In his famous anti-allegory statement, J. R. R. Tolkien says that he prefers history, “true or feigned,” over allegory, because where history allows for the “freedom of the reader,” allegory depends on “the purposed domination of the author.” Now consider another conservative titan, Yuval Levin, who harshly critiques the modern tendency to treat institutions not as molds of character, but as platforms from which to perform. Keep both ideas in mind as we think about streaming’s latest big-budget failure.
Late in May, Amazon announced the cancellation of The Wheel of Time, the slickly produced, marquee fantasy series based on the book series of the same name. Shortly after the announcement, the show’s costume designer shared a hopeful message on Instagram:
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