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Netflix The Witcher Discussion
- Thread starter KingGhidorah
- Start date
Oberstein
Member
The direction of the series takes a fantasy/games look instead of the books, no wonder there is grumbling.
Geralt's armor is really hideous otherwise... it looks like a costume straight out of a Xena episode.
Trunx81
Member
Just finished season 2 and … I liked it. Especially compared to the new Wheel of time series.
Cavill grumpy as always and the Ciri girl does an ok’ish job, although she’s not the greatest actress out there (“stare at something with anger/fear/happyness .. yeah, ok, just use the same look”). The effects where great, though and the story engaging enough (even if it had not really a connection to the books). Was bored by the Elves and the politics talking, but every episode had enough action to compensate for this. Will watch season 3 when it comes out.
Cavill grumpy as always and the Ciri girl does an ok’ish job, although she’s not the greatest actress out there (“stare at something with anger/fear/happyness .. yeah, ok, just use the same look”). The effects where great, though and the story engaging enough (even if it had not really a connection to the books). Was bored by the Elves and the politics talking, but every episode had enough action to compensate for this. Will watch season 3 when it comes out.
It deviates heavily from books right from the beginning of season one. Even more than that... It has almost nothing to do with ideas, characters n lore of the books
It replaces all of it with mostly brainfarts n for no good reason cos the way decent chunk of Witcher books are written is very adaptable.
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Lanrutcon
Member
There's a lot that feels...Hollywood. I'm not complaining, but things were obviously inserted to break up the constant scenes of people standing around looking pensive while discussing things for the viewer's benefit.
"What...are we having for lunch?"
"THE BLACK ROCKS HOLDS THE KEY TO OUR DESTINY"
"I SOLD MY SOUL TO AN ANCIENT EVIL"
"...hot dogs, right."
The Cockatrice
I'm retarded?
I'll give your idiotic post a 1/10.
As for the second season, it was just as good as the first, maybe a bit better. As long as quality slightly improves or keeps on track, I can see this going for quite some time. I wish Geralt had more fights vs humans because clearly those are well made since cgi vs real humans is really expensive for a TV show to manage.
But it is all true. Right down to Freya Allan destroying her face in between seasons
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The Cockatrice
I'm retarded?
We get it, you don't like women. Move on.
Razvedka
Banned
Barring the "inclusivity" aspects (e.g. deaf black elf) and other Netflixisms, something I'm not clear on is just how in keeping this show is with the books so far.
Is it more or less accurate? I mean TV shows have to alter the source material to be watchable, but I've no idea if this show is anywhere close.
For my part I do find it enjoyable. S2 is a bit tighter than S1.
Is it more or less accurate? I mean TV shows have to alter the source material to be watchable, but I've no idea if this show is anywhere close.
For my part I do find it enjoyable. S2 is a bit tighter than S1.
Big Baller
Al Pachinko, Konami President
Cherrypepsi
Member
Season 2 seemed to have a bigger budget, special effects and animation were a lot better than season 1.
By my recollection the main pieces end up where they are supposed to be for the plot but all the other pieces (Baba Yaga) are inexplicably written even for an adaptation.
The Cockatrice
I'm retarded?
I'm not even joking
I see nothing wrong with those outfits.
Fools idol
Banned
it's for the better imho, the storylines in the books are a little cliche to be completely honest and I can see why they tried to spice things up.
NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt
Biggest Trails Stan
I'm enjoying this season way more than the first season. I hated most of the books due to the Feminazi politics. Thankfully it's way toned down in the show
DragoonKain
Neighbours from Hell
Ciri and Geralt's relationship is the best thing about season 2 so far.
I love "father" daughter/son bonding in movies and TV. It's one of the best things. Especially when they start off rough and gradually grow.
Also Vesemir's actor is in Killing Eve and he's good in that show as well.
I love "father" daughter/son bonding in movies and TV. It's one of the best things. Especially when they start off rough and gradually grow.
Also Vesemir's actor is in Killing Eve and he's good in that show as well.
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Mossybrew
Banned
This is a terrible opinion and you should feel bad. The books are hugely entertaining and I'd recommend them without reservation.
Cyberpunkd
Member
What? The books were written in 1990s Poland, hardly a place for a feminist propaganda. Or do you really hate any female character that is semi-capable?
NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt
Biggest Trails Stan
The Witcher Season 2: B+
Found this season was way better than the first season. The plot was actually interesting. The CGI looked way better than the stuff Season 1. The cast did a great job, Henry Cavill as Geralt is still a great casting choice. This show definitely found it's footing
Found this season was way better than the first season. The plot was actually interesting. The CGI looked way better than the stuff Season 1. The cast did a great job, Henry Cavill as Geralt is still a great casting choice. This show definitely found it's footing
Great Hair
Banned
How the hell could that monster hide and Geralt be under water fighting, when it was barely knee deep (start of season 1, epi1). I liked it, but season 1 ain´t perfect.
Still better than "whiney Captain America lecturing people and his unfunny sidekick following him around".
Still better than "whiney Captain America lecturing people and his unfunny sidekick following him around".
Agent_Nobody
Member
She never does officially.
Irobot82
Member
ok because in game 3 she had cat eyes right?
Agent_Nobody
Member
Just the regular green eyes she’s always had. The Witcher mutation process (the trial of the grasses) to make new witchers was lost, so she never got the chance to get the full mutations.
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This makes me sad. I don't know why they suddenly got so coy. In a TV-MA show why even bother having a scene where 3 sorceresses, a group FAMOUS for their vanity and the lengths they go through to achieve a perfect physical appearance, all hop into a tub and then show us nothing? Why go through all the work making Ciri look more adult and then get shy about her tub scene? It's not just that she is in a tub, that makes her vulnerable and can be used to good effect for the thing crawling around, but then they try to be a little sexy with her calves and shoulders. So silly.
Yen seems more busty this season, Triss looks different (MASSIVE improvement, her hair is more red and she seems more pale), and something changed with Ciri (my wife is convinced it is just a change in the contacts and eyebrows). Did all these girls take their S1 paychecks and head straight to the plastic surgeon or is the make-up team different?
I wonder if filming caught Cavill off cycle and not as ripped as well. If you took away a bit of the hyper gore and tones down the language this show could almost be PG at this point (5 eps in). Still, not as bad of a drop as Altered Carbon, that was atrocious. I just hope the salacious TV show isn't dying off for good.
Anyway, still a good show.
Cockles & Whelks
Banned
Henry Cavill makes the swords look like miniatures. Just give this man a claymoreit will normalize the size. Watching him talk about it on the Graham Nortan show with Tom Holland and he makes the chair look like a booster seat and makes Tom Holland look like he just turned 6 years old.
Anyways, finished two episodes and it's already shaping up to topple s1 so far. Had me saying oh shit when seeing the a specific area.
He managed to make Kristofer Hivju look tiny as well. Not so Giantsbane.
mindfreak191
Member
3 episodes in and I'm pretty much hate watching it from this point on, I know everyone is saying that Henry is a great casting choice, while physically that's true, my man has the worst acting chops out of the whole cast :/ And this is not judging by just his Witcher performance, it's the same thing across all of his work, he's kinda like Keanu Reaves where they're great when it comes to doing action and stunts but the moment they start talking it tanks the whole performance. I'm still baffled as to why they keep adding so much stuff that's not in the books or just straight up contradicting the rules and lore that's already established, but it is what it is, it's gonna deviate more and more and it's already just The Witcher in name.
Alex11
Member
Yeah,that scene with the 3 in the tub was weird,I mean I don`t watch Witcher or any show for that matter to see nudity,but some here an there would make a scene moe real so to speak,if that makes any sense?
The one with Ciri I thought it was ok,she is 15-16 here,no?
The actress for Ciri is like 20 now. It is the age of the actress that is relevant, not the age of the character. They are clearly trying to depict Ciri as an adult or near adult versus how she was shown in the first season. Hell, she was 17 when season 1 started filming, already at age of consent for most of the planet. It's not like she started on the show as a little kid and grew up with the crew like in GoT or something.
There used to be COUNTLESS high school set sex comedies and slasher films with under aged CHARACTERS, played by legal age ACTRESSES, that had nudity. This odd puritanism coming from leftist hollywood is just so weird to me.
Hyper violence/gore and tons of foul language? YES!
A boob? BURN IT WITH FIRE!!!
Anyway, it is what it is. Just my humble opinion that a TV-MA show should not tease bath or sex scenes like this. Either don't have the scene or go the distance.
Nobody_Important
“Aww, it’s so...average,” she said to him in a cold brick of passion
There is a scene in the second episode of the show where there is just a room full of naked prostitutes. There's a naked demon woman in episode 1.
