The Witcher

:

Season 1
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Dec 20, 2019
Season #: 4, 3.5, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2682 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,028 out of 2682
  2. Mixed: 201 out of 2682
  3. Negative: 453 out of 2682

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User Reviews

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  1. imay42
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazin Geralt and depictions of his early adventures are a pleasure to watch. Details and main features of witcher's character transmitted very well. Other main characters are also great. Now, i didnt like dryads. They should have been at least painted in green and there is too much armour on them. They are not fighters, but for some reason look like ones. The overall passing is a bit off. But in general i was able to keep attention and understand what is happenkng and when. Wish for a bit better cgi, sword fighting and yeah... That war sequence in the end is just weak to me. And that nilfgaardian armour is still looks silly. Sorry.… Expand
  2. vivicwhite
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    Плюсы:
    - Очень хорошая игра актеров
    - Очень хороший саундтрек
    - Очень хороший темп повествования
    - Очень хорошо показаны боевые сцены

    Минусы:
    - Не очень удачно переработаны сюжетные линии
  3. dadamovsky
    Dec 22, 2019
    9
    I haven't watched entire season yet, but as far as I can tell... This series might end up being way better than most fantasy stories currently. And it's not only thanks to the source material, production defends itself very well in terms of the production value, acting, and all those little details making a story compelling.

    EDIT: Idk why do people review bomb Witcher, and I'd rather    I haven't watched entire season yet, but as far as I can tell... This series might end up being way better than most fantasy stories currently. And it's not only thanks to the source material, production defends itself very well in terms of the production value, acting, and all those little details making a story compelling.

    EDIT: Idk why do people review bomb Witcher, and I'd rather not be guessing. Watch it for yourself    … Expand
  4. Username15max
    Dec 22, 2019
    6
    The overall quality varies heavily from episode to episode.
    Some are decently close to what I remember from the books.
    Others are straight up generic "hollywoodized" fantasy. Riddled with boring storytelling and character tropes you've seen hundreds of times in the most basic adventure flicks. The language for example, which at times is outright indistinguishable from modern day English.    The overall quality varies heavily from episode to episode.
    Some are decently close to what I remember from the books.
    Others are straight up generic "hollywoodized" fantasy. Riddled with boring storytelling and character tropes you've seen hundreds of times in the most basic adventure flicks. The language for example, which at times is outright indistinguishable from modern day English.
    Casting choices on the other hand are better than expected.
    As it was pretty obvious to everyone following the pre-release promotions and advertisement Henry Cavill carries the series all the way, giving an outstanding performance.
    The only other main character coming even close to this level of authenticity is Joey Batey's Jaskier.
    Anya Chalotra makes for a fine Yennefer most of the time but is also somewhat inconsistent in her portrayal. Especially her young age and lack of experience make her a questionable pick for a complicated and nuanced character such as Yennefer and she often pales in comparison to Cavil's Geralt when they share a scene. Freya Allan is ok but also notably not too balanced in her acting repertoire. Emma Appleton (Renfri), Lars Mikkelsen (Stregobor), Jodhi May (Queen Calanthe) are the more well rounded supporting character. Mimi Ndiweni (Fringilla) is also among the more notable side characters but has to struggle with stupid character building resulting in an implausible antagonist.
    The rest of the reoccuring cast is mediocre at best and in a few cases even below avarge.
    Netflix's need to fulfill diversity quotas does them no favors on this front and occiasonally backfires spectacularly.
    The imagery, costume design, make up, special effects and so on range from "awful 90s TV-show" to stunning. The biggest problem stems from those two extremes colliding in the same scene. When Nilfgaardians in terrible foam armor resembling dollar store halloween costumes swinging wavy swords clash with decently equipped knights it looks simply ridiculous and all but annihilates any suspension of disbelief.
    Fight scenes with Geralt are great. The ones without him are standardized sword swinging with a favorable camera movement to make up for many of the actors lack of training.
    The soundtrack is impressive and fits very well.
    Over all it's a generic western Fantasy show with little to no changes to an old formula only saved from mediocrity by the stellar performances of Cavill and Batey. If you are not too familiar with the books and looking for short lived entertainment you might aswell enjoy this one.    … Expand
  5. torkenfan
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    Creo que es una buena adaptación,contiene la esencia the witcher y los personajes estan bien representados. Enorabuena a henry cavill,me ha gustado su interpretación,tiene que ser difícil ponerse en la piel de un brujo el cual debido a sus mutaciones no tiene sentimientos.
  6. mgban
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    Great show! Exceeding expectations! I am so thrilled that there will be season 2!
  7. Mroaeon
    Dec 22, 2019
    7
    A lot of potential. Compelling story line takes time to build. Some choices in "character" design can be questionable. Editing and cinematography can come off as jarring or peculiar. Overall the show is more grounded and real vs cheesy and flat.
  8. ElnarSilmor
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    I love it yet knowing how much it can do better. The Witcher vibe is here, the actors and their chemistry is great, they don't shy from the magic while explaining how it works in the Witcher world well. If you were feeling lost at times, get to the books, you won't regret it.
  9. Edoras66
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    The casting for the show is perfect! I was worried about how they would introduce the show but it played just as the books! I cannot wait for season 2! There are many little clues as to whats happening that can be easily missed so its not a show that you can watch and surf your phone etc if you go in not knowing the story. And the ending was amazing!
  10. ExoticMortgage
    Dec 22, 2019
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Just SAD. Had to create an account just to rate this as one of my favorite franchises is getting destroyed by a staff with ulterior motives.

