Aerisavion: The Witcher (Netflix) Discussion

Aerisavion 12.19.19	Here’s hoping
Deviant. 12.19.19	Really looking forward to it. I think it will divide watchers though whose only experience with the Witcher will be the video games
Dewinged 12.19.19	I'm excited. Fingers crossed.
Larkinhill 12.19.19	Playing Witcher 3 atm. About 50% through. Just now got a ps4 about a month ago. Game is fucking amazing, definitely looking forward to the series. There’s some really strong and positive buzz on it.
Aerisavion 12.19.19	Yeah it looks really promising. Cavill is spot on casting too, hopefully this fixes some of the more negative effect of the Superman/DC thing
JohnnyoftheWell 12.19.19	Might have to outsource my Witcher 3 save data to a hard drive so my PS4 can dl the Monster Hunter World expansion and maybe also Ashen Not super excited or sceptical for the show - looking forward to watching it and seeing what sticks, long as they've conserved the plot and character ambivalence I expect all will be well
Gyromania 12.19.19	Lmao you guys think the show looks good? Triss is a black woman with curly hair and looks too old for her part, conversely Yennifer looks too young around this time period and, again, she's described as being white as a ghost in the books and in the game, but let's change all the races to be inclusive yay. The Nilfgaardian armour makes them look like a bunch of saggy scrotums compared to its depiction both in book and in game. Frangilla is also black for some reason, gotta meet that Netflix racial inclusivity quota! And why is Geralt a tank? Dude is supposed to be skinny but super athletic, meanwhile this actor looks like a body builder. Expectations are definitely low.
Gyromania 12.19.19	Lots of other gripes too, some small, some big. Geralt's medallion looks like a cheap pos, Eithne also sacrificed along with Dryads for inclusivity, Thanedd looks all wrong, etc
InFlamesWeThrash666 12.19.19	hype yea
Dunpeal 12.19.19	I would've been more excited if this was scooped up by HBO, because I trust their production values more.
Gyromania 12.19.19	Yeah I'm confused by the Netflix hype. Netflix mass produces shit these days and tends to screw up established lore (like here) to push an agenda
Aerisavion 12.19.19	“I trust their production values more.” The way they allowed the final season of GoT be handled, I’m not so sure anymore. They surely could have seen how fans would react, even if they didn’t want to admit it.
Gyromania 12.19.19	From what I understand they didn't have much say. The creators had control of it and chose to end it wayyyy too early. I just wish they'd given the rights to someone else
wwf 12.19.19	I've never seen a Netflix original that felt too cheap for what it was imoimo
Aerisavion 12.19.19	“I just wish they'd given the rights to someone else” That’s exactly what I mean. Surely they had the time to review the script to determine if this would be the right ending to a franchise worth millions? Surely the future of a franchise that could potentially lead to multiple spinoffs/prequels/sequels was far more important than D&D’s desire to hop on the Star Wars bandwagon??
Dunpeal 12.19.19	"The way they allowed the final season of GoT be handled, I’m not so sure anymore." That was not HBO though. It's well documented that HBO basically wrote D&D a blank check. That's on the showrunners. I don't know if contractually HBO can just blow up and/or veto whatever vision a showrunner is trying to accomplish.
Gyromania 12.19.19	Yeah, what Dunpeal said. I doubt there was much they could do. I was saying I wish the showrunners relinquished control. Such a fucking shame what happened to that series.
Aerisavion 12.19.19	Yeahhh you’re probably right. It’s just my inner frustration with the end of what could have been truly amazing. What a waste.
Deviant. 12.19.19	Problem with GoT is that D&D were fantastic at adapting, but not do much at continuing the story themselves. Hindsight allowed them to throw in some, actually great, show-only scenes. I feel a little sympathy for them as you get the feeling that Dany going full mad queen was one of the later-day revelations that GRRM was forced to spill when he decided to take a decade to write the next book. That would’ve severely fucked their trajectory. But at the same time they chose to adapt an unfinished series, so shrug. I imagine GRRM assured them repeatedly that he’d be done before the show caught up though. Also doesn’t help though when two writers elect to adapt a fantasy series and decide to deliberately neuter the fantasy elements. And Gyro, who cares about the ethnic background? It’s an adaptation. If they nail the essence the character then why worry? Who are you, hollier??
