Netflix’s The Witcher debuted on the streaming platform a fortnight ago and being one of my most anticipated shows of 2019, I was well on-hand to binge all eight episodes of the first season in its opening weekend. In the weeks leading to the show’s release, I largely shipped the arrival of the series on my social media platforms, and it would be amiss if I didn’t give my opinion on the currently polarizing series; roasted by the critics and loved by the audience (well most of them). Now, anybody who knows knows me, knows I’m a big fan of the Witcher lore, after being introduced to Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels via CD Projekt Red’s awesome videogame series, it’s quickly become one of my favourite fantasy worlds. So needless to say, I was completely stoked when I learned it was getting a live action adaptation, and after seeing that come to life onscreen, here are my thoughts (and nitpickings) on the currently viral series.
NON-SPOILER REVIEW OF NETFLIX’S THE WITCHER
UNINSPIRING START
The Witcher opens in a moonlit CGI swamp, a fawn is suddenly startled, as a spider-looking creature and a white-haired man emerge from the murky waters trading blows, before the man eventually defeats the monstrous aberration. This man is Geralt (Henry Cavill), a mutated professional monster slayer and the protagonist of our story, the monster; a Kikimora, one of the many accursed creatures roaming the fantastical world known simply as ‘The Continent’. As far as opening scenes go, this was certainly not one of the most encouraging, the dark foggy background of the swamp felt far from tactile and the fight between man and beast was quite underwhelming. It certainly wasn’t the way you'd want to captivate an audience from the get go, but this was the Witcher and I was not going to be put off my some cringe worthy CGI just yet. Sadly, there was still more of that to come (More on that later).
SHARING THE STAGE
Geralt might be the main POV character/protagonist in the books and video games, but in the series, he equally shares the spotlight with Yennefer and Ciri. While I wanted to see more of the title character, and see him doing more Witcher things; monster contracts, exploring taverns, defending the downtrodden, making morally grey decisions awesome fights etc. I can understand why perhaps it was not the express direction taken. Most of the book short stories occur before Ciri’s birth and some even before Geralt meets Yennefer. Making Geralt the only POV of the series would require that the short stories be drawn out longer over the span of a season, while this wouldn’t have been a bad idea, it would certainly have required a way bigger budget.
However, the series does bring some of the short stories to life, using them as a platform to give some insight into Geralt and Yennefer’s past, and merging them with events which occur much later. This results in a somewhat convoluted timeline as past and present are simultaneously run and it’s all up to the audience to figure it out. There is little hand-holding here and the uninitiated may struggle to get a grasp of the events that are transpiring, but by the fourth episode (midway through the season) these stories come together before they eventually converge. It’s not the most orthodox way to tell a fantasy story, but it is very rewarding for the patient viewer.
MUCH LESS, MUCH MORE
As earlier mentioned, the special effects in some scenes in the show leave a whole lot to be desired, particularly the monsters on display. While there were some standout cases (like the Striga), most of the featured creatures were near abysmal and didn’t really help with the immersion. Luckily, this is something that can be improved upon in the following season. That being said, the swordplay in the Witcher is probably one of the best I’ve seen on Television. Simple, fluid and quick. Geralt’s fighting prowess is easily illustrated as superior than that of a human, but not so much to make him look invincible, it’s simply perfect. Choreographed by the Night King himself - Vladimir Furdik, the fight choreography was simply a joy to watch, and luckily, we get an early dose of this in the very first episode. Sadly, the fight scenes are few and far between, and I ended the season with a craving for more, much more. Note to Netflix we need more Geralt fight scenes!!!
SHOW STOPPER
Perhaps my biggest gripe of the season (asides the fact that Geralt isn't carrying two swords) was how much the magical powers of the mages (Sorcerers/Sorceresses) were largely diluted and downplayed, and this was no more evident when Yennefer attempts to protect Kails and her child and during the battle of Sodden Hill, there are many others but these were a standout for me, considering the powers displayed in the books and games yields. I’m not sure if this was due to a limited budget or an artistic direction; maybe the Director opted for a more grounded approach to magic, but I thought it was quite underwhelming.
WORLD BUILDING
Throughout the show's eight episodes, there are many references to past events, Kingdoms and Kings, references likely to go over the head of anyone new to the Witcher Lore. I would have really loved if the Showrunner opted to give the audience some information about the The Continent; The Conjunction of Spheres, the arrival of man and monsters, The Witcher Guilds, and the major Kingdoms concerned. A narrative opening montage to the episodes or something like it, might have gone a long way in familiarizing the uninitiated into this world.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Hmmmmnn. All in all, The Witcher – Season One is a fine watch. It probably could have been better adapted for TV, as there were other directions they could have gone with, but the good news is that it can only get better. Like any first season, it has its rough edges, but there’s so much the show has going for it, and despite a largely unknown cast, the actors mostly deliver. Henry Cavill delivers a near perfect rendition of Geralt, Anya Chalotra is stunning and fantastic as Yennefer, Freya Allan is quintessential as Ciri, and Joey Batey is an excellent Jaskier (or Dandellion as he’s popularly known). However, I found Anna Schafer's Trriss Merrigold to be penny plain and a poor version of the character, but maybe that was due to her somewhat limited role (but still!). Luckily, there’s still a whole lot of room for improvement, and potentially a couple more seasons to go.
REJECT RATING: 7/10
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Images courtesy of NETFLIX
Map of the Northern Kingdoms courtesy of CD Projekt RED
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