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. ZodaSoda
    Dec 20, 2019
    2
    This show had so much potential but its got awful writing and editing, I like Henry as Geralt and can even accept other cast members i may not like, but the scenes are bouncing around all over time more than Doctor who, the changes to the story as well make no sense, they went on and on about staying faithful to the books and they're so not, they're missing characters and entire plotThis show had so much potential but its got awful writing and editing, I like Henry as Geralt and can even accept other cast members i may not like, but the scenes are bouncing around all over time more than Doctor who, the changes to the story as well make no sense, they went on and on about staying faithful to the books and they're so not, they're missing characters and entire plot points because they tried to cover nearly 45 years of Yen and Geralt's lives in 8 Episodes. This show is fundamentally not good for Witcher fans or new viewers, they do not world build for new viewers and just spout of witchery words like they should know what they are.… Expand
  2. Gor1945
    Dec 22, 2019
    2
    Западная толерастия и SJW диграданты еще одну франшизу загубили, негры где не поподя, ложа чародеек, ставшая ложей феминисток и прочая чушь современной повестки - в саге о средневековье восточной Европы пусть и в фентезийном обрамлении.
    Помимо этого - отвратительный каст актеров - Трисс, Кагырн, Йенифер - просто в утиль слиты - остальные в лучшем случае средне.
    Сюжет рваный и подан    Западная толерастия и SJW диграданты еще одну франшизу загубили, негры где не поподя, ложа чародеек, ставшая ложей феминисток и прочая чушь современной повестки - в саге о средневековье восточной Европы пусть и в фентезийном обрамлении.
    Помимо этого - отвратительный каст актеров - Трисс, Кагырн, Йенифер - просто в утиль слиты - остальные в лучшем случае средне.
    Сюжет рваный и подан кусками - в не хронологическом порядке, человеку не знакомому с вселенной в принципе что-то понять сложно будет, знакомый будет постоянно пробивать себе фейспалм.
    Отдельно стоит отметить костюмеров и декораторов, и постановщиков битв - доспехи Нильфгарда и битвы - просто донное днище.    … Expand
  3. Kunray
    Dec 20, 2019
    2
    it feels like I watched fan fiction
    feels like i'm cheated
    fiction with rating 2/10
  4. ay1908
    Dec 22, 2019
    2
    I really wanted to like this but I can't. The dialogs are terrible, the GCI and the acting are not believable. The narration is all over the place, jumping from one character to another, one scene to another, moving between timelines, not building attachment to characters nor a proper dramatic arc.. I watched all episodes but I had to fast forward several scenes to be able to finish,I really wanted to like this but I can't. The dialogs are terrible, the GCI and the acting are not believable. The narration is all over the place, jumping from one character to another, one scene to another, moving between timelines, not building attachment to characters nor a proper dramatic arc.. I watched all episodes but I had to fast forward several scenes to be able to finish, especially in the last episode. The dramatic effects just fall flat. The books didn't had the best writing but this much worse.

    The whole thing is very Americanized and has lost all its Slavic color. The casting is just very awkward. I don't mind having different races present but make it coherent! The books contain several detailed physical descriptions of many characters and lineage/origins (you can also figure the origins by the names). Here you can't even guess where a character is from by watching the show unless you've read the books. This is a medieval setting with a Eastern European flavor and genetics traits are attached to geographical regions; it's not NYC in 2019. The world they created is not convincing at all.

