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The Witcher

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews

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53

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 2915 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	Your Score
7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 2915 Ratings

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The Witcher

Series Details & Credits

NETFLIX | Release Date: December 20, 2019

Summary: Monster hunter Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), sorceress Yennefer (Anya Cholatra), and Princess Ciri (Freya Allan) must learn to work together to survive as they journey through the Continent in the fantasy series based on the Polish book series by Andrzej Sapkowski.

Creator: Lauren Schmidt

Genre(s): Drama, Action & Adventure, Fantasy

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Stream On

Recent Episodes

5.4
S1:E8. Much More
Air Date: December 20, 2019
5.5
S1:E7. Before A Fall
Air Date: December 20, 2019
5.1
S1:E6. Rare Species
Air Date: December 20, 2019

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

53

Positive:

6

Mixed:

8

Negative:

3

Critic Reviews

83

The A.V. Club

William Hughes

Dec 20, 2019

Season 1 Review: When the worst thing you can say about a series is that every episode ends up being better than the one that preceded it, that leaves an exciting amount of room to grow. Especially when you can see it steadily moving out of the shadow of the show Netflix might have wanted, in favor of the far more interesting series it might actually turn out to be. Read full review

80

Collider

Tom Reimann

Dec 20, 2019

Season 1 Review: For all its massive scale, The Witcher is a surprisingly small story centered around three appealing main characters. It’s a classic fantasy tale about war and magic and prophecy, with grotesque monsters, supernatural detective work, and political intrigue thrown into the mix. It’s all a bit silly, but no more so than Game of Thrones ever was. Read full review

75

IndieWire

Ben Travers

Dec 20, 2019

Season 1 Review: Frankly, it should be a catastrophe, and yet the batshit energy driving a slew of increasingly odd choices makes for a pretty entertaining spectacle. Read full review

60

The Guardian Lucy Mangan

Dec 20, 2019

Season 1 Review: There are attempts at knowingness: at one point, our Henry tells someone a prophecy has to rhyme. This is not a good idea, as it throws into too sharp relief the limits to what Geralt and his merry band of sorceresses and proto-feminist princesses can be said to know. Play it straight, dear scriptwriters, or don’t play it at all. ... But again, if you like this sort of thing, go nuts. Read full review

50

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Dec 20, 2019

Season 1 Review: If you don’t take any of this more seriously than a holiday diversion, it has undeniable moments, and a fearless performance from its leading lady. But it’s safe to say that the throne of fantasy adulation on which HBO sits, even after the divisive final season, remains unchallenged. Read full review

45

CNN

Brian Lowry

Dec 20, 2019

Season 1 Review: Henry Cavill plays the title role in The Witcher, but giving a pulse to this dreary medieval fantasy series is too much of a job even for Superman. Read full review

0

Entertainment Weekly

Darren Franich and Kristen Baldwin

Dec 20, 2019

Season 1 Review: Alas, my destiny is to never watch this borefest ever again. Read full review

SEE ALL 17 REVIEWS

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7.5

User Reviews

10

Pixer

Dec 21, 2019

Serie tv appassionante, avvincente, coinvolgente con colonna sonora epica che riprende dal videogame, cast all'altezza se non oltre ecc. Ecc. .

2 of 11 users found this helpful29

10

Silverbow

Dec 30, 2019

The atmosphere and world building in this first season is world class. The writers spend a lot of time fleshing out characters, it makes for a slower paced show, but it pays off in later episodes and it will continue to do so in future seasons. We cannot expect to feel anything forThe atmosphere and world building in this first season is world class. The writers spend a lot of time fleshing out characters, it makes for a slower paced show, but it pays off in later episodes and it will continue to do so in future seasons. We cannot expect to feel anything for characters if we know nothing about them, world building is important and the Witcher gets that right. Henry Cavill is masterfull as Geralt, and Anya Chalotra as Yennefer is gold.… Expand

3 of 14 users found this helpful311

10

anihavoc

Dec 20, 2019

Netflix Geralt is the fantasy version of John Wick. Insane combat scenes, branching story and incredible world building. Leave it to these SJW journalists to not recognize a masterpiece of fantasy stories and rate it low based on their biased opinions in order to drive this incredible showNetflix Geralt is the fantasy version of John Wick. Insane combat scenes, branching story and incredible world building. Leave it to these SJW journalists to not recognize a masterpiece of fantasy stories and rate it low based on their biased opinions in order to drive this incredible show into the ground. Sad.… Expand

52 of 225 users found this helpful52173

9

RedShiftXIII

Dec 20, 2019

No bull, I didn't like the first episode. It was a bit too fan service, the story was interesting but told in an uninteresting way, and one of the characters was strangely out of place in her own plot. When they killed her off, I was relieved and prepared to go on; I was rewarded.

The showNo bull, I didn't like the first episode. It was a bit too fan service, the story was interesting but told in an uninteresting way, and one of the characters was strangely out of place in her own plot. When they killed her off, I was relieved and prepared to go on; I was rewarded.

