I've been a huge wheel of time fan for years, I discovered the series when I was still at school, having just finished the lord of the rings series hidden in my textbooks every dull biology class.
When I heard that Amazon was going to turn it into a series, I was pumped. I imagined they would give it the same treatment as the first few seasons of GOT. Excited was an understatement. It's a series that gets very little said about it when compared with other high fantasy sagas. It had issues to be sure, but at the heart of all the skirt ruffling and silly love triangles, there is an incredible fantasy epic.
I was Disappointed...
I agree with every statement you have made.
The most infuriating was the lack of time to develop the characters, how rushed this whole season was. Each episode was a wtf why are we already here moment.
You mentioned Lan and Nynaeves relationship. Now, it's been a while since I've read those books, but I am almost certain I remember that building through a good long while of will they won't they moments, and being so excited when both stubborn ass characters finally admitted their feelings to one another in a touching and sentimental way, not just a quick booty call in the white tower, where omg the are both suddenly in love? When did that happen?
So yes I am disappointed at the adaptation. I will still watch it as a bit of fantasy fluff, and suspend association to the books, much like Eragon. Remember that terrible book adaptation? Or worse yet dungeons and dragons a long time back now.
Now if you want good high fantasy on TV, watch the Witcher season 2. They've canned the time hopping of the first season, and the story as a whole flows much better. Plus Henry Cavil is hot as hell as Geralt, and Ciri is shaping up to be an awesome heroine.
Yeah I think a lot of people are upset with the lack of character development and the general whipping through the story. You're right about Nynaeve and Lans relationship taking some time to develop.
I'm hoping that S2 is better. I'll go in with low expectations though lol.
I actually haven't finished the series yet. I'm only on book 8 so I still have some ways to go.
I've heard good things about The Witcher S2 but haven't started it yet. I didn't know the story before the show came out so I have no preconceived notions going in. I'll check it out some time soon.