Legend of the Seeker (2008–2010)

After the mysterious murder of his father, a son's search for answers begins a momentous fight against tyranny.

Stars:

Craig Horner, Bridget Regan, Bruce Spence

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Craig Horner	...	Richard Cypher (44 episodes, 2008-2010)
Bridget Regan	...	Kahlan Amnell (44 episodes, 2008-2010)
Bruce Spence	...	Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander (44 episodes, 2008-2010)
Craig Parker	...	Darken Rahl (25 episodes, 2008-2010)
Tabrett Bethell	...	Cara (23 episodes, 2009-2010)

Storyline

Millions of readers the world over have been held spellbound by this valiant tale vividly told. Now, enter Terry Goodkind's world, the world of The Sword of Truth. In the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, appears in Richard Cypher's forest sanctuary seeking help...and more. His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due with thundering violence. In their darkest hour, hunted relentlessly, tormented by treachery and loss, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword-to invoke within himself something more noble. Neither knows that the rules of battle have just changed...or that their time has run out. This is the beginning. One story. One Rule. Witness the birth of a legend.

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Plot Keywords:

sword | witch | wizard | tough guy | force of evil | 

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Taglines:

Nothing's ever easy

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Wizard's First Rule

Filming Locations:

Auckland, New Zealand

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABC Studios, Buckaroo Entertainment, Ghost House Pictures

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bridget Regan had to have her hair chemically straightened and dyed brown for the role of Kahlan. She was originally a redhead.

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Connections

Referenced in Legend of the Seeker: The Making of a Legend! (2008)

User Reviews

As someone who hasn't read the books...

...I'm actually really enjoying this series (as of episode 4). I started watching Legend of the Seeker knowing that I was signing up for extreme fantasy, and must say it's very entertaining. It is a huge call to pay off a story of this scale every week without looking embarrassingly cheap, especially with all the special effects required. To the show's credit, it embraces what it is and delivers an unusually high standard for television.

I find the action sequences gripping. They have put a lot of effort into stylizing the fights, and as someone who generally finds hand-to-hand a bit dull because it's all cut-cut-cut to hide inconsistencies and build pace, Legend of the Seeker has some wonderful stunt work and detailed action. The slow-mos are fantastic; it is great to see the detail and be able to understand the complexity of choreography instead of it being hidden under choppy editing.

I will agree that Craig Horner is almost too pretty for this role, but it compliments the style the directors have taken; just look at the effort that's been put into delivering beautiful cinematography. It is not surprising they have chosen to cast equally beautiful leads to give the show a holistically beautiful appeal. And let there be no doubt: this show's cinematography coupled with New Zealand's breathtaking topography makes for a very pretty show.

The angry and negative reactions of the book fans has been pretty overwhelming, and a bit disappointing to read. But on the bright side, this show has encouraged me to pick up the books. So it's not all lose/lose for fans of the books, as the show is garnering new readers for the novels.