Why Season 3 Cannot Fix Netflix's Witcher
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- čas přidán 3. 06. 2024
- Lauren Hissrich has, for better and for worse, left her mark on the Witcher franchise. Her influence over the Netflix show and its ongoing trajectory can be felt in every facet of the production. How has her vision affected the show's interpretation of the Andrzej Sapkowski's inherently subersive work? How has her approach to adaptation affected the spirit of the books? And has she successfully brought to life this story that was meant to deconstruct the tropes Hollywood media are so fond of? (spoilers: she didn't)
This is the fifth and final part of a five part series focused on understanding Netflix’s adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy saga. Throughout, we will look at why certain decisions were made by the production team, why it may not have connected with audiences and make sense of the behind the scenes drama that has led many fans to grow increasingly frustrated at the direction the show is being taken in.
Written and performed by Antoine Heuillard
Follow me at / alien_platypus
Closing number performed by les Pollos Zikos
@polloszikos8103
TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:02 It was never meant to be an adaptation
00:09:57 Misunderstanding subversions
00:18:22 Flanderizing Ciri's Character Arc
00:30:04 Losing the humor
00:36:18 "Family"
00:47:56 Creating conflict
01:00:20 The Spirit of Witcher
01:05:15 Lack of Vision
01:15:48 Empty Fanservice
01:28:25 Lack of Passion
01:37:02 The Limits of Artistic Liberty
01:43:30 Lack of Care
01:56:20 Conclusion
02:10:58 Closing Number
#witcher #Netflix #witcherlore #thewitcher - Hry
Hi everyone.
Thank you all for sticking with me throughout this series. It's been a long journey to finally put into words my many, many feelings regarding this show. I hope you enjoyed the series, and that perhaps I helped bring to light ideas that had been bothering you or that you had not previously considered.
It will probably be a while until I upload again, so once again, I thank you for your time, for your patience, and your enthusiasm.
Until we meet again, good luck on the path!
Thank you very much for taking the time and effort to do Origins and The Witcher. Regardless of whether we agree or not, I wish I could find Spanish-speaking people around here who would dedicate so much effort, dedication, and depth to analyze a particular essay. Thanks for the honesty. Regards from Argentina.
Maybe do something positive next, for your own sanity!! XD
im surprised youve got so low views on this series. these five videos kinda encapsulate a lot of what i found to be a major issue with the shitflix version
@@AbhishekNarayan_ib agree!
You pronounce "genre" really strange. Maybe that's the proper pronunciation, I don't know.
One of the biggest red flags on how little understanding the writers had of the books for me was how ready both Yennefer and especially Vesemir were to kill Ciri.
The book versions of these characters would rather die than harm her
Fr, even Witcher 3 game had Vesimir LITERALLY die to let Ciri escape. Its baffling how these writers ever get a job!
@@zangetsueeAffirmative Action
the woke lauren director woman had to instill some of her dark views of life into this great original book theme of protection, sacrifice, and love for Ciri. One day you'll see, the woke directors will make more themes towards satanic child sacrifices.
@@helennethers9777 I don't like what Netflix did to Witcher, but what is wrong with you? Ffs.
@@riahka13571984. what is good is bad and bad is good. u are entrenched in that version of 'reality'.
Learning the Netflix Witcher series has writers from the Vampire Diaries makes so much sense as someone who was subjected to watching the entire series of Vampire Diaries.
Vampire diaries was decent tho, witcher is not lmfao
@@MichaelHeyraPfft at the start maybe.
The first couple seasons are highly entertaining, but it goes downhill fast.
Gf made you watch it?
@@sabeehehsen Ngl yeah lmfao
Great work, it feels like you researched more about the Witcher for your critique of the show than the creators of the show, and your series was still shorter than either season.
For real, i prefer this deconstruction to the show
Hissrich was self-aware enough to recognize that she wasn’t the best person to tell this story. She should have stood her ground instead of allowing Netflix to flatter her into taking this on. Classic “Peter Principle” at its saddest.
Money makes people funny
fun thing is that Yennefer was completely assassinated as a character, not only in season2 but also in season 3 she is at the start constantly apologizing to Geralt
I could NEVER buy a romance between Yennefer and Geralt. Totally didn't work for me.
@@kingfisher9553 they are literally soulmates in books lol
Gmlö. I watched the first three episodes of season 3. I am glad I cancelled my Netflix account half a year ago.
@@kingfisher9553the show romance is ass, the romance they had in the books is dynamic and complicated
I first read The Last Wish when i was in 7th grade. From the very beginning you can tell Sapkowski's work satirizes fantasy. It's mind-boggling that the showrunners completely miss that.
