PETALING JAYA, Dec 20 — Fans of the medieval fantasy genre are in for a wild ride with Netflix’s latest offering, The Witcher.
The show follows the adventures of three individuals and their intertwining fates in a world where humans, monsters, elves, witchers, and mages repeatedly clash in a fight for survival.
Based on a series of short stories by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, the show has been widely dubbed as “Netflix’s Game of Thrones” by critics who were given a sneak preview ahead of its official release on December 20.
Showrunner Lauren Hissrich called it a “flattering” comparison that she sees as a sign that viewers are hungry for what The Witcher can bring to the table.
“I believe that when people say that we are the next Game of Thrones, what they’re actually saying is, ‘Could another fantasy show be as successful, popular, and beloved with audiences?’
“Those are all of my wishes for The Witcher as well,” she said.
Henry Cavill stars as the stoic Geralt of Rivia, the eponymous witcher who hunts monsters for a living but is demonised by humans because of his magical origins and lethal powers.
Hissrich said the varying definitions of monstrosity in the show is a reflection of society’s fixation on divisive hierarchies in favour of unity.
“Everyone in the show is a hero at times and everyone makes the wrong choices at times too.
“Geralt was created by humans in order to kill monsters and because witchers are so powerful, humans started to see them as monsters as well.
“This, to me, is very reflective of our current culture. We’re a culture that’s obsessed with hierarchy and being better than someone else.
“We look at what separates us rather than what brings us together.”
Powerful mage Yennefer, played by Anya Chalotra, also struggles with being an outcast in The Witcher’s unforgiving world.
Their stories are told alongside that of Ciri, a sheltered princess who finds herself saddled with an important quest in the midst of a brutal war.
Hissrich admitted that it was a challenge to adapt Sapkowski’s dialogue-heavy writing for television, especially since the show has to straddle expectations of pre-existing Witcher fans and new audiences unfamiliar with the franchise.
Nevertheless, the rich source material means there’s a myriad of opportunities to bring iconic scenes from the books to life onscreen.
“It was very important for me to encompass (Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri) because any given character is only as interesting as the people he talks to and interacts with.
“The good news is that with all of that source material, it’s easy to fall in love with things and the writers were guided by heart and instinct.
“I’ve always described The Witcher as a story of a broken family coming together.
“I knew I wanted to take all three of these characters and make them balanced, multidimensional, and layered with the same goals, dreams, and fears.”
Much to the excitement of fans, Netflix greenlit a second season for the show in November ahead of its official release.
Season one of The Witcher is currently available to view on Netflix.
