The syndicated format works! We knew it worked in the ’90s when the likes of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess were rocking our airwaves. Even Baywatch, Star Trek: TNG, Star Trek: DS9 and Babylon 5 were syndicated. But then somewhere along the way somebody decided that original run syndicated scripted programming was broken.
Well, Sam Raimi, of Hercules and Xena, sought to prove them wrong by bringing back the format with the fun fantasy series Legend of the Seeker, based on Terry Goodkinds’ The Sword of Truth book series. And I’d say he’s vindicated his efforts as the series has been picked up for a full 22-episode second season. Unlike network shows, syndicates need to be picked up by individual networks to continue and as of mid-February Legend of the Seeker was cleared in 70% of the nation for a second run.
Bridget Regan, who plays Confessor Kahlan, spoke with Sci Fi Wire about the renewal indicating that she was hopeful that the television series might move forward and explore deeper into Goodkind’s novels. Originally, Legend of the Seeker was announced as being based on Wizard’s First Rule only, the first book in Goodkind’s larger tapestry.
For those who haven’t read the series, there are some pretty major developments among the characters and their relationships, particularly with Richard and Darken Rahl, as well as Richard and Kahlan. In the books, Kahlan and Richard do wind up together, and fairly early on.
But that’s not to say there isn’t plenty of story left to tell. Regan seemed to indicate that the writers maybe aren’t as stuck on the episodic format they originally envisioned. Maybe with this renewal, they’re even open to the idea of a more linear progression following the larger stories in the novels. There’s plenty of meat to delve into there, and if nothing else Babylon 5 proved you can do it in syndication and Lost and Battlestar Galactica are proving that if the quality is there, so will the fans be.
Honestly, if it stays like it is now for several years I think I would get disenchanted with it. Unlike Xena or Hercules, Richard has a specific date with destiny that he needs to meet so he can’t just wander around adventuring forever. Plus, a true fantasy series that isn’t afraid to have a serious continuity and storytelling element to it would be a true rarity on television.
Clacked by Jason Hughes 
on Feb 26, 2009 @ 17:00 EST5EDT
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I’m happy. Despite its spotty start, it has improved. I just wish more sites reviewed it. I also hope this will encourage Raimi or others to come up with more fantasy series.
It’s ironic, back in the day I loved Xena/Hercules, but wasn’t crazy about the slapstick. Now, watching LotS I keep wishing they’d mix up the drama with a bit more mocking self-awareness.
There are two reasons why the syndicated model that spawned Hercules and Xena broke down. They were UPN and The WB. Suddenly you had all those stations that used to get their programming out of the first run scripted syndication market and what was left wasn’t enough to support the shows. With the amalgamation of UPN and The WB into The CW freeing up previously affiliated stations, and with what is apparently the slow ongoing collapse of MyNetwork TV, I suspect the scripted syndication market is going to open up again.
I really love this show. This is teh best show ever on TV and i hope that it coming a season 2 and more…
BEST SHOW EVER
I never read the books but I know for a fact no TV Show or Movie is ever just like the book. Twilight, Interview With A Vampire ect…They are never the same. So many people are complaining about that & saying the show is crap & feel it shouldn’t of been picked up for a 2nd season. Is it so bad that people who didn’t read the books enjoy wathing the TV series & happen to LOVE this series like I do???? You have the right to your opinion but my God I’m so tired of readiung people whining about that issue. It’s just a show, calm down. Why spend all your time writig bad things about it? GEt a life already. This is the 1st time I have posted about LOTS & it will be my last as don’t have time to play on forums very much but I wanted to say something positive since everything I read about LOTShas been so negative. The ratings were awesome so it can’t suck that bad if it got picked up again. I read the book Twilight & the movie wasn’t the same but I enjoyed it as a movie & I enjoyed the book as a “book”. We all knew ahead of time that LOTS wasn’t going to be just like the book. The actors are amazing. It takes A LOT to keep my attention. This show had me at the 2nd episode that I cought by pure accident just channel surfing. I stopped for 1 min & couldn’t change the channel. Once it was over I went to my computer to see what this was about & when it would be on again. I’ve NEVER taken the time to do that for a TV series since Charmed. It takes a lot to keep my attention. Some movies people love that win awards I find to be boring like Gladiator for example with Brad Pit. I think these actors are not getting the credit they deserve on LOTS. I took many acting classes growing up, (I’m now 35) so I know good acting when I see it. I never tried to be a actor myself b/c as you know it’s very hard. You can’t work full time & go to every casting call there is to get your name out there unless you have someone paying your bills for you. I couldn’t work full time & go to enough casting calls to start a career, it isn’t easy. You get turned down so many times. Tom Hanks said it took him 15 yrs & all he heard was he was never going to make it but he did. LOTS actors should receive more credit, it’s ashame you never hear anything about them.
I am so glade for a second seasonand that darken Rahl lives on it just wouldn’t be the legend of the seeker with out him. best wishes.
I have read the first tweo books so far, and the prequel, and i think if they follow the general storyline, thats all they need. The details dont matter. I’ve heard that a story isnt what happens, it’s who it happens to. The characters are still the same, just in a different situaiton than previously seen. Though i wish that they fix the whole Darken Rhal is Richard’s brother thing, because thats dumb. Hopefully they say he was just lieing to Jensen, because that’s one of the key things that makes the story go forward in the second book. They would need to find a way to get a Stone of Tears in there, and a way to get it back though. They made it seem like Zedd somehow destroyed the boxes or ordon at the end of the season, which should be impossible. And mostly, i think the palace of the prophets, the keeper, and the sisters of the light/dark shoul;d still be in it. Richard’s lineage is very important. Plus, in the second book, theres like 2 to 3 months of indescribed time, so they could make up stories for that unalloted time to fiull episodes. And one thing that i will be veyr upset about if it is not involved is GRATCH! “Grraatch luuuugs Raggg arrd!”
Theres also room for episodes surrounding the different characters, since they split up very quickly inb the book, and do very different things. As long as they do what they did last time and make the Palace of the Prophets a one episode thing like they did with Denna. Not cool. And its depressiong that they kept out Richard’s special powers, like making the sword white, but the idea is: THEY ARE NOT THE SAME.
The book is a book. The show is a show. You need to produce what people want to see. If you produced everything in the book on screen, it would not be popular. You need to change it up to keep peoples attention. Sorry for rambling!