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Legend of the Seeker Episode Review
In which Richard has crap taste in women. Even in his dreams when Darken Rahl casts a spell to create a clip show episode of Legend of the Seeker.
What Happened
Rahl's sorcerer casts a spell using moonlight to send Richard into a dream where he will tell his deepest secrets to the people he sees. Imagining a world where he fell and hit his head, Richard tries explaining to everyone what he thinks is going on. Even though they don't believe him, everyone keeps asking him to keep talking.
By pretending to Richard's childhood sweetheart Anna (damn that's creepy), Rahl gets him to continue the story in the hopes that Richard will tell where he's hidden the Box of Orden. Just as he is about to tell "Anna" where the box is, Kahlan's words of love have an effect. The dream is shattered and Richard wakes up.
The Good
We do see Anna again in a later episode - so she's not a complete throw-away of a character. Otherwise, I would have her pegged firmly under "The Dreaded Ex" cliche. That naturally as soon as Richard and Kahlan start getting closer, out pops the ex-girlfriend. As a character in her own right, Anna is nice but bland.
The Bad
"The Spell of the Lying Moon" intones Zedd as if we won't know he's expositioning his little heart out.
The Cliche
It's a dream! (And a clip show! Haven't seen one of those in years.) But a dream, then. To excuse all the weird things like Zedd walking around with a chicken. In this case, Richard spends a whole sentence or two trying to convince people, then just gives up and starts storytelling.
What Did I Think?
As far as frames go, this horribly convenient reason for Richard to recap the season so far is... no more or less ridiculous than most. We'll just invent a sorcerer no one's met to cast a spell no one's heard of that can only be cast during the full moon on the third Tuesday after the ascension of Jupiter in the ninth house and by the way we're totally making this up.
It's a bit scattershot, as Richard talks first to his brother, and then goes off to find Zedd, and then ends with Anna. And you'll forgive me for rolling my eyes when the power of Kahlan's love is what breaks the spell. It's not that I don't believe they love each other, it's just a bit too schmoopy for my tastes.
That said. If it's gotta be, it's gotta be. As a whole, the episode doesn't commit any major crimes. It's just kind of skippable.