Created by Rafe Judkins for television.
The Wheel of Time TV series premiered on November 19, 2021.
Distributed by Amazon Prime Video.
The Wheel of Time (TV Series) Review
Amazon Prime’s The Wheel of Time is a big fantasy series that gets better with each season.
Season 1 introduces Moiraine and a group of young villagers and slowly builds the world of magic and prophecy, though some parts feel rushed or confusing.
Season 2 improves the story by focusing more on the characters, their relationships, and the growing political tension in the White Tower. Everything feels more connected and easier to follow.
Season 3 is the strongest season, with clearer storytelling, bigger moments, and emotional character growth that pays off.
The actors grow into their roles, making the story more powerful and believable.
Even though the show changes some things from the books and ends after three seasons, it remains an exciting and well-made fantasy series.
If you enjoy magic, adventure, and long story journeys, The Wheel of Time is worth watching from start to finish.
CR Rating – 7.5/10
The Wheel of Time Actors
Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred
DOB: January 27, 1979.
Bio: Rosamund Pike is an English actress with a distinguished background in film, television, and theatre.
A graduate of Wadham College, Oxford, she first gained attention in British period dramas before breaking through internationally with complex, controlled performances in high-profile films.
Role: Moiraine Damodred is an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah, a secretive order of women who can channel the One Power.
Tasked with finding the Dragon Reborn, Moiraine arrives in the Two Rivers knowing one of five young villagers could either save the world or destroy it.
She becomes their protector, manipulator, and guide, withholding crucial truths as she navigates prophecy, politics, and personal sacrifice.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: Pike also served as a producer on the show and has spoken about the physical training and long rehearsal periods required to marry dramatic acting with serious stunt work.
Notable works: Gone Girl, Pride & Prejudice, I Care a Lot, Jack Reacher, An Education.
Daniel Henney as al’Lan Mandragoran (Lan)
DOB: November 28, 1979.
Bio: American actor, former fashion model, and television personality whose career uniquely spans both Western and Asian markets.
After early success in South Korean television dramas, Henney transitioned into Hollywood projects while maintaining an international profile.
He is known for understated performances that rely on physical discipline, restraint, and emotional control rather than overt dialogue.
Role: al’Lan Mandragoran, commonly called Lan, is Moiraine Damodred’s Warder, an elite warrior bound to her through the mystical Warder bond.
As the uncrowned king of the fallen nation of Malkier, Lan carries deep personal loss, unshakable honor, and a near-suicidal dedication to duty.
He serves as Moiraine’s shield, scout, and executioner when necessary, while also acting as a moral anchor for the group.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: Henney underwent extensive sword training, endurance conditioning, and long-form fight choreography to give Lan’s combat a grounded, practical feel rather than stylized fantasy spectacle.
Notable works: Criminal Minds, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Big Hero 6 (voice), The Last Stand.
Zoë Robins as Nynaeve al’Meara
DOB: February 19, 1993.
Bio: New Zealand actor who began her career in youth-oriented television before transitioning into more demanding genre and dramatic roles.
She trained through New Zealand’s local screen and acting programs and built early recognition with physically active performances that required both stunt work and emotional immediacy.
Role: Nynaeve al’Meara starts the series as the Wisdom of Emond’s Field, serving as the village’s healer and de facto authority figure despite her youth.
Fiercely protective, deeply stubborn, and prone to anger, Nynaeve resents outside interference and refuses to abandon those under her care.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: Robins has spoken about the physical and emotional demands of the role, particularly scenes requiring sustained intensity, close-quarter combat, and precise control during channeling sequences.
Notable works: Power Rangers Ninja Steel, The New Tomorrow, Shortland Street.
Madeleine Madden as Egwene al’Vere
DOB: January 29, 1997.
Bio: Madeleine Madden is an Indigenous Australian actor who began working professionally as a child and steadily built a career across Australian film, television, and theatre.
She developed a reputation for emotionally intelligent performances that balance restraint with intensity.
Role: Egwene al’Vere begins The Wheel of Time as an ambitious young woman from Emond’s Field, the daughter of the village innkeepers rather than a political figure.
Curious, disciplined, and quietly determined, Egwene chooses to leave home in pursuit of knowledge and purpose.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: Madden has spoken openly about the responsibility she feels portraying a central fantasy heroine as an Indigenous actor, and about the importance of visibility and cultural representation in global genre storytelling.
