“The Shannara Chronicles” aired in 2016, and it wanted to be a big fantasy epic. It got a TV budget, a familiar name and a world full of magic. What it didn’t get was a script worthy of any of it.
Based on Terry Brooks’ novels, the series follows a young hero named Shea Ohmsford as he tries to stop a deadly force known as the Demons of the Forbidding. The premise sounds like something worth watching. The execution is not.
Trailer, via MTV.
Shea and Menion’s Problem
Shea starts the show as a simple farmer with no idea he’s descended from a powerful line of heroes. He spends most of the first season stumbling through danger while his friends try to keep him safe. That setup works in books. On screen, it plays as slow.
Menion Leah, his cousin, carries most of the action scenes. He’s the one who knows what’s at stake and the one who takes charge when Shea can’t. This division runs through the whole series: Shea is the plot device, Menion is the character you actually care about.
The Demons of the Forbidding
The show’s main threat is the Demons of the Forbidding, creatures born from a cursed land. They’re meant to be terrifying. Mostly they look like green CGI blobs.
The series also introduces trolls, gnomes and other fantasy races, but none of them get the development they need. They exist to fill out battle scenes, not to become memorable characters. A troll is a troll is a troll.
What Works and Where It Falls Short
There are moments where “The Shannara Chronicles” comes close to greatness. The production design is strong, and the locations feel lived-in. The costumes lean heavily on leather and chainmail, and the lighting gives the show a dark, moody tone that suits the fantasy setting.
The cast is game, especially Aram Haney as Shea and Zeljohn Berens as Menion. Their chemistry carries scenes that the writing should.
The pacing drags. Episodes repeat themselves, and the middle stretch of the first season feels like filler rather than story. The dialogue is often stiff, with characters saying things they’d never actually say in a real fight.
The show also struggles with scale. It wants to feel like a grand fantasy saga, but the budget shows. Set pieces that should be awe-inspiring look cheap.
Ranking the Seasons
Here’s how the seasons break down:
- Season 1: Slow start, some promise, too much filler.
- Season 2: Better pace, stronger threats, still weighed down by weak writing.
- Season 3: Attempts to wrap everything up, fails to deliver a satisfying ending.
None of them hit the mark.
The Verdict
“The Shannara Chronicles” is a missed opportunity. It has the pieces of a great fantasy show: a rich world, a compelling central conflict and actors willing to commit. But the writing never rises to meet them. Shea stays flat. Menion gets the best material, but even he doesn’t get enough to make the show worthwhile.
It’s not a terrible show. It’s just a show that never finds its footing.
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