I have mixed feelings, but I’m mainly leaning towards meh.
The Pros
– Amazing visuals of Oz. For a network show, I’m impressed. I also liked that they used a lot of real sets and practical effects. I haven’t noticed any groan worthy CGI yet.
– The acting’s not too bad, either.
– The modern spins: For example Dorothy runs over the Witch of the East with her car, the Munchkins are an indigenous tribe, the “Scarecrow” has amnesia, and Dorothy kills the Witch of the East by tricking her into shooting herself.
– I like that they’re using Oz mythology that isn’t just from the Wizard of Oz book or movie, but the other Oz stories. Mombi, “Tip”, and King Pastoria.
The Cons
– The writing is the biggest flaw of this show so far. It feels slow and confusing, to the point where I honestly felt these 2 hours were a bit of a slog to get through. I just wasn’t as invested as I would have liked to have been. Unfortunately, I get the impression that many viewers will feel the same way. I can’t see this doing spectacular ratings wise.
– The show feels like it wants to be a Game of Thrones/Lord of the Rings knock-off.
– I agree about Dorothy being pretty bland and could use a lot more development.
– The Witch of the West running a brothel. This was just plain bizarre.
I’ll continue watching, but definitely not the biggest fan so far. I’m hoping the later episodes can be improvements.
On a strange note, Dorothy’s town is named Lucas, and she chooses to name the “Scarecrow” after it. Lucas also happens to be Red/Ruby’s last name on OUAT. This has to be purely coincidental, but it’s especially weird when it seems like they’re setting Dorothy and Lucas up as a romantic pairing.