Notable works: Pine Gap, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, High Life, Tidelands.
Josha Stradowski as Rand al’Thor
DOB: August 7, 1995.
Bio: Dutch actor with a strong foundation in theatre, trained at the Amsterdam University of the Arts (Theatre School / Toneelacademie).
Before breaking out internationally, he built his reputation in European television and stage productions, where his work was noted for emotional openness and physical commitment.
Role: Rand al’Thor begins the series as a quiet shepherd from Emond’s Field, raised with simple values and little sense of destiny.
As the story unfolds, Rand is revealed to be the Dragon Reborn, a prophesied figure fated either to save the world or break it completely.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: Stradowski has spoken about the challenge of portraying a character whose power is tied to fear and moral dread rather than glory.
Notable works: Gran Turismo (2023), European television and stage productions.
Marcus Rutherford as Perrin Aybara
DOB: April 4, 1995.
Bio: Marcus Rutherford is an English actor with a background in theatre and independent film.
Before The Wheel of Time, he appeared in socially grounded British dramas, earning notice for performances built on restraint rather than flash.
Role: Perrin Aybara begins as a gentle village blacksmith, defined by empathy, caution, and a deep fear of harming others.
After the group’s flight from Emond’s Field, Perrin discovers a supernatural connection to wolves, granting him heightened senses and a shared emotional awareness that challenges his sense of humanity.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: The role required extensive coordination with prosthetics, motion-capture reference, and VFX teams to integrate Perrin’s wolf-related abilities.
Notable works: County Lines, September 5.
Mat Cauthon — Barney Harris (season 1) and Dónal Finn (seasons 2–3)
DOBs: Barney Harris (born July 15, 1996); Dónal Finn (born August 31, 1995).
Bio: Mat Cauthon is portrayed by two actors across the series.
Barney Harris originated the role in Season 1, establishing Mat as a sharp-tongued, streetwise survivor whose humor masks fear, guilt, and deep loyalty.
Following Harris’ departure after Season 1, the role was recast with Irish actor Dónal Finn beginning in Season 2.
Role: Mat is the roguish heart of the Emond’s Field group, known for gambling, mischief, and improbable luck.
Early in the journey, his exposure to the cursed dagger from Shadar Logoth corrupts him, amplifying paranoia and darkness while testing his friendships.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (24 eps).
Interesting facts: The recasting was widely discussed among fans and required narrative adjustments behind the scenes.
Showrunners confirmed that Mat’s long-term arc remained unchanged, with character development recalibrated rather than rewritten.
Notable works: Barney Harris — early TV/film roles; Dónal Finn — stage (Hadestown) and film/TV guest roles.
Kate Fleetwood as Liandrin Guirale
DOB: September 24, 1972.
Bio: English stage and screen actor with an extensive background in classical and contemporary theatre.
A member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, she has performed in major West End productions and on Broadway, earning a reputation for emotionally intense, psychologically layered performances.
Role: Liandrin Guirale is introduced as a prominent Red Ajah Aes Sedai, publicly dedicated to opposing male channelers and upholding Tower law.
Beneath her rigid exterior, however, Liandrin conceals darker allegiances that place her at the heart of the White Tower’s internal corruption.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (16 eps).
Interesting facts: Fleetwood has spoken about approaching Liandrin as a character who genuinely believes she is right, rather than a traditional villain.
Her stage training informs the character’s stillness, vocal control, and deliberate pacing, especially in council chambers and interrogation scenes.
Notable works: Macbeth (Royal Shakespeare Company and Broadway), London Road, Harlots, Victoria.
Priyanka Bose as Alanna Mosvani
DOB: 1982.
Bio: Indian stage and screen actor whose career spans Indian independent cinema, international co-productions, and prestige television.
Trained in theatre, she is known for emotionally grounded performances that combine restraint with intensity.
Role: Alanna Mosvani is a Green Ajah Aes Sedai, an order known for its emphasis on battle readiness and multiple Warders.
Unlike the more politically rigid Reds or Blues, Alanna represents a pragmatic, soldier-minded approach to power.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (15 eps).
