#THE WITCHER EPISODE 1 TV#

#THE WITCHER EPISODE 1 TV#

While not network TV bad, it does feel closer to the worlds created by The CW than Netflix, and so putting it right at the forefront doesnвЂ™t give the best first impression. The multi-limbed, crustacean-like horror is realised through visual effects that donвЂ™t match up to creatures such as Stranger ThingsвЂ™ mind flayer or Umbrella AcademyвЂ™s Pogo. While it makes perfect sense to open on a fight with a monster to quickly establish GeraltвЂ™s profession, the fight with the kikimora is underwhelming. ItвЂ™s disappointing that the episodeвЂ™s best action scene is kept until last, since that means the show doesnвЂ™t open with its best foot forward. ItвЂ™s clear a lot of fun was had putting the sequence together, and it proves a real highlight of the episode, despite some Stargate-grade CGI used for GeraltвЂ™s magical signs.

The choreography is openly flashy, with swords being utilized more like Star WarsвЂ™ lightsabers than heavy blades of steel.

The final fight of the episode shows Geralt to be lighting quick, gouging great bloody wounds in multiple assailants. Where Game of Thrones largely kept its action gritty and almost historical, The Witcher is happy to revel in fantasy. Hissrich and team have the murky morality of The Witcher in the right place, then, but what of GeraltвЂ™s actual abilities as a badass force of nature? Thankfully Cavill is as comfortable with a blade as he is wearing a cape, and this first episode features some of the most striking swordplay seen on the small screen. Speaking of what lies ahead, StregoborвЂ™s final words to Geralt - вЂњYou made a choice and youвЂ™ll never know if it was the right oneвЂќ - feels very much like a forced episode summary, but does act as foreshadowing for essentially the entirely of GeraltвЂ™s journey ahead (and is perhaps also a nod to the frequent branching narrative choices the video games are so famous for). Showrunner and episode writer Lauren Schmidt Hissrich spins these circumstances into natural growth for Geralt, and provides an excellent starting point for the WitcherвЂ™s journey ahead.

Those flaws are addressed through both Renfri and StregoborвЂ™s betrayal, and repeated utterances of вЂњthe lesser evil.вЂќ (Just in case you didnвЂ™t get it, things often arenвЂ™t as simple as they first seem!) While the dialogue is on-the-nose, the situation does work as a clean and simple story about how morality and consequence arenвЂ™t quite as clean and simple as they ideally would be. This is delivered by some rather clunky dialogue that hammers the point home a few too many times, but at least weвЂ™re left clear on GeraltвЂ™s flawed logic. His world-view remains starkly - almost naively - black and white. His refusal to take on either Renfri or StregoborвЂ™s contracts, despite their well-reasoned arguments, demonstrates that Geralt has no interest in nuance or motives. The episode, which retells SapkowskiвЂ™s The Lesser Evil short story, is able to cut right to the heart of GeraltвЂ™s almost Batman-like rule of his trade: he kills only monsters, not people. His destiny to meet Ciri helps anchor him in the episodeвЂ™s вЂB plotвЂ™, and itвЂ™s clear where the character needs to go both in narrative and personal development. Stripping the story back to essentials is a sensible choice, and by the episodeвЂ™s conclusion we have a pretty solid understanding of who he is, what drives him, and where he stands in the greater narrative. It was very wrong.' Thankfully, 'The Witcher' Season 2 corrected many of the complaints leveled at the first season, such as the confusing timeline, so here's to no more magic orgies going forward.While the first episode of The Witcher - вЂњThe EndвЂ™s BeginningвЂќ - has one eye on the larger picture, it is predominantly a small-scale introduction to Henry CavillвЂ™s slayer of beasts, Geralt of Rivia. It's the reason why I dislike Netflix Yennefer,' further adding that 'the whole episode made me think that Netflix Yennefer and Geralt do not work together at all, that is a terrible relationship right there,' while u/Pyrometrics had a very simple response to the thread, saying 'You're not missing anything. U/Winter-Fir echoed the sentiment, writing, 'That scene was awful and just wrong. U/fantasywind summed it up perfectly in stating that 'the entire 'orgy scene' was completely unnecessary and it's unfortunate implications make it all the more controversial.' They went on to say, 'all they needed is to only make this a fully natural extravagant costume party that Yennefer organized, there was no need to shove magic into it.' In a thread titled 'Was anyone else disturbed by the orgy scene in the show?' users debated whether the scene went too far, or if it was just an excuse to include pointless nudity.

The witcher episode 1