Series Analysis: The Witcher

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Analysis of The Witcher
Adaptations are never easy and few can be said to be perfect or to have correctly depicted or picked the mind of an author. Lauren Schmidt Hissrich decided to try her hand in adaptations with the Netflix series known as The Witcher. The series is based on a book written by Andrzej Sapkowski from Poland. With an IMDB rating of 8.3/10 and a 67% rating from Rotten Tomatoes, The Witcher appears to have left many viewers happy. The series that was released on 20th December 2019 has eight episodes with Netflix announcing that the release of the show’s second season will happen in 2021. With such an announcement, Netflix appears to have a lot of confidence in their new show. However, as will be shown in this paper, there are a few issues that may need to be improved if the show is to hit high notes like its counterpart The Game of Thrones did. But, this is not to say that the show was not a masterpiece. The Witcher is indeed a masterpiece especially when one considers its casting as well as some of the scenes that rival scenes in some of the best television series around. Therefore, this paper will seek to showcase the great casting and acting by the show’s cast, offer a description of some of the scenes that stood out, critic some of the things that need to improve, and also show why it is a sound investment for Netflix.
For mass media and entertainment companies, adaptations are a way to tap into the power of fandom. However, this is never a guarantee of success as shows like Dinotopia and Under the Dome showed. At times, the show deviates from the book and introduces interesting aspects absent in the book which furthers the allure of the show to the fandom. However, at times, the show deviates to devastating results, and this greatly affects a show’s reception. The Witcher sought to do what the shows listed above could not, and according to Alexander (np), it managed to capture the attention of the fandom. After its release, Alexander writes that “The Witcher is the most in-demand show in the world.” She continues to write that show “nearly topped Netflix’s most popular shows of 2019, despite being released less than a month ago.” It is true that part of its success can be attributed to the book and game fandom, however, its success is also a testament to the show’s greatness. Tassi (np) adds that The Witcher “was the third biggest streaming original in its US debut.” Such comments only help to confirm that Netflix did hit a jackpot with this show.
First of all, there are three characters who stand out in The Witcher. These people include Yennefer, Geralt of Rivia, and Ciri. Geralt of Rivia is a person who hunts monsters, and his kind are known as witchers. The likes of Geralt are rare but they do exist in the realm of the series. However, even though other witchers exist, The Witcher focuses entirely on Geralt of Rivia. Yennefer, on the other hand, comes from humble beginnings, and even though she was devoid of beauty at first, she ends up getting all that she ever wanted. As the audience is introduced to her, one empathizes with her but in the end, she ends up with more power and beauty...