Topic: The Witcher

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Had high hopes for this, finally released on Netflix today.

Only watched the first episode, script is a bit all over the place while it sets everything up and it doesn’t explain much if you’ve not read the books or played the games BUT...the fight scenes are worth it alone.

Cavill is a fantastic Geralt IMO.

I've got the game, but I haven't got around to playing it yet.

Like you, I've seen Episode 1 and am not sure how much building up/explanation is needed?

Easily understandable plot with the relevant information provided by the cast as it went on. I imagine there will be more depth and backstory gradually introduced as the plot progresses.

Decent swords and sorcery effort with some pretty brutal fight scenes. I'll certainly be watching the rest of it.

[Buck Pete]

Like you, I've seen Episode 1 and am not sure how much building up/explanation is needed?

Easily understandable plot with the relevant information provided by the cast as it went on. I imagine there will be more depth and backstory gradually introduced as the plot progresses.

Decent swords and sorcery effort with some pretty brutal fight scenes. I'll certainly be watching the rest of it.

Yeah I'm same as Andy

It seems to be explaining itself fine as it goes on.  I've only watched 2 episodes though and as far as I am aware all 3 stories (Yennifer, Ciri and Geralt) are all on the same timeline?

[Dench57]

I've only watched 2 episodes though and as far as I am aware all 3 stories (Yennifer, Ciri and Geralt) are all on the same timeline?

Keep watching 

[J-Mc-]

Yeah I'm same as Andy

It seems to be explaining itself fine as it goes on.  I've only watched 2 episodes though and as far as I am aware all 3 stories (Yennifer, Ciri and Geralt) are all on the same timeline?

Nope.

Yennefer is set decades in the past but eventually catches upto Geralts, before they both catch up to Ciri’s whose timeline is set slightly into the future of Geralts.

[Henry Gale]

This is how confused I got. I thought the girl with the back problem was reincarnated from the Princess who The Witcher killed but didn't really want too. Also I thought the little blonde girl who screams at stuff was the daughter of The Witcher till I found out he can't have kids. I had no idea that story line was decades in the past! I must of missed the bit they stated that.

Maybe I shouldn't have watched it extremely high.

[Dench57]

This is how confused I got. I thought the girl with the back problem was reincarnated from the Princess who The Witcher killed but didn't really want too. Also I thought the little blonde girl who screams at stuff was the daughter of The Witcher till I found out he can't have kids. I had no idea that story line was decades in the past! I must of missed the bit they stated that.

Maybe I shouldn't have watched it extremely high.

Episode 4 is where things should start to make a bit more sense, at least the timelines anyway. I don't think the different timelines are signposted at all before that.

[Kashinoda]

It ties the timelines up in a rewarding way for me, was very happy with how it was all revealed.

[J-Mc-]

That’s the main issue I think, it never tells you when the timelines are set, sort of just makes you watch it to figure it out.

Gutted there’s only 8 episodes. Hopefully season 2 will be released around the same time next year.

[Kashinoda]

That’s the main issue I think, it never tells you when the timelines are set, sort of just makes you watch it to figure it out.

Gutted there’s only 8 episodes. Hopefully season 2 will be released around the same time next year.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but its 2021.

That's the issue when you use an A lister such as Cavill

[Henry Gale]

That’s the main issue I think, it never tells you when the timelines are set, sort of just makes you watch it to figure it out.

Gutted there’s only 8 episodes. Hopefully season 2 will be released around the same time next year.

2021 I think for season 2. They haven't filmed it yet I don't think. I was reading the below from Reddit. Makes it about as clear as mud 

Ciris story = present.
Geralt in 1st appearance = 50yrs behind Ciris present.
Yennefer in 1st appearance = 30-40yrs behind Geralt.

Each episode you watch after Geralts & Yennefers initial appearance they’re catching up at a really fast pace to Ciris present timeline.

So in episode 4 as you mention, years have passed since when we first see Geralt and the bard meet.

When we see Geralt in episode 1.. Queen Calanthe is around 12yrs old
When we see Geralt in episode 4.. Queen Calanthe daughter is pregnant with Ciri When we see Geralt in episode 7.. it catches up to Ciris timeframe from episode 1

[Macphisto80]

Nope.

Yennefer is set decades in the past but eventually catches upto Geralts, before they both catch up to Ciri’s whose timeline is set slightly into the future of Geralts.

Yeah, was wondering about the chronology up until about halfway through episode 4, which I was about to chalk off as a bit of a confusing bore, but it made things more clear right near the end of the episode when amusingly Geralt put his foot in it, and suddenly it made a bit of sense.

