I was in middle school, that the setting is technically post-apocalyptic: like Middle Earth is supposed to be our world, but in a distant, forgotten past, Shannara is supposed to be our world in an equally distant future. But I donā€™t recall this detail actually featuring very prominently in the story. There was a ā€œWatcher in the Waterā€ type monster in the first book, which was supposed to be some revenant of the old world, but not much else that was specifically recognizable. In the trailer, though, Iā€™m seeing derelict cargo ships and what looks like a toppled Space Needle. Is MTV playing up that angle hard for their show, or were did the books really have that many references to our world, and they just went over my head? ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/33 "2016-01-06T02:02:57Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I remember, from reading the series when I was in middle school, that the setting is technically post-apocalyptic: like Middle Earth is supposed to be our world, but in a distant, forgotten past, Shannara is supposed to be our world in an equally distant future. But I donā€™t recall this detail actually featuring very prominently in the story. There was a ā€œWatcher in the Waterā€ type monster in the first book, which was supposed to be some revenant of the old world, but not much else that was specifically recognizable. In the trailer, though, Iā€™m seeing derelict cargo ships and what looks like a toppled Space Needle. > > Is MTV playing up that angle hard for their show, or were did the books really have that many references to our world, and they just went over my head? Iā€™ve only read\* Sword of Shannara\* and the _Voyage of the Jerle Shannara_ trilogy, so Iā€™m not sure how it plays out in the other books\*. But in the \*Voyage \*trilogy the Big Bad is a computer thatā€™s trying to use magic as a source of power so it drains any elves or Druids it gets hold of. \*Iā€™m reading the whole series now. Itā€™s been on Mt. ToBeRead for a while anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/34 "2016-01-06T04:32:33Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > ā€¦ theyā€™ve cast [John Rhys-Davies](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1051220/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_2) as an elf? Thatā€™sā€¦ differentā€¦ [Jesus, that is one used-up looking elf.](http://screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/shannara-chronicles-jonathan-rhys-davies-Eventine-Elessedil.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/35 "2016-01-06T13:52:46Z")
How was it? Iā€™m watching it tonight. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/36 "2016-01-06T14:36:57Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > [http://www.slashfilm.com/shannara-chronicles-image/](http://www.slashfilm.com/shannara-chronicles-image/) > > I stopped reading these in the mid-80s, but I do recall liking them for a while. Admittedly one of their best features was that they stole liberally from Tolkien, thus giving those of us whoā€™d read LotR a dozen times something else to enjoy. > > It will be interesting to see if they can go light on the cheese and heavy on the adventure. I read the first one, and it was so obviously derivative of Tolkien (they even had it illustrated by The Brother Hildebrand, who were doing Tolkien at that time) that I never read another book by Brooks (not even non-Shannare stuff). For all I know, they got better. Although, judging from the OP, perhaps they stayed just as derivative. John Rhys-Davies as an _elf_? When they had all those dwarves to play? Maybe he got tired of doing Dwarves. Or wanted to show that he had dramatic range. Or maybe the producers wanted to demonstrate that they werenā€™t _completely_ derivative. (ā€œSee? We got John Rhys-Davies from Lord of the Rings! But heā€™s _not_ a dwarf. Or an Ent.ā€) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/37 "2016-01-06T14:50:06Z")
My son read the books long ago and watched. He could not get past the opening gambit. ā€œIn the book you are in her head, sensing the trees and obstacles. On TV itā€™s a bunch of blindfolded and bound people stupidly running through the forest!ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/38 "2016-01-06T18:00:31Z")
I enjoyed it. I was worried it would be too ā€œMTVā€™dā€, but it turned out very well. Good acting, GREAT effects, and a very good story line. Iā€™m looking forward to the next episode. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/39 "2016-01-06T22:07:26Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Shoes are the tools of the oppressor. Personally, I prefer a good, solid cudgel, but a shoe will do in a pinch. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585/40 "2016-01-06T22:18:33Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > [Jesus, that is one used-up looking elf.](http://screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/shannara-chronicles-jonathan-rhys-davies-Eventine-Elessedil.jpg) Looks like heā€™s been hitting the waybread a little too hard. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shannara-chronicles-coming-to-mtv-soon/724585.md?page=3)