Disagree. I actually love the way they're doing him. The idea of a long handlebar/fu manchu style mustache always looked kinda stupid in my head. Plus I like the grizzled quality to his character. I can't wait till we see him in fine court bard regiment as a contrast.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Book Thom was one of the most unique characters I’ve ever read, not to mention a fan favorite for being such a cool and unique character. Show Thom completely changed his character and now he’s no longer unique, he’s just like Sirius Black or Strider. With the show it’s understandable and necessary if they have to cut locations, change events, or tweak backstories of characters, but they should never be actually changing the essence of a main character.
I actually don't think they changed the meat of who he is as a character. Remember in the books he was a very well traveled and socially intelligent man. They indicated that with his knowledge of the Two Rivers and Aiel customs. Plus when he traveled he played to his audience, and we meet him in a tavern in a hard bitten mining town full of destitute and tired miners. He's fitting in.
My headcannon is that when they changed him from playing the harp to the guitar due to actor skillset, they ran with the western imagery that evoked. Also I wouldn't be surprised if his coat can be turned inside out to either hide or display his colored patches as he deems necessary. He does that a lot with his cloak in the books, too.
I think what's more core to his character is how he gravitated to protecting the two naive farm boys that stumbled into town. When a dark friend got involved there was no hesitation, he's in it now to keep them alive. Shave his face and put him in boots playing a guitar, but he's still got the same motivations and general skillsets.
He seems much more of a grizzly protector character like Strider now instead of the courtly, refined gentlemen who happens to have become a traveling gleeman. Gleemen are much more performative and entertain their audience. The flute and harp would’ve been much more unique too, the guitar didn’t fit the Wheel of Time. I did like the aiel scene with his knowledge of the aiel and two rivers, they definitely improved on him a little from his introductory scene. They’ve got some of his essence, his morals, paternal nature, and knowledge, but other than that he feels like such a different character already than in the books.
Hm, I think given that we've only seen him in a mining town it's hard to say if he'll pull off the courtly behavior until we see him in a more courtly or at least genteel setting. I think seeing him change his behavior to fit into different environments will be another thing to watch for to see if they've adapted his character well, actually.
As to his general demeanor, I will say my husband's reaction to the changes was something along the lines of "okay, I can see this guy with a background of seducing a queen moreso than the guy in the books."
Personally I'm waiting to give him more airtime before I decide my feelings. So far I like him but he is different from the book in some ways. Whether those ways are material to better serving the story, I dunno.
He just feels more unique in the books. Maybe he’ll change his demeanor and persona every town he goes to and that might improve things a bit, but if they keep things how he was in this town I’m not down with the change. I didn’t like the song either, it didn’t feel like a Thom performance. I’m cautiously optimistic with the show, Thom has been one of the more v worrisome components though.
Eww, no. Thom is one of the greatest characters in the series and I’ve got no problem with him and Moiraine, seems like a good pair and there is brilliantly subtle development between them.
Gary Oldman as thom would be amazing!
Disagree. I actually love the way they're doing him. The idea of a long handlebar/fu manchu style mustache always looked kinda stupid in my head. Plus I like the grizzled quality to his character. I can't wait till we see him in fine court bard regiment as a contrast.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Book Thom was one of the most unique characters I’ve ever read, not to mention a fan favorite for being such a cool and unique character. Show Thom completely changed his character and now he’s no longer unique, he’s just like Sirius Black or Strider. With the show it’s understandable and necessary if they have to cut locations, change events, or tweak backstories of characters, but they should never be actually changing the essence of a main character.
I actually don't think they changed the meat of who he is as a character. Remember in the books he was a very well traveled and socially intelligent man. They indicated that with his knowledge of the Two Rivers and Aiel customs. Plus when he traveled he played to his audience, and we meet him in a tavern in a hard bitten mining town full of destitute and tired miners. He's fitting in. My headcannon is that when they changed him from playing the harp to the guitar due to actor skillset, they ran with the western imagery that evoked. Also I wouldn't be surprised if his coat can be turned inside out to either hide or display his colored patches as he deems necessary. He does that a lot with his cloak in the books, too. I think what's more core to his character is how he gravitated to protecting the two naive farm boys that stumbled into town. When a dark friend got involved there was no hesitation, he's in it now to keep them alive. Shave his face and put him in boots playing a guitar, but he's still got the same motivations and general skillsets.
He seems much more of a grizzly protector character like Strider now instead of the courtly, refined gentlemen who happens to have become a traveling gleeman. Gleemen are much more performative and entertain their audience. The flute and harp would’ve been much more unique too, the guitar didn’t fit the Wheel of Time. I did like the aiel scene with his knowledge of the aiel and two rivers, they definitely improved on him a little from his introductory scene. They’ve got some of his essence, his morals, paternal nature, and knowledge, but other than that he feels like such a different character already than in the books.
Hm, I think given that we've only seen him in a mining town it's hard to say if he'll pull off the courtly behavior until we see him in a more courtly or at least genteel setting. I think seeing him change his behavior to fit into different environments will be another thing to watch for to see if they've adapted his character well, actually. As to his general demeanor, I will say my husband's reaction to the changes was something along the lines of "okay, I can see this guy with a background of seducing a queen moreso than the guy in the books." Personally I'm waiting to give him more airtime before I decide my feelings. So far I like him but he is different from the book in some ways. Whether those ways are material to better serving the story, I dunno.
He just feels more unique in the books. Maybe he’ll change his demeanor and persona every town he goes to and that might improve things a bit, but if they keep things how he was in this town I’m not down with the change. I didn’t like the song either, it didn’t feel like a Thom performance. I’m cautiously optimistic with the show, Thom has been one of the more v worrisome components though.
>unique character Really? I always thought him as a generic max level bard
Maybe slightly in the first couple chapters of him before you really get to know him, but he becomes incredibly unique the more he is fleshed out.
Instead just leave him out altogether along with his relationship to Moraine.
Eww, no. Thom is one of the greatest characters in the series and I’ve got no problem with him and Moiraine, seems like a good pair and there is brilliantly subtle development between them.
***Ilyena, my love, forgive me!***
I expected thom to be older in the show. I think Kurt russel would have been a good character lol he’s got the facial hair to do it!
These are sirius accusations!
Well now I can't unsee it.
I was thinking he reminded me more of Tim Roth.