Whew....this was a confusing ride. Having never read the books or knew anything about the series, I went in blind, but hoped for the best. As a fan of most all things fantasy & period and Sci-Fy (as long as well written/produced) I expected something superior based on the excellent reviews.

This was a head banger. Trying to figure out the story line and twisting plots with all the flashbacks thrown in is a major challenge. The show meanders all over the place with too many characters thrown in without a story line. The acting/filming is decent and Henry Cavill is well cast in the starring role. Yet there were too many unexplained stories and I was left with the feeling that the producer's sort of expected the viewer to know the all backstories beforehand.

Why the producers only made 8 episodes is another big mystery. This is no heavy investment production like GoT with all the costs associated. This films like a Vikings budget. Lots of outdoor sets, minimal CGI, and no high salary stars. Yet the Vikings managed to put out 20 episodes a season. Plenty of hours for timelines and adventures to play out and to develop characters. No development here. Bam! These are the Mages and u better know what they are about.

Having said all that, it is decent enough, but I was left wanting so much more. Too many "what the heck is going on moments". I'm guessing the books do a lot more justice to all the back stories and flow (just like GoT). Recommend reading first, as I hope too. And wait until 2021 for the second season. What?