The hell do you mean puritanism??? lol
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BaneIsPain
Member
3 episodes in. I’m a bit disappointed
About Eskel death. I knew he is not a major character in the book but it could be handled better than kill him off,
Nobody_Important
“Aww, it’s so...average,” she said to him in a cold brick of passion
Yeah as a big fan of the books and the show they did him a bit dirty I think. In fact I think that they have done Lambert and Eskel both poorly. And like you said I know that those two are not per particularly major characters in the books, but I feel like this is one of the times where making one to one copies of them from the games would have been fantastic. They could have made Lambert The arrogant dick that he is in the games and they could have made Eskel Geralts faithful brother. Instead we got a red shirt and an idiot.
Vesimir is spot freaking on though.
Oh and minor complaint but I really don't like how they skipped out on the yellow eyes or at least yellowish eyes for the rest of the witchers.
Vesimir is spot freaking on though.
Oh and minor complaint but I really don't like how they skipped out on the yellow eyes or at least yellowish eyes for the rest of the witchers.
I admit the bruxa lady was quite attractive. She had the hair bra thing going on for most of it but there was one nice shot. As for the prostitutes, that was fairly chaste if you compare it to Strengeborns tower in S1. There is CLEARLY a downturn in sexy time in this season, and nudity in general though. It's pretty damn obvious. Some may be in service to the story (like they didn't add in a random seduction of Geralt by Triss, for example) but I think it is more of a pressure, or perhaps lack of it, from up high. Given all the youth/kid Witcher show talk, wouldn't surprise me to hear that they are trying to market it to a younger crowd. I'm only 5 eps in but so far Wheel of Time has more boobs than S2 of Witcher and this SHALL NOT STAND!!!
ZywyPL
Banned
Finished the 2nd season today, and I have a mixed feelings to be honest, some things got better, while some got worse.
First thing first, there's much less action/fights going on, making it feel the season is both too long and too short at the same time - the first 4 episodes are somewhat empty and dragged, and could've been concluded in just 2, episode 5 is where the story and action actually starts to take off, with the last 3 episodes being where all the action is concentrated, meaning you get a sense the entire season was really just those last 3-4 episodes while in reality you spend like 12h on the whole thing.
Secondly, while there are no timeline jumps this time around (THANKFUCKING-GOD!), there's still a ton of multi-threading going on, meaning you still have to constantly keep in the back of your hear all those plot and character mentions, there's just a new thread, and another one, and another, they just keep accumulating and none of them get's closed nor make sense until those last few episodes where everything finally connects together, it's just an exhausting experience because of that, just as the 1st season was with its jumps on the timeline.
The CGI department got MUCH better this time around, the dragon at the end of S1 was laughable, there wasn't even a budget to give him any animations at all while he was speaking, while in S2 everything from creatures to the environment is very polished and detailed.
The acting is the same as in S1, from meh to just OK, nothing outstanding, feels just like many of the series Netflix has produced throughout all those years, you get experienced actors, they do the job, you get novices, the viewer is easily able to tell that. And just as most Netflix series, what I absolutely hate, if those exaggerated focus on the foreground and almost completely blurred background, the contrast between the foreground and background is simply blown out of proportions, it doesn't matter if they put 100k or 10M into an episode, they all look the same, a.k.a. like some amateur high-school project, and I feel this is partially why the acting feels so weird, awkward, there's simply too much camera focus on the actors and their faces.
The season obviously ends with a cliffhanger so I cannot wait for S3, so I guess I'll have to wait another two years again?
First thing first, there's much less action/fights going on, making it feel the season is both too long and too short at the same time - the first 4 episodes are somewhat empty and dragged, and could've been concluded in just 2, episode 5 is where the story and action actually starts to take off, with the last 3 episodes being where all the action is concentrated, meaning you get a sense the entire season was really just those last 3-4 episodes while in reality you spend like 12h on the whole thing.
Secondly, while there are no timeline jumps this time around (THANKFUCKING-GOD!), there's still a ton of multi-threading going on, meaning you still have to constantly keep in the back of your hear all those plot and character mentions, there's just a new thread, and another one, and another, they just keep accumulating and none of them get's closed nor make sense until those last few episodes where everything finally connects together, it's just an exhausting experience because of that, just as the 1st season was with its jumps on the timeline.
The CGI department got MUCH better this time around, the dragon at the end of S1 was laughable, there wasn't even a budget to give him any animations at all while he was speaking, while in S2 everything from creatures to the environment is very polished and detailed.
