Editor’s note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn't exist.

In the World of the Wheel, history is eternally repeating itself, turning over and over, creating heroes that fade into legends that are passed down as myths until the cycle repeats. This concept, known philosophically as "eternal return," serves as the backbone of The Wheel of Time, Prime Video's fantasy saga based on Robert Jordan's novels. Watching season 2 of the series, though, made this concept feel strikingly real in our non-fantastical world. Since the Game of Thrones-propelled fantasy boom, audiences have been eternally returning to new sagas, hoping to capture that same high they felt watching Cersei blow up the Sept or Daenerys uttering "dracarys" for the first time. It's a tall order, and it shouldn't be lost on anyone that the only show that has come close to reaching Game of Thrones is its prequel series, House of the Dragon.

The Wheel of Time finds itself in an odd position, with season 1 premiering before (but standing in the shadow of) Prime Video's other epic fantasy saga based on JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Now, season 2 premieres in the aftermath of an underwhelming response to The Rings of Power, but it ultimately proves incapable of filling in the gaps. The Wheel of Time struggles to pull itself back into focus after a two-year gap between seasons, and while it manages to find its footing and deliver engrossing action and a compelling story, it is plagued by the same issues that it faced in season 1.

The Wheel of Time season 2 begins in the aftermath of the battles at Fal Dara and the Eye of the World. Rand has gone into hiding, fearing the madness that falls upon men who wield the One Power. Nynaeve and Egwene head to the White Tower in Tar Valon to begin their training as Aes Sedai. Unbeknownst to them, Mat Cauthon is also at the White Tower, being held captive by Liandrin of the Red Ajah. Perrin is hunting for the Horn of Valere with Shienarans and Moiraine and Lan seek refuge with other Aes Sedai after Moiraine is cut off from the One Power by the Dark One. If all of that sounds like a lot, that's because it is. The Wheel of Time season 2 wastes no time in throwing you right back into the action, but this is to the series' detriment more than anything.

After being brought together at the end of season 1, the Emond's Field Five are once again scattered across the World of the Wheel. This was bound to happen regardless — The Great Hunt, which much of season 2 is based on, separates the group early on — but without being grounded in the relationships that drive the series, the first few episodes feel aimless. There are rare moments that prove engrossing, but much of the early scenes that are supposed to be triumphant returns for the cast of characters end up falling flat because of the sheer wealth of knowledge to understand what's going. For a casual viewer jumping back into the show after watching season 1 two years ago, The Wheel of Time may prove challenging. Even for readers of the books (of which I am one), the changes to the source material may prove hard to follow at first.

Prime Video has already renewed The Wheel of Time for season 3, so there's clearly a path forward. As it stands, though, it's hard to see. Season 2 will be even more divisive than the first one. Those who have read the books are going to miss several key elements of The Great Hunt that have been cut for time's sake, which is a shame considering it's Jordan's best entry in the series. Those who haven't read the books may feel like the show requires an extensive amount of homework. That the series doesn't seem to know what to do with Rand, the series' complicated figurehead, also needs to be addressed. Much of his plot in the books involves solitary reflection, but, more often than not, that does not make good television.

However, there are glimmers of hope in season 2's first four episodes. The world itself is still expertly crafted and, as it expands, so too does the wonderment with which it is portrayed. That most of the characters are seeing much of this world for the first time is a welcome change for this kind of dense fantasy. The audience is learning about the Aes Sedai and the Seanchan right alongside Nynaeve, Egwene, and Perrin, giving The Wheel of Time a sense of discovery that is missing in other major fantasy shows of late. With a total of eight episodes, The Wheel of Time season 2 still has plenty of time to prove itself and, once it settles back into a rhythm, it may very well come together satisfyingly. Either way, the wheel will keep turning.

The first three episodes of The Wheel of Time season 2 premiere on Friday, September 1. The remainder of the eight-episode season will release weekly on Fridays.