Gyromania 12.19.19	Would you feel the same way if they rebooted Blade with a white guy? I just don't get why they don't stick to the character designs that have been well established for decades and further realized visually through the games, unless they're pushing an inclusivity agenda which I find dumb. The show may still be entertaining but I don't like how they're changing everything (not just race)
InFlamesWeThrash666 12.19.19	It's fiction who cares I guess if i had read the books or played the games i'd be bothered too though
wwf 12.19.19	wow the Hollywood casting process is capable of being cynical? this is shocking news i tell you just appalling
Dunpeal 12.19.19	wait they're making Triss black? I don't care too much about the race change, I was just hoping to see a hot ginger sorceress ;_; tbh though, I do appreciate it when adaptations try to stay pretty close to the source material
Deviant. 12.19.19	"Would you feel the same way if they rebooted Blade with a white guy?" Tbh, I wouldn't care
Willie 12.19.19	That's because Blade sucks. This could have been good... and it still might be good once the jarring changes to the way we expect the characters to look fades away. I'm going to give it enough time to get used to the way the characters look now compared to how they're 'supposed' to look so I know for sure if I don't like the storyline or if I just don't like change.
Dunpeal 12.19.19	if they ever made Blade white, I'm pretty sure the black community would burn Hollywood to the ground lol
Aerisavion 12.19.19	“if they ever made Blade white, I'm pretty sure the black community would burn Hollywood to the ground lol” This would be pretty backwards considering how many traditionally “white” characters are being portrayed by non-white actors. Take Bond, for example: James Bond being portrayed by Idris Elba has been top of the list for years now, and why shouldn’t he be able to play that role? There’s literally nothing crucial about that character that demands he be played by a white actor.
Willie 12.19.19	If I was part of the black community or a woman, I'd be kind of irratated with Hollywood and its lack of effort. Instead of trying to build up new franchises, they're content to take old ones that used to feature white dudes, slot in the new race/sex and hope for the best. In most cases these half-assed attempts are failing miserably. I'd want new franchises.
Gyromania 12.19.19	Black people seem pretty well represented in films/television as far as I can tell (don't know why it's a competition though). Also Idris Elba would absolute kill it as Bond. He's so good. Heard a rumour that the next Bond will be female, really hope this isn't true.
Deviant. 12.19.19	Idris killed it in Luther, to the point where I'd find it super hard to not see him as that character if he were to play Bond one day
Gyromania 12.19.19	Yeah Luther is probably his best role. Also thought he was hilarious in The Office. Such a pleasant surprise
Itwasthatwas 12.19.19	This will obviously be terrible
Aerisavion 12.19.19	“where I'd find it super hard to not see him as that character if he were to play Bond one day” Wouldn’t surprise me if a few people said the same after Layer Cake to be fair
DDDeftoneDDD 12.19.19	Do I need to play the game?...its prob a cool thing to make both things?
Rolling Girl 12.19.19	Gryo isn't racist because he has black friends probably. Idk how I feel about this as I always felt Geralt was a really dry character anyway. Netflix seems to put out garbage and gold in equal measure tho so it could go either way. And Cavil's best role was easily A Man from U.N.C.L.E and that probably won't change
Aerisavion 12.19.19	“Cavil's best role was easily A Man from U.N.C.L.E and that probably won't change” He was a lot of fun in MI6
Gyromania 12.19.19	Someone called me racist?
unclereich 12.19.19	Lmao you guys think the show looks good?
Slex 12.19.19	Show looks decent but not incredible imo, and the actress playing Yennifer straight up looks like a fucking teenager and it's super distracting to me lmao still hype tho tbh
Intothepit 12.19.19	Oh look! Gyro hates on the popular opinion on Sputnik. What else is new?
TheNotrap 12.20.19	I'll check tonight, expectations are high
DDDeftoneDDD 12.20.19	[2]
unclereich 12.20.19	If I was part of the black community or a woman, I'd be kind of irratated with Hollywood and its lack of effort. uh what
JohnnyoftheWell 12.20.19	https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/dec/20/the-witcher-review-netflix-henry-cavill This kinda made me chuckle, mainly by virtue of being the most classic Guardian thing I've seen recently
WatchItExplode 12.20.19	Anybody actually watch this yet? Or are we just skipping that part? Must admit knowing that Triss isn't even a redhead takes away most of my motivation to check this.
JohnnyoftheWell 12.20.19	Hate how much I agree with the redhead part :[
WatchItExplode 12.20.19	I know. I disgust myself but it is undeniably true.
