The Witcher is getting a Netflix series

[Nerovar]

I'm warming up to it but the writing really isn't the best. I don't know if that's intended as some kind of 4th wall shenanigans but there's really weird anachronisms in Jaskier's dialogue (talking about "exposition" and "reverse psychology"). All in all the dialogue is a bit corny.

What's bothering me most is the pacing of the show though. We have Geralt meeting a sorcerer who tasks him to kill a cursed princess, earning his title as the butcher of Blaviken (by butchering a few people in the town/village? of Blaviken), killing said princess (with whom he's had sex with the night before), we're introduced to Cintra, Calanthe, Ciri and in the same episode we see the death of Cintra, Calanthe which forces Ciri to flee. It feels extremely rushed like something I would have written during my formative years, quickly moving from one "cool scene" to the next to quickly get to some imaginary plot goal. I've only watched 4 Episodes so far and I have to say that many of the issues I've encountered could have been fixed if they stretched out the show a bit and turned the 8 episodes into 10. Right now, it feels like every scene is extremely subservient to the plot. The show is too preoccupied with getting somewhere that it forgets to stay a while and let the the viewer get acclimated to the world, setting and characters. It's really basic shit you simply have to get right if you want your special moments to be rewarding and emotional. You can't just skip to the fun parts.

I think it has potential and is definitely at its best during fight scenes. Especially the monster stuff I've seen so far was really cool.

[Nerovar]

I made it like 30 mins into the 1st episode before losing interest. I’ll try again another time, but for now, I wasn’t impressed.

The first episode is probably the weakest if that's any help. Though it might not get better for you depending on what bothers you.

[Yosho]

episode 1 was so stupid, he said he wasnt going to get involve with human stuff then got involve when he killed the whole group; after realizing that the sorc was going to use the people to turn on him he simply walked out? What kind of stupid is the director, if I know some1 is a shitbag like that and I helped him get what he wanted by stupid events like that I would just kill the guy as well. The people already hate my ass so not killing him wouldnt make things any better, killing him would actually make things better since people will run off in fear.

[owbu]

Made it through like 20 minutes of the first one and was pretty bored so far. They could really use some "show don't tell" lessons.
I hope the heavy exposition and telling the audience the characters current motivation gets better later.
But I guess thats always the problem when adapting a book.

[Thelyron]

He also loves Warhammer 2 Total War
https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/cultur...interview-2019

And yes, Warhammer. The game with little plastic goblins.

And he’s played it through six times already, accounting for hundreds of hours of gameplay (“With six different races! And I love it each time!”).

Gonna watch it this weekend very pumped to see the show, glad they released the full season too.

He should do streams in his downtime honestly.

[Lex Icon]

never read the books or played the games but the way people talk about it i was kind of expecting something more serious i guess. this felt more like those 90´s shows but with a lot of boobs.

[Sorshen]

I think the series suffers a bit from all the non-linear storytelling that's incorporating multiple books and short stories, but I found it enjoyable overall (even with the changes they've made).
Cavil is a good Geralt, mixed feelings about Anya Chalotra as Yen.

[BeepBoo]

Series is excellent. 8/10 for me.

-1 for horrible triss
-1 for horrible yen

Triss might be worth -2 just because she was my favorite waifu in the series, but the rest is just so good.

Cavill is too fucking perfect.

[hellhamster]

So this isn't a dumpsterfire? Is it watchable?

[Arrowstormen]

Series is excellent. 8/10 for me.

-1 for horrible triss
-1 for horrible yen

Triss might be worth -2 just because she was my favorite waifu in the series, but the rest is just so good.

Cavill is too fucking perfect.

Triss is a very minor character in the books as far as I remember.

[DarkAmbient]

I love the show so far, im at episode 6. Theres only...one small problem.

And that is Tris Merigold. I can actually see some very bad casting decisions that looks more like as if they're trying to go through the diversity checklist rather than staying true to the material. If they can nail Geralt's character by casting Cavil they could've surely nailed Tris Merigold and Yennefer's characters by hiring actresses that AT LEAST looked like the two. I could kinda withstand Yennefer at first and I think as i watched more i have grown to accept her. But theres no way can earth i can withstand Triss Merigold.

Triss Merigold is a fair skinned red head witch with tomboyish haircut and a strong, adventurous character. And instead we get...something completely opposite.

I know that Tris Merigold is not as pivotal to Witcher's story as Yennefer is, and we probably won't see much of her in the story as opposed to Yennefer who is like one of the main characters. But I would've appreciated it if they had not thrown her character under the diversity wheel.

Making Yennefer's love interest a black dude, and Ciri's helper friend a black elf was some of the most clumsy and eyeroll-worthy shoehorning of diversity that I've seen since the BBC cast a black actress as King Arthur's wife.

Unless there are black people in the novels, in which case I stand corrected.

[Grimbold21]

To be fair, I'd say that people who aren't familiar with the games, books or are completely oblivious to this whole (mostly online) diversity nonsense, don't really care about the characters ethnicity.

My brother and another friend have been watching the show and like it quite a bit.

I, on the other hand, am familiar with all those 3 things...

[Askyl]

Making Yennefer's love interest a black dude, and Ciri's helper friend a black elf was some of the most clumsy and eyeroll-worthy shoehorning of diversity that I've seen since the BBC cast a black actress as King Arthur's wife.

