Television The Witcher | Netflix | There are book spoilers here

amolbhatia50k

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After episode 1 was feeling uneasy about the show but stuck with it until the end of the series. Wow.. brilliant debut season, it is all over the place granted, and obscure to follow.. the story is complex and full of gaping holes, but if you ignore all that, it somehow seems to work and is a really good watch. Not sure why people have called it 'cheap'... yes the CGI is iffy but the action is quality and some of the landscapes stunning.

8.5/10.
Agree. For me it was a wonderful watch. I think while there are legitimate criticisms I think people have to take high (or higher) fantasy (than GoT) for what it is. The Witcher is far more about action, monsters, magic etc and that has its own enjoyment and suspension of belief. Given I really liked each of the three main characters of season 1 that sets it up perfectly for next season and strong base for the show in general.
 

siw2007

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Just finished season 1. I would say it was a mild success, not as great as I would have hoped but it was still good, very good at times, and loads of potential to improve.

I was sceptical after the first episode but quickly grew into it, absolutely thrilled with episodes 3 and 5. Especially as they were quite iconic tales from The Last Wish and I feel the producers did them justice here.

However the following episodes I didn’t enjoy as much. I remember reading episode 6 from Sword of Destiny but was a little underwhelmed with what they produced. But the finale was fantastic and one of the stronger episodes.

Cavill as Geralt is fantastic, pretty faultless performance from him and also Yennefer and Ciri were brilliantly portrayed too. Where the show lets itself down is the poor displays from the non main characters and a story that jumps forwards and backwards in time which can make it a little confusing at times, though I fully expect this to rectify as we move away from the short stories into the novels.
 

GhastlyHun

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Can we not get some love for Geralt and Jaskier? Fecking brilliant casting. They're like Shrek and Donkey.
Yes! :lol:
Jaskier/Dandelion becomes greater with every scene he's in.

5 epsiodes done, and I enjoyed every single one more than the last.
 

Simbo

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I though the first two episodes were the best , the Renfri fight especially, as well as her character which was well done and ties into the Ciri storyline, and this show is pretty much ALL about the Ciri storyline. The rest seemed to take a dip quality wise but still above my original expectations! It was a great first season on the whole, certainly better than most stuff Netflix push out.

Nothing wrong with nitpicking though, everyone always wants more :)
 

RamblingRebel

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Watched the first two of these. Damn it's pretty to look at! Love the cinematography. So is there plenty of these book to drag out loads of series? Looks very promising!
 

Denis79

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Aside from episode 6 that reminded me of fantasy TV series from the 90's, the show was solid.
 

Andersons Dietician

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No chance they'll lock down Cavill for 7 seasons and Netflix series seem to be three seasons and out for 95% of their shows nowadays.
I don’t see why they couldn’t. It’s not like he is The Rock (who does a tv show as well) Cavill sought out this part and was harassing the writer for a meeting before she’d even started adapting the books so I think it’s safe to say he’s fairly passionate about it and if the standard is good why wouldn’t he want to see it out. There isn’t really anyway they could go on without him anyway and if it’s mapped out for 7 seasons I would imagine he has already gave some sort of assurances he is on board for it.
 

Andersons Dietician

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I've read that the budget was close to $10 mil per episode, which is ridiculous, it looks so much cheaper. Half of that probably was Henry Cavill's salary.

Positives:
  • the pace and the story gets better
  • some good casting choices — Cavill, the princess, Yennifer (spelling?)
  • vintage 90's feeling — looks like it's becoming a trend, with Mandalorian going the same way. But it’s not all good
  • multiple timelines — I haven't read or played before, but I thought that it worked nicely and added some intrigue
Negatives:
  • CGI and editing; half of the stuff is covered in fog and every big battle happens in the dark. Don't get me started on the monsters
  • extras — I get the feeling that there weren't even enough extras on the set, before we even consider their acting capabilities. It literally looked like a computer game where the NPCs are standing passively in the background before you activate them
  • dialogs — they're so predictable. I had a little game with myself where I said outloud the next phrase when there was a dramatic pause present (so, every 2 minutes) and got most of them right even without knowing the books/games etc. It's not a good sign
  • vintage 90's feeling - you have to somehow adapt that aesthetics and plot structure to reference the past (like Stranger Things did), not create a show that feels like you went back in time to watch Hercules or Zena
  • Little to none character development. Even when it happens, it happens at the point when we can’t relate to them. The Lioness gets smacked in the face by Destiny and almost kills her entire court over it, but finally gets its importance... only to forget about it and make the same mistake again. Yenn’s motivations are so weird - we don’t see enough bond between her and her teacher that would explain her change of heart near the end. Personally, her “legacy” quest feels so shallow, so you don’t really feel her sacrifice to earn that “legacy” another way. The Witcher is capable of forming friendships and other relationships from the start, is there anything different about him in the end? Oh, yeah, he believed in destiny... because the love of his life that he spent 15 minutes with mentioned the girl before dying? The only interesting character development that they’ve set up was the dark sorceress that went from a nepotist appointment to being the most powerful wizard in the world (arguably. leaving aside the girl for the time being) and the brains behind the Southern revolt... but the entirety of it happens off the screen.
I feel like you need some spoilers in that.
 
