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. Dodgeryjames
    Dec 21, 2019
    8
    As a fan of the books and games, i really did enjoy the first season, characters are good and their stories from different timelines happen in different episodes, one thing i see coming up a lot is people trying to compare it to the game adaption, however the show is its own adaption of the books. I am expecting season 2 to be better and to be able to follow and capture each charactersAs a fan of the books and games, i really did enjoy the first season, characters are good and their stories from different timelines happen in different episodes, one thing i see coming up a lot is people trying to compare it to the game adaption, however the show is its own adaption of the books. I am expecting season 2 to be better and to be able to follow and capture each characters journey rather than keep going back and fourth .… Expand
  2. Aleksrip
    Dec 21, 2019
    8
    Series rather liked than not liked. But still, Netflix, why risk a potential hit, for the sake of fulfilling stupid tolerance quotas, why? You pander to people who won't even watch this show, and those who will be watching your violations of the Canon not like. Triss is horribly matched, doesn't fit at all, triads are African-American like elves. Why? For the story it does not matter, andSeries rather liked than not liked. But still, Netflix, why risk a potential hit, for the sake of fulfilling stupid tolerance quotas, why? You pander to people who won't even watch this show, and those who will be watching your violations of the Canon not like. Triss is horribly matched, doesn't fit at all, triads are African-American like elves. Why? For the story it does not matter, and for the audience it is once again to honor the film. You want the show brought a profit, why are you doing this? I apologize for illiteracy, translated through the translator.… Expand
  3. kerragen
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    Неплохой сериал, но я бы не назвал его именно "Ведьмак"
  4. burgersmash
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    Objectively speaking any review that is less then 5 and more then 8 or 9 is probably not from someone who has actually watched the show. I quite enjoy the word of the Witcher so I’m willing to give the show a better score then it may deserve and I’m also not racist so I’m ok with any of the changes the show made to it’s characters. I look forward to another season and hope Netflix willObjectively speaking any review that is less then 5 and more then 8 or 9 is probably not from someone who has actually watched the show. I quite enjoy the word of the Witcher so I’m willing to give the show a better score then it may deserve and I’m also not racist so I’m ok with any of the changes the show made to it’s characters. I look forward to another season and hope Netflix will continue to upset bigots the world over.… Expand
  5. Dupla0
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    This show overall is great.
    Fanboy are angry because of 1 bad miscast (Triss), if you are new to the universe, it will not matter. IMO aside from Triss the rest are fine, HC is a perfect Geralt, that helps a lot.
    The biggest problem is the pacing. Minor SPOILER: The show runs on 3 storylines, Ciris in the present the rest in the past. If you know that the viewing experience significantly    This show overall is great.
    Fanboy are angry because of 1 bad miscast (Triss), if you are new to the universe, it will not matter. IMO aside from Triss the rest are fine, HC is a perfect Geralt, that helps a lot.
    The biggest problem is the pacing.

    Minor SPOILER:
    The show runs on 3 storylines, Ciris in the present the rest in the past. If you know that the viewing experience significantly increases, they should have intensified it. For slow minded people this can ruin the show.    … Expand
  6. Wadeinca1
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    Thought the monster effects and fight scenes were excellent the time jumps in the story were well done gave a feeling to how it must be for someone who lives for centuries in this universe
  7. GraveYardPark
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    Henry does a great job! The Fights with humans are prestine, hoping they make the monsters and non humans look better next go round.
  8. wlover
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    Смеюсь когда сериал сравнивают с Игрой Престолов, Ведьмак — это нечто другое и о другом. Меня пугал каст, от него я ожидал разочарования, но он лишь придал горчинку — сериал хорош, весьма хорош несмотря на спорные моменты в виде добавления персонажей туда, где они не должны быть, или изменения сюжетных арок (имею ввиду отличие подачи сюжета от книги, преимущественно линии Цири).
    Даже    Смеюсь когда сериал сравнивают с Игрой Престолов, Ведьмак — это нечто другое и о другом. Меня пугал каст, от него я ожидал разочарования, но он лишь придал горчинку — сериал хорош, весьма хорош несмотря на спорные моменты в виде добавления персонажей туда, где они не должны быть, или изменения сюжетных арок (имею ввиду отличие подачи сюжета от книги, преимущественно линии Цири).