Gyromania 12.20.19	Reviews are pouring in and this sounds every bit as shitty as I expected. Both fans and journalists seem to more or less agree.
Aerisavion 12.20.19	WE JUST WANT NICE THINGS FUCK SAKE It’s shit like this that completely annihilates all interest in the LOTR Amazon series
Aerisavion 12.20.19	Haven’t actually watched any yet though, work beckons the needy bitch
NOTINTHEFACE 12.20.19	I've seen a lot of positive reception, mostly from people who would be inclined to check it out anyway. Also a grumpy dude complaining about the racial inclusiveness of the casting is the most sput thing ever. Gawd.
splinter 12.20.19	felt asleep while watching the first episode, won't watch more
Itwasthatwas 12.20.19	friends have told me the writing is bad and that it doesn’t capture the slavic cultural atmosphere of the books and games
Dunpeal 12.22.19	i had a bad feeling about this when Cavill got casted. It kind of takes me out of the immersion when effing Superman in a bad wig is playing the white wolf of wallstreet
heyadam 12.22.19	lowkey optimistic about it being at least decent. I feel like it'll be a good time
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.22.19	who the fuck cares what colour everyone is jesus christ
Gyromania 12.22.19	Can we all agree now that this is garbage?
Slex 12.23.19	because i'm not a bitter dork (not singling you out Gyro) obsessed with every last detail of every little thing, i'm having a fun time with the show. some of it is garbage but it's always entertaining and Cavill nails Geralt (from the games at least, again, i don't care about the books or whatever)
Gameofmetal 12.23.19	I enjoyed it. Maybe if you thought the Witcher was all game of thrones instead of the fantasy cheese it often is then you’d dislike it, but it’s true to the series and fun to watch. If they bump up the budget and improve the writing some it’ll be really awesome next season.
Atari 12.23.19	Also enjoying it. Can’t deny Henry Cavill is nailing his role
Gameofmetal 12.23.19	The appearances of the characters only matter when they’re an integral identifier (Geralt’s white hair, Yen’s eyes). It doesn’t at all matter that they hired some black people for various roles or that Triss’ actress doesn’t look like how she’s described, like at all. Hire people that do well in the part and get some parts for minorities when you can because it’s a net positive for society. Like I saw a black dwarf or two, literally nothing wrong with that. No one said a dwarf has to be fucking white.
Dewinged 12.23.19	First two episodes put me to sleep but the third one was hawt. Dat fight was pretty fucking cool. And yeah Triss looks different, but I like her cast. Yen bothers me more, cause I'm so used to the game's model but the actress is nailing it. Cavill's voice effort to match the game's is surprisingly accurate at times too. All in all, there has been some details here and there that plainly sucked but the show is growing on me with every episode. Also, man, the music is so gooood.
Intothepit 12.23.19	"Like I saw a black dwarf or two, literally nothing wrong with that. No one said a dwarf has to be fucking white." The proper term is "fun-size."
hal1ax 12.23.19	bitter dork sounds about right
Slex 12.23.19	yeah i'll never get over how Yen looks like she's fucking 12 lol, drives me a lil crazy
anarchistfish 12.23.19	First episode was pretty good. Kinda confusing and had to Google the timelines. Fight scene was excellent. I haven't read the books but I guess it's an adaptation of the books trying to appeal to fans of both? Bad critic reviews seem harsh
Slex 12.23.19	the critic reviews are so overblown, show is just trashy fun
Gameofmetal 12.23.19	Geralt's stuff for most of the season is just one by one pretty accurate adaptations of the Witcher short stories while working in Ciri and Yennefer along the way. Haven't read the books in the saga so dunno if Ciri's stuff is from there or if they had to invent stuff.
Gyromania 12.23.19	"Hire people that do well in the part and get some parts for minorities when you can because it’s a net positive for society." Lol fuck off
InFlamesWeThrash666 12.23.19	too much salt here
Faraudo 12.23.19	Show is already better than GoT, been loving it so far.
Slex 12.23.19	Gyro don't be a baby
osmark86 12.23.19	So now that we have established that actors can be both black and white etc which is very enlightning, did you enjoy the show?
