In the post-Game of Thrones race to be declared television’s biggest fantasy franchise, The Wheel of Time has rounded a corner and is picking up speed. Prime Video’s adaptation of Robert Jordan’s 14-volume door-stopper-to-end-all-door-stoppers has gradually found its way after a first series blighted by iffy costuming and atrocious special effects. Having at last persuaded Amazon to whip out the chequebook, season three features drastically improved production values while Rosamund Pike appears to be finally enjoying herself as sorceress Moiraine – a sort of Lady Gandalf with inferior taste in hats but a much better line in whiz-bang magic. 

There’s one colossal caveat, however: you really do need to like this kind of thing. Where Game of Thrones won over sceptics by pretending to be about the politics rather than dragons (a ruse that worked almost right up until the end), The Wheel of Time is fantasy for people who enjoy fantasy. Five minutes into the latest run of episodes, it’s already swords-and-sorcery pedal to the metal. Olivia Williams turns up as a scheming queen merrily slitting the throats of her rivals. Elsewhere, messiah-in-waiting (and Ed Sheeran lookalike) Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) is moodily resisting mentor Moiraine’s advice that he set off in search of a magical sword that will cement his status as the “Dragon” of ancient prophecy – a figure destined to stand against the Sauron-like Dark One. 

You have to admire the Wheel of Time for not being afraid to scare off the sort of people who gave up on Lord of the Rings the minute it stopped being about hobbits drinking themselves into a stupor. Yet, for those who enjoy a protein-packed hero’s journey, it delivers quite a punch. The action kicks off with the outbreak of civil war in the headquarters of Moiraine’s Aes Sedai – a school of esoteric nuns who are the sole wielders of magic in this world.