    ...and Nilfgaard...what are those costumes????    … Expand
  5. ssharp
    Dec 21, 2019
    2
    Dialogs and drama are comparable to the last GoT season... and it's NOT a compliment.
  6. superbmikey
    Dec 23, 2019
    2
    I am giving this a 2 only because Henry did a good job. The rest of the show is garbage. I am not sure why its called The Witcher. It should have been named 'The Yennefer show that does not give a **** about source material' WOKE edition gold. Plot is superficial, dialogues are superficial. I had my hopes so high and yet netflix delivered another sjw mush without any deep.
  7. V0X_Populi
    Dec 28, 2019
    2
    Плохая экранизация книг. Всё переиначили и не в лучшую сторону. Логика местами вообще покидает данный сериал. Единственное что радует так это сам Геральт.
  8. Mihan_The_Man
    Dec 21, 2019
    2
    Нет духа "Ведьмака" из книг. Совсем. Нет ни капли той глубины и атмосферы, что были в книгах. Всё карикатурно. Актёры играют свои роли не очень хорошо, все какие-то деревянные, брёвна ходячие. Монстры и эльфы нарисованы ужасно - в частности, от сильвана и эльфов во 2 серии чуть не ослеп, лопни мои глаза! Сюжет подаётся очень плохо, обрывками и недоговорками; те, кто не читал книг, поймут иНет духа "Ведьмака" из книг. Совсем. Нет ни капли той глубины и атмосферы, что были в книгах. Всё карикатурно. Актёры играют свои роли не очень хорошо, все какие-то деревянные, брёвна ходячие. Монстры и эльфы нарисованы ужасно - в частности, от сильвана и эльфов во 2 серии чуть не ослеп, лопни мои глаза! Сюжет подаётся очень плохо, обрывками и недоговорками; те, кто не читал книг, поймут и ещё меньше в повествовании. Боёвка не плоха.… Expand
  9. Nevels
    Dec 20, 2019
    2
    Это не славянская история,актеры должны подходить к истории того времени
  10. Didier_McLeod
    Dec 21, 2019
    2
    Когда за дело берется SJW активистка, то получается то, что получилось. Откровенная избыточная толерантность делает свое дело.
    Я не надеялся на нечто хорошее, но тут совсем уж откровенное что попало. Пойду перечитаю отличные книги и переиграю отличные игры.    Когда за дело берется SJW активистка, то получается то, что получилось. Откровенная избыточная толерантность делает свое дело.
    Я не надеялся на нечто хорошее, но тут совсем уж откровенное что попало. Пойду перечитаю отличные книги и переиграю отличные игры.
  11. Sheebs
    Dec 20, 2019
    2
    The Witcher TV show is a **** mess. Add it to the list of good IPs turned **** by political pandering and a clueless showrunners hubris and lack of narrative acumen. Casting is off for everyone bar Geralt and Yennefer. No sense of time with jump cuts back and forth in time so often the viewer could be watching a tennis match teleporting across the stratosphere.
    Scrotum armour. Enough    The Witcher TV show is a **** mess. Add it to the list of good IPs turned **** by political pandering and a clueless showrunners hubris and lack of narrative acumen. Casting is off for everyone bar Geralt and Yennefer. No sense of time with jump cuts back and forth in time so often the viewer could be watching a tennis match teleporting across the stratosphere.
    Scrotum armour. Enough said.
    Unless youve read the books AND played the game you will be confused as to where you are and what youre supposed to care about.
    Characters are confused and poorly executed.
    This show will not please the gamers or readers and when compared to Game of Thrones, as the showrunner hopes in her idiocy, audiences will find this Iteration rather lacking, uninspired and ultimately a dumpsterfire the likes we as viewers have become all too frequently exposed to.
    This show is likely not to make it to season 3 let alone win any praise.
    Another IP to be put on a shelf, away from any others who may well have done better without the idealogical nonsense.
    Sapkowski is a hack writer, who fell ass backward into success and yet still tried to sue for more. And now will be compared to Martin and Tolkien and will also come up very short.
    Wow...    … Expand
  12. DDerevianko
    Dec 21, 2019
    2
    Все гірше ніж я розраховував. Серіал виглядає дешево через жахливі костюми та декорації. Актори катастрофічно не підходять на свої ролі (Крім Цірі). Єфекти на рівні б-муві кінця нульових.
    Подача сюжету рвана та невиразна, враження ніби дивишся огляд того, що було у попередніх серіях.
    Дуже помітно, що творці цього серіалу не орієнтуються у жанрі фентезі та не знайомі з історією    Все гірше ніж я розраховував. Серіал виглядає дешево через жахливі костюми та декорації. Актори катастрофічно не підходять на свої ролі (Крім Цірі). Єфекти на рівні б-муві кінця нульових.
    Подача сюжету рвана та невиразна, враження ніби дивишся огляд того, що було у попередніх серіях.
    Дуже помітно, що творці цього серіалу не орієнтуються у жанрі фентезі та не знайомі з історією середньовічної Європи на яку відьмача сага опирається. Все виглядає як фанатське кінце з Ютюбу.
    З позитивних моментів можу виділити тільки музику. Категорично не раджу.    … Expand
  13. RegisMonteflou
    Dec 24, 2019
    2
    It’s just disgusting, 2 pluses Henry Kevil and roach, and the fact that in the Russian localization of the witcher is voiced by the same actor as in the game. That's all the pluses.
    Cons scenario, (They perverted and pohёr all everything is normal in the book)
    I can write a full analysis of each series, **** 1 book is ideal for an adaptation of the film, they simply would have defended    It’s just disgusting, 2 pluses Henry Kevil and roach, and the fact that in the Russian localization of the witcher is voiced by the same actor as in the game. That's all the pluses.
    Cons scenario, (They perverted and pohёr all everything is normal in the book)
    I can write a full analysis of each series,
    **** 1 book is ideal for an adaptation of the film, they simply would have defended it and everything would have been normal.
    There are no all-in-one episodes in your mix.
    Further. castes of actors and the game, Foltest Tris Tisai Borja, Ciri, Eist, and this is if you do not take into account all blacks and mulattos, the presence of which can not be explained.