He said that several times , it's not even a secret. This was openly his agenda. Look at people who didn't read the books but fell in love with Witcher 1: same reason, everybody I've ever heard talking about it said they liked it because it wasn't yet another western fantasy but broke every stereotype
then fantasy subvirious had been done to death to a point where just fantasy trope are more unexpected
I stuck with other things, like the social commentary, and the environmental facts. Dimensions this video reminded me about. I wish for an adaptation of the Witcher books now.
There you have it - a seventh grader understood the tone of writing from the books better than a head story developer at Netflix.
@@lesellerevon684 Truly saddening
The fact that a fantasy show is getting made by someone who doesn't like fantasy says a lot.
No wonder it felt empty to me from the first episode on. I had to put in so much effort to be invested, while I absolutely love the books.
You don't have to like the genre to be good at your job. It's called professionalism. This show isn't bad only on the book adaptation level, it's bad as a show.
I love that you highlighted how Ciri becomes a bit of a violent monster towards the end. The trauma and abuse changes her. But I can already tell they won’t develop her like that.
Well, they actually might do that. The showrunners have already demonstrated on Yennefer that they don't know the difference between empowered and toxic behavior.
I doubt she'll even get her scar
I wonder actually how long this show will run, and if they even get to ... erm adapt the whole series of books.
Peter Jackson doesn’t do fantasy either, but look what he got done by actually caring about the source material and the end result with lotr. And of course having a writer team that loved and knew the books inside out. Oh and they actually thought about Tolkien and the fans while making it.
Despite changing so much from the book and cutting some rather important stuff, the trilogy managed to actually be really fucking good and stand on its own
and lotr was an incredible success. funny what happens when you get passionate people on the job. I feel like from a business angle wouldn't it make sense to get the right people?
I dont think that's necessary. Hiring people who love the source material can also devolve into fanfic or being unable to cut unnecessary parts for the adaptation. Like how the first 2 harry potter movies stayed so true to the source material it became their detriment. The movies only got better with less involvement of JK Rowling. Because movies aren't books.
Bottom line, you ALWAYS need good, passionate writers however their stance to the source material
@@mario-k.the first two are very good imo
Crazy how much of a snake Lauren turned out to be, she seemed so enthusiastic, open minded and welcoming to fans while she knew very well she'll piss every single one of us off and do her thing without a slight consideration about why we want to watch that series. She gave us a big finger, bunch of cringeworthy, passive-aggressive replies on twitter and a below mediocre, souless show. Whenever I hear the other guy speak, I die a little inside, de Barra might have an even bigger ego than Hissrich. Netflix isn't much better, but that was to be expected, shame.
All in all, thank you very much for doing this, after heavy frustration for what has been done to my favourite saga, this was pretty cathartic to watch. Cheers, and take all the time you need for another essay, I'm sure I'll watch no matter what it'll be about.
She's just trying to see how much shit she can get away with
Seriously! Watching this I got so mad!! You are 100% right!
It's the first time I've finally dwelved into the criticism behind Netflix's Witcher and I must say I was appalled by how shallow she could be in her creative work. I'm Polish and to me she embodies the 'stupid/ignorant American' stereotype by having completely misrepresented Sapkowski's work :c
I'm sure she'd be a much better politician than she's a showrunner.
Exactly, what bothers me the most is the lies on our faces right from the beginning. I genuinely feel repulsed every time I hear her or the other guy talk in those interviews. Such a slap in the face. Great essay and thank you for caring! @alienplatypus1596
Something else that really bothers me about Ciri as the chosen one is that it kinda makes the actual title "The Witcher" even more redundant. Ciri is made fun of over and over for being "the little Witcher girl". At the end of all of it her chosen one powers are worthless and she duels Leo Bonhart solely with the skills she learned at Kaer Morhen and bests a renowned Witcher killer. After which she takes an amulet for herself and then in the following stairway fight, deflects a crossbow bolt. Just frustrating because it's a satisfying conclusion imo. She doesn't win because she's the chosen one. It's because she's a Witcher.
That’s another thing I hate about the story, the only reason she survives the story is because of the training she gets from Geralt and Yennifer and they’ve destroyed the relationship between yennifer and Ciri
The fact that Hissrich didnt know as an editor that the connotation of a sentence is changed even if you change "one word" says so much about her as a writer. I had to listen to that part twice just to make sure i understood right because surely something you learn in highschool English would be understood by a professional.
