So this released today... first reviews say it's not bad. I truly hope it's at least decent, as I would love to get 8 hours of the good old White Wolf. If there is a game series I wish I could completely forget to be able to replay again like if it was the first time, it would be The Witcher series (well, mostly 2 and 3).
General / Off-Topic The Witcher, Netflix version!
- Thread starter lysan
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Mu77ley
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3 episodes in so far and I'm enjoying it. They've got the levels of grit right, along with the fear/hate of Witchers and the unpleasant racism towards Elves and Dwarves.
Cavill is doing a great job as Geralt (he's got the whole world-weariness down pat), and both Freya Allan and Anya Chalotra are doing excellent jobs as Ciri and Yennefer.
Apparently the reviews are all over the shop, but I read one in the Guardian which wasn't that great, but then saw some of the other shows the reviewer in question actually did rate highly, at which point I swiftly realised their opinion wasn't worth that much.
Cavill is doing a great job as Geralt (he's got the whole world-weariness down pat), and both Freya Allan and Anya Chalotra are doing excellent jobs as Ciri and Yennefer.
Apparently the reviews are all over the shop, but I read one in the Guardian which wasn't that great, but then saw some of the other shows the reviewer in question actually did rate highly, at which point I swiftly realised their opinion wasn't worth that much.
I watched the first episode last night. My expectations were set pretty low and yet I was still surprised at what a regurgitated pile of nonsensical, uncreatively written, poorly acted, terrible looking trash it was.
If good/bad were on a dial, this would swing so far into bad that it would it would damn near come around to the other side.
If good/bad were on a dial, this would swing so far into bad that it would it would damn near come around to the other side.
Yeah, so I liked episode 1. My expectations weren't high. I have 374 hours in Witcher 3 with the dlcs. Not as many in I and II. I've listened to the audiobooks on the road.
Aside from the Nilf armor, I liked what they did. You can't really condense that work into the tiny frame of a tv show without compromises. I think Cavill is doing a fine job with Geralt. I thought he was too pretty in the trailers, but he sells the character just fine. His physicality is more ursan than wolf, but that's ok. The sceenshots of Yennifer don't really fit my expectations, but I'll reserve judgement until I get there.
I'm happy that someone did a screen adaptation of the stories.
Aside from the Nilf armor, I liked what they did. You can't really condense that work into the tiny frame of a tv show without compromises. I think Cavill is doing a fine job with Geralt. I thought he was too pretty in the trailers, but he sells the character just fine. His physicality is more ursan than wolf, but that's ok. The sceenshots of Yennifer don't really fit my expectations, but I'll reserve judgement until I get there.
I'm happy that someone did a screen adaptation of the stories.
Hey, this is the Witcher thread, if you were searching for the GoT S8 one it's over there, second thread to the left.
(Don't worry, tastes differ, it's fine!)
Watched the first three yesterday and liked what I saw, doesn't look half as campy or cobbled together as I feared years ago. Bonus point for the full hour run time allowing room for some "slower" moments, for the music (very glad to hear them keep the Slavic theme and not going for a dull orchestral fantasy la-la-land) and for the Striga contract, that was practically an extended take on the first Witcher game's intro and quite faithful to book material.
Watched the first 2 episodes and a half, and so far it's a solid meh.
Feels like one of the sunday afternoon low budget fantasy tv shows with 3rd grade actors, like "Merlin", "Atlantis", "The Outpost" and others. But at least The Outpost has that drop dead outworldy gorgeous chick to go for it.
Sometimes it's cringy seeing the actors trying (not very hard) but completely failing to create dramatic moments (like when Cintra's fortress was being attacked but no-one seemed to give much of a fart about it). Overall the show feels cheap. Cavill actually looks like young Geralt, and tries to mimic his signature cynism and weary sarcasm, but everything around him just feels 3rd grade. Will continue to watch, mostly because I'm a sucker for the witcher games, but so far, maybe it gets a tad better.
Not specific to the show, this actually aftects the show, the games and the books as well, but it neves ceases to baffle me how every worthless poophole riff-raff can so easily badmouth in the face a rather formidable looking guy with 2 swords on his back and known for making short work of monsters for a living.
