The Shannara Chronicles Season 1 Episode 10

[Maggie Szydlowski]

TheShannara Chronicles is an American fantasy drama television series created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. It is an adaptation of The Sword of Shannara trilogy of fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. It follows three heroes as they seek to protect an ancient tree to stop the escape of banished demons. The series was filmed in the Auckland Film Studios and on location elsewhere in New Zealand.

The first season of The Shannara Chronicles premiered on MTV in the United States on January 5, 2016, and consisted of 10 episodes. MTV originally greenlit a second season in April 2016 and in May 2017, it was announced that the series would relocate to Spike (now Paramount Network). The second season premiered on October 11, 2017 and concluded November 22, 2017. On January 16, 2018, it was announced that the series had been cancelled after two seasons and that the producers were shopping the series to other networks. The series was later considered officially concluded.[1]

Sonar Entertainment and Farah Films acquired the TV rights to the Shannara universe in 2012.[24] In December 2013, it was announced that a series based on the books was being produced for MTV and had been given a straight-to-series, 10-episode order.[25][26] On April 20, 2016, MTV greenlit a second season of The Shannara Chronicles.[27]

The series is produced by Dan Farah, Jon Favreau, Miles Millar, Al Gough, Jonathan Liebesman, and author Terry Brooks.[28] Brooks has stated in an interview that he is happy with the way his story has been adapted.[29] Much like the television adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, the series will not be a direct adaptation following the narrative order of the books, but will feature a mix of the books' stories.[30] The first book of the series to be adapted is The Elfstones of Shannara, the second book in the trilogy, with some elements of the other novels being gradually adapted to the show.[31]

In December 2014, it was announced that Manu Bennett would star as Allanon[32] and in January 2015 Ivana Baquero, Austin Butler, Poppy Drayton, Emelia Burns and John Rhys-Davies joined the show.[33] Malese Jow, Vanessa Morgan, Gentry White, Desmond Chiam and Caroline Chikezie joined the cast as series regulars in season two.[34]

Filming for the 10-episode first season wrapped in New Zealand at Auckland Film Studios in June 2015,[35] and the first trailer debuted on July 10, 2015.[36] Filming for the second season, which also consists of 10 episodes,[37] began January 31, 2017, in New Zealand.[citation needed]

The opening theme song, "Until We Go Down", from the EP "Up in Flames",[38] is performed by Ruelle.[39][40][41][42] Other songs featured in the show's first season include "Midnight" by Coldplay, "You Are a Memory" by Message to Bears, "Wave" by Beck and "Run Boy Run" by Woodkid.[43]

During The Shannara Chronicles panel at San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2015, a teaser trailer was revealed,[44] giving audiences a first look at the sets and characters. A television version of the trailer was shown during the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards.[45][46]

The Shannara Chronicles premiered on MTV in the United States on January 5, 2016, with a two-hour series premiere.[47] New episodes were broadcast every Tuesday at 10 pm ET.[48] The third and fourth episodes were released online after the first two episodes aired on January 5, 2016, prior to their original broadcast schedule.[49][50]

The series was simulcast on MTV in Canada.[51] The two-hour pilot also aired on Bell Media sister network CTV on Wednesday, January 6, 2016.[52] The series has also been licensed to a number of different countries, including the United Kingdom (airing on 5STAR), Australia (Syfy) and New Zealand (Sky TV).[53][54]

On January 16, 2018, it was announced that the series had been cancelled after two seasons.[55][56] Producers later announced that the series is being shopped to other networks.[57][58] The series was later considered officially concluded.[1]

The Shannara Chronicles has received mixed reviews, receiving a 52/100 score on Metacritic, based on 15 reviews[59] and a 54% for season 1 on Rotten Tomatoes based on 26 reviews, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "The Shannara Chronicles wears its influences heavily on its sleeve and needs to find surer footing before it can tap its true potential, but it still might suffice for viewers in search of a teen-friendly Game of Thrones." The second season received a 100% approval rating based on five reviews.[60]

Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times wrote: "So give this reasonably absorbing series a little credit, even though it often seems to be merely reworking various fantasy formulas. It moves quickly and does a nice job of weaving together two story lines involving an elfin world that is threatened when a giant tree, known as the Ellcrys, begins to die."[61] Maureen Ryan of Variety wrote: "Sure, Shannara, which harks back to the golden age of syndicated genre fare, is a standard quest journey in which there are trolls, gnomes, living trees and magic books, and characters say things like, 'If Allanon is here, there are dark days ahead.' But there's conviction in the show's execution."[62]

It is always a bittersweet time for me when I settle in to watch a television series or movie based on a beloved book or series of books. I had the same mix of excitement and dread when I watched the first season of Game of Thrones on HBO as I had earlier this week when I pulled up my DVR list, poured my glass of wine, and kicked up my tired feet to watch The Shannara Chronicles.

Despite repeated attempts to sabotage her in the race Amberle and Lauren both finish in the top seven and win places in the exclusive group known as The Chosen. The Chosen are to be the caretakers of the Ellcrys. Though most of the elves believe it to just be old superstition the tree is rumored to be magical and that it protects the Four Lands from evil. As part of the ceremony following the Choosing each Chosen must place their hand on the tree and be accepted. When Amberle touches the tree she receives horrifying visions of demons devouring elves and the lands in ruins.

We cut to the scene of a man covered in frost awaken on an ancient stone table in a cave. He is covered in runic tattoos and has one hell of a wicked sword. After repeated visions, including one in which Amberle sees herself kill Lauren, she assumes she is foreseeing the future and decides to run away so that she cannot be near Lauren to cause him harm and flees the city.

We switch perspectives and meet a half-elf named Wil Ohmsford just as his human mother passes away and he receives the Elfstones from her. They belonged to his elven father whom we later discover is a descendant of Jerle Shannara. Wil decides to leave for Storlock, a town of peaceful gnomes who are the most renowned healers in the land. Along the way, Wil meets with some obstacles including a playful Rover girl named Eretria.

In the meantime, Allanon has arrived at Arborlon to talk to the Ellcrys and is reunited with his old friend Eventine Elessedil, King of the Elves. He confirms the Ellcrys is dying and tells the elves that each leaf that falls from the tree represents a demon escaping from the Forbidding. We then see a leaf wither and fall. Somewhere in the wilderness, we see a demon arrive newly freed from the Forbidding and he is one gnarly looking bad guy known as the Dagda Mor.

Not to be forgotten, the Dagda Mor is shown again and he summons another demon from the prison, who arrives as a naked woman. This is the Changeling who can take any living shape. The Dagda Mor sends the Changeling to Arborlon to kill the Chosen.

Amberle approaches Lauren at the Ellcrys and stabs him in the stomach. It is really the Changeling but it is the vision Amberle had before. When Wil and Allanon arrive at the city they find all of the Chosen remaining behind are dead.

Wil and Allanon determine that Amberle is headed to see her aunt in Wing Hove and they leave to retrieve her. Unfortunately, the Dagda Mor has managed to find out where she is as well and dispatches a Fury to kill her. That is where the episode leaves off.

The first major deviation I spotted was the prolific ruins of current times. The books discuss the ancient times and readers are able to easily figure out this is a post-apocalyptic world that follows our own. In a television show with limited time to tell a tale, making the ruins visible was a much quicker and fun way to show us the timeline.

Another much bigger deviation is how the Chosen come to their service and the history of their order. The show has the young men run a rigorous obstacle course called The Gauntlet and the first seven elves to finish are the Chosen for the next year. In the novel, all elves of a certain age are brought before the

Ellcrys and stand beneath her branches. She will then lower a branch to touch the shoulders of those she chooses for service. Amberle was not the first female Chosen in the books but females were rare, only be chosen ever several hundred years. This deviation I wish had not been made. They are called the Chosen for a reason and I like the idea of the tree making the choice herself. These seven will be her companions for the next year and should be chosen based on overall character and heart not just their ability to run fast and jump far. This subplot allows them to underscore the feminist arc, though, by showing how a girl needs to work harder and is targeted more when competing in a predominantly male field. This is taken a step further when twice during the premiere Amberle mentions that all of this is her fault and alludes to her deciding to run the Gauntlet as the cause. Though this makes the feminist in me cringe a bit it is something most women feel. We carry guilt and worry that any time we buck the system or go against the status quo it will be our fault if something goes wrong.

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