Drawing inspiration from a series of already successful novels and video games, Netflix’s The Witcher had big shoes to fill. Having recently been crowned the most in-demand TV show in the world by data company Parrot Analytics, it appears the fantasy series has met fans’ expectations. Following the adventures of monster-hunting mutant Geralt of Rivia, we are introduced to the world of the Continent, where humans’ struggles for power and control are far more dangerous than the creatures Geralt is used to slaying.
Naturally, with such a premise, many comparisons have been drawn between The Witcher and Game of Thrones. On a surface level, it may be able to fill the void left by the popular HBO show, but with great differences in lore and mythology, it would be foolish to label all fantasy shows as the same. The Witcher has proved equally entertaining for medieval aficionados and genre newcomers alike.
The series’ titular performance by Henry Cavill is captivating, bringing heart and even humour to the supposedly emotionless Geralt of Rivia. Despite his often-limited dialogue, Cavill makes surprisingly versatile use of the phrase “hmm” and conveys a lot of emotion in his body language and facial expressions. When we first meet him, we are introduced to his enhanced fighting skills, aided by elixirs and magic, which are dynamically choreographed to create fun and engaging fight scenes throughout the series. While these talents appear to be a gift, we soon learn they are more of a curse, brought about by torturous rituals on young boys, resulting in loathing and fear from humans. This allows the show to explore themes such as racism and xenophobia, grounding the fantastical setting with relevant topics applicable to our world.
Geralt’s monster-hunting exploits are interspersed with the origin story of Yennefer of Vengerberg, as she goes from a deformed peasant girl to a powerful sorceress. We also follow the plight of Princess Ciri’s escape from her war-torn kingdom of Cintra, as she is hunted down due to her mysterious powers. These three separate storylines occur at different points in the timeline of the show and are not shown in linear order. This can be quite confusing during the first few episodes of the series, as there are only very minor hints that this is the case. Yet, it is also a fresh approach to not have a narrative spoon-fed to you – the show just ploughs on and trusts you to keep up.
The series has created strong female characters in Yennefer and Ciri that can act on their own behalf, with their own agency, who are brought to the forefront of the narrative right from the beginning, through flashbacks to their respective backstories. Due to this creative decision we do not merely view them through the eyes of Geralt, but as individuals in their own right. This makes the moment when their three character arcs begin to merge all the more meaningful to the viewer.
The world of the show feels fully realised and well-rounded, due in part to the many interesting supporting characters, most notably Jaskier the lute-wielding bard. The character offers memorable comic relief to the show and is a major contributor to the soundtrack of the series. His song, ‘Toss a Coin to Your Witcher’, promoted Geralt to legendary status across the Continent, and is sure to be stuck in your head long after you finish watching the series.
Despite the absence of a modern setting, The Witcher manages to defy many typical stereotypes. The character of Jaskier serves, among many things, as a damsel-in-distress, a role usually reserved for women. While the female characters are shown to be powerful and well capable of combat without assistance, Geralt must spend much of his time saving his singing side-kick from certain death.
While this season of The Witcher often felt saturated with exposition of the world it was creating, it is a fun and thrilling fantasy epic at its heart. It will definitely leave you wanting more, but with the next season not scheduled for release until 2021, all we can do is put ‘Toss a Coin to Your Witcher’ on repeat, and wait.
