Amazon's Season 3 of The Wheel of Time promises to show some major pieces of world-building that haven't yet made it to the screen.

So far, though, The Wheel of Time has struggled to find from old and new fans. Although it looks like Wheel of Time season 3 also positioned to introduce long-awaited characters, there's a lot riding on this chapter if there's hope for a fourth season.

Wheel Of Time Season 3's Release Date Advantage Is Good, But It Needs More To Succeed

First-Mover Advantage Won't Be Enough To Correct Two Seasons' Worth Of Audience Discontent With Wheel Of Time

It's objectively a good thing that The Wheel of Time will be released without any competing show splitting viewers' focus — one of the issues plaguing The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is its repeated release alongside The House of the Dragon, forcing viewers to prioritize which show they watch. In the modern streaming environment, where initial stream counts are a major benchmark by which a show's continued viability is judged, not having to worry about another platform stealing viewers is a blessing for a show that's spent the past two seasons continually making choices that alienate potential viewers.

The Wheel of Time Ratings By Season (via Rotten Tomatoes)

Season

Critical Rating

Audience Rating

Wheel of Time season 1

81%

60%

Wheel of Time season 2

86%

80%

However, Wheel of Time season 3 still needs to deliver something compelling if Amazon hopes for it to course-correct and find itself in viewers' good graces. There are plenty of narrative and production opportunities ahead for the streaming giant, and as the show begins to explore some of the more critical turns of the plot from the original Wheel of Time books, it's crucial that season 3 not just keep making the same story mistakes, no matter what external advantages it has.

How The Wheel Of Time Season 3 Can Turn Around The Show's Biggest Complaints

A Little Bit Of Consistency Could Go A Long Way Towards Reinvigorating Wheel Of Time's Narrative

Although slow to find its footing, season 2 introduced important characters like Elyas Machera (Gary Beadle) and Masema Dagar (Arnas Fedaravicius), both of whom have great significance in the books.

Season 3 needs to continue on this trend, not necessarily by suddenly conforming to the novel canon 100%, but definitely by following up on the Wheel of Time book events from the season 3 trailer. The novels provide a rich tapestry of text to draw from, and the changes Amazon makes often feel arbitrary rather than like they contribute to the story. Rand (Josha Stradowsk) and company visiting the forbidden city of Rhuidean is such a pivotal moment in The Shadow Rising, and if executed well, it could well help The Wheel of Time redeem itself — at least, for most viewers.

It May Be Too Late To Win Some Wheel Of Time Book Fans Back Over

Some Fans Will Never Be Satisfied, Regardless Of Adherence To Wheel Of Time Canon

It's no secret that the changes The Wheel of Time has already made from the books have alienated numerous fans of the novel series. In particular, giving Marcus Rutherford's Wheel of Time — namely Perrin's eventual love interest Faile Bashere (Isabella Bucceri) — it raises the question of what other repercussions these changes may have.

Moiraine in The Wheel of Time
Related
2 Subtle Differences Between The Wheel Of Time Books & Series Could Have 2 Big Impacts On The Show

The comings and goings of the Forsaken and changes to the prophecy of the Dragon Reborn mean the Amazon show could further diverge from the books.

4

It was inevitable that Amazon's version of The Wheel of Time would be different from the books because that's the nature of any adaptation. Yet many of these changes feel like they've been done simply for the sake of changing things, and that's rubbed enough fans the wrong way that the show may not ever be able to recover, even if season 3 winds up blowing critical expectations out of the water. When season 3 of The Wheel of Time premieres on March 13, 2025, it may well prove to be the beginning of the wheel's slow grind to a halt.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

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The Wheel of Time
TV-14
Drama
Adventure
Fantasy
6/10
585
8.8/10
Release Date
November 18, 2021
Network
Prime Video
Showrunner
Rafe Judkins

Cast

See All

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming
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The Wheel of Time follows Moiraine, a member of the powerful all-female organization Aes Sedai, as she leads a perilous quest with five young individuals. Moiraine suspects one among them could be the prophesized reincarnation of a mighty figure destined to either save or doom humanity.

Directors
Sanaa Hamri, Ciaran Donnelly, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Thomas Napper, Maja Vrvilo, Wayne Che Yip
Writers
Amanda Kate Shuman, Dave Hill, Rohit Kumar, Justine Juel Gillmer, Celine Song, Rammy Park, The Clarksons Twins, Katherine B. McKenna
Franchise(s)
The Wheel of Time
Producers
Darren Lemke, Rosamund Pike, Ted Field, Uta Briesewitz, Rafe Judkins, Mike Weber, Marigo Kehoe, Rick Selvage
Seasons
3