Feels like one of the sunday afternoon low budget fantasy tv shows with 3rd grade actors, like "Merlin", "Atlantis", "The Outpost" and others. But at least The Outpost has that drop dead outworldy gorgeous chick to go for it.
Sometimes it's cringy seeing the actors trying (not very hard) but completely failing to create dramatic moments (like when Cintra's fortress was being attacked but no-one seemed to give much of a fart about it). Overall the show feels cheap. Cavill actually looks like young Geralt, and tries to mimic his signature cynism and weary sarcasm, but everything around him just feels 3rd grade. Will continue to watch, mostly because I'm a sucker for the witcher games, but so far, maybe it gets a tad better.
Not specific to the show, this actually aftects the show, the games and the books as well, but it neves ceases to baffle me how every worthless poophole riff-raff can so easily badmouth in the face a rather formidable looking guy with 2 swords on his back and known for making short work of monsters for a living.
Thought wrong then, that's pretty much the point of all Geralt's narrative arc through the books.
I would have upgraded it to "solid meh" if it was some random property that came out of nowhere and I was killing time in a hotel while on a road trip and came across it on the tv by accident, but as it is we're talking The Witcher here.
@all you people saying that you thought it was "good"...all I can imagine is that you are truly desperate for something to watch. It's a shame that the team behind it catered purely to your tastes because by all rights this should be a game changing piece of art as far as creative properties are concerned.
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This is probably one of the main reasons why I remain unimpressed. All of the relationships feel unreal to me. What you describe above for one, then that teacher witch whatever she is? "You, raise that rock! Oh, your hand withered. Bummer. Next! You! Catch that lightning in a bottle! Oh, your dead. Bummer. Next!" I don't know about you, but I ain't takin' lessons from anyone like that, voluntarily or otherwise.
It just don't feel right.
I've read a comment somewhere that said: "The whole season feels like Geralt is mopping up side quests after finishing the story. It's just random bits of story in no particular order or consecution." which pretty much mirrors my feelings about the whole thing.
Unlike many, I do think Henry as Geralt is good, but the rest - writing, backdrop, characters, effects,... - feel like an indie youtube project.
shruggs
Unlike many, I do think Henry as Geralt is good, but the rest - writing, backdrop, characters, effects,... - feel like an indie youtube project.
shruggs
The tone of the show, based on the one episode that I watched, isn't even remotely as cinematic, gritty or stirring as that trailer. Not by a long shot.
I've watched a first episode. I will just quote my original post in this thread, nothing had changed.
I finished the series. The actresses that play Yennifer and Triss do a fine job with their roles but are completely inappropriate physically given the setting. Neither is as beautiful as is articulated in the text, or the games. I would have preferred Ana de Armas for Yennifer. I completely agree about the comments concerning the absence of a Slavic tone. And that Nilf armor is just too distractingly bad.
The final battle scene is just weird, a huge ravine with a single causeway, but the causeway does not factor into the combat.
Again, very grateful someone is developing a series for the stories - just wish there was a bit less forced diversity, a bit more money on gearing the actors, and a richer expression of the cultural ambiance.
The final battle scene is just weird, a huge ravine with a single causeway, but the causeway does not factor into the combat.
Again, very grateful someone is developing a series for the stories - just wish there was a bit less forced diversity, a bit more money on gearing the actors, and a richer expression of the cultural ambiance.
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After watching all the episodes, I'll upgrade my initial grade from "meh" to "meh plus". While the show overall looked cheap, with many weak actors, and most of the show seemed filmed inside a nicely decorated warehouse, there was still some effort (even if rarely successful) to push the Witcher universe themes into play without holding back, so I think a "meh plus" is fair. Maybe if the show had a bigger budget and overall better actors it could have been great. Hopefully next season it will show signs of an budget upgrade. Overall I think Cavill made a decent young Witcher, and Yennefer wasn't bad either, although it doesn't feel like the game's Yennefer at all.
I'm actually pleasantly surprised, as I fully expected the show to be a complete pile of crap. I'm actually looking forward to see if next season has a increase in quality that would make the show more on par with the rest of the Witcher universe.
I'm actually pleasantly surprised, as I fully expected the show to be a complete pile of crap. I'm actually looking forward to see if next season has a increase in quality that would make the show more on par with the rest of the Witcher universe.