Legend of the Seeker

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Fantasy series follows well-established model.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this swords 'n' sorcery series follows the adventures of a young man (the titular Seeker) who discovers he's destined to become a hero. The bad guys are truly nasty, while the Seeker and his allies are obviously fighting for truth and justice. There's magic and monsters, wizards and fairies, and plenty of battles. The combat scenes are exciting and somewhat graphic, but there's little blood or gore despite the high casualty count. There's some sexual tension between the central characters, but not much in the way of action.

  • As with many fantasy TV shows and movies, the main message here is that good will usually triumph over evil in the end, even if it takes a lot of time and pain for that to happen.
  • There's a very clear line between "good guys" and "bad guys." The good guys embrace temwork and fight for truth and justice, while the bad guys are willing to do
    whatever's necessary in their quest to rule the world --  including
    killing women and children, lying, attacking innocent/unarmed people,
    and even destroying entire villages.
  • Plenty of combat. People use swords, daggers, arrows, clubs, battle axes, and more, and most of the battles are fought to the death. The fight scenes can be exciting, with well-choreographed martial arts sequences, and though there's little gore, the show often features shots that make it clear when a swordsman has struck a mortal blow.
  • No sex or nudity, though there's a fair amount of sexual tension between Richard and Kahlan. Some female characters wear revealing outfits.

What's the story?

When Richard Cypher (Craig Horner) steps in to aid a mysterious woman who's fleeing from a gang of heavily armed soldiers, he has no idea the encounter will transform his life -- and potentially change the fate of an entire kingdom. The woman is Kahlan (Bridget Regan), who has ventured across a magical barrier in search of the Seeker, the man destined to overthrow the evil king Darken Rahl (Craig Parker). Both Kahlan and Richard are stunned when mysterious wizard Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander (Bruce Spence) reveals that Richard is the Seeker and that he must leave behind his simple life to accept his fate as a legendary hero.


Is it any good?

 

LEGEND OF THE SEEKER is the brainchild of Rob Tapert, who created a basic blueprint for swords 'n' sorcery TV shows with his two prior entries in the genre, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. Legend of the Seeker follows the same model, as Richard, Kahlan, and Zeddicus gather allies in their campaign to defeat Darken Rahl. There's plenty of action and excitement, a good bit of magic, and the occasional monster -- as well as a strong hint of mysticism as Richard gradually learns more about the prophecy that foretold his birth.

Based on Terry Goodkind's popular Sword of Truth novels, the series will satisfy fans of the fantasy genre. The fight scenes are exciting, the overarching story gives the characters enough background to be interesting, and the New Zealand locations are stunning. But it may not have broader appeal. The effects are merely adequate, the script sometimes has huge logic gaps, and the acting is spotty: Spence is a hoot as Zedd, but Parker's villainous Darken Rahl is an overacting cliché and Horner (who comes off like an excitable Mark Wahlberg) may have been selected more because he's easy on the eyes than for his acting chops. Legend of the Seeker doesn't break new ground, but it might be enough to satisfy people looking for a good swordfight and an evil overlord.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about destiny -- and how Richard rises to the one that the prophecy foretells for him. Do you think people's fates are predetermined?

  • Can people alter fate or escape their destiny? Why do such prophecies
    play such an important role in so many fantasy/sci-fi films and TV
    shows?

  • Why does this particular genre tend to inspire
    such love-it-or-hate-it reactions? What's the appeal of fantasy? Why
    might it turn some people off?


This review was written by Will Wade
Teen, 16 years old
November 11, 2008
 
OMG I Love This Show
This is a great show if you like swords and sorcery i sure love it great for any age

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Adult
December 7, 2008
 
alright

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Parent of 13 year old
July 8, 2010
 
Awesome Show for the Family that will get you Hooked! Can be Bloody at Moments!
We LOVED this series, and were sad to see it canceled! Great action flick for 12 and up! There is more sex than CommonSense implies, but it is pretty tame and you can just skip it! Although there is one episode that you will just want to skip altogether! I think it's called Baneling! Other than that episode, it has good role models and good action without gore! :D

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Teen, 17 years old
December 23, 2008
 
A Fun Watch
The Legend of the Seeker is an adaption of the first book of the Sword of Truth book series, Wizard's First Rule. Out of the half-dozen or so episodes already released, I think perhaps 15% of the content is actually from the book. Is that a bad thing? Of course not. I think the writers have done a pretty good job of adding extra material. The sets are awesome. Being filmed in New Zealand, some Lord of the Rings fans will recognize many of the locations. The acting is raather corny, but it's a fantasy television show, what else can you expect? It takes me back to the good old days when Xena: Warrior Princess was around. A good watch for anyone looking for a show like Xena or someone who wants to jump into a new world and story. I can't really imagine the average TV viewer getting into this show, however.

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Kid, 1 year old
April 21, 2011
 
completely appropriate
read the books first

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Parent of 10 and 14 year old
January 31, 2010
 
second season a bit racier than first
we really enjoyed this show, but the second season took on a much more distinct adult flavor. darker, scarier dead creatures, and sex. we review them before we watch them with the kids, but the kids have lost interest since it no longer has that hopeful playfulness from the first season. i would still watch it, but it is hard to find a family show in this genre.

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Adult
July 18, 2009
 
Good role models? What useful information would we be teaching our young children if we were to allow them to view violent television shows before they even begin the concept of abstract thinking? It is unbelievable to me as a parent that someone would say they are a good parent providing good and positive role models for their young children through this nonsense of an essential knock-off of Lord of the Rings or the Narnia Series? Instead of parking your child in front of the T.V to "teach" them about truth, why not try to actually BE a good role model and show them what being an actual adult is about through your actions? Children emulate what they see, why are yours obsessed with gore, violence, and things drowning in blood?

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Parent of 6 and 19 year old
June 28, 2009
 
Great Role Models for 5-10 yr olds!
This is one of the few shows that give younger children (5- 10 yrs old) positive role models they can emulate. Yes, the violence is intense in EVERY episode, yet without the gore. When I was that age we used to play "Army" or "cowboys and Indians" and "kill" each other off, so why not "The Seeker" vs. the "D'Harans" or for that matter, King Arthur, or Ivanhoe? Point is, the the Seeker is a seeker of TRUTH and stands up for the oppressed and the underdog, which is something many children today are NOT being taught by their parents, let alone TV.

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Teen, 18 years old
March 29, 2009
 
The Most Epic and Heroic Show in the History of Shows
This show is so amazing that I only watch it at it's latest hour (at night, because it is that kind of show), and I can never wait to see the next episode. This is the very first show that I have ever followed and kept track of the times for. This show should be acknowledged more. The acting is so convincing, and the plots are so unpredictable, that you stay with the show.

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Kid, 13 years old
August 28, 2011
 
One of my Favorite Shows!
Legend of the Seeker is a really great TV show, I watched all of the episodes in just days. You can't go without a show without someone dying. There is some inappropriate parts with Richard and Kahlan and some other people. Overall it is a must see.

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This review was written by Will Wade
TV rating:TV-14
Network:Syndicated
Cast:Bridget Regan, Bruce Spence, Craig Horner
Genre:Drama

This review was written by Will Wade
 

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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