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amolbhatia50k

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I don’t see why they couldn’t. It’s not like he is The Rock (who does a tv show as well) Cavill sought out this part and was harassing the writer for a meeting before she’d even started adapting the books so I think it’s safe to say he’s fairly passionate about it and if the standard is good why wouldn’t he want to see it out. There isn’t really anyway they could go on without him anyway and if it’s mapped out for 7 seasons I would imagine he has already gave some sort of assurances he is on board for it.
Yeah I agree. He's a huge fan. If it takes off I can see him being happy to do many many more seasons.
 

justboy68

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I enjoyed it enough from the start but I think it really kicked up another gear in the last few episodes. Loved the last one in particular and I think Yennefer's arc so far has been fantastic. The timelines got much easier to follow as the show went on and tied together very nicely at the end. From here I think we're only going to see the series get stronger, I can't wait. Cavill is perfect as Geralt and from what I've read he's really invested into the character so hopefully the show will catch on well and he will stick around for many seasons to come,

(Is it too much to hope that the series carries on all the way through to the games and finishes with Blood and Wine :lol:)
 

Massive Spanner

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I enjoyed it enough from the start but I think it really kicked up another gear in the last few episodes. Loved the last one in particular and I think Yennefer's arc so far has been fantastic. The timelines got much easier to follow as the show went on and tied together very nicely at the end. From here I think we're only going to see the series get stronger, I can't wait. Cavill is perfect as Geralt and from what I've read he's really invested into the character so hopefully the show will catch on well and he will stick around for many seasons to come,

(Is it too much to hope that the series carries on all the way through to the games and finishes with Blood and Wine :lol:)
God no, I hope they take it to a totally different path from the game. You can't improve on that.
 

amolbhatia50k

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I enjoyed it enough from the start but I think it really kicked up another gear in the last few episodes. Loved the last one in particular and I think Yennefer's arc so far has been fantastic. The timelines got much easier to follow as the show went on and tied together very nicely at the end. From here I think we're only going to see the series get stronger, I can't wait. Cavill is perfect as Geralt and from what I've read he's really invested into the character so hopefully the show will catch on well and he will stick around for many seasons to come,

(Is it too much to hope that the series carries on all the way through to the games and finishes with Blood and Wine :lol:)
Yes please :lol:

Question for book people - I'd Ehmyr not a major character in the books? I thought I'd see him in the first season.
 

B20

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Never played or read the books. Avid fantasy fan. Just finished the season. I am pleasantly impressed. Glad that it's not GoT and doesn't try to be. I like the episodic stories sprinkled throughout the season, heaves closer to the more old school sword and sorcery pulps in that respect, which is nice to see televised.

Cavill is fantastic and oozes restrained charisma in every scene. The one time he is loses his temper and raises his voice it is so much more effectfull.
Anya Chalotra as Yennefer is simply entrancing.

8/10.
 

Ødegaard

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Ooh. I didn't know he was originally from Cintra given he's Nilfgaard in the game. Also, the actor didn't seem to be someone who'd be as imposing and imperiousness as he was portrayed in the game.
He's a bit older in the 3rd game.
 

Redplane

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One thing others have touched on already is that this is more episodic in nature than GoT. There is a side quest and a main story line. Almost a bit like the old Xena or Hercules or Legend of the Seeker shows - though obviously not as campy. It's the first Netflix show where I truly feel like it would have greatly benefited from a weekly release schedule - as much as I love being able to binge it.

BTW shout out to the actress who played the Queen of Cintra. In a way I feel she deserved more story. Very convincing portrayal of a warrior queen.
 

Adam-Utd

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Ooh. I didn't know he was originally from Cintra given he's Nilfgaard in the game. Also, the actor didn't seem to be someone who'd be as imposing and imperiousness as he was portrayed in the game.
Ciri Heritage
Ciri is his Daughter, Emhyr and Pavetta are the parents. There's a lot of story behind it, but that's the reason Nilfgaard want to find her so badly in the books.
 

Ollie Derbyshire

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I haven’t read the books or played the games but going of the trailers and fanfare I’m a bit disappointed with it to be honest. It’s somewhere in between GOT, Merlin and the old Hercules series. Soon as I saw it was a 15 my expectations dropped and the first episodes haven’t really done anything to raise them.