    Horrible solutions for the images of elves and dwarves.
    Just disastrous battle scenes, they are disgustingly stupid and illogical, you can’t do not do it !!!
    On the whole, he didn’t have anything left of the books of a realistic Middle Ages, the modern contemporary licked
    Speech characters style, clothes,
    Nilfgard suits are just something, no words -100 10.
    The motivation of the characters is cut into the trash, especially the motivation of the nilfgaard empire.
    The whole line of Ciri is destroyed, it’s just a girl from some made-up world, not having an idea about reality, about the war about hunger, poverty and suffering, but it should.    … Expand
  14. 123esh123
    Dec 25, 2019
    2
    A painful waste of potential. After being handed a blueprint to success in the excellent books the show runners decided to warp the very soul of the franchise and turn a series that was an excellent meta commentary on fantasy and fairy tale cliches into the generic fantasy it was meant to subvert. By woefully attempting a story made up from three fractured timelines to very little effectA painful waste of potential. After being handed a blueprint to success in the excellent books the show runners decided to warp the very soul of the franchise and turn a series that was an excellent meta commentary on fantasy and fairy tale cliches into the generic fantasy it was meant to subvert. By woefully attempting a story made up from three fractured timelines to very little effect they have produced a final product that will undoubtably confuse any newcomers with its shambolic delivery of the story, whilst also it should enrage existing fans with its disrespectful shortcomings in terms of adapting the narrative and worldbuilding. The only positives are a small selection of performances and brief moments of fight choreography, but it's hard to see the silver lining in this tempest cloud.… Expand
  15. mad851
    Dec 28, 2019
    2
    This is one of the worst adaptation ever made, really disappointing TV show, nothing like the books, forcing diversity (blackwashing characters) in a polish European fantasy is horrible! Bad CGI, bad writing, bad acting, they didn't followed the chronology of the books, it's not the mature dark Fantasy that we want it's more like XENA level of tv show than game of thrones. Too bad
  16. ChocoPotatoe
    Dec 28, 2019
    2
    It's a good fantasy show, but a very bad adaptation. Netflix wanted to push their ethnic quota on The Witcher, and replaced several established white characters in the book with actors of colour. It took away all the immersion we could have had. If you read the books, you'll know that making Fringilla black doesn't make sense in the story. Dark elves don't exist in the world of TheIt's a good fantasy show, but a very bad adaptation. Netflix wanted to push their ethnic quota on The Witcher, and replaced several established white characters in the book with actors of colour. It took away all the immersion we could have had. If you read the books, you'll know that making Fringilla black doesn't make sense in the story. Dark elves don't exist in the world of The Witcher. Even Zerrikanians should be of arabic ethnicity, which makes sense, but not black.
    Why do they always ruin a good story by pushing political correctness? This show is literally The Witcher in America.

    Even the dwarves are a joke. They should be strong, small, but big. But in the show, they're literally human dwarves who can't even carry a sword.

