The Witcher: Season 1

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 2663 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	Your Score
7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 2663 Ratings

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The Witcher

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Season Details & Credits

Netflix | Season Premiere 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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Season 1 Episodes

5.2
S1:E8. Much More
Air Date: December 20, 2019
5.1
S1:E7. Before A Fall
Air Date: December 20, 2019
5.0
S1:E6. Rare Species
Air Date: December 20, 2019

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Metascore

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Mixed:

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Critic Reviews

William Hughes

Dec 20, 2019

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

Collider Tom Reimann

Dec 20, 2019

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

IndieWire Ben Travers

Dec 20, 2019

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

The Guardian Lucy Mangan

Dec 20, 2019

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

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Dec 20, 2019

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

Brian Lowry

Dec 20, 2019

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

Darren Franich and Kristen Baldwin

Dec 20, 2019

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

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User Score

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7.5

User Reviews

Sagitbiatch

Jan 10, 2020

A beautiful ode to the books and game, amazing acting and direction. An intelligent show that believes in its audience. Brilliant!

0 of 10 users found this helpful010

Warlok9

Dec 22, 2019

I’m not sure what books these folks read that are giving the show a zero rating? Many of the user reviews say the show is too much of a departure from the source material. Huh?I thought the show runners did an admirable job of staying with the story the books told. I mean the first coupleI’m not sure what books these folks read that are giving the show a zero rating? Many of the user reviews say the show is too much of a departure from the source material. Huh?I thought the show runners did an admirable job of staying with the story the books told. I mean the first couple books are just non-chronological stories plucked out of the timeline anyways. Who cares if they jumble the stories around to make more sense for a show.

What I believe these people mean is that they are angry the show wasn’t cast “white enough”. Yennefer isn’t the pale sorceress as described in the books, Triss is changed to a person of color. There are many others I suppose. I think the cast was great! NONE of the changes effect the story in any way, shape or form. I maybe would have an issue with the main character being changed because his look is so iconic at this point.

My actual score is an 8 for the show, but to help offset the spammed zero scores I’m giving it a 10. The acting is GREAT. I can’t think of one actor who didn’t do fantastic. The storytelling moves a bit slow and feels disjointed at times, I would think especially for those unfamiliar with the books. The lighting and color grading are very good and consistent.

The effects are mostly good. All are high enough quality for a show like this. The practical effects are superb (the Striga fight!) but the cgi is a mixed bag. Cgi creatures are passable for the most part, but if you are hoping for GOT level Dragons and cgi you will be disappointed. The atmospheric and environmental cgi effects are fantastic, however. From the spell effects to the depiction of terrain and strongholds, it’s all top quality.

Hopefully the show is set for a second season right away and they can improve upon what they have created here, which is solid.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

Demikly

Dec 20, 2019

Nailed it.

Cavill lives and breathes the role.

The production values are off the hook too, slow burn, but worth the wait!!

40 of 96 users found this helpful4056

Agust_VD

Jan 9, 2020

A fun adventure and is able to tell a nonlinear story well. The show has Likable characters with good character development. And to put the cherry on top it has a good score and humor.

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

Rtmitchell

Feb 1, 2020

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

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

ali_khunaizi

Dec 22, 2019

it's good... surely worth its production and I believe it will get better and better in the future seasons, keeping in mind that it was a tough introductory season, what next is the best.
unless they ignored what the audiences are saying.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

RichSpider

Dec 22, 2021

This is the key for me. If you are going to adapt award-winning source material that's beloved by many fans, whatever changes you make better have either A) a great reason behind it or B) improve the story.

So far I've watched The Expanse incredibly faithfully adapt the novels to TV as bestThis is the key for me. If you are going to adapt award-winning source material that's beloved by many fans, whatever changes you make better have either A) a great reason behind it or B) improve the story.

So far I've watched The Expanse incredibly faithfully adapt the novels to TV as best as they can and why is that show so beloved? The quality of the story is extremely high. For the non-book readers that in of itself is great. But for the book readers, they know the quality is so damn high because the quality of the novels is so damn high and so the showrunner and writers room (including the book's authors) faithfully adapted it to preserve that high-quality storytelling. I have also watched Game of Thrones in earlier seasons where they were largely faithful adaptations of award-winning novels and how beloved were they? Intensely. Even Dune recently was made highly faithfully and the book readers have loved it.

I haven't finished this season yet (almost there) but I'm scared seeing how many are saying the last two episodes are the worst of all. But so far, as someone who has read the books twice, loved them but isn't above adaptations taking a different spin (if it improves the story) I am really disappointed. Not by the visuals, the acting, or anything like that. It is entirely due to the showrunner and writer's decision to make changes needlessly that make the story WORSE, not better. Why do they feel the need to add their twists and their own touch? Likely fear or ego. They don't feel creatively excited about translating a story from one medium to another they want to make it "their own." The hubris of that when the source material is award-winning and they're just TV writers is incredible.

It sucks because I could overlook some shakey acting here and there or a bad costume or average CGI, but when the story is what I have a problem with and it's a story that requires certain things in order to result in other things down the line, it makes watching the show so tough. I end up just feeling bad for Henry who considering what he's said in multiple interviews, just wishes the show was a faithful adaptation from the novels to the screen like The Expanse has been.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

SEE ALL 958 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

62

Series Overview
Season 2

69
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: December 17, 2021
Season 1

54
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.2
  S1:E8. Much More
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.1
  S1:E7. Before A Fall
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.0
  S1:E6. Rare Species
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.3
  S1:E5. Bottled Appetites
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.5
  S1:E4. Of Banquets, Bastards and Burials
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.4
  S1:E3. Betrayer Moon
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.3
  S1:E2. Four Marks
  Air Date: December 20, 2019
- 5.9
  S1:E1. The End's Beginning
  Air Date: December 20, 2019