    Let's start with the positives:
    - Henry Cavill gives a good shot at portraying Geralt, good voice acting, simple dialogue, sarcasm a bit here and there.
    - Combat scenes (apart from the first Nilfgaardian battle) are good and thought out.
    - Some CGI of monsters and practical effects are also very good.
    - Some of the landscape that was not CGI is beautiful too.
    - Music feels authentic.

    And that is it.

    Now the negatives:
    - The plot is a mess. Everything is getting thrown all around with confusing timelines and lore is being force fed to user like it was a Foie Gras duck. The creators don't give time to explain all of this. The mini stories (curse ones) of each episode are too fast paced and you don't get the feeling of any story developing at all. It just moves forward like a machine.
    - The dialogues are bad. You don't feel any chemistry between characters. The lines are being dropped once again in a lazy fashion. Ciri met an elf that saved her from Nilfgardian patrol, he doesn't speak. He later saves her again from a camp; later in Brokilon realizes she is a royal descendant. Then he starts to drop truthbombs about how her grandmother had slain his relatives. All this with no feeling or soul whatsoever. Their conflict is forced upon us. It had no chance of developing naturally because everything is too fast paced. There is no character revelation. Not a single character has a compelling story arc.
    - Miscasting - Physical appearances are way off. Yen has to be a feared mage yet she looks almost like a kid with puppy eyes. Triss and Fringilla ? More like Friss and Tringilla - the nonexistent characters of Witcher universe that the writer did not include.
    - Diversity. I think it was time creators obsessed with gender and race inclusivity started to make their own projects and stopped piggyriding on established canons. Totally ruins the immersion. I wouldn't want to watch John Q with Brad Pitt portraying him. Creator Lauren Hirssich spent her time arguing on Twitter why it is a good thing and why skin color doesn't matter because books don't focus on it. Well there is a lot of 'pale face' mentions attributed to characters that now somehow have become black in the show.
    - Lazy CGI. You have parts where everything is great and then there are just inexcusable scenes.

    In general you have a feeling that The Witcher TV series has been made by creators who don't love the source material or don't understand it and just pretend to be on the bandwagon. Good writing and sticking to great storytelling has been exchanged for dull jokes, appealing to minorities and pressing social norms.
    Game of Thrones had set a good bar of character development and storytelling (not talking about the total massacre of characters from s6 and upwards). Why not learn from it?    … Expand
  11. Sunduck
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    Никаких начальных знакомств с персонажами, получасовых экспозиций кто чей родственник, гигантских надписей посреди экрана "наше время"/"пятнадцать лет назад"/"восемьдесят лет назад".

    Сериал вынуждает зрителя следить за диалогами, где упоминаются события, чтобы сопоставить время сюжетных арок трех главных героев относительно друг–друга. Йеннифэр — вырастает из искуроченого гадкого утенка    Никаких начальных знакомств с персонажами, получасовых экспозиций кто чей родственник, гигантских надписей посреди экрана "наше время"/"пятнадцать лет назад"/"восемьдесят лет назад".

    Сериал вынуждает зрителя следить за диалогами, где упоминаются события, чтобы сопоставить время сюжетных арок трех главных героев относительно друг–друга. Йеннифэр — вырастает из искуроченого гадкого утенка в мага испепеляющего армии, Геральт — циник, познающий любовь, бессмысленно бегущий от всесильной Судьбы. И Цири, выброшенная той же Судьбой из принцесс в реальный жестокий мир. Весь первый сезон посвящен развитию этих персонажей, все сюжетные лини синхронизируются только в самом конце.