The acting is the same as in S1, from meh to just OK, nothing outstanding, feels just like many of the series Netflix has produced throughout all those years, you get experienced actors, they do the job, you get novices, the viewer is easily able to tell that. And just as most Netflix series, what I absolutely hate, if those exaggerated focus on the foreground and almost completely blurred background, the contrast between the foreground and background is simply blown out of proportions, it doesn't matter if they put 100k or 10M into an episode, they all look the same, a.k.a. like some amateur high-school project, and I feel this is partially why the acting feels so weird, awkward, there's simply too much camera focus on the actors and their faces.
The season obviously ends with a cliffhanger so I cannot wait for S3, so I guess I'll have to wait another two years again?
DragoonKain
Neighbours from Hell
I'm on the final episode and so far I'm loving it. I think it's better than season 1 by miles.
Season 1 was good, but it felt very disjointed, and cheesy at times. Season 1 at times felt like a big budget premium show and at other times felt like a CW show with a big budget. It didn't have a "rhythm" from episode to episode. It was almost like for much of season 1 after every episode it hit a reset button. Season 2 is darker, grittier, feels much more traditional. It feels like a full-on premium big budget show now. Love what they did with Kaer Morhen, and Ciri and Geralt's bond is great.
There's some things they could have done better, but I even think Triss was much better this season.
If I had a bone to pick, there's a few too many last second save moments, but I think pretty much even the best shows have those, there's no avoiding that in the world of TV and movies. But I think so many characters took a step up this season and became more interesting. Ciri, Triss, Geralt developed a lot more. I loved the new characters introduced. The only one I think regressed a little bit was Yen so far.
Will finish the final episode and post more thoughts after that.
Season 1 was good, but it felt very disjointed, and cheesy at times. Season 1 at times felt like a big budget premium show and at other times felt like a CW show with a big budget. It didn't have a "rhythm" from episode to episode. It was almost like for much of season 1 after every episode it hit a reset button. Season 2 is darker, grittier, feels much more traditional. It feels like a full-on premium big budget show now. Love what they did with Kaer Morhen, and Ciri and Geralt's bond is great.
There's some things they could have done better, but I even think Triss was much better this season.
If I had a bone to pick, there's a few too many last second save moments, but I think pretty much even the best shows have those, there's no avoiding that in the world of TV and movies. But I think so many characters took a step up this season and became more interesting. Ciri, Triss, Geralt developed a lot more. I loved the new characters introduced. The only one I think regressed a little bit was Yen so far.
Will finish the final episode and post more thoughts after that.
RIP Roach. That made me sad. Don't know why, he doesn't even have a big role in the show as an animal/person bonding. Probably because of the games.
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Ciri never becomes a Witcher in either the books or the game because the trial of grasses is lost to time. One ending of the game has Ciri pick up a career in monster slaying but she's not a true witcher. The trial of grasses is basically like geneseed implementation in 40K; it is specific to males (especially younger males) and has a high failure rate.
Additionally, Vesimir does not know how to create new witchers. The show making it so that he does and will put Ciri in harms way to do so is completely contrary to the books, game based on the books, and even their Nightmare of the Wolf anime (which itself shits on the story by having Kaer Morhen sacked by monsters alongside humans).
Additionally, Vesimir does not know how to create new witchers. The show making it so that he does and will put Ciri in harms way to do so is completely contrary to the books, game based on the books, and even their Nightmare of the Wolf anime (which itself shits on the story by having Kaer Morhen sacked by monsters alongside humans).
bob_mugabe
Banned
If you can pull aside the diversity miscasts, the first half of the season is superior to the first one. Triss is absolutely horrible though.
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V1LÆM
Gold Member
just finished it! binged the show today. holy fuck that was a good season!! i can't actually remember the last time i binged a show in one sitting.
yeah it doesn't follow the book. i admit it's been a while since i read them so my memory isn't fresh. but fuck it i'm gonna say it...i prefer the show over the book. i didn't hate or dislike the book but man i just really enjoyed the show.
it's such a big improvement over S1. i might go rewatch S1 though because i want more Witcher right now. even considering starting yet another playthrough of Witcher 3 lol.
i'm super hyped for S3 right now but part of me is worried Netflix will abandon it. i hope the cry babies on Reddit don't have any influence on it. haven't really looked at reactions elsewhere. again i know the show deviates from the book but i was surprised how much people hate it (again this is only Reddit. i haven't even read the posts on here yet). i'm gonna be pissed if the show gets cancelled.
edit: apparently i missed that S3 is confirmed.