I’ll watch the rest and see if they improve, Netflix will need to raise the budget for season two though otherwise I don’t see it being a big success.
 

giorno

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Ooh. I didn't know he was originally from Cintra given he's Nilfgaard in the game.
He's not. There's a reason every time nilfgaard is brought up on the tv show people talk about "the usurper"

You can infer the rest
 

Redplane

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He's not. There's a reason every time nilfgaard is brought up on the tv show people talk about "the usurper"

You can infer the rest
The usurper thing makes me think of King Bobby B on GoT and how in a way the language on the Witcher hasn't been quite as creative so far as some of the things he said. He d probably like hanging out with the dwarves. Guess I expected a bit more hard R than we ve been fed so far.
 

Siorac

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Ooh. I didn't know he was originally from Cintra given he's Nilfgaard in the game. Also, the actor didn't seem to be someone who'd be as imposing and imperiousness as he was portrayed in the game.
Well, his voice is Charles fecking Dance in the game so good luck being remotely as imperious as that.
 

evil_geko

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I’ll watch the rest and see if they improve, Netflix will need to raise the budget for season two though otherwise I don’t see it being a big success.
It is already a pretty big success among audience though if you ignore the salty critics. Tons of high scores all over the place.
 

Simbo

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Wut? I had it spoilered! :angel:
I started a fresh TW3 play though yesterday and actually found this out in the game, just after you go and meet the emperor I looted a few bookcases and one of the in-game books confirms Ciri's heritage, although doesn't give the full story.

Another of the books told of how Geralt first met Yen and basically described the Djinn episode I'd just watched... pretty cool. I'm on the lookout for in-game books now, I completed bypassed all this on my first play-through.
 

Ish

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I've read that the budget was close to $10 mil per episode, which is ridiculous, it looks so much cheaper. Half of that probably was Henry Cavill's salary.
I think I read somewhere that he was paid $3.2m for the season, i.e. $400,000 per episode. Not too shabby I guess but much less than he received for playing Superman.

I finished the season today and admittedly, loved it. I agree with the "cheap" feel at times but Cavill was cast perfectly. 8/10 if I'm being generous, and because I really liked it.
 

MadMike

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Anya Chalotra as Yennefer is simply entrancing.
That girl took a lot of shit on the internet, before the series even aired, for all the wrong reasons.

For being non-white cast into the role of a white character. For having almost no previous TV/Film experience. For being too young to play a 100+ year old Yennefer. For being too ugly (can you even believe it?) to play Yennefer.

In light of that, I'm just so so pleased that she delivered so well on the role. What better way to shut the trolls up. Even those who gave her shit are now praising her.
 

Ollie Derbyshire

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It is already a pretty big success among audience though if you ignore the salty critics. Tons of high scores all over the place.
I guess by big I mean the same as my favourite series’ like GOT, The Wire and Breaking Bad.

I realise that’s high expectations
 

evil_geko

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That girl took a lot of shit on the internet, before the series even aired, for all the wrong reasons.

For being too young to play a 100+ year old Yennefer.
Even though I warmed up to her over time, this in the quote still bothers me a bit, she should look a lot more mature than she does.

Like many mentioned, Eva Green is still perfect for the role, oh well...
 

Paxi

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I don’t see why they couldn’t. It’s not like he is The Rock (who does a tv show as well) Cavill sought out this part and was harassing the writer for a meeting before she’d even started adapting the books so I think it’s safe to say he’s fairly passionate about it and if the standard is good why wouldn’t he want to see it out. There isn’t really anyway they could go on without him anyway and if it’s mapped out for 7 seasons I would imagine he has already gave some sort of assurances he is on board for it.
He convinced the creators to make Geralt use magic more in the show. It's safe to say he's a big fan of the franchise.
 

mu4c_20le

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I've read that the budget was close to $10 mil per episode, which is ridiculous, it looks so much cheaper. Half of that probably was Henry Cavill's salary.
The Mandalorian at $15 milllion per episode for about 20 minutes, is ridiculous. I think the editing for this show could be better, but the production is right up there with Thrones.

Even though I warmed up to her over time, this in the quote still bothers me a bit, she should look a lot more mature than she does.
That's how I felt as well. She's incredible in the role, especially with her origin story, but I'm not feeling the chemistry between her and Geralt, because she looks half his age. I thought Geralt had more chemistry with the girl in the pilot episode.
 

Gambit

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It was good. Not great. Mostly hampered by really bad script writing. Hardly anything paid off or made sense. It felt like they couldn't be arsed to explain it in anyway. Characters going from being crap to mega powerful. Sudden jumps in motivation and a load more I could go into butttttt I'm not going too, as I did enjoy it and I'm looking forward to season 2.