    Если вы окончательно испорчены комиксоидной манерой подачи сюжета — сериал не для вас.

    Мой респект режиссеру, сценаристам и актерам не скатившимся в тупизну. Жаль что ждать еще год    … Expand
  12. GarethB
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    A good adaptation of the books, I had low expectations going in but it proved highly entertaining despite some the unusual character changes for medieval polish fantasy.
  13. joystick0406
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    A good show, but lacking in grasping the violence, racism and horror of the witcher universe, it would've been perfect without the politically correct adaptation of certain situations.
    I can't wait for the second season, and to see how they will adapt some of the most brutal and shocking scenes (yes, the witcher is far more schocking than GoT, in the books)
  14. MrEmanuelSantos
    Dec 22, 2019
    9
    Despite the confusion of initial 3 timelines, The Witcher series proves to be a competent series in discussing about family, empathy and acceptance. Great action scenes, very well directed. A wonderful concern with diversity and plurality in the cast and characters of the series. The care taken when representing minorities is somewhat respectable and must be valued for the next medievalDespite the confusion of initial 3 timelines, The Witcher series proves to be a competent series in discussing about family, empathy and acceptance. Great action scenes, very well directed. A wonderful concern with diversity and plurality in the cast and characters of the series. The care taken when representing minorities is somewhat respectable and must be valued for the next medieval productions to come out of the false idea and that they must cover the white cast to be "faithful to a historical period".… Expand
  15. ReevJax
    Dec 22, 2019
    3
    I did not hate the story, what I did hate was how everything has to be "diverse" at all costs. I guess we are lucky they didn't make Geralt gay .
  16. laoshao
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    ho ritrovato in questa trasposizione la stessa sensazione che ebbi nel leggere i libri tanti anni da.
    un pò confusionario a livello di time line ma fantastico.
  17. Litlrob
    Dec 22, 2019
    9
    Very close to the book. Cavill as Geralt is mesmerizing. The only thing that I had an issue with was the timeline. But after taking it all in and re watching and thinking about. It all makes sense. MUST WATCH for Witcher fans!
  18. Andrzej_Misiak
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    I have read Sapkowski's novels when I was teenager. It was one of the first fantasy with not black and white characters. I love LOTRO but the great heroes and devilish vilians makes the story so far away from our times and circumstances.
    The Witcher stories were full of gray characters, so of the ugly on outside or inside. To paraphrase Geralt "People are often the true monsters".
    I have    I have read Sapkowski's novels when I was teenager. It was one of the first fantasy with not black and white characters. I love LOTRO but the great heroes and devilish vilians makes the story so far away from our times and circumstances.
    The Witcher stories were full of gray characters, so of the ugly on outside or inside. To paraphrase Geralt "People are often the true monsters".
    I have seen Polish series over 10 years ago I played the games from DC Project.
    Recently a waited for Netflix series. And finally it is here :)
    Except for Witcher 3: Wild Gone game it's the best that was created so far. Actors play amazingly. Special effects are gone really nice. World is painted slowly from one episode to another.
    If I am to point a things to improve for sure they need to focus more on plot and improve sex scenes ;) Both were better in the Withcer 3 game ;)    … Expand
  19. DenysVerizhenko
    Dec 22, 2019
    3
    Игра актеров ужасная, сюжет скомканный и плохо изложен, слишком много ненужного насилия в сериале с постановкой уровня детей 6 лет. Полный провал. Все что сделал этот сериал - это удовлетворил лгбт движение. Показывать негров в Польше 13 века это моветон.Игра актеров ужасная, сюжет скомканный и плохо изложен, слишком много ненужного насилия в сериале с постановкой уровня детей 6 лет. Полный провал. Все что сделал этот сериал - это удовлетворил лгбт движение. Показывать негров в Польше 13 века это моветон.
  20. Tim160294
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    Maybe in the second season when we get a more linear story, the critics understand the story. But hey, they had problmes with 3 and then just 2 timelines in the end.
  21. mrdanny
    Dec 22, 2019
    9
    I didn't have high expectations after watching trailers, but it's a very good show, a great fantasy world on tv.
  22. gersonbessa
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    Foi ótimo. 10/10. Era tudo que eu esperava. Aguardando a segunda temporada.
  23. Engineer1
