Legend of the Seeker – Finally, a Darken Rahl episode!

As a Craig Parker fan, I have to count “Walter” among my favorite episodes of Season 2. At last, an opportunity for Darken Rahl to do more than pop up at campfires and tell the Sisters of the Dark what idiots they are! Craig got to show off his versatility by playing two entirely different characters. When we first met Walter, his voice was so different that I could hardly believe it was Craig speaking. Was it not jarring to see someone who looks exactly like our suave Master Rahl open his mouth and speak in a high-pitched American accent? And he actually had some comedic moments (I loved the scene where they were stretching him to make him taller, and he bawls, “Please! I swear I’m tall enough now!”). When Craig transformed back to Darken Rahl, I appreciated that smooth, sneering demeanor all the more.

In terms of the story, I’m fairly pleased with the direction things are headed. First of all, I’m glad Richard is making progress toward finding the Stone of Tears, which once seemed so urgent (“Oh no — huge crack in the earth! All Underworld is going to break loose!”) but now feels like… “Dude. Weren’t we supposed to be looking for something?” “Yeah, man, some kind of stone or rock or something.” The urgency is gone. At this point, what we need is for the story to build toward a major confrontation.

On that note, I’m glad that Darken Rahl is back in action, although I’m wondering what the hell he’s up to. Obviously, there were all kinds of things you could point to in this episode that are a little odd or don’t jive with the books. (For example, the Mord-Sith should have been able to identify Walter as an impostor because he doesn’t have any magic.) Yet I don’t really mind this because … well, for God’s sake, we have Darken Rahl back!!! The best episodes of Season 1 were the ones that had plenty of him, and it’s great that he’s being utilized now because he’s just what the second season needs — a villain capable of making Richard seem like a little boy. Those two have so much history between them by now. It could all add up to an amazing end to the season. Or at least a surprising end. As I’ve said before, the nice thing about the TV series being different from the books is that I don’t know what’s going to happen.

A few more thoughts on “Walter”:

• Loved the last scene. The apple. The wicked smile! Ah, you bad man … taking a page out of Captain Barbossa’s book.
• I LOL’d when the Ninjas of the Dark dropped out of the sky.
• What was your favorite Craig Parker moment from tonight’s episode? Mine was when Rahl snapped at Egremont’s question: “A kitten, and unless you want to share that poor creature’s unfortunate fate, you will hand me the scroll right now.” Egremont flinched like he’d sat on an Agiel.

Clacked by Ruby T.
on Apr 25, 2010 @ 10:49 EST5EDT