One note though show, can we not have Alanna get impaled in every single episode. At certain point she's gonna be more holes than person. But seriously I kinda love the changes with regards to her and focus on her and her warders, it really informs certain upcoming actions. I'm just wondering if they've gone too far down her arc for certain things coming. We'll see how they handle it though, but that's next season at earliest.
It's pretty funny because her book plot armor is keeping her alive and yet enough spears and arrows have gone into her at this point that you're always a little curious if she's going to cheat death yet again.
She's definitely getting the opportunity to practice her "I'm in agony" acting skills.
As the show moves along, I suspect there will be more and more deviations from the book, not the least of which is the fact that the books kept getting bigger (peaking with Lord of Chaos I think?).
So far, they've done a good job of dumping extraneous characters and tightening up the plot to make it more efficient.
I actually don't mind a fair amount of change as it keeps someone familiar with the books on their toes a little bit and helps with the dramatic tension.
Provided that they don't massively change the personalities of the major characters or change their eventual fates.
Holden Caufield said:
I've got some minor quibbles with it, including taking away Faile's big hero moment though. Tbh that was my biggest disappointment with the episode, as someone who really liked Faile in the books, even with her cultural relationship practices. The other one isn't shows fault but missing Tam stuck out. Unfortunately the actor was unavailable.
I like how they cast Faile to be so different from the other characters and love interests on the show. She's small, but aggressive and confident. I think I always imagined her a little more regal.
I was also obsessed with her hooked nose because I think Robert Jordan brought it up every single page she was on. How big was this nose? How hooked? Would she still be attractive with that schnoz?
There were times where she was competing with Nynaeve as most annoying character. I think I like the screen version more, to date.
They do a good job of showing how deadly she can be (how about those Aiel though, it's nice to see their lethality on screen).
In any event, that Eamon Valda scene may even be better than the books, so kudos to them. And I think Lanfear may be better on screen than in the books as well.
Not sure about the Moiraine and Siuan relationship.
"Pillow friends" as written was more of a temporary, immature, going through puberty type relationship in a setting that excluded virtually all males (aside from Warders, who were either training separately or largely spoken for). They've really amped it up into the tragic love story of their lives.
Not sure what impact that might have on Moiraine's future romantic entanglements, if any.
Also, "For mother!" 
Probably the first time I've fistpumped during this show.