    Даже Йеннифэр, которую я отторгал до последнего, выглядит естественной, что не может не радовать. Я считаю, что у сериала есть шанс повысить планку в последующих сезонах, самое главное, чтобы его не задушили "фанаты".    … Expand
  9. Palegrad
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    Good series, books are still supreme (it's easy to be nicer than Andrzej Sapkowski, but it's hard to tell a better story, especially story he created) - but show is definitely better than games, recommend to get a book or audiobook first, to have some know how before you dive into
  10. Zesu
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    Я не играл не в одну из игр серии Ведьмак, не читал ни одной книги по этой вселенной, но сериалом остался доволен, даже появилось желание поиграть в одну из игр..
  11. shadowcon
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    This show is worth checking out for Henry Cavil's portrayal of Geralt alone. He is thoroughly convincing and puts a lot of heart into his performance. I did find that the Witcher's story was somewhat hard to follow for the first few episodes as there are various timelines that aren't clearly established. However, the show hits it's stride midway as it starts to come together, with theThis show is worth checking out for Henry Cavil's portrayal of Geralt alone. He is thoroughly convincing and puts a lot of heart into his performance. I did find that the Witcher's story was somewhat hard to follow for the first few episodes as there are various timelines that aren't clearly established. However, the show hits it's stride midway as it starts to come together, with the final episode leaving you wanting more. I am looking forward to seeing more on Henry as Geralt!… Expand
  12. julioisyoung
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    It's a good show. There are definitely issues with it but there's still genuine quality enough to warrant a watch and to expect better thins in the coming seasons. Yet, it has enough issues - as others have stated - that it might put some people off.
  13. ElanInTheBushes
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's nowhere near as bad I expected it to be. This show has a huge shoe to fill. The books are great, especially the first ones. The game series is great, and much more people actually know the game than the book. And then there are those GoT expectations. So, what I like:
    - They were bold enough to change the story, and, for the most part, gentle enough about it not to offend book fans too much
    - Most of the styling and screenplay is true to the story, and it's nicely made
    - Geralt is convincing enough, as are many of the main characters
    - As a trade-off, it was probably worth it to twist the story in order to avoid not having anyone other than the witcher and the bard for the first couple of seasons.
    What I don't like - well, it's mostly in details:
    - Yennefer is not nearly cold and cruel enough
    - Characters are much more reserved and sterile that in the books: they don't drink, don't swear, and generally feel nothing like their book originals in this respect; this is a real loss - This modified story doesn't always fit. How could Ciri, for example, know Geralt without having first been in Brokilon with him as a child? And due to that, we are all robbed of that reunion moment. "You're something more than that", right?
    - I was especially sad about a Dandelion being reduced to a joke, but, with that explosion of emotions near the end (finally!), there's a chance of something emerging there    … Expand
  14. theboris
    Dec 23, 2019
    8
    The show is flawed, however if we are boiling it down to "Did you like it or not?" then the answer is, yes I loved it. I think Netflix managed to distill the show down well for fans of the series, but of course, the main issue is that they may not have done enough to bring in new fans. Even as someone who is a big fan, I still struggled to catch up with where a particular episode wasThe show is flawed, however if we are boiling it down to "Did you like it or not?" then the answer is, yes I loved it. I think Netflix managed to distill the show down well for fans of the series, but of course, the main issue is that they may not have done enough to bring in new fans. Even as someone who is a big fan, I still struggled to catch up with where a particular episode was taking place, or when it was taking place. They attempted to use "show not tell", but I think they could have told a little more.… Expand
  15. IcePack
    Dec 23, 2019
    8
    Mocne 8, dobry serial, który wrzuca nas w atmosferę świata Andrzeja Sapkowskiego! Pamiętajcie że to adaptacja i nie musi być dokładna z książką. Życzę autorom powodzenia. TOSS A COIN TO YOUR WITCHER.
  16. andivanhouten
    Dec 23, 2019
    8
    Things can be a little confusing if you haven't played the games, but I was pleasantly surprised after enduring the first episode (which was pretty lame). It does a good job of invoking the feel of the game on a limited budget.