This was an incredible essay! I really look forward to more!
First, they're sour.
Vesemir: **mortally stabs Ciri**
But then they're sweet.
Vesemir: **to Ciri** "I believe in you."
Sour patch kids.
Man this show broke my heart so hard.... every time the show is mentioned i get PTSD of the scenes they changed and plotlines they butchered. I took a day off and binged the whole first season straight when it came on to netflix and i didnt watched pass the S2E3 because it is just causing physical pain to see what these writers put on the screen.
You hear this, Netflix? This man has put more thought and love into a 2 hour video than a whole team did in 3 seasons. Now imagine if you had him and Cavill teaming up and finding likeminded writerse to make a Witcher Series. Just unreal and such a waste of money and potential, I could literally cry, throw up and despair at the same time. Instead we get the same thing as all the other fantasy book adaptation: soulless, generic slop but in this case it was saved by the passion that Cavill brought into the project.
That poor man must have despaired while filming seasons 2 and 3. Only 9k Views for this absolute banger of an in depth view on why the Witcher Tv series is such a disaster is perfectly in line with theWitcher tv show. This needs 4 million views at least for this level of depth. Now I imagine him watching all the interviews that are out there on repeat over and over again until he nearly lost his mind.
This is the best essay in the series, I can't believe I had empathy for Hissrich for a few minutes, superb job.
Excellent series man. A very thorough breakdown. It’s very clear how much effort was put into it and it’s highly commendable.
If only the writers cared half as much making it as you did breaking it down.
So very well said. The most important thing that went totally over the heads of the showrunners, was that the monsters that Geralt hunted weren't the most important thing in the Witcher universe, they were just the Witchers' job. The whole point, all the way through, was that PEOPLE were almost always the true monsters in their own tales.
And I'll never not be furious about what they did to Dandelion. 😡😡😡😡😡😡
What did they do to him
Excellent series, extremely fair and thorough breakdown of the show, couldn't have said it better myself. The amount of times i did "Thank you! Finally someone said it" at the screen was a whole lot, i agree pretty much with the entire thing, and it's been kind of cathartic to see points that bother me to no end about the show expressed so eloquently. Normally i would have something to add after watching a review like that, but nah, you pretty much covered all of it, insanely comprehensive analysis, i'm beyond impressed.
So i guess the only thing i'll add is - i am from a slavic country, and it's incredibly refreshing to see this culture being treated with respect and understanding, so thank you for providing some context that the show never bothered to learn. All the bragging about being inclusive, while literally erasing the culture of the source material, already hugely underrepresented in US-centric media, always struck me as particularly hollow and foul.
Will definitely come back whenever you'll upload again. Good things take time, and it's okay. Thank you.
I'm from Poland but i don't really understand why so many ppl thinks that the Witcher is very slavic. The Witcher has been always a mix of celtic, germanic, baltic and slavic elements. It uses more western european child stories than eastern european ones. Book series has more celtic elements than slavic. And that is nothing strange. Sapkowski himself has negative views on "slavic fantasy" while he has been fan celtic/arthurian legends for very long time. CDPR added more slavic elements into it.
@@Martin-lm8xp i do agree that if you compare Witcher to typical "slavic fantasy", written in slavic countries, it barely counts. But if you consume a lot of western media - a lot of western, especially american-centric brand of fantasy, the difference is quite stark. and there is so, so few decent representation of slavic cultures that i think it does matter - to translate the amount of it that does exist in the Witcher. and the show spectacularly failed at that, along many other things.
@@Martin-lm8xp Witcher games have more slavic elements than books.
It hurts me how many people will never experience true "Witcher" because their image if the universe is forever poisoned by that t4rd of a show.
Some people decided to go to experience the books after watching the failure of a show. - sincerely, someone who started playing Witcher 3 after watching season 1, then got annoyed I didn’t know the character dynamics well enough, and read the entire book series. I dropped the Netflix series after episode 2 of the second season.
@@someone-you-do-not-know8522 This is how I hope people reacted to the Rings of Power
This entire series - this essay of yours breaking down every facet of the Witcher tv show
From costume and design, VFX scheduling, directing casting promoting and writing and everything else Is probably the most extensive I have yet to read/ watch.
It was interesting to see someone else view and deconstructing the show piece by piece Bit by bit, rationally, emotionally and with much care, simply outstanding.
Hexer (2002) wasn't faithful adaptation but it was more in spirit of Andrzej Sapkowski. Its meritum was that Geralt decides Ciri is his destiny. That is caring for her will help him become more humane.