So, Yennefer's is well in the past. She's furthest back. Geralt is still in the past, but in the middle, and Ciri, I think, is also in the past, but the furthest forward.

[OneTouchFooty]

The setting up of the story has been a bit chaotic for those that aren't immersed in the world. I've reached the 4th episode and am finding my feet with it more but it's been too confusing with the various locations and names and their significance and the timelines being different is completely news to me.

I thought at first it was a bit cheesy, sub-LoTR fare and the comparisons to GoT way off, its not on its level at all but its watchable and its enjoyable once you figure out what's sort of going. Tbf, I thought the Witcher was going to be a one dimensional grunting meathead all the way through as I find Henry Cavill pretty wooden but he's done well and become more rounded as its progressed.

Like the hunchback girl being taken to some magic school, then randomly meeting that lad because portals/magic or something, it didn't really explain any of that so it feels a bit rushed together at times with big jumps happening like with the Nifelgard lot that the Queen/King were talking about one minute, then the next minute its into a full on battle, requires a little more exposition at times.

[Kashinoda]

The issue with the story is they've tried to cram 3 books into a single season and tie it all together whilst trying to convey the world and explain the lore. I think by the end its fundamentally done a good job and expect the follow up season to be much more streamlined.

Netflix really should have given it the GoT treatment but I'm not sure they'd get Cavill for that long and they don't tend to like more than 3 seasons anyway.

[J-Mc-]

The issue with the story is they've tried to cram 3 books into a single season and tie it all together whilst trying to convey the world and explain the lore. I think by the end its fundamentally done a good job and expect the follow up season to be much more streamlined.

Netflix really should have given it the GoT treatment but I'm not sure they'd get Cavill for that long and they don't tend to like more than 3 seasons anyway.

They've got a full 7 seasons planned out for it and by all accounts, Cavill is well on board to do them all as he loves the books and the games.

Could certainly see this running for a while, especially with the viewing numbers the first series hit.

[The G in Gerrard]

Anya Chalotra is stunning.

Enjoyed the show so far. As I know nothing of this prior to watching it's abit difficult to follow at times but been good. Cavill and the Bard have been excellent.

[OneTouchFooty]

Was I alone in being surprised to find that the fella who plays Mousesack isnt actually Oscar Isaac?

[Henry Gale]

Anya Chalotra is stunning.

Enjoyed the show so far. As I know nothing of this prior to watching it's abit difficult to follow at times but been good. Cavill and the Bard have been excellent.

Well her character was one of the main reasons I kept watching as I found her fascinating. After watching a few more episodes last night I'm glad I did 

[afc tukrish]

Never read the books or played the game, enjoy high fantasy some and swords and sorcery quite a bit, watched first episode, quite enjoyed it.

Atmosphere is subtly different from the standard sort of western european-based fantasy; sort of eastern european rather than western, if that makes any sense.

One question occurred...

Spoiler

Why did Renfri want Geralt to kill the wizard with the cool name and all the fake hot women? Why did she not do it herself? Is it revealed later that in some way only a witcher-type would have the best chance of success? Didn't she say that magic did not work on her right before they fought? Would that not stand her in good stead in trying to kill the sorcerer?

[close]

[ChrisOH]

Don't get why people are getting confused with timelines. I've never played the games or read the books but by episode 4/5 it all makes sense. I think it's been boss so far. Good mixture with complex character beginning and the humour.

[Darren G]

I think a lot of that appearance is down to it being made for HDR in mind, and also to replicate a lot of the aesthetic and art direction of the games. One scene with Roach sitting outside with cliffs and the highrise shacks looked like it was grabbed straight out of a cut scene from the game. I don't think it looks bad, though. In fact, I'm pretty impressed with how it looks and the overall cinematography in it. It still has that made for TV feel to it, but in some scenes it could be from a high budget film, especially some of the indoor shots. I was expecting it to look a lot worse, but they've done a good job with it. It's not Game of Thrones levels of production, but it doesn't have to be.

 Funny that you should say that.  Have a look from 5:00 onwards.  Look familiar?

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/rOIwut95HMw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/rOIwut95HMw</a>

[nick_8589]

Never read the books or played the game, enjoy high fantasy some and swords and sorcery quite a bit, watched first episode, quite enjoyed it.

Atmosphere is subtly different from the standard sort of western european-based fantasy; sort of eastern european rather than western, if that makes any sense.

One question occurred...

Spoiler

Why did Renfri want Geralt to kill the wizard with the cool name and all the fake hot women? Why did she not do it herself? Is it revealed later that in some way only a witcher-type would have the best chance of success? Didn't she say that magic did not work on her right before they fought? Would that not stand her in good stead in trying to kill the sorcerer?

