Willow (the movie) is a darling of a movie, great production, writing that works for the world building and has excellent performances throughout.
Willow (the series) forgets the foreshadowing of the movies and reduces it to a level of superficiality. The world does not feel textured or well built.
The dialogue is random at times and leaps to inject emotions that don't fit with the context of the conversation. They've ramshackled conflict between Sorsha and Willow that doesn't really need to exist or add value to the story.
Elora's reveal as a petulant teenager doesn't fit with the background of the character, not in the context in which we are first introduced to her.
So much about this is lacking it's as if the Director's and writers spent no time with the source material and tried to force the key facets of story telling upon characters and arcs where it doesn't fit.
Two episodes in and there's a density to the villains that doesn't provide any sense of clarity as to the villains main aims. In the movie Bavmorda had purpose, and intent, corrupted by dark powers in the pursuit of power. In the series, we lack this.
From a production standpoint, the world doesn't seem lived in. It seems purpose built to look pretty. Tir Asleen also seems to have moved from being inside of a crag in Wales to now resting on a hillside. Which I wouldn't mind so much if everything else married up.
The young cast also seem out of place but really, that's again because they don't feel like they're part of the world in which they inhabit. Their clothing is all laundry fresh, their skin is clean as though they've just emerged from the shower and each of them is bathed in perfect lighting for the duration.
It makes the production look cheap. There's jarring elements that pull you out of the world also, like the store bought, machine made clothing of Elora.
The aesthetic is different from the movie, less textured, less reality based and it shows. The throne room set piece is about the only exception. It feels in world. Also, the Nelwyn are Fraggles now... living underground.
There was so much opportunity with this show that just seems squandered because it was lead by someone who didn't understand the confines of the world it's about... and doesn't know how to write for characters in that world.
I hope that it improves... but for now, I'm just going say..."Forget all you know... or think you know," they've made something with the Willow name, but it is not Willow.
