'The Shannara Chronicles' Premiere: What We Loved, What We Laughed At

It’s been over a decade since the “Hey, remember when MTV played music videos?” joke has been even remotely funny or insightful, but that’s been more than enough time to accept that MTV now entertains youth in a whole new way. From genuinely inspired original comedies (Faking It, Awkward) to underrated pulp monster-mashes (Teen Wolf, The Challenge), the network has actively thrown off the shackles of low-rent vapidity it formerly embraced and has now, in the case of The Shannara Chronicles, opened up its wallet for a very expensive attempt at premium cable ambition. So after months (years?) of teases, Shannara’s two-hour premiere finally aired and the verdict is:

What Did We Laugh At?

Oh gosh, I mean, it’s all in the details, really. Torches burn green! Some of the elves wear tiny pieces of armor on their ears. At one point, the king and the awakened wizard guy touch foreheads affectionately. A father-daughter team of rogues give each other a secret handshake like something out of What’s Happening!!. The fact that, for most of the premiere, I believed that I was following characters named Ombré and Al-Anon. Plus, the recognizable tropes of teen dramas and sexy cable shows abounded: Not one but TWO gratuitous bathing scenes. Characters introduced without shirts on. Forbidden romance, etc. Like, yes, I am laughing, but also GIVE ME MORE.