The Witcher

It got better a couple episodes in. A lot felt forced, stiff, and didn't have enough suspension of disbelief (that magic touch). But it was good enough to keep me watching and liking it more as it went on. I didn't like the puzzle of events though. Can't wait for a fan edit putting events in sequential order. Just that thing that is hard to put into words. You feel it is all fake whether it is acting, timing, camera work, wire work, choreography or what not. Closer to Shannara chronicles than Game of Thrones in suspension of disbelief. Or World of Warcraft (the movie) rather than Lord of the Rings.

I finished watching The Wicher at one go straight, so it is evident that it kept me hooked until the very end. Let me be clear about something: I am not much of a fan of these medieval sagas. But something about The Witcher struck me as different.

Yes, there are many flaws. The acting of the supporting cast is not very strong, the storyline is a bit obvious, and sometimes things happen too conveniently for the story to progress.

But the good things certainly dominate the bad things. The "Dunkirk approach" to the editing mostly worked well, even though ambiguity remained at certain places. I guess those will be cleared in the second season. Henry Cavill was magnificent as the titular character. The dialogues were very strong too, thanks to its source material.

The pace of the series was strong, and it picked up interest as the episodes rolled by. I, personally, preferred this over the Game of Thrones (I know I am going to get a lot of flak for this), but hey, choices, right?

I originally watched this in 2019 when it released and was a big fan,
the world was captivating and interesting yet bleak and grounded. Such
was my interest, I shortly after played all the games and began reading
the books, now two years later and with season 2 about to come out I
decided it was worth a rewatch.



On my second watch I wasn't quite as impressed, now able to judge the
show both as an adaptation of material, characters and stories I was
familiar with from other works and also able to better analyse the show
as a piece of television in its own right now that I could better
understand the quite convoluted plot and timeline.



The Show is an attempt to adapt two collections of short stories that
serve as precursors to the main witcher series, these stories are often
only loosely connected although are often thematically related and take
place over a huge span of time and place.

This could lend itself nicely to an anthology style monster of the week collection with common themes, characters and world building however the The show ambitiously tries to construct a cohesive narrative out of this in 8 episodes and it doesn't really quite work, limited to only 8 episodes so much subtlety and intricacy is lost and that which is there, is often poorly explained. I blamed myself on my initial watch for often being confused at what was
happening but now after watching again while familiar with the source
material I don't feel the show really does a good job of setting up the
political background and bounces from one extreme to another either name
dumping with no context or flanderization such as Nilfgaard = Nazis.



I would never expect a Movie or Tv show to be able to capture or
match everything from a book series where the only limit is the readers
imagination but was very surprised how I much preferred nearly all the
voice acting and visual aesthetics of the video games compared to the
show, from the creature design to the Nilfgaardian armour to the sense
of character I think the games does it all better. The acting here
overall isn't great, although I do like Cavil as Geralt.



Overall I still think the first season was decent and I did still
enjoy it and hopefully pretends better to come but can't say it
particularly succeeds either as an adaption of the first two witcher
books or as a particularly well crafted piece of television.

I'm not big fan of fantasy movies or shows but I started to watch and it was pretty good. But then it came second season and it was terrible. Third is also not good and its more about side actors than Whitcher itself. Also it became another woke trash that I hope was not in the book. Also, except from main character acting is not good also, especially two women side actors. I gave it rather high score of 6 just because of first season, but otherwise it would be 3 or 4. You know what, just after this review I will give it 5 because as I write this I came to realize it did not deserve more. Like so many possibly good movies and shows today, ruined by woke stuff.

The first season was pretty good in my opinion. It was not perfect because of the confusing timeline and some poor casting choices (Fringilla in particular). But at least it followed the story of the books.

But season 2 hurts. The writers of the show are rewriting the story unnecessarily, and it turns out much worse than the original material. Except for episode 1, the writers of this show simply do not understand what makes The Witcher world interesting. The Deathless Mother is boring, the brief glimpse of the Wild Hunt is boring and out of a million creepy and original monsters, the series finale has them fighting a bunch of velociraptors, because this is apparently Jurassic Park.

And while Henry Cavill isn't doing so great in the role of Geralt, I can hardly blame him, considering the bad dialogue writing overall. Freya Allan as Ciri is the best thing in this series. And to think that they almost didn't cast her just shows how out of touch the producers of this show are.

Just follow the books, and maybe this series can be saved.

Edit: Season 3 is such a trainwreck, it doesn't even deserve a review.

**The Witcher: A Captivating Journey Through a Rich Fantasy World**

_The Witcher_ has consistently delivered a spellbinding experience across its three seasons, effectively introducing a credible and realistic fantasy world where the lines between good and bad are often blurred. The series masterfully brings to life the rich characters, sharp wit, and stylish action that fans of the novels and games have come to love.

From the very beginning, the production design stands out, with a commitment to creating an atmosphere steeped in medieval fantasy. The music enhances this immersion, wrapping you in a world that feels both ancient and alive. The actors, particularly Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, fully commit to their roles, embodying their characters with a depth and authenticity that is rare in fantasy television.

Season one lays a strong foundation with its non-linear narrative, offering an exciting, intoxicating, and at times, downright confusing ride that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. As the series progresses, it continues to balance action, drama, humor, and the darker aspects of its world-such as sex and monsters-creating a rich tapestry of storytelling that is both fun and engaging.

By the time we reach Geralt and Ciri's latest outing, the series has evolved into a spectacular odyssey of family and destiny. Set within a world brimming with history and political schemes, their journey is as much about the bonds they forge as it is about the epic battles they fight.

_The Witcher_ remains a must-watch for fans of the genre, offering something for everyone, whether you're drawn to its intense action scenes, its deeply human characters, or its richly detailed world. Each season builds on the last, delivering a thrilling and cohesive adventure that leaves viewers eagerly anticipating what comes next.

First season, kicked ass. There was a bit of time continuity issue in letting the audience follow the story. And while the swordplay action scenes were very well done, there was not enough special effects monster scenes in the show. But as to having a good balance of what a mid-evil fantasy world would be in the ways talking, interaction, social norms, debauchery, sensuality (sex, tits, & ass >tongue hang drooling< lol) It did okay.
All in all I'd give the first season a solid 7.8/10.

Now as for the 2nd season, I could have taken it or left it. By then because the showrunner wanted money just for being at work instead of investing in the story and show, Henry Cavill was looking for the door; as were fans. She, the showrunner (I don't recall her name, and because I don't like the person she is, I won't look it up either), was indeed responsible for the rest of the episodes, and following season, going into the toliet.

And the 3rd season, Cavill is out. Siri is...more. The bard is gay. And the Hemsworth brother is as visible as the wind, publicity-wise. Don't even waste your time. The paint drying on your walls is more riveting.

-- Bob --