    They've made the world of "The Witcher" totally inconsistent. I'm a big fan of the books, I didn't play the games, but I'm really disappointed in the show. It doesn't do justice to the books at all.    … Expand
  17. Bulletsponge69
    Jan 1, 2020
    2
    It’s like Game of Thrones ;but without all the good acting and storytelling getting in the way of juvenile jokes and contemporary references and language that seem out of place in a setting that seemingly takes place in the past.
  18. wayrez
    May 14, 2020
    2
    The only positive thing about this series is the actors' game. This series is suitable only for those who are not familiar with the universe of the Witcher. The writers just didn't care about the original source. The biggest disappointment of the year for me :/
  19. FreeAndCritical
    May 15, 2020
    2
    All the fantasy and sci-fi TV series from recent years that I've tried watching during the COVID-19 lock-down have suffered from the same thing: misandry. Yup, the elephant in the room. This is making them very predictable and therefore boring. It's as though they're all being written using the same formula of stereotyping, one-way physical and verbal abuse etc to the point where you canAll the fantasy and sci-fi TV series from recent years that I've tried watching during the COVID-19 lock-down have suffered from the same thing: misandry. Yup, the elephant in the room. This is making them very predictable and therefore boring. It's as though they're all being written using the same formula of stereotyping, one-way physical and verbal abuse etc to the point where you can predict the outcome of a scene based on the genders involved.

    Andrzej Sapkowski's books are, for better or worse, classic sword-and-sorcery fare but the TV series is very much a feminist take on them. The Witcher isn't among the worst - I was very surprised to see Geralt head butt a woman - but it's still enough to make it a predictable tick-box yawnfest. Non-cannon music and contemporary phrases really don't help the immersion either.

    Related to immersion, the source material (in which I include the video games) draws heavily on Polish and other European folklore. I have to be careful here, but imagine a fantasy series based on African folklore (which would be awesome!) with 'Caucasian' actors throughout. It would feel jarringly 'off'. Some of the casting choices, including Yennefer, Triss and the bard I think of as Dandelion, feel way off after the excellently portrayed characters of the video games.

    Not popular opinions, I know, but it would be nice to see these TV series' mix it up a bit. This one, sadly, doesn't stand out from the crowd for me.    … Expand
  20. DeN_DarK
    Dec 22, 2019
    1
    Awful casting. At first I feared Cavill will be bad as Geralt. Actually he isn't. But other actors... not even close to character.
    Sadly casting is lesser problem in this series.
    1. Writing no good. First two episodes was average but after that it is just bad. Scriptwriters add too much to the story and do it very unnatural for plot and characters. 2. Effects. Sometimes nice. But mostly    Awful casting. At first I feared Cavill will be bad as Geralt. Actually he isn't. But other actors... not even close to character.
    Sadly casting is lesser problem in this series.
    1. Writing no good. First two episodes was average but after that it is just bad. Scriptwriters add too much to the story and do it very unnatural for plot and characters.
    2. Effects. Sometimes nice. But mostly bad. Especially floodlights in Brokilon.
    3. Sequence of events. In one episode things mixed together and it is just a mess - not a storytelling.    … Expand
  21. Alexandy4545
    Dec 21, 2019
    1
    the casting decision feels like the power rangers. I get being diverse, but making this show such really takes you out of the polish atmosphere.
  22. AthanasiosT
    Dec 29, 2019
    1
    TV writers never fail to disappoint me. They always manage to take prime material and transform it to sh...t. All main characters' stories are twisted beyond recognition and chronically mixed together. Geralt's adventures, which take 20 and more pages in a book, are shortened to half an episode's duration, resulting in incomprehensible stories. The medieval epoch is polluted with modernTV writers never fail to disappoint me. They always manage to take prime material and transform it to sh...t. All main characters' stories are twisted beyond recognition and chronically mixed together. Geralt's adventures, which take 20 and more pages in a book, are shortened to half an episode's duration, resulting in incomprehensible stories. The medieval epoch is polluted with modern phrases. The bard's songs have rock'n'roll riffs. The elves live in caves instead of their forests. Etc,etc. 1 point for Henry Cavill, his acting and his honest and apparent efforts to stay loyal to Geralt of Rivia. The rest get a zero.… Expand
  23. golibethesda
    Dec 21, 2019
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Terrible show with badly cast actors, awful writing, awful lighting (everything looks grey), FX, scenography, etc. etc. Dialogues were poorly written, they've added some new scenes which are atrocious (like Yennefer's training), plus they omitted some good ones from the books. There are constant jumps in space and time which makes this show hard to follow for those who don't know the books. Not to mention that going from one place to another and from one time to another diminishes the roles of each character and in the end we don't get to know either of them.… Expand
  24. MightyMike
    Dec 20, 2019
    1
    Bad acting backed up by even worst writing. Convoluted plot of the first episode made from various bits and pieces of at least two short stories was just a preview of how much Netflix writers can turn masterpiece into a piece of crap.

