Is the show worth watching yet?

So I've read all the books multiple times, I think I'm on my 11th read at this point. (I spent a lot of highschool in the library lmao)

Tbh I was turned off of the show when I learned that my favourite character by far, Perrin, didn't have his axe. I haven't sent any of it yet. I liked the racial diversity. I kinda digged the idea of Tom having a guitar instead. I got over perrin's actor not being lore-accurately buff, that shit would be crazy hard. I kinda feel like the look of Loiall is somehow racist, even though it's on a black guy. Like it just looked so bad in the photos I showed.

But no axe? Basically the most fundamental driving force of possibly the most important character in the entire series??

Honestly I don't know if I can get past that.

My question is, for those who've read the books a bunch, and I guess for those who haven't, heck, how about for those who watched the show THEN read the books, how does the show stand up? Would I be wasting my time at this point? Is it starting to get better?

Ps. Is the new Mat actor any good?