It was made with respect to the first two books, just not well adapted. Which means it’s still closer to Witcher than this show.
@@ronaldood4678uch, much closer, yeah.
2002? I always remembered it as 2001. I'm prolly just wrong. Lots was happening back then.
@@martar.2085 2001 was film, 2002 was series. Series is much better than film, the film was rushed and congested.
This complete series of the critique of the Witcher show by you is probably the best in all of CZcams. Congrats!
Incredible essay.
"We want to introduce a long - term villain" HELLO, LAUREN, VILGEFORTZ.
and Emhyr, hello??
I just want to say thank you for making this series of videos. The discourse around this show has been frustrating to see unfold and most of the discourse felt like tangents distracting from the show itself. Not only did you make a breakdown that was well researched and comprehensive, but I found that I agree with pretty much everything you said.
I remember when the show was coming out, that I wanted to read the books alongside the show as it was coming out. When that did happen, I found out that blood of elves was not the beginning of the series but short stories. So when season 2 came out I was expecting Triss at Kaer Morhen, Geralt trying and failing to stay out of politics Yennefers eloquent and self-confident personality. What season 2 ended up being was so radically different from the book I thought I was missing something again, but apparently not.
Not only did I get an adaptation that clearly does not want to be an adaptation, but a show that is so sloppy and self-contradictory that it's best feature is to see how bad it could possibly get. The big problem with the show is not just that it is different from the books, but that it somehow made the source material as a shield to deflect criticism. Wich showed with Blood Origin since there was no source material to blame any of it's flaws on so it was simply judged for what it was.
great job, thank you! Your analyse is perfect and I'm glad I found this video. I would add - my critics were regarding the speech. So dirty and vulgar. I have the german translation, so I'm not sure, if the original is as bad. I felt ,they generally liked to destroy all good things from the witcher books, threw dirt on it in every aspect. The elves shown as ugly , why? Toxic people all around- and - they were only interested in sex scenes and violence. They reminded me a lot of the balenciaga sick perverts, misusing children. Hissrich is happy to show baby murder and death. She is as sick as those perverts, so I hope her career will end soon.
Listening to the interviews and other quotes from the makers of the show, the only thing coming to my mind is "FFS, this never had a chance did it?"
It’s a shame what they did to one of my favorite franchises in this jar.
I was hearing "jarn". Maybe my ears got old.
( Were they trying to say "genre"?)
@@ThatTimeIFell definitely trying to say “genre”, whether Jar or Jarn.
This is legit the best analysis of why Netflix's The Witcher failed as a story that I've seen from any channel. You don't get bogged down in the superficial and ultimately less important (yet still relevant) hot takes others do, instead focusing on failures of character, plot, worldbuilding, and other things which are fundamental to any story. What resonated most was your comments about Hissrich & co.'s total inability to understand fantasy, a genre which is infuriatingly dismissed as '"ell anything goes cuz there's dragons so nothing needs to be 'accurate'."
Bravo, you've more than earned a smash of the ol' subscribe button.
One of the changes that disappointed me the most, is also one of the funniest moments in the books, at least for me. Yennefer's and Geralt's first meeting.
What a way to introduce the love interest to the protagonist. Naked on bed, with a hangover of biblical proportions, after an implied night of sex. Begging for a bit of juice to clear her head and sore throat. Instead of... whatever that weird orgy scene was supossed to be about.
Some advice from a musician to writers. Sometimes, the most creative work comes from the limits you impose on yourself. Read the Hobbit and compare it to the films and you'll see what I mean. Terry Pratchett is another great example, he builds a huge world through the Disk World series, but each book works on its own and has a style, like a classic adventure or a police procedural. The world evolves naturally, not through some grand arc, and he doesn't try to connect every character and sub plot in every book, yet the total is vastly more complex than the majority of series ever.
Hobbit movies were OK. Mistyczne Mountain by Ed Sheeran is an absolute hit. If someone want faithful adaptation there is a cartoon from Ralph Bakshi
@karolinakuc4783 there's a whole world between faithful adaptation and elf dwarf love triangle. And Ed Sheeran doesn't write a lot of his songs. I've met a woman who wrote some for him, she was nice.
I knew the name The Witcher and nothing more. When I watched season one something about it just didn't sit right with me so I turned it off and never looked back.
But since part one of your series I have gotten really interested in reading the books. You have laid out a lot of the pros and cons for a modern audience so I feel I can go into the series well prepared. It sounds like just the sort of story I've been yearning for these last few years.
Thank you for introducing the books to me.
