S02Ep22: "Tears"; The last-ever episode, picking up from the "cliff-hanger" at the end of S02Ep21.
If you only ever buy one episode, spend your money on the Amazon download of *this* final-final episode and enjoy 42 minutes of one of the best "sword and sorcery" television series in the past two decades. The two-minute summary at the start (the customary "previously on Legend of the Seeker" round-up) will tell you all that you need in order to understand how the ensemble cast reached here in their saga, before you enjoy the climax of the saga. However; just watching this one episode (of the 44 produced across two seasons before the investors cut and ran before committing to the third season) would leave you bereft of some great storylines and some well-above-average performances.
The excellent, well-matched, ensemble cast act their little socks off. It was a pleasure to watch. The cut and thrust of the storyline showed that the writers cared about their material, which was inspired by the original two or three books in the "Seeker" series. In my opinion, 42 minutes of television is more digestible than multiple 500-plus-page books (although the books allow you to use your imagination in terms of how the protagonists look).
Zedd's clever casting of a reverse spell (using the unfortunate Mord-Sith "Dahlia" as the centrepiece) successfully puts the timeline back on its original course (before the diversion in S02Ep21 "Unbroken") and the journey continues.
Once more, the life expectancy of most of the actresses playing Mord-Sith is very short - Zedd and Nicci leave brown-leather-clad bodies everywhere. Conversely, the Sisters in Red seem to re-populate exponentially - I counted 11 in one scene!
The special effects remain impressive, not over-blown and appropriate to the atmosphere of this series; the designers, of sets, costumes and production, all worked well and have given of their best. This is a good TV legacy from the Noughties. Once more, the New Zealand scenery adds great value to the sweeping lines of the story.
Well-acted, straight-faced, earnest dialogue without being cheesy; the entire team behind this series can be proud of the legacy of material which they have left behind. Whether fighting on grass or sand, the hairstyles remain neat! Whoever sponsored the dental work on this series did very well - everyone amongst the leading cast seems to have perfect teeth!
The cartoon-like fantasy level of violence is manifested in many actors being smacked, hard, in the face yet without apparent injury. Similarly, a full-blooded slash with a sword inflicts little apparent damage (although the "victim" falls down dead) whilst the Mord-Sith characters bounce back from an Agiel to the face. The costume designers did an excellent job, delivering an object lesson in developing fighting corsets.
The producers obviously set up a trail for Season Three (involving Sister Nicci and Darken Rahl) but sadly this was not to be. As a result, we had a happy ending with Richard and Kahlan, ably supported by Zedd and Cara (fully returned to humanity as she stepped away from her Mord-Sith torment).
"There is no magic in the world more powerful than that which you and Richard have for each other". The second (and, as it turned out, final) season ended with a happy kiss.
Having discovered this series in 2018, some eight years after the original broadcast (the two seasons ran between 2008-2010), I enjoyed the time which I set aside in March 2018 to enjoy the pair of boxed DVD sets, covering Season 1 (when the cast were finding their feet) and Season Two (when they stormed through the material and left an enjoyable legacy). I liked it. I would love to see an "out-takes" (blooper) package at some point - because at many points in production someone MUST have fluffed a line or started laughing! This fantasy series has left many happy memories.
If you only ever buy one episode, spend your money on the Amazon download of *this* final-final episode and enjoy 42 minutes of one of the best "sword and sorcery" television series in the past two decades. The two-minute summary at the start (the customary "previously on Legend of the Seeker" round-up) will tell you all that you need in order to understand how the ensemble cast reached here in their saga, before you enjoy the climax of the saga. However; just watching this one episode (of the 44 produced across two seasons before the investors cut and ran before committing to the third season) would leave you bereft of some great storylines and some well-above-average performances.
The excellent, well-matched, ensemble cast act their little socks off. It was a pleasure to watch. The cut and thrust of the storyline showed that the writers cared about their material, which was inspired by the original two or three books in the "Seeker" series. In my opinion, 42 minutes of television is more digestible than multiple 500-plus-page books (although the books allow you to use your imagination in terms of how the protagonists look).
Zedd's clever casting of a reverse spell (using the unfortunate Mord-Sith "Dahlia" as the centrepiece) successfully puts the timeline back on its original course (before the diversion in S02Ep21 "Unbroken") and the journey continues.
Once more, the life expectancy of most of the actresses playing Mord-Sith is very short - Zedd and Nicci leave brown-leather-clad bodies everywhere. Conversely, the Sisters in Red seem to re-populate exponentially - I counted 11 in one scene!
The special effects remain impressive, not over-blown and appropriate to the atmosphere of this series; the designers, of sets, costumes and production, all worked well and have given of their best. This is a good TV legacy from the Noughties. Once more, the New Zealand scenery adds great value to the sweeping lines of the story.
Well-acted, straight-faced, earnest dialogue without being cheesy; the entire team behind this series can be proud of the legacy of material which they have left behind. Whether fighting on grass or sand, the hairstyles remain neat! Whoever sponsored the dental work on this series did very well - everyone amongst the leading cast seems to have perfect teeth!
The cartoon-like fantasy level of violence is manifested in many actors being smacked, hard, in the face yet without apparent injury. Similarly, a full-blooded slash with a sword inflicts little apparent damage (although the "victim" falls down dead) whilst the Mord-Sith characters bounce back from an Agiel to the face. The costume designers did an excellent job, delivering an object lesson in developing fighting corsets.
The producers obviously set up a trail for Season Three (involving Sister Nicci and Darken Rahl) but sadly this was not to be. As a result, we had a happy ending with Richard and Kahlan, ably supported by Zedd and Cara (fully returned to humanity as she stepped away from her Mord-Sith torment).
"There is no magic in the world more powerful than that which you and Richard have for each other". The second (and, as it turned out, final) season ended with a happy kiss.
Having discovered this series in 2018, some eight years after the original broadcast (the two seasons ran between 2008-2010), I enjoyed the time which I set aside in March 2018 to enjoy the pair of boxed DVD sets, covering Season 1 (when the cast were finding their feet) and Season Two (when they stormed through the material and left an enjoyable legacy). I liked it. I would love to see an "out-takes" (blooper) package at some point - because at many points in production someone MUST have fluffed a line or started laughing! This fantasy series has left many happy memories.
