Legend of the Seeker (TV Series) Perdition (2010) User Reviews

What's real?

[tenshi_ippikiookami · 8/10 · 28 August 2016]

Richard wakes up to discover he is still at the Palace of the Prophets, and that he didn't really run away, as he believed, but is still training to become a wizard. In a world where the bannelings have taken over and only a few are still alive. But it all is actually a trick of the Valley of Perdition, in which Richard, in his flight from the Palace of the Prophets, have lost himself in. Kahlan and the rest are trying to get to the Palace to meet with Richard again. And Nicci will try to get free with the help of other sisters of the dark...

This episode is another great one for the show. Richard being trapped in the Valley of Perdition lets the show do a "what if", and lets Craig Horner stretch his acting muscles a little bit. The rest of the group's adventures with the new Seeker are quite interesting, and the new threat of Nicci is real enough to keep the tension high. Lots of surprises and action happen thorough the episode and there's almost no moment of respite. The plot flies and all the characters have moments to shine. Really good episode.

Strange Variation

[deep-crystal · 5/10 · 31 January 2010]

I am a big fan of both the book series and the show, but it isn't very often that I am capable of watching the episodes just as they come out because of my busy weekends. This Sunday I got the treat of being home and watching a highly anticipated part of the plot, but I did not get the same feel of wonder that I did from the parallel universe of the books with this episode. Overall I was disappointed even though the dialogue and character insights were superb.

The Valley of Perdition was a centerpiece of Richard's awareness to his wizard powers in the Palace of the Prophets plot arc of the book, and while Episode 10 may have caught the undertones and danger of Perdition, it was a pale comparison. Richard may have prevailed through sheer force of personality and will, but the spell was not broken and no tokens of his triumph were immediately perceived (beyond his life, which is very important :)

Separating the book's story from the series is generally simple for me to do, but killing off a keystone character along with the momentum of the last two episodes in one stroke seems a bit much. As a recreational storyteller, I understand the want to rush into action and keep the audience on their toes, but taking away too much too quickly robs the viewer of the story's atmosphere. Connect, disconnect, back and forth until the climax followed by a resolution of some sort, this formula is visible in Light, Dark, and Perdition, but it felt anticlimactic and fell flat instead of resolving.

Where did Richard's power go? Does the Keeper have it... or was Nikki saved at the final instant?

Why was Verna smiling when the loss of something she has been fighting to protect may have evaporated forever? Sure, there is the obvious, but it feels cheap. Where did she go after the confrontation?

Of course I'll keep watching to see if these questions get answered, but I definitely hope to have this frustration stolen away before this season ends. Thankfully there is precedent, season one had some of the same story hang ups, and so maybe it will have me back on the edge of my seat before too long.

good up to a certain point

[scifiactionfan · 3/10 · 31 January 2010]

I'm a big fan of scifi, action, fantasy movies and I'm not really picky about plots.

I just want crazy stuff to be explained (and it's "magic" is not a good answer).

This series is really good up until season 2, episode 9.

The quality of the writing went way down and season 2, episode 10 had too many illogical parts.

I like the action and the plots are usually interesting.

I heard the individual stories are not based on the books but I've never read the books.

I wonder if they ran out of ideas.

If you like fantasy then it is worth watching because there is not much else out there. :-(

The BBC show Merlin is much better.