The show captures both aspects of the games and the books very well in a way that I think has something for everyone. My girlfriend, who has no interest in games or fantasy, was able to sit through almost the entirety of the show—something she can't do for almost every fantasy cinema.

I think the reason is that Geralt is just played so well; he's an imperfect badass who smells bad. He nails the witcher voice from the games in almost every case (except when he randomly adds an accent that's almost like an American trying to do a British accent and failing). He also has the physic and the movements of Geralt from the games.

I think Yennifer is played well, but I was hoping to see her turn a bit more snooty as the show went on. I think her shield of proper-ness could be a bit more fleshed out. The organization of the show is something that I was expecting in a fantasy series, but it leads into a climactic point and enhances the story telling in a way that turns each of the shows into a piece of a larger puzzle. I think I prefer this to it being purely Episodic.

As far as these low critic reviews, I think someone is upset about something. I've seen them focus on aesthetic, or calling certain people "incel" and I think it's clear they weren't at all open to a Universe that is both chaotic and dark. I'm not sure what they were expecting in watching the show, but their input seems wanting. TL;DR:
It has an abnormally hard-to-get-through first show (all shows have a hump in the first several episodes), but it delivers a great series that I think will make book and game fans happy. I also think, based on my girlfriend, this has an interesting enough plot that might make fans out of newcomers. Most negative critic reviews seem caught up on unimportant aspects.… Expand

2 of 11 users found this helpful29

8

Darkpaul

Dec 31, 2019

Una excelente adaptación al libro y con personajes que te generan una excelente inmersión. Quizás se estiró demasiado la trama de Ciri pese que adapto muy bien al personaje. La sensación de ver esta primera temporada es la misma que te deja al leer las dos primeras novelas. Muy buen comienzo.

1 of 6 users found this helpful15

4

S0L0QR

Feb 8, 2020

I didn't hate watching this show, but I am very disappointed with how little my expectations were met. My issues with the show primarily stem from the storytelling and overall pacing, as well as some characterization hiccups and lack of world building.

So starting with the major issuesI didn't hate watching this show, but I am very disappointed with how little my expectations were met. My issues with the show primarily stem from the storytelling and overall pacing, as well as some characterization hiccups and lack of world building.

So starting with the major issues first. I HATE the way the story is told in the show. Rather than focusing on Geralt (the shows namesake) we are constantly swapped from character to character whose story lines are more often then not, completely unrelated. I can see what the writers were trying to do. They wanted to show how eventually all these lines would intersect at the end but its just such a jarring experience (especially when you realize that much of the events also occur at different points in time) that I would have much preferred a singular focus on Geralt in his search for Ciri.

Moving on, my next complaint is with the overall pacing of the show. They're attempting to tell a story over the span of several YEARS in an 8 episode show. Because of this, their is very little suspense or intrigue developed because we as viewers know that anything going on in the current episode will be resolved before the credits roll. Every episode just feels like this sprint to finish the story arc. My next complaints are more minor but only further compound my disappointment. Some of the characterizations ,as well as some characters entirely, feel very out of place. Take Geralt for instance. While Cavil did an overall good job of portraying the character, it isn't to say his performance was without fault. There were many times that he would raise his voice or add an inflection to lines and it kept giving the feeling that it was someone PLAYING Geralt, not BEING him. I also took some issue with other characters like the bard, GOD I hated the bard. For me, he completely ruined certain parts of the show because of how often hes used as the comedic relief and only comedic relief. There was no depth or substance after his introduction, and it made me wish Geralt could have traveled with other characters he met, like the dwarf in episode 6.

Finally, my last problem with the show is how little the show attempts to build the universe around the characters. Every location feels isolated from the rest and none of the world feels connected in any way. It also doesn't help that the designs for everything from monsters, to armor and weapons, to magic, feel so generic and bland. The Polish culture that inspired the books and games feels completely lost in the show, making the Witcher feel like one more western dark fantasy show in the many we already have.

Overall, this show just doesn't do it for me. I'd rather play the games or read the books any day over watching this show again. The last episode somewhat redeems the season but its too little too late. The show did introduce more people to the Witcher and thats amazing in its self but it does little for those who already loved the universe.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

0

15259889

Dec 20, 2019

Thank you for ruining Slavic culture with sjw propaganda. Why Geralt isn’t black? Why Ciri isn’t black? What did restrict you?

1 of 140 users found this helpful1139

SEE ALL 1183 REVIEWS

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Seasons & Episodes

53

Series Overview
Season 1

53
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.4
  S1:E8. Much More
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.5
  S1:E7. Before A Fall
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.1
  S1:E6. Rare Species
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.8
  S1:E5. Bottled Appetites
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.6
  S1:E4. Of Banquets, Bastards and Burials
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.8
  S1:E3. Betrayer Moon
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.9
  S1:E2. Four Marks
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 6.5
  S1:E1. The End's Beginning
  Air Date: December 20, 2019