that a mini-series-like approach is the only way to go, if it was going to be done live-action with the following requirements if I'm going to be happy about/with it:
1. Each book = one season.
2. Decent actors (but preferably unknowns, lest someone get extra lines written for them just cuz they're famous already) who freakin' look like the characters.
3. Series must be aired on a "premium" channel because their 1 hour episodes really are 60 minutes of show material.
4. Weaving must be done appropriately with men unable to view women's weaves and vice versa.
5. I could be in the minority with this, but I prefer *not* to hear thoughts unless the actor/actress is writing a letter, etc. I feel that it wouldn't be inappropriate to have someone make small talk about whatever they were just thinking about. IE: "Oh, Siuan, I didn't hear you come in. I was just thinking about Emond's Field" It's done all the time in movies and I think American tv/movie watchers would accept it and move on. The sole exception would be the Rand/Lews conversations. Someone else mentioned that Rand could just have a crazy look on his face while the voiceover played. I'm down with that. Plus, Lews will be someone else's voice anyway, right? (as in, not the actor playing Rand)
6. Does anyone remember the X-Men cartoon from the 90s? Some people didn't like it because they were drawn exactly like the comic book. I was not one of those people. Get the clothing/costuming right. RJ certainly left pages of descriptions to work from.
7. Accents. Don't jack that up, either.

Now is that so much to ask?