[close]

Geralt has access to him and she didn’t.

(Sorry I don’t know how to use spoilers and that’s the vaguest way I could answer that.

[afc tukrish]

Geralt has access to him and she didn’t.

(Sorry I don’t know how to use spoilers and that’s the vaguest way I could answer that.

use of spoiler tags, remove the spaces after the initial bracket... [_spoiler] type text [_/spoiler]

Spoiler

Had the same idea thinking about it last night, when he sort of melded through the door to go into the sorcerer's abode, Renfri could not do the same and thus needed Geralt to kill him, right?

[close]

[lucabrasi]

Really good show. The author obviously took the character from Michael Moorcock’s novels about Elric of Melnibone from the 1960s. That character had white hair, was called the white wolf, had a side kick, and used magic and was not human. Even so this version is very good.

[J-Mc-]

use of spoiler tags, remove the spaces after the initial bracket... [_spoiler] type text [_/spoiler]

Spoiler

Had the same idea thinking about it last night, when he sort of melded through the door to go into the sorcerer's abode, Renfri could not do the same and thus needed Geralt to kill him, right?

[close]

Spoiler

Aye, the portal would have let Stregabore know who was coming through, so I imagine that Renfree wasn’t able to get the drop on him and would have put herself in danger.

Although it does leave a plot hole that if Magic doesn’t work on her, would the portal?

[close]

[Kashinoda]

Shoutout to the music on the show.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/E2bNdbAcQSI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/E2bNdbAcQSI</a>

[Macphisto80]

Finished it last night. Thought it was fine enough, but it had really big problems that I hope it can correct going forward. Can't help but feel 8 episodes wasn't anywhere near enough, and the writers had to find a way to cram far too many threads in, but ended up being here nor there as far as feeling like a cohesive narrative, and a lot of the character and world building suffered as a result.

[J-Mc-]

Finished it last night. Thought it was fine enough, but it had really big problems that I hope it can correct going forward. Can't help but feel 8 episodes wasn't anywhere near enough, and the writers had to find a way to cram far too many threads in, but ended up being here nor there as far as feeling like a cohesive narrative, and a lot of the character and world building suffered as a result.

It’s based on the first 2 books which are pretty much short stories, i’d imagine the next series will be more of a linear story.

[Macphisto80]

It’s based on the first 2 books which are pretty much short stories, i’d imagine the next series will be more of a linear story.

It needs to be now that all the convoluted stuff is out of the way. Each one of those arcs probably needed a series or two to develop properly to give a better sense of the relationships between the characters, especially Geralt's and Jennifer's and the mage fella from the start. It just felt a little too rushed. Jennifer developed too quickly. They could have really pulled at the heart strings of the viewer with her when she was deformed and downtrodden. She seemed a really sympathetic character you felt sorry for, but liked, then suddenly she was this powerful sorceress that Geralt bonded with in the space of one episode. Anyway, all that aside, hopefully they develop it into a more structured and streamlined narrative for the second series.

[abs-ibs]

After playing The Witcher 2 & 3, then subsequently reading the first two books, I am happy to see that the show is definitely a mix of the two. The first book, which details Geralt's contracts as a Witcher were well depicted in the show and as the show goes on it develops more of the Ciri storyline which is more of the second book.

The producers have been heavily influenced by the game in the surroundings and style of clothing etc, and it all looks nicely designed overall.

Wasn't sure whether they had got the casting right before I saw the show, however Cavill's Geralt is perfect and Anya Cholatra as Yennefer is very well cast. Can't believe the girl who plays Ciri is 18 though. She looks 12

Looking forward to next season

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Didn't expect to like it this much, waiting for series 2 will suck

[OneTouchFooty]

Enjoyed it overall but its felt disjointed at times and some of the acting from minor characters has been ropey.

The bard/sidekick guy is really fucking irritating as well, I get this James Cordon vibe where the Americans have thought "this guy is going to be HILARIOUS!!" and the wisecracking just ends up coming off as naff and annoying.

[PhilV]

Apparently they haven't even started shooting the second season though so we might be waiting a while. Very tempted to play through 3 again after watching!

I am doing that exactly because of the show, just finished Velen and Norvigrad and accidentally got up to lvl 22 so basically one shotting my way through the Skellige Islands, woops!