Interesting facts: Bose performed extensive stunt and combat training for the role, particularly for scenes involving Warder coordination and battle movement.
Notable works: Lion, Mirzapur, Gangor.
Hammed Animashaun as Loial
DOB: May 6, 1991.
Bio: British actor and comedian with strong roots in theatre and television.
Known for his expressive physicality and gentle comic timing, he built his reputation through stage work and British TV before stepping into large-scale genre storytelling.
Role: Loial is an Ogier, a long-lived, gentle giant race devoted to knowledge, history, and preservation.
Towering over humans and possessing immense physical strength, Loial is nonetheless soft-spoken, curious, and deeply empathetic.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (17 eps).
Interesting facts: Animashaun’s portrayal required extensive prosthetics, including facial appliances and height-enhancing elements, while still maintaining expressive eyes and vocal warmth.
Notable works: Black Ops, Kiss Me, Kate.
Sophie Okonedo as Siuan Sanche
DOB: August 11, 1968.
Bio: British actor with a career spanning stage, film, and television.
She has received multiple award nominations, including an Academy Award nod for Hotel Rwanda, and is celebrated for roles that combine intelligence, emotional depth, and commanding presence.
Role: Siuan Sanche serves as the Amyrlin Seat, the elected leader of the Aes Sedai in the White Tower.
Her decisions carry enormous weight, affecting politics within the Tower and the wider world.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (7 eps).
Interesting facts: Okonedo’s stage and film experience bring gravitas to ensemble scenes and council deliberations; she has commented in interviews on enjoying roles that combine power, subtlety, and human vulnerability.
Notable works: Hotel Rwanda, The Secret Life of Bees, Criminal Justice, award-winning stage performances.
Kae Alexander as Min Farshaw
DOB: August 31, 1985.
Bio: Japanese-born, UK-trained actor (Guildhall School of Music & Drama) known for bringing depth and subtle intensity to supporting roles.
She specializes in portraying characters who observe, interpret, and influence events quietly but significantly.
Role: Min Farshaw is a seer with the rare ability to perceive symbolic visions of people’s futures.
Her honesty, loyalty, and perceptive nature make her an indispensable ally to the central characters, particularly Rand.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (11 eps).
Interesting facts: Alexander’s Min is defined by restrained physicality and expressive micro-reactions, making her vision-driven role both compelling and nuanced.
Notable works: Bad Education, Game of Thrones (guest), other UK stage and television projects.
More Actors
Season 1 (2021)
• Fares Fares as Ishamael.
• Taylor Napier as Maksim.
• Jennifer Cheon Garcia as Leane Sharif.
• Álvaro Morte as Logain Ablar.
Season 2 (2023)
• Meera Syal as Verin Mathwin.
• Natasha O’Keeffe as Selene.
• Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand.
• Laia Costa as Moghedien.
Season 3 (2025)
• Olivia Williams as Morgase Trakand.
• Shohreh Aghdashloo as Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan.
• Isabella Bucceri as Faile Bashere.
• Clare Dunne as Galina Casban.
FAQ – The Wheel of Time TV Series
What is The Wheel of Time about?
A group of young people, led by an Aes Sedai sorceress, journey to save the world while discovering prophecy, magic, and danger.
Is the TV show based on books?
Yes, it’s based on the bestselling fantasy series by Robert Jordan (later completed by Brandon Sanderson).
Who is the “Dragon Reborn”?
Rand al’Thor is the prophesied Dragon Reborn whose destiny could save or destroy the world.
What is the Aes Sedai in the series?
A powerful sisterhood who can channel the One Power and guide the fate of the world.
Is there a planned Season 4?
No, The Wheel of Time was canceled after Season 3, and no Season 4 is confirmed.
Why was The Wheel of Time canceled?
Amazon canceled it after three seasons, mainly due to high production costs and viewership trends. EconomicTimes
Where can I watch The Wheel of Time?
All three seasons are streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
Conclusion
The Wheel of Time may not start perfectly, but it grows into a strong and memorable fantasy series.
With each season, the storytelling improves, the characters become more compelling, and the world feels richer and more alive.
Despite changes from the books and an early ending, the show delivers exciting moments, emotional depth, and impressive visuals.
For fans of epic fantasy and long-form storytelling, The Wheel of Time is a journey worth taking.