Calling all fantasy geeks and those who just enjoy good entertainment. Netflix recently released “The Witcher” about a month ago—a fantasy show based off an RPG game franchise of the same name. If you’re someone like me who devours fantasy anything, you just might enjoy Netflix’s new hit show. From Lord of the Rings to Game of Thrones, this just might be the next big hit.
“The Witcher” follows three main characters: Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer, and Ciri. Geralt is the main protagonist whose story is the most focused on. The viewer watches as stone-hard Geralt comes to slowly care about more than his own self-preservation. Within his story, interesting characters such as the Bard are also introduced, playing small—but key-roles, in the story development. Yennefer is personally one of my favorites because even though she’s selfish to an extent, it’s not hard to see why, and seeing a female character go from weak to villain to hero, all while being powerful, is refreshing. I think her character is complex and we, the viewer, get that. Ciri is a princess of a kingdom destroyed and is also a key player in the overarching plot. Her own story doesn’t seem to be as important as the other two, but is still vital. Even within the circle of less important characters, it is full of several powerful women and women of color.
The plot of “The Witcher” is action-driven because Geralt of Rivia is a monster hunter, so that is to be expected. However, story development and character development are also woven in. If you need to make a comparison, I would say it’s a less complex Game of Thrones because there is not as many main characters to keep track of. If you’re looking for a show to binge, I would rate “The Witcher” a 7/10. Very action driven, but also full of complex characters and women of color. Why I wouldn’t give it 10/10 is because the timeline is slightly confusing if you aren’t paying attention, and while we see all these amazing women of color doing great things, they’re background characters. I would still recommend it to anyone with an itch for fantasy content, just be aware that it still falls into some tropes that are irritating to watch as a woman because unfortunately fantasy was seen as more of a “man’s genre” for a long time.