Gyromania 12.23.19	The polish have had their culture decimated several times throughout history, god fucking forbid they get their own tv show without a bunch of black people being thrown in to meet Netflix's racial inclusivity quota. Give me a break. Wtf is this nonsense anyway about "representing minorities"? Black people are everywhere in cinema wtf? Sorry, I respond scathingly to stupid comments
anarchistfish 12.23.19	Remember when ppl were pissed off battlefield or whatever had black people in it as if there weren't loads of colonial soldiers in the wars. Racists love their fake whitewashed history. Oh wait this is fucking fantasy anyway
Gyromania 12.23.19	Lol yeah I'm the fucking racist meanwhile blacks are far more represented than polish people in cinema.
JohnnyoftheWell 12.23.19	Really need to watch the first eps asap because this series is already turning into one of those cases where it's more fun to watch the dumpster fire than actually do your duty as a good consumer. Only thing standing in my way is this ADORABLE girl who's just entered my current reality tv binge :[
Gyromania 12.23.19	Reality tv eh?
Calc 12.23.19	i don't know what I expected coming in here lol. anyway, show is dumb stupid fun and henry cavill is killing it. episode 4 made me giggle
Sinternet 12.23.19	gyro at this point is the worst active user on the site no question
Gyromania 12.23.19	that feeling when you have nothing valid to say :P love you to shiternet
JohnnyoftheWell 12.23.19	"Reality tv eh?" Don't even, the only thing stronger than my self-loathing is the blurriness of the lines between these people and scripted characters
Gyromania 12.23.19	haha eh man i watch some too from time to time. mostly gordan ramsay cooking shows
Slex 12.23.19	God i fucking love reality tv lol, mostly competition shows but trash shit is super fun too I'll admit you have somewhat of a point Gyro in that Polish representation isn't really a thing so I can understand your stance there, but, genuinely asking because I don't know, are there not black Polish people?
Calc 12.23.19	Polish= nationality Black= ethnicity
Gyromania 12.23.19	Well yes, there are black polish people, but we're discussing The Witcher, and I know people love to say "it's fantasy who cares?" but I mean, if something has been established in a pretty obvious time period, in a pretty obvious geographic location, and features most heavily in the books and games polish people that fit the historical accuracy of people in Poland in medieval ages... Why change it? It doesn't make sense and it flies in the face of the fans of these characters - characters that have been ingrained in fans' minds for decades, mind you. "Who cares that your favourite characters are a completely different nationality with all different features?" is basically what people are saying. I'm sure I could find something you love and adapt it with no consideration for the characters you love and you'd be (rightly) pissed off. This idea that it's dumb or - better yet - racist to be angry that they changed these established characters is itself pretty stupid and racist. It goes beyond just the character changes though, as I've mentioned before. If people are enjoying this, that's cool, but I think it's pretty bad all things considered. And I'll admit I'm definitely biased as hell when it comes to this because it's one of my favourite fantasy series.
Slex 12.23.19	Yeah honestly I see where yr coming from and that's a fair complaint imo
anarchistfish 12.23.19	"Lol yeah I'm the fucking racist meanwhile blacks are far more represented than polish people in cinema." God yeah real racism is Hollywood representation. This is what happens when liberals use identity as the main focal point of emancipation. You get idiots like gyro who then invest their whole identity in tediously contradicting it. If your genome was sequenced it would come out as banana
Gyromania 12.23.19	Nvm misread your comment. Continue being toxic and irrelevant.
Sinternet 12.23.19	gyro calling others toxic pieces of shit LOL lets not forget SJWmusic
Gyromania 12.23.19	i know, you're obsessed with that lol
anarchistfish 12.23.19	"Who cares that your favourite characters are a completely different nationality with all different features?" is basically what people are saying. " U realise it's normal for adaptations to differ from source material right. Theres nothing coherent about getting your knickers in a twist over this. Real racism is the re education concentration camps your government shoved native children in until a couple of decades ago. Inverting the superficial stance for diversity in Hollywood is just as meaningless as that stance itself. The fact such a thing is considered necessary is reflective of racism endemic in society at large, and of the failure to properly address it
Gyromania 12.23.19	More like indicative of the perception of people who are extreme left. Where is this super pervasive racism? I mean don't get me wrong racism exists and always will (you're a fool if you think that'll change) but racism is so bad that we need to make sure to add a black cast to a production that doesn't even make sense historically for them to be in? I feel like you totally ignored everything I said about the time period and area of Europe this takes place in. And are you referring to the US government? Because I'm Canadian..
