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- Netflix
- Dec 17, 2021
- Netflix
- Dec 17, 2021
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.
- Netflix
- Dec 17, 2021
- Netflix
- Dec 17, 2021
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.
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 23 Critic Reviews
69
61% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
39% Mixed
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 23 Critic Reviews
69
61% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
39% Mixed
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
The Witcher’s interpretation of its original text offers up something new—and that’s refreshing, both within this story and for fantasy TV at large.
The Witcher’s second season is vastly more confident about leaning into the high fantasy and higher stakes of Sapkowski’s lore, opting to let characters such as the wizened witcher Vesemir (Kim Bodnia) speak of forgotten histories instead of taking safer, more randy detours. Encouraging still is its stronger focus on maintaining a sense of narrative momentum (gone is the needlessly confusing time-hopping format of season one), at last bestowing upon The Witcher a sense of direction and purpose.
User Score
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 827 User Ratings
3.9
28% Positive
234 Ratings
234 Ratings
14% Mixed
118 Ratings
118 Ratings
57% Negative
475 Ratings
475 Ratings
User Score
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 827 User Ratings
3.9
28% Positive
234 Ratings
234 Ratings
14% Mixed
118 Ratings
118 Ratings
57% Negative
475 Ratings
475 Ratings
This is where the second season of The Witcher truly excels: the chemistry between Cavill and Allan – who are both excellent – is undeniable, and Geralt’s evolution from gruff and detached to stern but caring father figure is one of the season’s true delights.
The Witcher still suffers from the tendency of many fantasy tales to casually mention myriad names of cities, characters, and phenomena to the point of bewilderment, but the proceedings feel far clearer this time around thanks to the season’s tighter focus and the steady drip of context afforded by Yen’s journey.
The Witcher is most engaging when exploring the alliances and allegiances between Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri and when using those three to consider Nivellen’s insistence that “Monsters are born of deeds alone. Unforgivable ones.” But in its attempt to build a bigger world, the series falls prey to more fantasy tropes than it masters.
Two years after its debut The Witcher returns to Netflix, looking every bit as brawny as its maiden flight and less messy structurally. Although the series developed a solid following (unlike some of the streamer's other recent fantasy efforts that met the executioner's ax), the show remains uneven and somewhat impenetrable to anyone not truly invested in it, which isn't helped by the long layoff.
Drained of its bawdier and more comical ingredients (even Joey Batey’s bard Jaskier is relegated to a brief, and underwhelming, appearance), The Witcher plods along on its wayward course, piling on complications that, by and large, fail to consistently create the type of urgent stakes—or sense of import—that a large-scale endeavor such as this demands.
I find it ironic that the haters of this season make the exact same mistake they accuse the show of: completely lacking an understanding of what the Witcher is 'really about.' I think, especially in contrast to Season 1, S2 is amazing and delightful. The haters miss that The Witcher world and mythos made the story special, not the reverse. The show perfectly protects and projects the gnarled gritty heart of why we love The Witcher, while remaining true to the overall arc. The true crime committed and shame is the haters unable to understand these cosmetic plot changes augment the authentic archetypal beauty behind the series. The arc of the narrative and it's form (short stories, novels, POVs) is disjointed in the books, and as we saw in season one that doesn't translate well to the screen. The superficial plot changes serve to incorporate the world in a way that serves the arc- or at worst is entertaining without hurting it. Sadly, haters miss out on this in order to nitpick. Also, let me say I've read the books more than a few times, to establish my cred to criticize the critics here.
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SEASON 2
While season 1 took some serious dedication to push through, due to its non-linear story telling, unclear stakes and lackluster drama, season 2 has a much clearer focus.
While the story-telling certainly improved over season one, it's still not great, suffering from the lack of subtle world-builing, characters motivations and clear stakes that define good fantasy stories. None of that is present here and none of the overall solid acting and set-design can gloss over that.
The show really needs to do a better job at establishing the different kingdoms, their relationship to one another, their different leaders and their respective agendas, a clear explanation on the rules and limitations of magic and what is at stake.
Without this ground work, it won't ever live up (or even improve) on the source material.
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SEASON 2
[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
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SEASON 2
This show isn't good. No one could possibly argue that it was anything other than poor. Cavill carries it to some degree, but the amateurish story telling and action is just too much.
Having said that, giving it 0 or 1 is just ridiculous; these are rage scores. I'm giving it 3 because Cavill is good and because bad as it was, I still sat through it all. This is a below average tv show and it could have been much much better with the right writing.
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SEASON 2