Wasn't sure whether they had got the casting right before I saw the show, however Cavill's Geralt is perfect and Anya Cholatra as Yennefer is very well cast. Can't believe the girl who plays Ciri is 18 though. She looks 12

I thought this too, she has a proper baby face! Probably works in her favour mind, as shes currently portraying younger Ciri, with makeup and some scar etc she might be able transition into older Ciri without having the need for another actress depending on how the story goes...

The bard/sidekick guy is really fucking irritating as well, I get this James Cordon vibe where the Americans have thought "this guy is going to be HILARIOUS!!" and the wisecracking just ends up coming off as naff and annoying.

That's his whole character though, Dandelion would piss you right off in the games too 

[S]

Finished the second episode. Mixed feelings so far. I can sort of deal with the confusion surrounding being dropped in at the deep end. I like fantasy stuff so I’m willing to deal with that.

I find the world to be a bit inauthentic. When I watch something like Vikings I get the real sense that the characters are out in the wild. This series often lets slip that it’s all in a studio. It’s a bit too “clean” if that makes sense.

Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer are great but the supporting cast are pretty weak. That bard in the second episode was painful. The song was unbearably corny.

I will stick with it though. Just interested to see if anyone agrees. Again, only up to episode two so no spoilers please!

[deFacto please, you bastards]

I think the song was supposed to be corny

[OneTouchFooty]

I am doing that exactly because of the show, just finished Velen and Norvigrad and accidentally got up to lvl 22 so basically one shotting my way through the Skellige Islands, woops!

That's his whole character though, Dandelion would piss you right off in the games too 

If you've seen the series how much does it spoil the game? Got bought Witcher 3 for Xmas and going to start on it soon.

Aww, you're kidding? Ffs  I get he's supposed to be an annoying twat but surely a character like that has to have some endearing qualities at least? I'm not sure their aim for him is the audience wishing he dies as soon as possible. I had a look of the notoriously hypocritical Reddit board and alot genuinely seem to find him a great, lovable and funny character.

[Zizou]

If you've seen the series how much does it spoil the game? Got bought Witcher 3 for Xmas and going to start on it soon.

The show doesn't spoil it at all, they're set about a decade apart. In fact, the show might actually aid your enjoyment of the game, as it gives a bit of a backstory to some of the big characters.

The game is an absolute masterpiece, I'm replaying it for about the 5th time.

[Buck Pete]

Resumed the series after Christmas and just watched episode 3

Absolutely bloody superb episode

The whole scene from dusk till dawn with Geralt and the Shtriga was immense.

[Macphisto80]

I think the song was supposed to be corny

Yeah, all his songs are. He's a corny character. A stark contrast to Geralt. I don't mind that at all. Sort of reminds me of mid to late 90's TV like Xena and Buffy. Not that I watched either one of those, but they both had that lighthearted, cheesiness to them. It's a bit more subtle in this, but it's there.

Finished the second episode. Mixed feelings so far. I can sort of deal with the confusion surrounding being dropped in at the deep end. I like fantasy stuff so I’m willing to deal with that.

I find the world to be a bit inauthentic. When I watch something like Vikings I get the real sense that the characters are out in the wild. This series often lets slip that it’s all in a studio. It’s a bit too “clean” if that makes sense.

Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer are great but the supporting cast are pretty weak. That bard in the second episode was painful. The song was unbearably corny.

I will stick with it though. Just interested to see if anyone agrees. Again, only up to episode two so no spoilers please!

It has that same feel that you're watching something that's obviously a small set, but with a bigger green screen environment in the background that I felt when watching the Mandalorian. I think it's a by-product of filming for digital streaming, where they'll film with a higher resolution so that when it gets compressed and streamed, it doesn't look so bad. It just gives everything a less cinematic look to it, which is why if you look at the indoor scenes, where everything is obviously real, it just looks a lot better.

[Niru Red4ever]

Absolutely loved it! Witcher 3 is one of my all time favourite games (along with God of War), and I was determined to give this a miss so as not to be disappointed because well, Cavill and Netflix. But 10 minutes in and I was absolutely sold on Geralt and I can't have enough of it.

I don't mind the timelines. It would have been frustrating for me to wait for Ciri Spoiler regarding Ciri/Geralt dynamic

Spoiler

since to me Ciri is the heart of the story and Geralt's quest to protect her and strive to give her a happy future

[close]

and the timelines was a neat way to bring her in this early. In anycase they were clearly signposted and it was not a convoluted Nolan thingy, and it should go normally from now on (with flashbacks I assume).

Can't wait for more! Its like having bonus content/ prequel for me, but I suspect people who are new to the series won't like it as much.

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

Just bought witcher 3 after this and had a look at some videos for the other 2 games. After you get past the wayward timeline, it's a great show