The Witcher TV Series

[Alatar]

So, like most people I first heard about this series through the computer games (which I've only played a little of), but with the Netflix series coming out soon I started to read the books while on holiday. Often described as "the Polish lord of the Rings", The Witcher is essentially high fantasy a la Game of Thrones but a bit more accessible. There's sex but its not as gratuitous. Geralt of Rivia is a bit of an anti-hero, supposedly an emotionless mutant, but in reality more human than most suspect. The books have been uneven but enjoyable for me. The first two collections of short stories were poorly translated and less developed, but I'm enjoying the full novels. The TV series is an adaptation of the books, and takes place before the timeline depicted in the games. Looking good so far!

[elengil]

I realize that the game is almost entirely divorced from the books and therefore likely the movie, but I can't help but hear Yahtzee's review every time someone brings it up.

That said, I would totally watch the show. Never read the books and only know about the game because of the review... but would totally watch the show. Mostly because Netflix is the only access I have to anything - I don't have cable, hulu, amazon prime, or even a local video rental place (I don't count redbox. I think there's one around here but...)

Gratuitous profanity warning.

[elengil]

Okay, binged the whole of season 1 yesterday and... it did take a bit of time to settle in. The first episode was arguably semi-awful. The second started off pretty badly and I almost turned it off but since it was sort of acting as background noise for other stuff I was doing I left it on out of boredom. There were bits that were jarringly modern - mostly dialogue that did not seem to fit the setting at all. Even so, it did eventually come into its own and by the end I was thoroughly enjoying the story. Especially once I figured out the time frames of the various story lines.

Very much looking forward to season 2.

(To say that Geralt's acting was rather wooden would be to gravely insult Groot. I get what the actor was going for, I just wish it had ... I dunno, come out a bit better in that regard.)

[Frelga]

Oh bummer, I was looking forward to watching it with my son.

Did you read the books? I'm curious how it is as an adaptation?

[Alatar]

I would disagree with almost all of that Elengil! I'm only 3 eps in but thoroughly enjoying it. It feels like "The Witcher" in the same way that PJs movies felt like "Lord of the Rings". In fact I would say that they did a Boromir on Yennifer, giving her a real depth she was lacking in the books. I look forward to her becoming properly badass. Cavill is almost perfect as Geralt. He's not wooden, he's emotionless, which is pretty much Geralt's defining feature. He's far better in this than he was in Superman, for almost the same reasons. Superman is an overly earnest boy scout and that's not Cavill. He's much better suited to Geralt. Dandelion is not how I imagined him, but I'm loving the interpretation. I will agree that something about his songs feel too modern, but I'll live with that since I'm not a huge fan of Medieval Lute music. Oh, and the fight choreography and CG work is top notch. I haven't warmed to Triss yet, she just feels too far from how I imagined the character, but I'm willing to give her a shot.

I do love how they are taking a "no hand-holding" approach to the storytelling. If I hadn't read the books I would have found the different timelines confusing, but I feel like that's going to all come into focus with a satisfying click.

[elengil]

Oh bummer, I was looking forward to watching it with my son.

Did you read the books? I'm curious how it is as an adaptation?

Nono, don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed it, and as I said I will absolutely watch Season 2. These were just my little gripes. It took me some time to get into it (which, I feel, was because the first episode or two were a bit weaker than the rest). I get why Geralt was 'wooden', I just... wish it had been done better. But that's not to say it was bad, not at all. (Edit to add: I will say I did greatly appreciate his dry humor. I love that kind of thing. Though that is more the script than the delivery. But again, I didn't find his acting *bad*, just... lacking a bit. Maybe that'll develop more in season 2)

I agree with Alatar in how much depth was given to Yennifer's character, though did get annoyed at the [no spoiler] very cliche ultimate desire she had. I really liked the final episode of this season with her coming into her own at last.

I've never had any exposure to any other medium of Witcher - I've seen the game review but never played the game myself, never read the books. So this is purely a cold exposure. If I had, I would have likely had more understanding of some of the little side stories that were tossed in, but I don't feel they were throw-away scenes, they still added some depth to the world, I just wasn't able to fully appreciate them, I'm sure.

[Túrin Turambar]

I'm watching it now and finding it entertaining. I do find this sort of thing very grim, though. Tolkien was a genius to put Hobbits in high fantasy.

[Inanna]

I just started the books; finished book 1 and just starting book 2. Mention of the “halflings” keeps throwing me off, but I’m enjoying the books so far. They will never be a favorite of mine, though

[elengil]

Frelga, did you and your son ever watch it? What did you think?

[Frelga]

Frelga, did you and your son ever watch it? What did you think?

No, never got to it and now he's back at college. I plan to watch it eventually.

[Inanna]

Finished the series.
Too. many. people.

[Alatar]

Really Inanna? Much smaller cast of characters than LotR, and easily half or a third as many as Game of Thrones!

I finished it also. Its good, but not amazing. I think thats mostly because its pieced together from the short stories. I expect it to really hit its stride in Season two when the novels start.

[Inanna]

I meant I finished the books; not the TV show.

Yes, I did feel “too many people” in the books. I haven’t read GoT (other than book 1), so can’t comment on that. The big difference between LOTR and these action-fantasies is that LOTR is spectacular because it allows you to know the character. There are *conversations* in LOTR as opposed to one action scene after another. Since there was so Much action crammed in these books (and I tend to skim & flip those pages), I felt overwhelmed.

In book 5, dwarves kill someone saying “For Caleb”; the person being killed thinks “Who’s Caleb”? And I went “good point. Who was he?”

A significant character, apparently.

[elengil]