Inb4 "it's fantasy". It's fantasy based on Slavic culture.

Or you could simply look beyond that and just see the characters and ignore your own personal agenda to call out anything that isn't white, racist scum.

[Arrowstormen]

I think the diversity is nice and and not in-your-face, but I know some people are seemingly horrifically frightened once they notice the skin palette of everyone on screen is not white. Also, Triss is NOT a redhead in the books, AND a sorceress can literally look however they want.

One of the things it adds is something I always like to see in fantasy, which is that humans don't really care about skincolor because they are too busy being racist to the distinct species like elves and dwarves.

[Blodia]

Or you could simply look beyond that and just see the characters and ignore your own personal agenda to call out anything that isn't white, racist scum.

Or you could try and understand that there is a reason why Thorim Oakenshield wasn't samoan and it's in no way related to muh raycism.
Also, general population in Witcher is heavily xenophobic and probe to hating and lynching anything that's different, so while modern day real life people don't see color the in-world populace sure as fuck would.

[jimboa24]

Series is excellent. 8/10 for me.

-1 for horrible triss
-1 for horrible yen

Triss might be worth -2 just because she was my favorite waifu in the series, but the rest is just so good.

Cavill is too fucking perfect.

I agree that Triss was done dirty by the show - Triss was one of my favourites in the game, and for a show that got most of the other characters down cold, I don't know how they managed to screw up a perky, fiery-tempered red-head.

I completely disagree with you on Yennifer though. From her beginnings as a deformed hunchback to the very end of the show where she puts on an impressive display of power, Yen is a compelling, interesting and powerful character. The journey she goes through, from feeling unwanted, discarded and unloved, to being powerful, vain and strong, but empty inside is a moving one. I especially liked the bit where she futily tried to revive a child, then eventually had to bury it. Yennifer has many amazing scenes and so much character development that I can't see how anyone would dislike the character.

My only criticism is that there's maybe too much Yennifer and not enough Geralt. I think the series could have cut a few of Yen's scenes and maybe put in a few more of Geralt's.

[Arrowstormen]

I agree that Triss was done dirty by the show - Triss was one of my favourites in the game, and for a show that got most of the other characters down cold, I don't know how they managed to screw up a perky, fiery-tempered red-head.

See my earlier comment. I know lots of people, especially on this forum, know The Witcher through the games, where Triss is an imporant character, but again, this is based on the books, where she is merely an occasional supporting character, who is not even a redhead.

[Blodia]

I think the diversity is nice and and not in-your-face, but I know some people are seemingly horrifically frightened once they notice the skin palette of everyone on screen is not white. Also, Triss is NOT a redhead in the books, AND a sorceress can literally look however they want.

One of the things it adds is something I always like to see in fantasy, which is that humans don't really care about skincolor because they are too busy being racist to the distinct species like elves and dwarves.

That's nowhere near they were portrayed in the books. They are closed minded people who hate anything different, exceptions being educated folk and some nobility, and not even all of them. They are jingoist and racist towards other kingdoms, heavily stereotyping the populations who are just as human and same color. All Rivs are thieves, remember?
Not to mention the part where in-universe black people live on another continent down south and barely ever waddle into the Nilfgaard+Northern Kingdoms landmass.
In Game of Thrones, people in Westeros were white and you only saw color in Essos. It should be the same deal here, there is even room for that with the Villentretenmerth arc.

- - - Updated - - -

See my earlier comment. I know lots of people, especially on this forum, know The Witcher through the games, where Triss is an imporant character, but again, this is based on the books, where she is merely an occasional supporting character, who is not even a redhead.

Her hair by the books is "auburn" or "chestnut", and Yennefer calls her a ginger slut in a fit of rage once or twice.

[Warning]

Very enjoyable show with the right mix of seriousness and fun, though I can understand the time jumps might confuse some people. Binged it and looking forward to more.

[Arrowstormen]

That's nowhere near they were portrayed in the books. They are closed minded people who hate anything different, exceptions being educated folk and some nobility, and not even all of them. They are jingoist and racist towards other kingdoms, heavily stereotyping the populations who are just as human and same color. All Rivs are thieves, remember?
Not to mention the part where in-universe black people live on another continent down south and barely ever waddle into the Nilfgaard+Northern Kingdoms landmass.
In Game of Thrones, people in Westeros were white and you only saw color in Essos. It should be the same deal here, there is even room for that with the Villentretenmerth arc.

- - - Updated - - -



Her hair by the books is "auburn" or "chestnut", and Yennefer calls her a ginger slut in a fit of rage once or twice.

You are going off the assumption that because they are racist towards other races, are nationalists, and sexist, they must ALSO be racist to skincolor, despite that never really being a thing in the books. In this universe, humans appeared from another universe/dimension through the Conjunction of the Spheres, there is as far as I know no reason why human nations would be separated according to race. The author seems okay with the show as far as I can see, so nothing about authorial intent. ALSO, about Game of Thrones, fun fact, there IS diversity in that world, especially in Essos. GRRM talked about how the fact that everyone looked like they were from Morocco in the show is because they shot those scenes in Morocco, and guess who shows up as extras in Morocco?