yeah it doesn't follow the book. i admit it's been a while since i read them so my memory isn't fresh. but fuck it i'm gonna say it...i prefer the show over the book. i didn't hate or dislike the book but man i just really enjoyed the show.
it's such a big improvement over S1. i might go rewatch S1 though because i want more Witcher right now. even considering starting yet another playthrough of Witcher 3 lol.
i'm super hyped for S3 right now but part of me is worried Netflix will abandon it. i hope the cry babies on Reddit don't have any influence on it. haven't really looked at reactions elsewhere. again i know the show deviates from the book but i was surprised how much people hate it (again this is only Reddit. i haven't even read the posts on here yet). i'm gonna be pissed if the show gets cancelled.
edit: apparently i missed that S3 is confirmed.
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The Cockatrice
I'm retarded?
Same.
V1LÆM
Gold Member
i want to but i should hold off for the updated version. CDPR really fucked up not having it ready for S2 release.
Fools idol
Banned
the polar opposite opinions are surprising even by GAF standards.
Just finished the final episode and I absolutely loved this. It's fantastic to me in just about all aspects, minus a couple of dodgy acting here and there.
Just finished the final episode and I absolutely loved this. It's fantastic to me in just about all aspects, minus a couple of dodgy acting here and there.
Thirty7ven
Banned
By most accounts the show is pretty bad, from the pacing to the writing to the acting, it doesn’t do anything well. Saying it doesn’t follow the books isn’t saying much really, this straight up B tier at best.
It has money though and there aren’t a lot of shows that are this much fantasy, so it has that going for it.
It has money though and there aren’t a lot of shows that are this much fantasy, so it has that going for it.
Portugeezer
Member
Was OK. First few episodes were pretty good, felt like the Witcher series I know (as a player of the games).
But overall I didn't like this season as much as the first.
But overall I didn't like this season as much as the first.
DragoonKain
Neighbours from Hell
I finished the final episode and I really liked this season. If people have beefs with not following the source material I get it, but just judging the show in itself, I couldn't disagree more than it isn't very good. And I'm a pretty tough critic. Is it peak GOT tier? No. But I don't think anyone ever expected it to be. I can say that it has far FAR exceeded any expectations I had for this show. Most series like this end up sucking when taken by anything other than HBO with an extremely high budget. This was Netflix and remember how skeptical people were of the show when it first started leaking actors a few years ago. Everyone thought it was gonna suck.
It's the best fantasy series I've seen since GOT. And Seasons 1 and 2 of The Witcher are better than the final 2 seasons of GOT which were utter shit.
I'm very happy with what they've done with it. I think it's a strong 8/10 show, and a very good fix for medieval fantasy cravings. Blows The Wheel of Time out of the fucking water, and I doubt Lord of the Rings will be as good as The Witcher either when it eventually makes is released on Prime. I'm very satisfied.
It's the best fantasy series I've seen since GOT. And Seasons 1 and 2 of The Witcher are better than the final 2 seasons of GOT which were utter shit.
I'm very happy with what they've done with it. I think it's a strong 8/10 show, and a very good fix for medieval fantasy cravings. Blows The Wheel of Time out of the fucking water, and I doubt Lord of the Rings will be as good as The Witcher either when it eventually makes is released on Prime. I'm very satisfied.
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BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
I enjoyed the first episode a lot. It adapted one of my favorite stories from the books, and reminded me just how much I forgot.
The second episode was a nice way to show that the witchers aren't without mirth or humanity, but this writer.... I mean, why would she do that to Eskel? It's like she never read the books or hell even watched cinematics from the game and took the entirely wrong impression of Eskel as possible. And she can't seem to write a genuine interaction between long-time male friends to save her life.
Every single scene with Yennifer is utterly boring thus far. I ended up skipping past them after suffering the first few. Another failing in the adaptation.
I swear this show succeeds despite it's too often lazy writing. I should probably stop comparing it to the source but it's difficult.
The second episode was a nice way to show that the witchers aren't without mirth or humanity, but this writer.... I mean, why would she do that to Eskel? It's like she never read the books or hell even watched cinematics from the game and took the entirely wrong impression of Eskel as possible. And she can't seem to write a genuine interaction between long-time male friends to save her life.
Every single scene with Yennifer is utterly boring thus far. I ended up skipping past them after suffering the first few. Another failing in the adaptation.
I swear this show succeeds despite it's too often lazy writing. I should probably stop comparing it to the source but it's difficult.
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