“Hollywood politician” is just the perfect title for her
24:46 Books bothered to answer if Ciri is related to Falka. Spoiler: She is not, the only child of Falka died during plague, helping in hospital. The incompetence/’original’ ideas of netflix are beyond my understanding, truly fantasy is about big monsters and big killing.
Damn, your analysis is so good. This show is such a waste of a great source material. It's almost impossible to fuck it up so badly, but somehow they managed, while having it all on their plates.
Netflix: *hires a non-fantasy writer* "It will be called Witcher, but you can do whatever you want, but it needs to be a fantasy"
Why not just hire someone experienced in fantasy: "We need an original fantasy show, similar to Game of Thrones, you have a free reign."
This is like hiring a incompetent wine person to do a marketing for Budweiser. Oh wait, that happened as well.
Your research is impeccable! You've collated so many different details in such a cohesive way and included information I wasn't even aware of - and this is from someone who has essentially tormented themselves with researching the show since season 1 pre-production (despite my having little to no hope of a successful adaptation). It wasn't until Henry Cavill's departure that genuine criticism has been able to infiltrate this Netflix fandom Other than a few CZcamsrs who had critiqued the series - including the great XLetalis who was far more diplomatic than was deserved - I was driving myself crazy seeing decent reviews from both critics and the audience and higher than average ratings.
The desecration of the source material in favour of non-canonical side stories, the world-building or lack thereof, the casting process and choices, costuming, dialogue, visual effects, pacing, and the gradual erasure of the titular character was too much for me. It's so nice to hear someone talk about this!
My disappointment and anger at this 'adaptation' has died down and transformed into resignation. The season 3 teaser didn't even bother me despite its many glaring issues because the series' demise is inevitable. But watching this video has reminded me of how I felt during season 1 - so forgive me if I leave any essay-type comments on your other videos. I feel like I could do a dissertation on this topic 😆Subscribed!
The irony is that her constraining role as a princess with all of its rules and duties is a parallel to her destiny as a chosen one.
She must put her people first, she must do what is best for the greater good, every action is life or death, and she must devote her life to bearing that title.
They are literally the same cage, but one comes with a gun instead of a sword.
And yet.... the director doesn't seem to understand that
Their approach sounds like directors tackling something for the 100th time, like Batman - and not at all like they’re adapting an extensive fantasy series to TV for the first time.
As a polish person that loved the source material I couldn't quite figure out why I was deeply bother by the Netflix series, apart from the obvious reasons, your essay has educated me on just what that feeling was and your explanation of sapkowskis work and why he wrote what he wrote made so much sense for me on a very primal level. I learned why I connected with the games so much and why the books were such a good read. It's a real shame we missed out on exploring these characters properly. And I feel with the way the world is right now, we needed that empathy that sapkowski tries to show and we could use it in this world of "with us or against us" that we are in right now. Big shame.
Lauren was right, she was not the right person.
You keep amazing me with how passionate, but extremely sharp, poignant and well-informed your critiques are. Your ability to put your feelings into words is excellent, and your passion for good storytelling is very resonant to me.
Someone should give you a show. I’m a Witcher fan, played the games read the books. But your understanding and way to express the details is superb
Someone should give him a jar to show him what the word jar means.
Thank you for these brilliant essays, my eyes were tearing up at the end. I understand you wanting to stop but if you feel so inclined I’d love to hear your take on season 3. I don’t know why but what you have to say brings me some weird comfort/satisfaction.
I just listened to the whole thing this series needs a huge reboot new director and especially writers but netflix are too proud to admit failure and will just cancel the show after season 4…
I Just discovered this video, and am going to go back and watch part's 1-4. Outstanding essay in pt. 5. It really brought to light some issues I had trouble articulating about the seasons 1-2. Great job!
The real witcher came, slayed the monster that pretended to be one, and walked off into the sunset. Just like a witcher you didn't get public appreciation. And... It's not much, but you have my gratitude.
Congrats for the job well done
Hissrich's go-to phrase of "How do we X that even fans didn't expect" is *EXACTLY* what's wrong with this show. The lord of the rings trilogy had not been as huge of a success if Peter Jackson had this level of idiotic hubris. The Witcher show is *Not* an adaptation, it's a cash-grab from a person and a company who cares nothing for it's audience and fans.
I have only played the Witcher III game, so your essay gave me a thorough perspective into Sapkowski's work. Thank you for that.
I read three books, didn't particularly enjoy them (compared to other "subversive" fantasy), mostly because of the writing style, but this commentary comparing it to the abomination that is the Hisrich series is spot on.
