By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.
The second season of the Netflix Original Series “The Witcher” will be released this week (in the US) and I couldn’t be more thrilled.
“The Witcher” is not “Game of Thrones.” It never was. I never understood in all the reviews of the first series how almost every critic took the time to point that out. “The Witcher” is its own unique adaptation of the books and popular video games. I have friends who think “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” is one of the greatest games ever made. I like it, but I enjoy the television series just as much. And we know how hard it is to adapt a video game property into an entertaining live-action series or film. “The Witcher” could be one of the best.
“The Witcher” is always good when Henry Cavill gets screen time. His who cares, flipped attitude as Geralt of Rivia never gets old. Geralt may be cold at times, but he really has a heart. When Geralt isn’t slaying some disgusting beast for coin, he’s just trying to keep to himself. He grunts and says a certain four-letter word a lot throughout the series. The greatness of Cavill’s character is his subtlety. The way he plays Geralt is the exact way I thought the character would be in the iconic games.
image source: Netflix
Anya Chalotra, the actress who portrays Yennefer of Vengerberg, had an intense, charming chemistry with Henry Cavill. Yennefer is my favourite character on the eight-episode first season. Her story had an arc that was fulfilling and tragic. I felt for her character and where she came from before she grew powerful with her witchcraft skills. I like the episode when Geralt and Yennefer finally met. It was quite a “memorable” scene.
I could’ve gone without the singing. I thought the songs were silly and the character of the bard Jakier was just on the series for comic relief. His character felt like annoying filler. The battle in the final episode lasted way too long. I enjoyed how Yennefer kept the attacking forces at bay using all her powers. It made for a somewhat satisfying ending that left the audience with more questions than answers.
I’ll watch the second season when I have the time after Christmas. I like to watch a series in one long binge session. Season two of “The Witcher” is a nice Christmas gift for fans of the series. I just wish Netflix marketed the show better.