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Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. A medieval-style kingdom is ruled over by an iron-fisted tyrant with magical powers. A humble young man turns out to be the Chosen One who will defeat the tyrant by wielding a magic sword. An aged wizard and several colorful companions guide him along the path to maturity and his destiny.
Based on Terry Goodkind’s books in The Sword of Truth series, Legend of the Seeker certainly doesn’t break any new ground. Mostly covering events from the first book, Wizard’s First Rule (and there are 11 books in the series, so if they’re planning on doing one book per season, they’re clearly optimists), season one introduces us to the Seeker Richard Cypher (Craig Horner), Wizard of the First Order Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander (Bruce Spence), and Mother Confessor Kahlan Amnell (Bridget Regan) and their quest to overthrow the evil Darken Rahl (Craig Parker).
It’s all very typical fantasy epic stuff, with many portentous names (gee…could there be something sinister about a guy named “Darken” or something unknown about a guy named “Cypher”?), powerful and strategically available magical artifacts, and wars between countries that are hard to keep straight. Tolkien laid down the modern template for all this years ago, and while the trappings change from series to series, the themes stay the same.
That being the case, it’s really those trappings that make or break a series like this. Luckily, the guys behind Legend of the Seeker are the same ones who made Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, though they’ve thankfully dropped the slapstick humor that made those two shows all but unwatchable for me. If anything, this one strays perhaps a little too far in the opposite direction. Sword-and-sorcery always carries a whiff of the ridiculous, and striking a believable balance on television is notoriously difficult in this genre.
Lead actors Horner and Regan are both young and extremely attractive, a must for series television these days. They each have their share of both solid, well-performed scenes and clunkers throughout the season, though both show promising improvement in the later episodes. Genre veteran Spence proves a treat as the cranky wizard Zedd, delivering many of the show’s best comic and dramatic moments. And while Craig Parker manages to show some charisma as the nefarious Lord Rahl, the part is so woefully underwritten that you sometimes wonder why it takes a prophecy and a trio of magical heroes to dethrone him.
While the actors occasionally seem underwhelming, they’re backed up by a remarkable production department. Shot in New Zealand, the scenery is just stunning (though the included making-of shows how well-done the stage work is as well). The fight choreography is tense and tight, if perhaps a little too fond of slow-motion tricks. Even the computer effects are mostly convincing, and they’re used sparingly enough not to detract too much from the experience. These guys know what they’re doing, and it elevates Legend of the Seeker above what it might have otherwise achieved.
If you’re not a fan of sword fights, magic, and overly earnest young people in Renaissance Festival garb, there’s probably not much here to convert you. If you enjoy the genre, and you’re not too hung up on a perfect page-to-screen translation of the books, then there’s a lot here to enjoy. While I’m still not entirely clear on Seekers, Confessors, and the other particulars of Goodkind’s fantasy world, I’m looking forward to the start of season two.
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