Here's another cliché: you deserve more subs.
Wow this is the best video about Netflix's Witcher I've seen. It warms my heart that there are people as passionate as I am for the books. Although I would never be able to translate my thoughts into essey like you did. So thanks for making it. Its brilliant ❤
Thank you for this explanation. It highlights all the frustrations I and I think others have. I can live with a serie not representing fully how I envision it, but they actively break the world of The Witcher so many of us have loved for so long. I can't help but feel grief that a true representation and understanding of that world will be a very long time off.
Cavils face in that interview is priceless
He looks very annoyed.
Which one
Thank you for this, as someone who came to The Witcher through the show and still hasn't gotten into the books, I appreciate the nuance of this take and the explanations. It's eerie, seeing the similarities between what happened with The Witcher source material and Amazon's Wheel of Time series (my favorite epic fantasy).
I almost want to tell you to not read the books to spare you from the pain of truly knowing how bad season two is....
But you really should read them, they are amazing.
Trying to get through season 3...barely remember the previous seasons but I don't remember falling asleep and losing attention & interest within episodes. Painful. Hopefully there's a reboot in a few years that does it justice.
What I wanna know is how this not particularly talented people end up with these dream jobs so young, while millions of potential screenwriters with at least the same talent and more passion for this material are available
Just an incredible, comprehensive and above all else fair assessment. It's been a crushing disappointment to watch them make such a mess of it, but has actually been quite a relief listening to you explain exactly what went so wrong.
I hope you're a professor or something similar cause god damn
Hey, this is an amazing video, but I wanted to say I'm so sorry for Morange. I've lost a cat recently, and it hurts a lot. I know the pain. I'm sorry it happened to you too.
Dude, this 5 part series is awesome. You get it and deserve a lot of views.
"Blood Origins" told us everything we needed to know about the motivations, interests, and abilities of the showrunner and writers.
I only needed about 10 seconds of the trailer to know it wasn't worth watching. Elf cities were described pretty damn well in the books. Nothing in that trailer looked even vaugly elvish, It was just generic medieval fantasy.
This is an amazing breakdown of a very disheartening adaptation. Netflix had a gem that could have exploded as one of their best series with a massive built-in fanbase, but Instead...
And then...we are subjected to Hissrich doubling down on her many bad choices, poor writing, and so far off-the-source material, it became familiar names and nothing else.
Last, but not least, we lost Henry Cavill.
Thank you for a fantastic commentary!
It is not an adaptation since everyone acts like a caricature of themselves. It is a squib, a slander
"Sew, its like ew my gosh"
I did not know the 80s Valley girl was still a thing, let alone a show runner for, of all things, the Witcher?
You know what, your enthusiasm for the books has convinced me to give them a chance after all.
I have to say, this is one of the best breakdowns and comparisons of The Witcher books vs the series that I have ever seen. Not simply mentioning things that were left out or changed, but showing how the series missed the point of the books. I have subscribed to your channel for this video alone and I will be sure to watch the rest of your videos soon! Congratulations!
Rest in peace to your sweet kitty! Mine passed in 2018 and it still feels fresh from time to time. We never forget those who touch our souls. So greatful for the time we had together and to know what that kind of bond feels like.
I really enjoyed your series. So well researched and explained. Thanks for sharing your passion!
I actually don't agree that Yen/Ciri cast ages were a problem. Ciri's bullshit 2000s hair and makeup + H&M wardrobe in s2 were. They aged her between seasons by like 10 years and then failed to age Yen, if not made her look younger with a bare face. Who always looked put together no matter the circumstances? And in s2 she looked like an apprentice, not a powerful sorceress, going on a 100+ years (?) by that point.
Sorcerers not visually aging is not necessarily a problem as they are stated to use magic, elixirs and lot of makeup to maintain their chosen appearance. That said i do agree that show yen never achieves the aura of confidence, wisdom, or power that she should have. She looks and acts like an entitled, angry zoomer the whole time.
Jaskier on the family shirt is hilarious to me because he's the drunk uncle, the one you don't necessairly want on the family photos xD
All points valid. You exposed not only butchering source material but also their toxicity
Somehow you were able to eloquently articulate everything I have felt about this show with grace and a very nuanced take. Thank you so much for your dedication and your time. Your conclusion said you feel alienated, but I want to let you know that you made this Witcher fan feel a whole lot *less* alone. Thank you.
