Series Review: The Witcher (2019)
4/5
Blurb: Life of an Outcast, Soul of a Knight. A creature of Destiny, this Wolf in White.
Pardon the rather lyrical blurb, but that’s how the series has left me. With a blissful smile and a catchy tune in my ears and on my lips. I suppose I should first make it clear that I have watched this show as a man who hasn’t played the games, and has only read about 100 pages of The Last Wish (which I began 2 days ago) so, there is nothing to which I can compare this. Just as well, since I believe the show makes significant deviations from the events of the books and the games.
The Witcher, in my opinion, is a visual and audio spectacle which in the future, if Netflix ever has a decline, will be referred to by the people as, “they don’t make em like they used to.” To say that Henry Cavill carries the show on his shoulders would be unfair since everyone from Queen Calanthe to Roach have done their bits admirably, and Anya Chaltora’s Yennefer is more than a match for Geralt in terms of charisma and gravitas. So, regarding the acting, while there are more than a few hammy moments they are quickly washed away in the overarching story.
Speaking of ‘story’, much criticism has been levied upon the show’s asymmetric narrative. Which, I admit, can be confusing if not frustrating at times unless you binge on the show. However, I enjoyed it. Not only as a device to convey the story but I believe it fit with the theme of the show, and that theme was ‘destiny’. Individual, seemingly disconnected incidents reveal themselves to be small droplets which comprise the vast ocean of Destiny. An ocean that our two major protagonists, Geralt and Yennefer spend much of their time trying to traverse.
Another wonderful aspect of the show is it’s soundtrack. Listen to the “Geralt of Rivia” soundtrack on YouTube and you’d be tempted to walk with a brooding expression and talk in a voice that’d make you sound like you’ve never heard of a cough-syrup. The soundtrack, in a word, is ‘exquisite’. Be it a battle-sequence or a tense philosophical exchange, the show has a tune that suits every moment and this more than anything helps set the stage for events that unfold.
Now, while the show definitely boasts some stellar qualities, it does have a few blemishes. The hammy moments aside, certain scenes and moments in the lives of the characters seem uncharacteristically naive. Perhaps this is done in order to express the internal conflict of the characters but it isn’t always done properly. And that does mar an otherwise splendid viewing experience.
All in all, The Witcher is like a story that belongs in one of those ornately illustrated books that used to feature at the beginning and the end of Disney movies. There are elements that are stereotypical but they have been appropriately aged and modified for the TV-screens and the audiences of today. The stage is set for Season-2, and I consider myself bewitched.
