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Written by H.E. Smale
2020: A Weird Year
The entire experience now feels like a fever dream for many, including myself. In the blink of an eye, our everyday lives were turned upside down, and the world came to a standstill, reminiscent of the beginning of the movie "28 Days Later." Desolate streets, a killer virus spreading across the globe, and the rise of a man known as 'The Tiger King' captivating Netflix audiences - it was truly an unusual year.
During this period, many of us sought solace in developing new hobbies to pass the time and cope with the growing anxieties arising from the uncertainty of the situation. We were looking for an escape. Some people turned to yoga, knitting, running, painting, baking, and TikTok video making - a diverse range of activities were explored.
As for me, I was introduced to the world of "The Witcher."
One evening, while sitting alone in my room, I turned on my TV and began browsing through Netflix, just like any other typical evening. However, a memory resurfaced as I sat there cradling the TV remote in my hand. Someone had mentioned a show called "The Witcher," praising its quality, so I decided to try it.
I went to the search bar, found the show, and pressed the play button. An hour later and I was captivated by monsters, mayhem, and bloodshed, and I was instantly hooked.
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For those who haven't seen the show, played the games, or read the books, "The Witcher" is a standard medieval fantasy series set in a land called "The Continent," home to kings, queens, elves, dwarfs, mages, and monsters - all the typical fantasy characters and tropes. However, it is also home to Witchers - beings who have been genetically mutated to become stronger, faster, and more skilled in killing monsters in exchange for payment, essentially serving as medieval X-men bounty hunters.
Summarizing the show is challenging due to its nonlinear structure, which jumbles up the plot. The series follows three main characters: Geralt of Rivia (played by Henry Cavill), a rugged Witcher; Cirilla (or Ciri for short, played by Freya Allan), a princess from Cintra with magical powers; and the sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg (played by Anya Chalotra).
The story unfolds after the kingdom of Nilfgard invades Cintra, and young Ciri finds herself alone with a mission: "Find Geralt of Rivia." Meanwhile, Geralt is travelling around The Continent in search of Ciri, to protect her from Nilfgard. We also follow Yennefer throughout her life, who begins as a student mage at the school of Aretuza and evolves into a powerful sorceress entangled in Geralt's and Ciri's journey.
The show can appear very complicated to first-time viewers (myself included), or even pre-existing fans who know the story, due to events being shown out of sequence. In one scene we may see Geralt or Yennefer referencing people or events in one era, and in the next scene, we might be shown said events being played out. This timeline-shifting can be a bit confusing at first, spanning multiple timelines within a single episode. It’s a problem that I feel can continuously remove you from fully immersing yourself in the show because you are constantly trying to piece together what is going on and when.
However, despite the distracting timeline, I quickly became enamoured with the show from the very first episode. The darker, gritty tone at times reminiscent of the atmosphere of "Game of Thrones" reined me in.
But the biggest draw-in for me was the characters and seeing them embark not only on their individual journies but how they merge together. A mutant monster killer, a princess on the run, and a mage not only learning how to control her powers but then trying to discover her place in the world after she has everything she ever wanted.
Moreover, I was captivated by the character of Geralt, particularly the concept of a human being genetically altered and trained to become a monster slayer - an idea I had never encountered before. The clear barrier between witchers and humans, fueled by fear of witchers as emotionless, bloodthirsty mercenaries, added an interesting dynamic to scenes where Geralt interacts with other characters, highlighting his outsider status and prompting questions about how people perceive and treat him. Will he be respected due to his knowledge and expertise, or tossed aside based on prejudice and fear?
Ultimately the main drawback I found while watching the show was its complicated timeline. This was a significant issue for viewers during the first season, and if you still find it confusing, there are YouTube videos that can help explain it. Once you grasp the timeline, it becomes more of a minor nuisance than a serious problem.
If you haven't already watched "The Witcher" and are a fan of medieval/fantasy storylines involving magic, bloodshed, and kingdoms at war, then I recommend this series.
However, after watching the first season I was inspired to read the original books by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, and overall this drastically changed my opinion of the show, and I will expand on this more in a Season 2 and Season 3 review.
Therefore, if you have any previous knowledge of the books or games, and have no desire to see the story and the characters changed, I would stay clear of the series. But if you can set aside your thoughts and opinions about the games and the books and enjoy the series at face value without digging deeper, I still recommend the show.
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