Condolences for the loss of Morange❤
"They are not adapting the books. They are transcribing the written word without any appreciation of the themes and intent, and then just adding crap on top of that"
Truer words have never been spoken.
I watched your Witcher 1-5 in two days. Thank you. I loved them. Your earnest passion for the Witcher made me want to read the books and it reminded me of how much caring for something holds power and beauty. Your fire has rubbed on me and I will be sure to use it to light some passion projects of my own.
Geralt talking about destiny with serious face is a sad joke.
Thank you for this amazing video document.
Title of the show: The Witcher
“I wanted the world to feel very different than the world of the Witcher” 🗿
Side note: Thank you so much for this wonderful video essay. I can only imagine how long it took to parse through all those articles, interviews, watching the entire series, and your core understanding of the Witcher/the author’s intentions. You’ve made a video in such a concise yet understandable manner the edits perfectly portray each of the points and main topics so that it’s easy to follow along on a relatively complex analysis. Thank you again for this great video!
Dude, thank you for this series!!! You made me so pissed off at showrunner just by amount the research you did for the videos, but it was awesome. Thank you again
All I have to say is this. Your 5-part critique is impressive. I don't agree with everything you said, but I can't deny the effort and thoroughness you devoted to the subject. I watched all 3 seasons of The Witcher before picking up the first book. While I have lots of issues Hissrich's storytelling, I stayed the course because I like Henry Cavill and enjoyed his interpretation of the character. And unlike you, I think there is chemistry between Henry and Anya. I may have a low threshold for crappy "adaptations," or maybe it's because I came into the series with no preconceived notions (I'm not a gamer) but I've mostly enjoyed what I saw, ignoring the eye rolling parts that would have bugged the crap out of me if I'd let them. I never thought it was fantasy done right like PJ's Lord of the Rings trilogy or Game of Thrones, and if that's what Hissrich thinks she's doing, she's delusional as well as incompetent. That said, I am turning to the books for the creator's version of the story and characters. So far, I'm thoroughly enjoying Andrzej Sapkowski's storytelling and writing chops.
Every single minute of this was high quality. Thank you so much for putting so much time into this!
It becomes even more depressing when hearing them calling it "a fantasy show like Game of Thrones". If one thinks "a monster hunter, a sorceress and a girl who holds the power to bring about the apocalypse" in any way are compatible with either Martin's works, or for that matter the TV-show, I can't see any hope.
"Greetings peasant. Are there any monsters to slay around here?"
"Well, besides my mother-in-law I heard something about three baby dragons. But they are at the other end of the world."
"Geralt, I'm trying to open a portal but nothing happens!"
"Yeah, you know magic here is more things like colored smoke, chemistry and poison-resistance."
Well they aren’t wrong. Game of Thrones was a fantasy show that ended making up stuff, straying from the source material and alienating anyone who truly cares for the books. Last seasons were just… well I need not elaborate I’m sure. It just took them longer to screw it up.
This is the best video essay on Netflix's Witcher out there, and that's without the context of season 3.
1:18:40 about Heissrich is starting to melt my brain lol I almost feel bad for her because she knows that she’s not the right person for the job but took it after being pressured to do the thing sjdkfkkfkfkg but it’s so hard to listen to the back and forth weakness in stance from someone who’s meant to be our guide through the story, oh well
Very beautifully said, wonderful video series and well edited. It's honestly a shame a franchise with so much potential is treated this way. I've gotten used to it having some other things I enjoy having similar treatment and it was very demoralizing seeing it happen to Witcher as well. Can't wait to see you again in the future.
Thank you so much for this. This was really in depth and incredibly written and thought out. I really enjoyed how you said what I felt but didn't know how to put into words. I know this was very personal, but I hope you make more like this
This level of dedicated research is incredible! Thank you so munch! ❤ Your breakdown was incredibly coherent and interesting, I can't imagine how much work it must have been 😅
Awesome essay, I hope the next adaptation of a property you love is done better, for they're sake
She's like that scene in Phineas and Ferb where Doc Doofenshmirtz gets one of Phineas and Ferbs inventions and writes "-inator" at the end of it and then says "I put my name on it so now it's mine."