    Its no Game of Thrones, but it is a cut above many fantasy book/game translations.
    Worth a watch.
  17. jdeakin22
    Dec 24, 2019
    8
    Brilliantly made adaptation to the books with only slight CGI and monster design issues. Henry Cavill is outstanding as Geralt, and made the part his own.
  18. TheNuwisha
    Dec 24, 2019
    8
    The show as over all flawless. Cavill nailed the voice and was surprised he did so well. To be honest He sounded like the Witcher 3 voice actor time to time. I loved it. His whole persona while geralt was perfect. That be said about most characters. Trish... she seemed like another fill in character. Though my main problem is the race changes to certain characters
  19. ninja_critic
    Dec 24, 2019
    8
    As a person who have read all of he books I feel relatively competent to write this review. Show is good, worthy of recommendation, but in my opinion more so if you have read stories earlier. Plot is twisted in the timeline, events in this same episode are dozens of years apart, which may be very confusing to some viewers. Is it a drawback? To some extend.
    Thanks to this way of    As a person who have read all of he books I feel relatively competent to write this review. Show is good, worthy of recommendation, but in my opinion more so if you have read stories earlier. Plot is twisted in the timeline, events in this same episode are dozens of years apart, which may be very confusing to some viewers. Is it a drawback? To some extend.
    Thanks to this way of storytelling show is more dynamic and gives you an opportunity to get more attached to each character before their paths cross but may give you a hard time to comprehend what is really happening.
    Show lacks a lot of Sapkowski's sense of humor but fighting sequences make up for it in my opinion. I was sceptic about the music at firs, especially Jaskier's ballads, but I have to admit it, its growing on me over time.
    In my opinion its worthy of score of 8, I have no idea why critics gave ti 5 on average. This show is not ground-breaking but it is fun to watch and I have confidence that next season will even be better.    … Expand
  20. OSPerry
    Dec 25, 2019
    8
    A really decent series. Very hard to follow at first but makes more sense the longer you watch and the better it gets. Can't wait till next season. I would think next season will be more straight forward and even better potentially.
  21. DMendes16
    Dec 27, 2019
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I like it, I wanna see more, but I think that the episode "Rares especies" was strange, when Gerald talk to the golden dragon and the fight.… Expand
  22. JaneLoveDragons
    Dec 28, 2019
    8
    In my opinion the first episode is mediocre, but stick through it, the second one is better already, and the more the plot advanced, the more I enjoyed it (final-wow). Not a perfect show, but worth watching.
  23. dr_om
    Jan 2, 2020
    8
    Great prequel to a real story. I hope this is just a beginning and second season will pick up the pace of everything. Nice music, great fighting scenes - kinda sad that only few of them in whole season.
  24. Rtmitchell
    Feb 1, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Odd casting choices here and there but otherwise stays pretty true to the feel of the source materials and other adaptations. I felt the timeline skipping about was a bit chaotic and hard to follow without prior knowledge of the lore.… Expand
  25. Augustus75
    Dec 21, 2019
    7
    The performances are strong. I'm tired of angry white men complaining about a cast of color. Grow up. I fell in love with the cast. Only issue was pacing and the writing.
  26. slipknotz
    Jan 2, 2020
    7
    not bad, but too "colorfull". Should be more dark…………………………………………………………………………..
  27. Gamed2long
    Dec 29, 2019
    7
    The Witcher TV show has a hard task of pleasing both fans of the books, fans of the video games, people like me who've encountered both. In addition to the many many people who don't know either. No matter which group you come from, some elements of this show will disappoint you. Henry Cavill did a great job as Geralt. There was a large focus on Anya Chalotra as Yennifer and her roll wasThe Witcher TV show has a hard task of pleasing both fans of the books, fans of the video games, people like me who've encountered both. In addition to the many many people who don't know either. No matter which group you come from, some elements of this show will disappoint you. Henry Cavill did a great job as Geralt. There was a large focus on Anya Chalotra as Yennifer and her roll was really well acted. She has leading lady stuff. Joey Batey as Jaskier (or Dandelion) was just annoying and kinda miscast. There was a lot of noise about Anna Shaffer being miscast as Triss. She is a different interpretation of the character. You don't really see enough of her to know either way.