Itwasthatwas 12.23.19	Even besides the demographics of casting that I don’t want to get involved in, Americanizing a very Polish work in terms of writing and atmosphere sucks on a representation point of view but also as a fan. It takes away from the main thing that makes the series different than western high fantasy. Aside from that Hollywood has a tendency of either westernizing or demonizing East Europeans and their culture in film and TV. I get that a lot of that is just Cold War habits but it’s been a long time now.
Gyromania 12.23.19	Thank you. Fuck, starting to think I was the only one in here.
Sinternet 12.23.19	gyro is such a victim lol
Cygnatti 12.23.19	decent show yea better than mandolorian for sure
Itwasthatwas 12.23.19	A lot people living in the west are strangely only able to view the world through the myopic lens of US racial and social politics, or at absolute best looking superficially back to the colonial era. In the process they forget about all of the rest of us and our cultures and histories, our accomplishments and misdeeds, our tragedies and triumphs. American media really does serve a cultural imperialist role, because it’s then used to spread that myopia everywhere, even where it doesn’t make sense.
anarchistfish 12.23.19	American hegemony and appropriation of foreign cultural artefacts is a separate (if related) issue to race in cinema. Don't conflate the two cos gyro wouldn't be moaning if everyone in this show were a white yank "But racism is so bad that we need to make sure to add a black cast to a production that doesn't even make sense historically for them to be in? " This is fantasy so history is just irrelevant. And no, the obsession over diversity quotas is a liberal diversion cos liberals can't admit that economic emancipation is the primary issue even when it comes to race. But your obsession over it is missing the bigger point of why it's a failure, and is pretty telling of a victim mentality, cos regardless what some say racism is rooted in a sense inferiority, not superiority Also there have been dark skinned people in Europe for millenia. Ask any European historian
Sinternet 12.23.19	its also like notice how people like gyro don't advocate for an all-polish cast, just merely that they are white, as if one white european country is exactly the same as each other this is the real failings of americanised racial ideas, that americans as a whole are ignorant of european culture and history
Itwasthatwas 12.23.19	It’s not just about the cast, it’s also about the writing, the set direction, the atmosphere, the themes, the mythological foundation, the archetypes. It all gets Americanized to hell once Hollywood gets their hands on a story
anarchistfish 12.23.19	When I went to Canada they looked at the Indian stuff on my British money and cried colonialism and I'm like bruh Ur forefathers colonised the whole continent. NA politics in a nutshell
polyrhythm 12.23.19	"decent show yea better than mandolorian for sure" [2]
Divaman 12.23.19	Watched the whole thing yesterday. I have no familiarity with either the books or the games, but I enjoyed it in and of itself.
anarchistfish 12.23.19	Hollywood Americanises everything too. Even French cinema gets bastardised. They even remade intouchables ugh
rabidfish 12.23.19	first 2 eps were kinda boring, but tbf: 1. Cavill as Geralt works surprisingly well. 2. It gets the enviroments and settings of the games PERFECT 3. THE MUSIC 4. It's got the morality but without being condesendant or preachy or pretending it knows the real answers to problems like racism and systematic violence. Like the games, too, it doesn't try to shove "these are the good guys and these the bad guys" down your throat. the refugee camp scene with ciri is very telling. The racist lady wasn't shown as an evil irredeemable bitch, she seemed to really care for Ciri in a genuine way. Her racism wasn't result of her being a BAD person, but rather being taught that certain people are inferior. Reminded me of the approach True Detective S3 took, showing how the systemic, burocratic, institutionalized racism is actually a lot more commmon and a lot more damaging to real people's lives than being called names on the street.
polyrhythm 12.23.19	I don't give a damn a couple characters are white in the source material and minorities in this, like seriously. Cry harder. Capturing the essence of the character in a performance is a hundred times more important than looking like some perfect cosplayer. Go watch a Witcher porn parody if you want Triss Merigold to have pale skin and firetruck red hair P.s. these people find it so hard to believe that these minority actors gave the best audition, instead pointing towards some paranoid grand conspiracy Netflix and other corps have to 'blackwash' media (now there is a cringe phrase if ever I heard one)
polyrhythm 12.23.19	What that does is imply there is an infinite supply of talented white actors, lining up outside the audition door, ready to do a superior job... meanwhile the role got given to a minority actor who only possibly landed it via SJW pandering positive discrimination
rabidfish 12.23.19	"this is the real failings of americanised racial ideas, that americans as a whole are ignorant of european culture and history" fucking [2], man. Also Latin America.