It's crazy, Hissrich has done Sapkowski's Witcher so poorly, it makes how Benioff & Weiss treated GOT look good in comparison. Like, at least they waited until they were out of books to write their fan fiction (Well, besides the Dorne subplot.) and much like her male counterparts, I don't think Hissrich will walk away unscathed because us fans won't let them. : )
Such a great series of essays! I binged watched it instead of season 3 ;) I was a big fan of the Wicher books as a teenager (loved Yennefer so much), but didn't play video games, so I was really happy they choose to adapt books, despite games being so much more popular outside of Poland, now I wish they'd just cancel the show... I was staying cautiously optimistic after season 1, thought that they'll improve (it helped I didn't read books in a while and forgot some details), but my hope was crushed during season 2, I feel like I could forgive a lot, but Yen planning to hurt Ciri in a completely generic fantasy subplot?! Really appreciated you listing all the ways they twisted the books, I didn't remember half of it, you inspired me to go read them again.
i will be missing these videos. They have been delightful, as a lot of reviewers have not read the books/ are not as articulate and thorough as you. Will you be doing more of these once S3 comes out or are you done with witcher essays? I would also not mind a similar format analysis of the games from an adaptation standpoint, as I rarely see that. Even if not, you are incredible at setting up arguments and I hope to see more essays (witcher or not) from you !
Like I said in my conclusion, I have zero intention of watching season 3, so no I won't be covering that.
One discussing the game' trilogy and its role as both an adaptation and a continuation has been something I have considered a bit (I even hinted at my thoughts a bit throughout this episode). So maybe someday.
However, I am definitely going to be taking a break from the witcher for a while. If I'm completely honest, right now I don't quite know what my next project will be. I'll wind up writing on whatever subject I find interesting, as these videos take months to produce.
This video essay was beautifully done, thank you. I hope you continue to create other things, you're great at this.
Amazing! very well articulated! thank you for showing everything so clearly
The music from the games is so memorable, even though I heard only 3 seconds of soundtrack from Hearts of Stone at the beginning of the video I had chills. I cannot say the same for the series
So they did this the complete opposite of how Lord of the rings by Peter Jackson was done.
Plus..the whole feeling of geralt being second fiddle in a show called the Witcher is no mistake. Got it.
This is truly an amazing series! Thank you for the analysis, you managed to put into words the feelings that the fans have and it is one of the best in-depth video essay. I will watch your next videos with enthusiasm (whenever they come out) ✨️
I think it's funny that they said they were making the show for all fantasy fans and not just Witcher fans. As a fantasy fan, the Witcher show was my first introduction to the Witcher. It literally felt like it was written by someone who doesn't know or understand how to write fantasy. I didn't get past the first season. This video explains so much.
Absolutely brilliant video! You expressed all the points masterfully. I enjoyed it immensely. I'm going to download this video and save it forever so I can play it one day to my grandchildren.
Too bad I did not realize it's last part of a series. Going to watch the prior parts now.
This has been a really impressive and comprehensive 5-parter, and I feel like I understand a lot better what the series is and why it is what it is. Thank you for taking the effort to dive into this that deep, and for approaching it with so much care, fairness and intelligence.
I have never played the games and had never read the books before i saw s1, but by now I've read all but The Lady of the Lake.
... and now I need someone to dissect Amazon's Rings of Power in a similar in-depth way. 😶
This was a great essay. I remember Christmas Eve 2021. It was the day the last episode of Amazon’s Wheel Of Time was released. It almost ruined Christmas. I get it, I feel the same, don’t want to be part of anything that show does.
For the Witcher, I could only make it to episode 6 (and one of my favorite short stories) and that was it for me
I'm so glad to have come across your channel. I might not agree with absolutely everything, but you've done such a fantastic job with your research and presentation. Excellent analysis. I see lots of people attacking the show for the wrong reasons, with the wrong arguments, unlike you. You've also explained faithfully the idea of the books, which is great to see put so eloquently. Bravo👏👏👏
I don't understand, in any capacity, the reason why show runners think they are better writers than world renowned story tellers. They don't respect Tolkien, they don't respect Sapkowski, they don't respect Lucas, they don't respect Rowling.
If they fail to respect the most renowned of their craft, why the fuck should any one else respect them and their works?
I watched the show without knowing anything about the source at all, I'd just known that the books and the games existed, and that's it (I'm reading the books now and enjoying them immensely). The first season was confusing af, I don't think it's ok when the audience has to read the wikipedia descriptions of episodes to make any sort of sense of what they've watched. Secondly, Tissaia's relationship with Yennefer - literally ALL we see in season one is Tissaia bullying teenage Yen, and then miraculously when Yennefer is a beautiful mage she loves her? How? When did that happen? Why don't we see the exact moment Tissaia becomes a mother figure to her? Or does she just bully every single student, like how we see mages bully Ciri in season 3? The butchering of canon would have been fine (for those who aren't familiar with the books or the games at least) if the end result was still coherent and cohesive.