Netflix has finally released its long await Witcher series, based on the amazing novels by Andrzej Sapkowski. A series of high fantasy novels about a man who was magically mutated into a medieval super solider who travels the world fighting monsters for money. Sapkowski's books are pretty big deal. While it took while for them to be translated from the original Polish (The first book "The Last Wish", a collection of short stories to give an introduction into the world, was published in Poland in 1993, but wasn't translated to English until 2007) they have had a HUGH impact in pop culture and fiction across the world.
I imagine most people reading this were first exposed to this series via the video games. With Witcher 3:The Wild Hunt being a strong contender for a top game of the decade in my opinion. The first time I ever heard of the name Geralt of Riva was in a game informer article. It was a promotional piece for the first Witcher gamer. It advertised itself as a dark, brutal fantasy world full of difficult choices. No morality tracker, not clear right and wrong, and not everything would have a happy ending. I was very, very interested. The game lived up to that promotion. One of the more famous choices being to decide between letting a starving elf steal some grain, and forfeit your pay, or kill a desperate mother who was doing what she had to feed her sick child.
I didn't know it at the time, but that quest was the perfect example of the world Sapkowski had created. Racisim is rampant against creatures such as elves, dwarves, and wtichers. Its a world constantly full of strife and struggle. A world constantly trying to make Geralt pick between the lesser of two evils. But that's a choice he long ago decided he was having none of. The first episode of the show does a masterful telling of the short story "The Lesser Evil"
"Evil is evil. Lesser, greater, middling...makes no difference. The degree is arbitrary, the definition is blurred. If I'm to choose between one evil and other, I'd rather not choose at all"
But how does the show hold up to the books, the games, and the huge legend of the series as a whole?
In a word? Fantastic.
The show follows the books, mind you, not the games. Fans who's only exposure are CDPR's games might be a little lost in some of the lore at first. The games take place well after the books, and aren't necessarily canon to the original materiel. The show follows the books, but has enough eye winks and elbow nudges for the fans of the games.
It takes bits from various stories to create a structured narrative. There are three stories being told through the first season. The thing that show doesn't warn you is that the stories don't happen at the same time. There is a different chronically starting point for each of the three main stories being told. Buy the last episode however, all three storylines converge onto each other in an incredibly satisfying and emotional moment. When the paths of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri finally all meet, there is a tangible feeling in the air. Fans of the books know of the dramatic and exciting future know what's to come. Fans of the games know how close and important the three of them become to each other, and fans who haven't been exposed to either get a feeling of the great things to come.
The casting of the show is one of the best I've ever seen. Henry Cavill looks and acts perfectly for the role. An instance where you can tell the actor was just as big of a fan as the source material as people watching the show. He even does the iconic voice of Doug Cockle nearly perfectly. Joey Batey could not have been a more perfect Jasker, (that's Dandelion to you game fans) the chemistry between the two leading men was as perfect and reluctant as the books or games could have told you. The two of them played off of each other perfectly. Rumor is that Batey showed up to his audition with his own lute. Anya Chalotra as Yennefer was a soild choice as well. She carries herself well. Be it the scared, confused farm girl, or the powerful and self assured mage she grows into, you never once doubt her emotions or motivation. But to me the surprise star of the show was Freya Allen. as Ciri. The youngest of the stars, but possibly the best out of the lot. You really feel her joy, her fear, her anger, her hope, her heartbreak. Watching Allen as the troubled princess at times made me forget I was watching a show and not a real teenage girl going through the chaos that becomes her life.
The action is brutal. Game Of Thrones fans will be able to satisfy their thirst for blood and violence, as well as the political drama and intrigue. It is however, not a very kid friendly show. About as much nudity as you'd expect if you read the books or played the games (Its a lot) and it doesn't shy away from the blood or the hell of war. Not to mention Geralt's favorite words all rhyme with truck. But it is a FANTASTIC show, and I would recommend it to anybody with any interest in high fantasy. Go watch the show, read the books, and play the games. But most importantly...
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