Slex 12.23.19	Lord knows i've had my problems with Gyro lmao but he IS respectfully explaining his opinion at length and doesn't quite deserve the heckling he's getting very good discussion in here overall surprisingly
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.23.19	Gyro really hung up over the fact that during this time period it doesnt make sense for black people to be around like it makes perfect sense for fuckin orcs and wyverns to be around
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.23.19	Seems like an odd genre for historical accuracy to be your main focus lmao
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.23.19	Not arguing for diversity casting, the right person should be hired because they are the right person, regardless of race unless their race is detrimental to their character. But it's also obnoxious to assume that any case of race swapping is specifically to appease identity politics. In most cases it's just a stupid thing to bitch about.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.23.19	Like really people of colour getting more representation in movies and tv is your big problem of the week, who cares let them have this ffs, you dont have to like it but actual peoples equality is more important than fictional people being white.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.23.19	Not targeting you specifically gyro just my 2 cents rant on the topic, seems like a good topic to choose to not give a fuck about rather than run the risk of looking like a dick
Itwasthatwas 12.23.19	I find it just as weird to cast super anglo Henry cavill as the lead
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.23.19	Bang on point
worthlessscab 12.23.19	Why not have original "minority" characters in big productions? Most of them are just race/sex/sexuality swapped. Seems Hollywood doesn't really believe in diversity all that much.
Divaman 12.23.19	Yep.
Sinternet 12.23.19	what hollywood execs decide to do is an entirely different point. these execs are lazy and just want to make money, coming up with new ideas and characters that arent market-tested and approved is too risky for the big studios usually. this shouldnt be used as a point to take away from diverse representations because otherwise there would be little representation in the regular blockbuster movies and the average movie-going audience is unlikely to see different communities represented. original movies that contain minority characters are made, but usually either self-funded or by smaller arthouse studios (which then of course get the predictable comments calling it oscar-bait for doing what weirdos online demand anyway). this whole argument is such a flawed way of thinking, where if you want a minority group to be represented in media, they can't take on an 'established' role, but if they do play an original character, it's either 'diversity card from liberal hollywood', oscar-bait' or relegated to a small production that the average citizen isnt going to see, and to who the main audience is already accustomed and positive towards the idea.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.23.19	Ur right there are no original minority characters in big productions rofl
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.23.19	(Sarcasm)
Cygnatti 12.23.19	henry is hot so thats cool
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.23.19	Agree with sint, it's basically a lose-lose sitch when it comes to pacifying angry nerds
RolyPoly 12.23.19	Gyro is having another man baby melt down
Divaman 12.23.19	Gyro is entitled to his opinion, and has more guts than most of the people I run into.
Sinternet 12.23.19	lol wtf is that comment brave warrior gyro fights to be able to dismiss minorities against the brainwashed sputnik hordes
RolyPoly 12.23.19	Let's not encourage/enable his harmful behavior pls stop
Calc 12.23.19	wonder what next month's will be about. and why is this only 8 episodes...
Deviant. 12.23.19	Most first seasons are substantially smaller. If the show does well then it gets more money. More money means more episodes, more that can be done with each episode etc
zaruyache 12.23.19	i like it when they retroactively add poc people to stuff because it literally affects 0% of the plot but always makes dumb nerds so mad anyway.
Gyromania 12.23.19	Imagine sharpening your pitchforks because someone complained that the racial ethnicities of his favourite characters were changed, and then gets called a racist. smh. "its also like notice how people like gyro don't advocate for an all-polish cast, just merely that they are white" Polish people make up several backgrounds around this time, I was never advocating for an all-white cast, so... A+ for presumptions. "gyro wouldn't be moaning if everyone in this show were a white yank" again presumptuous as fuck and basically a groundless accusation of racism. "But your obsession over it is missing the bigger point of why it's a failure, and is pretty telling of a victim mentality," oh please stfu. I stated other gripes I have with the show, and its locations and props and stuff too, everyone in this thread wanted to gravitate towards the one topic of discussion and that in turn becomes my fault. got it. tried having a civil discussion about this stuff but w.e, i'm on sputnik lol. thanks to those who were able to put on their big boy pants and not resort to insults and useless presumptuous comments
Itwasthatwas 12.23.19	meanwhile i’ve never seen a roly take that isn’t ice cold
Gyromania 12.24.19	Lol I just love how I'm over here arguing about it being medieval Poland and users like anarchistfish are saying "gyro wouldn't be moaning if everyone in this show were a white yank"... Um yes I would, do you not pay attention? Kind of reinforces my point about how ignorant people are on the matter, that saying you don't want a character you know to be a polish redhead being portrayed by someone Black automatically means you want an all-white cast. Reverse racism ftw
WatchItExplode 12.24.19	Really the only color that matters here is the glaring omission of red.
