Rosamund Pike says Wheel of Time fell to streaming "churn" - and admits season 1 "wasn't good enough" for some fans
For fans who stuck with The Wheel of Time, this one stings. Rosamund Pike (movies and tv series) says she still "dreams" of one last season somewhere else - even as she accepts the show is likely done at Prime Video.
In a new chat, Pike is candid about why the series might've been cut. She points to a rocky start, then the industry's obsession with what's new, now, next.
What Pike said
Pike, who played Moiraine Damodred, told Collider that season 1 "wasn't good enough" for some viewers - and she gets why. COVID shutdowns and key crew changes hit those early episodes hard, and you could feel it.
"By season 2, we knew what we were doing," she said. And by season 3, she felt the show had fully found its voice - tighter writing, stronger performances, bigger swings that actually landed.
Why it stung for fans
The series took big liberties with Robert Jordan (movies and tv series)'s '90s novels, centering on Moiraine's hunt for the Dragon Reborn and, eventually, landing on Rand as the chosen one. The scope widened, the stakes sharpened, and the response followed.
Look at the arc: season 1 scored around the low 80s with critics, season 2 ticked higher, and season 3 soared close to universal praise. You didn't need a chart to see the climb - the storytelling tightened and the cast dug in.
The churn problem
Here's the tougher part: Pike thinks the show was also "a victim to the terrible churn factor" - the pressure on streamers to constantly market the new shiny thing. And she's probably right. Even good shows get caught in that cycle once the initial buzz fades.
Would a stronger first season have changed the math? Maybe. But the streaming playbook right now is unforgiving, especially for genre TV that needs time - and money - to hit its peak.
Could it be saved?
Fans aren't letting go quietly. Nearly a quarter of a million people have signed a petition to revive the show. Pike says "in my dreams, another studio would be wise and pick it up," and that the team now knows exactly how to land a final run.
Here's what this could mean: if a buyer steps in fast, there's a clear path to a focused, one-season finish - a proper goodbye with the cast and creative momentum still intact. If not, this may be one of those shows we talk about years from now with a quiet, frustrated "what if."
Why it matters for the beat
For anyone covering sci-fi and fantasy TV, this is the pattern to watch: slower-burn genre series are improving season to season, but renewal decisions are happening earlier and leaning harder on immediate, headline-level traction. And that gap - between audience patience and platform priorities - keeps canceling shows right as they level up.
Maybe it's just timing. But it sure feels like The Wheel of Time finally found its stride - and that's exactly when the clock (movies and tv series) ran out.