    This, plus terrible dialogs, utterly craptastic casting choices and just low overall quality of the show force me to pick the lesser evil (which is give    Bad acting backed up by even worst writing. Convoluted plot of the first episode made from various bits and pieces of at least two short stories was just a preview of how much Netflix writers can turn masterpiece into a piece of crap.

    This, plus terrible dialogs, utterly craptastic casting choices and just low overall quality of the show force me to pick the lesser evil (which is give this show a 1 and warn all of you!)    … Expand
  25. Dethar
    Dec 20, 2019
    1
    Another victim of political correctness.

    CD Projekt did so much better with the story, world and characters that it actually hurts.
  26. Broyax
    Dec 24, 2019
    1
    De mon point de vue, l'attente était double : d'abord eu égard à la prodigieuse saga de Sapkowski, ensuite par rapport aux superbes adaptations en jeux vidéo de la part de CD Projekt Red qui a su montrer un immense respect des bouquins tout en apposant sa propre marque et personnalité au meilleur univers d'heroic-fantasy jamais créé...

    C'est dire si les espérances étaient élevées... et    De mon point de vue, l'attente était double : d'abord eu égard à la prodigieuse saga de Sapkowski, ensuite par rapport aux superbes adaptations en jeux vidéo de la part de CD Projekt Red qui a su montrer un immense respect des bouquins tout en apposant sa propre marque et personnalité au meilleur univers d'heroic-fantasy jamais créé...

    C'est dire si les espérances étaient élevées... et n'ont pas été comblées, bien au contraire. Mais le tableau n'est pas si noir ici (encore que...) puisque Henri "Superman" Cavill incarne avec un allant inattendu un super sorceleur ; il paraît que l'acteur est fan de la licence et le fait est que ça se voit à l'écran : il se déplace, parle et respire comme ce bon vieux Gérard ! cynique et désabusé, ronchon et anti-héros... héroïque à l'insu de son plein gré.

    Alors, si Gérard va, tout devrait rouler... et d'ailleurs les effets spéciaux et la réalisation sont de bonne facture ; et quelques trop rares moments feraient même croire au miracle... sauf que... la narration reste bordélique comme c'est pas possible dans cette "première saison" s'inspirant nettement du premier tome (de nouvelles) de la saga mais la transformant, la dénaturant entièrement ou presque. L'épisode du dragon par exemple est complètement à côté de la plaque... entre autres.

    Mais ce n'est pas tout, car la série balance ses enjeux n'importe comment et de façon si désordonnée que même en ayant lu tous les livres, on a du mal à s'y retrouver... alors on imagine pas la perplexité confuse que doivent ressentir les béotiens à cet égard. Décousues et souvent incohérentes, les situations se succèdent jusqu'au ridicule s'il le faut (par exemple, le magicien qui se tape la bossue...!).

    A part Cavill, on ne constate que des erreurs de casting : ils sont tous soit mauvais, soit incompétents ou bien les deux à la fois. Jaskier par exemple est une caricature insupportable... Ciri est une cruche nunuche, Yenefer est seulement... bien roulée et c'est tout.

    Par ailleurs, la diversité forcenée incluse au forceps nuit à toute la crédibilité du monde décrit ici, un monde de légendes slaves à l'origine... et cette diversité omniprésente manque elle-même de diversité puisqu'elle n'inclut aucun ou aucune asiatique... la diversité à sens unique en somme.

    A part ce bon vieux Gérard, trop de choses sonnent faux dans cette série. Dommage pour Cavill mais ce défilé d'impostures n'est pas vraiment regardable. Ce gros simulacre découpé en épisodes irrite au plus haut point, sans cesse, sans espoir de rédemption : parti sur les mauvais rails dès le départ, il n'arrivera jamais à destination.    … Expand
  27. GarlDeathHand
    Dec 23, 2019
    1
    Awful cast, hilariously bad acting, horrendous costumes and just a bad adaptation of the book.
  28. MrNonono
    Dec 22, 2019
    1
    Might be interesting for people who played the game. Otherwise, skip this show and you won't miss out on anything. There are better quasi-medieval fantasy shows to watch in the limited time you have.
  29. Damnednoiz88
    Dec 20, 2019
    1
    Отвратительная игра актеров, уродливые костюмы и тотальный мискаст — типичная адаптация от Нетфликса.
  30. shurte
    Dec 23, 2019
    1
    Very weak show from Netflix. They absolutely do not understand what they are showing. Positive things are only Cavill, music and battle with Renfry.
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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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