    Overall if it was a new property, everyone would be raving about how good it is, and how it clearly has the potential to get better. I'd say it's just pretty good. I agree it has potential to improve.
    Two elements really stuck out to me. Occasional "modern" dialogue thrown in, to appeal to the audience (jarring. Fail). Also the characters relative ages over time. Ignoring that was annoying.
    Overall though the main thing is they just didn't trust the audience to stay around. So all the stories feel rushed. They would be better if the show was longer and the stories were allowed to breath more. That one is on the directors and the show runners. Hopefully they've learned their lesson by next season.    … Expand
  28. metabad
    Jan 3, 2020
    7
    After watching the entire show, I'm puzzled about the reviews of professional critics, which weren't too enthusiastic about it.
    I'm sure most of them aren't into fantasy stuff and they were already overfed with GoT and, as we all were, disappointed by its ending. And now, yet another fantasy show...I mean, if you're not interested, don't review it!
    I think that was an entertaining show    After watching the entire show, I'm puzzled about the reviews of professional critics, which weren't too enthusiastic about it.
    I'm sure most of them aren't into fantasy stuff and they were already overfed with GoT and, as we all were, disappointed by its ending. And now, yet another fantasy show...I mean, if you're not interested, don't review it!

    I think that was an entertaining show and I enjoyed it.
    Of course there were some negative points here, mostly the non linear parts of the storytelling.
    I was confused especially by the fourth episode, where the plot revolves around a much younger queen Calanthe and her soon to be married daughter which was a story in the past, and then the camera suddenly jumps to Yennefer sitting in a chariot with Queen Lyria, a story playing in the future. I have yet to find out, why they put that plot in there.

    Also the entire Yennefer back story arc was probably from the past.
    The writers struggled to give all of the main characters a backstory and they didn't manage to work it in seamlessly.

    Many who read the books probably had something different in mind for the show, so if you're one of them, you'll probably have plenty of complaints about the show.
    I think the cast was good, they played their characters convincingly. Henry Cavill was a very good pick as the lead. I liked the writing and the dialog was actually really good at times. I liked Cavill's deadpan delivery of his wisdom, also providing some very dry humor.

    There was enough suspense, excitement and fun and I didn't see the plot turns coming. And that's a good thing. Yes, there is nudity, some boobies and a bit of lovemaking, but tasteful enough.
    I wanted to say 'not offensive' but some people are so easily offended.
    The fight scenes were well choreographed, the special effects where good enough.
    You can't expect top notch CGI in a TV show, especially if it heavily relies on those.
    The sheer number of effects would make it too expensive.

    I for one, am looking forward to season 2. I recommend giving 'The Witcher' a try!    … Expand
  29. OThePestO
    Dec 25, 2019
    7
    The show may be hard to follow if you are new to the Witcher universe, but it does become more clearer the further you go into the season. Some terrible casting choices (ie. Yennefer, Triss), and some low production value at times. However, overall it is an interesting and joyful watch, that tries to stay true to the source material. Henry Cavill stands out and does justice to the role of Geralt.
  30. czg
    Jan 28, 2020
    7
    To get things quickly outta the way: this series is not a replacement for Game of Thrones, but it was not ever intended as such.
    The season has some pacing issues and takes some time to get going. However, when it does, it is undeniably enjoyable, especially for all its differencies from the other series mentioned before. The main characters, Cavil's Geralt, and Anya Chalotra's Yennefer    To get things quickly outta the way: this series is not a replacement for Game of Thrones, but it was not ever intended as such.
    The season has some pacing issues and takes some time to get going. However, when it does, it is undeniably enjoyable, especially for all its differencies from the other series mentioned before. The main characters, Cavil's Geralt, and Anya Chalotra's Yennefer are very well played, a joy to watch, and have really good chemistry. With Yennefer, it's great to see a badass female character in the truest sense.
    The dark fantasy world with Eastern European tinges takes a bit of an acquired taste. For me, the way magic works here makes a bit more sense than in other series.
    All in all, it's a good choice if you are looking for something a bit different. I very much hope that the creators will resolve the pacing issues. I would give it a 6 with an heavy emphasis on that I would definitely like to see a second season - which can be translated to a 7.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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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.
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  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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