Earlier than Dune, Austin Butler Starred In This Canceled Fantasy TV Collection

Austin Butler would possibly’ve catapulted to fame along with his dedicated efficiency in Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” however the “Caught Stealing” actor has performed a variety of roles. Butler was a toddler actor who bought his large break with visitor components in “Hannah Montana” and “iCarly,” after which went on to look in sitcoms and teenage dramas like “Zoey 101” and “Switched at Beginning.” He has come a good distance since, and not too long ago performed the dastardly Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in sci-fi epic “Dune: Half Two.” Earlier than Butler acquired mainstream recognition for his unbelievable expertise, although, he was Wil Ohmsford in “The Shannara Chronicles,” the TV adaptation of Terry Brooks’ novel sequence from Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (creators of “Smallville” and Netflix’s “Wednesday”).

Brooks’ novels are campy post-apocalyptic tales with a YA (younger grownup) bent — the sort the place excessive fantasy and edgy melodrama meet. The primary season of “The Shannara Chronicles” loosely follows Brooks’ “The Elfstones of Shannara,” which is ready within the 4 Lands, the place a sacred tree that when stored demons away from infiltrating the land has begun to die. Butler’s Wil, who needs to be a Healer, groups up with the elf Amberle (Poppy Drayton) and the Rover (wanderers with no set dwelling) Eretria (Ivana Baquero). With the help of the final druid, Allanon (Manu Bennett), this group of younger heroes should forestall  monsters from wreaking havoc throughout the 4 Lands.

That is as decently generic as any excessive fantasy setting, filtered by what one would anticipate from a CW present (although “Shannara Chronicles” began out as an MTV sequence). So, how does the present fare, and what does Butler convey to the story?

Terry Brooks’ “Shannara” trilogy is not significantly advanced or meaty to start with. Regardless of its deserves (akin to its tacky sincerity), there’s little originality to this YA high-fantasy that performs out like a shallow rehash of “The Lord of the Rings.” There’s additionally little to no cultural variety throughout the supposedly huge 4 Lands, and no makes an attempt to take narrative dangers that problem hackneyed tropes. All the pieces from an inevitable love triangle to the presence of each conceivable magical creature (together with changelings!) shapes this trope-heavy present, leaving little area for reinvention.

That stated, “The Shannara Chronicles” could be senseless enjoyable, if you happen to’re into that form of factor. Wil fulfills the mantle of the reluctant Chosen One, doing all the things he can to not shoulder any obligations that include grand, harmful quests. A number of the extra unserious dialogue that informs Wil’s persona feels ludicrous, however Butler’s efficiency helps floor such silliness Actually, everybody, particularly Bennett, do the utmost with a lackluster script that races by places and occasions. The humor is tacky, however nice sufficient to not really feel grating. 

Whereas Season 1 of “The Shannara Chronicles” had bankable viewership numbers, the sequence was relocated from MTV to Spike (now Paramount) earlier than the second season aired. The present was canceled after that, however Season 2 is a marked enchancment in each conceivable means, due to extra streamlined worldbuilding and nuanced character arcs. For those who’re interested in Butler’s early profession performances or are a fan of informal fantasy settings, “The Shannara Chronicles” would possibly show to be a jolly good time.