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    A great series I'm waiting for season 2 with anticipation :) I recommend everyone to view!
  24. Galatey
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    Если вы не читали книг вам будет иногда трудно понять что происходит, т.к. иногда за сценой в настоящем следует сцена из прошлого , а потом опять сцена из настоящего.Это может вводить в заблуждение , учитывая то,что королева Калантэ какого-то черта не стареет. Если честно даже Йен мне понравилась , чего не могу сказать о Трисс. Такое чувство , что она решила не пользоваться чарами дляЕсли вы не читали книг вам будет иногда трудно понять что происходит, т.к. иногда за сценой в настоящем следует сцена из прошлого , а потом опять сцена из настоящего.Это может вводить в заблуждение , учитывая то,что королева Калантэ какого-то черта не стареет. Если честно даже Йен мне понравилась , чего не могу сказать о Трисс. Такое чувство , что она решила не пользоваться чарами для своей красоты, и на возраст ей по барабану. Поэтому мы наблюдаем 45 летнюю Трисс .В остальном сериал мне понравился и я советую его посмотреть фанатам Ведьмака. И я все больше удостовериваюсь в том , что из ведьмака сделать что-то плохое очень сложно.… Expand
  25. Altamore12
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    Stunning show without any bad feeling while you are watching and after and make you missed the game of this series a lot with it 10/10
  26. Programmer
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    The series about the witcher waited a long time and my expectations were justified many thanks for such creativity :)
  27. MohamedElShamy
    Dec 22, 2019
    9
    As someone who played the games, The Witcher series nailed the feelling of the games, great acting and direction, really enjoyed it.
    last episode was a little bit off for me, felt like it as dragging for a bit.
    but Henry Cavil as Geralt was just on point, he carried the show, and stayed true to Geralt's monotone voice/ character.
  28. McMiRo
    Dec 22, 2019
    9
    I had so much fun watching this show. A few improvements should be made, for example the villages and cities seems to be pretty empty. For people who don't have any experience with books or games it could be pretty difficult to watch it at beggining. I am looking forward to see more seasons of this show. Great work!
  29. EerieDemonble
    Dec 22, 2019
    6
    The very definition of average.
    I don't hate it. But there's barely anything to love. Guess Netflix wanted their own GoT but with 1/10 of a budget/talent and it shows.
    Lead actors are ok, but supporting cast are not even trying. Miscasting is a real problem. Fight scenes choreography - good, would've been great if not for those silly spinning moves. Costume designer needs to be fired.    The very definition of average.
    I don't hate it. But there's barely anything to love. Guess Netflix wanted their own GoT but with 1/10 of a budget/talent and it shows.
    Lead actors are ok, but supporting cast are not even trying. Miscasting is a real problem.
    Fight scenes choreography - good, would've been great if not for those silly spinning moves.
    Costume designer needs to be fired. Many costumes look fake or just stupid. A dress made out of ropes...for battle...really?
    I guess nilfgaardian soldiers are allergic to shields and full plate provides less then 0 protection. *Realism intensifies*
    But still, it's "The Witcher". Source material is good, you need to try really hard to waste it. Oh, and they tried.
    I don't mind few more seasons of this. Not that many fantasy TV shows to choose from this days.    … Expand
  30. PeregrineOmega
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    A few minor casting decisions do not do this show wrong.

    Watch it and make up your own mind.
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Most Discussed TV Season of 2019
77
#77 Most Shared TV Season of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
53

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 17
  3. Negative: 3 out of 17
  1. The Independent
    Reviewed by: Nick Hilton
    Jan 3, 2020
    40
    The Witcher is a messy tangle of plotlines in a world underdeveloped to the point of obscurity.
    Read full review
  2. The Telegraph
    Reviewed by: Ed Power
    Jan 3, 2020
    60
    As a mindless fantasy rollercoaster, Geralt’s journey is five stars all the way to tea-time. Sadly, for those who like brains with their brawn, it may be more of a slog.
    Read full review
  3. Time
    Reviewed by: Judy Berman
    Dec 20, 2019
    30
    It takes a while for viewers to learn how these characters are connected, via an exasperating Westworld-esque narrative knot that takes much of the season to unfurl. ... The Witcher heightens our confusion by fumbling details that would have helped it set a cohesive tone. Dialogue vacillates, from line to line, between theatrical fantasy-speak and modern colloquialisms (“Dragons are, in fact, a thing!”).
    Read full review
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