I don’t play video games any more. I used to love the old fantasy RPGs, especially the first Legend of Zelda, Heroes 3, and Myth 2.
But when I got back into music in 2007, I stopped playing video games altogether. Nothing against them. I just didn’t have time for both music and video games.
So, I didn’t know what the Witcher was until the TV show came out. I never read the books, but I heard the author is really cool and shows up to pop culture conventions.
I’m not one of those pop culture elitists. I’m not a snob. I just like what I like. The Witcher is a pretty good show.
I keep seeing it compared to Game of Thrones and that’s a really bad comparison. Apples and oranges. They’re both fantasy worlds. That’s where the similarities end.
The Witcher has a completely different mechanic. There are certain humanoid creatures that are created to be what they are. The Witcher is one of them. He’s made to be a Witcher.
And I also like how good and evil isn’t always predictable. You’ll see some characters change sides. I like that as it reflects real life.
Aesthetics
I’m an aesthetics guy. I’ve offended some people before because I put aesthetics above politics and people who obsess with politics get mad when I don’t play their game.
I’ve had female friends tell me that Henry Cavill is their main celebrity crush now because of the show. Good for him! I hated those Superman movies he was in. Saw them all and hated every single one.
But this series will salvage his career. He’s now primed to be the next James Bond. Will it happen? We’ll see.
There are a lot of boobs. No complaints from me. I love female nudity and honestly, wish that shows would have more of that and less graphic violence. I don’t like gore. When I watch a horror movie, I want my head played with, not my stomach.
Which leads to Anya Chalotra. She’s a babe. And she’s the perfect example of if you don’t have big boobs, lose the core fat. That makes her boobs “pop” and they look spectacular.
Several models I’ve worked with are exactly like that – very little core fat and not big boobs, but they really pop because of the lack of core fat. If you don’t know what I’m talking about and you’re a woman who’s interested in making that happen, talk to a personal trainer who also knows diet.
Other stuff about the Witcher
Alright. Some D&D people will hate me for this, but I’ll say it anyways. I don’t like Dwarves. They’re annoying. I didn’t like them in Lord of the Rings, in Dungeons and Dragons (I used to play AD&D v1 back in the 80s if you’re wondering), and I don’t like them in the Witcher.
Someone told me that in the books, Jaskier is closer friends with the Witcher. They have an awful relationship in the show. Not awful as in poorly done, but awful as in really dysfunctional.
In D&D, Bards are super powerful. In this show, they’re pretty annoying. Or at least Jaskier is. I would have thrown fruit at him as well.
Magic
One of my absolute favorite things about the show is how they use magic. You have to source it from somewhere or else you take it from your own body and a powerful spell will literally dissolve you.
I love that! It’s funny because I remember Gary Gygax mentioning this in the old AD&D rulebooks.
You actually see witches dissolve when sourcing powerful spells from their body.
I also like the concept of chaos. Yennefer has a great story line – a hideously ugly child, hated by her step-father, and sold to a witch. The whole attempted suicide to one of the most powerful people in the world story line is downright awesome.
The Witcher himself
Geralt, the Witcher, doesn’t say much. He talks when he has to.
He follows a strict code but he doesn’t always win. That’s where it gets interesting. He has quests he has to perform but unlike the fairy tales, he doesn’t always fulfill them.
I don’t want to give too much away but that’s how the writers get around the whole free will problem. Geralt doesn’t really have free will like you and me. But that’s not a guarantee that he can do what he’s supposed to do.
That will make absolutely no sense if you’ve never seen the show. After you’ve seen it, it will make perfect sense.
How good is it?
It’s not rated that highly by the critics. But you know what? Screw them!
I know it’s the in thing to be nihilistic, cynical, and hating everything. I thoroughly enjoy this show.
Aesthetically it looks really cool. The characters are neat. And the one thing that will throw you off at first is that not all characters age at the same rate (due to magic).
Humans age as humans. But not all the characters are humans. And wizards and witches also age much slower than normal humans.
So the show covers a few generations and at first, the timeline can throw you off. Just keep watching. It will make sense.
I loved it. Not too often you’ll see a fantasy show that doesn’t suck. We have Game of Thrones and we have The Witcher. My wife likes Lucifer but I haven’t seen it. I also haven’t seen the new Dark Crystal.
I’m usually too busy for television and will only make time to watch a few NFL games and one series every once in awhile.
So in the past few years, I’ve only watched all the Game of Thrones, season 1 of West World, this, season 1 of Stranger Things (season 2 was so bad that I quit it before I even got halfway done), all 3 seasons of Roman Empire (loved it!), and that’s it.
So far, this is my second favorite after Game of Thrones.
Oh one last thing – those eels? Middle management in the corporate world.