Sinternet 12.24.19	you literally brought it up crying because your favourite little npc to masturbate over is played by a black actor you miserable sack of shit you complain that characters are black but you dont complain when theyre not polish, easy as sight to see my advice to you is to embrace the fact you're a retarded reactionary whos scared of black people, it's much easier to ignore when you're being honest
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Gyro The Brave
anarchistfish 12.24.19	I love the Witcher cos it's a rare glimpse into polish medievalism totally
anarchistfish 12.24.19	I dont have to pay attention to whatever contrived rationalisation u have for me, I've seen Ur rants on this site and Facebook for several years now. We know what this is about. Thing is I kinda get it. Pc culture is ass. But man you have become obsessed. The only person u need to convince pc culture is ass is yourself
sixdegrees 12.24.19	lol
Deathconscious 12.24.19	"instead pointing towards some paranoid grand conspiracy Netflix and other corps have to 'blackwash' media" Are you actually trying to say they dont hire minorities for diversity, ever? Even people who are for that dont deny it, its not a crazy fringe conspiracy theory. Its common knowledge.
Gyromania 12.24.19	Haha so fucking childish. Okay, whatever. You have fun having a different conversation than the one I'm having and crying about the past you perpetual douche.
Gyromania 12.24.19	Watch out Death, any words spoken against this sort of thing are automatically racist
anarchistfish 12.24.19	i just work in facts
sixdegrees 12.24.19	its time for a black witcher
sixdegrees 12.24.19	im thinking...chadwick boseman?
anarchistfish 12.24.19	The ruling class prioritised and hegemonised identity politics because it's easier to control economically disparate subjects when you play divide and rule. Boomer v zoomer is the latest irritating fad that plays into this. Turning your subjects against each other is the best way to make sure they don't even think about touching you. Even better, they do it while defining the civil rights discourse itself. Foregrounding minority excellence is all well and good, but at the end of the day positive discrimination is just as essentialist and arbitrary as racism, and does nothing to shift the base structure of an exploitative and racist society (the modern world is built from colonialism so Ima call it that). That being said, you're a pussy sheltered little white boy. Maybe go on holiday to Kazakhstan or something n get a dose of some culture and or sunlight. Or better yet some therapy.
Gyromania 12.24.19	"Maybe go on holiday to Kazakhstan or something n get a dose of some culture and or sunlight." is that what you did?
Krvst 12.24.19	Anyway lads the show is aight so far
Deathconscious 12.24.19	So what does everyone think about ScarJo playing a Japanese character in Ghost in the Shell
anarchistfish 12.24.19	No I went to Ur pile of shit and snow and smoked all Ur legal marijuana
Slex 12.24.19	this thread is down the ol' pooper yeesh
Deviant. 12.24.19	Gyro, you might've started off with good (albeit asinine) intentions but you lost it. I appreciate the fact that the showrunners didn't immediately dismiss any actresses who weren't white with red hair (though costumes and wigs can sort the hair colour), but went with the actress they best thought captured the character perfectly. It's a petty minority that cares about that kind of thing. Where you went off the rails was right here: "The polish have had their culture decimated several times throughout history, god fucking forbid they get their own tv show without a bunch of black people being thrown in to meet Netflix's racial inclusivity quota. Give me a break. Wtf is this nonsense anyway about "representing minorities"? Black people are everywhere in cinema wtf? Sorry, I respond scathingly to stupid comments " Yes, Andrzej Sapkowski is polish. Of course he was going to draw on polish culture and its history to influence his works. That's why you're not going to see Bob the Witcher any time soon. Or Fernando the Nilgaardian soldier. But, and here's the thing: IT'S A FANTASY SHOW. Where in Poland is Kaer Morhen? When was the last documented sighting of a wyvvern or a drowner in Poland? You think you're arguing FOR better racial equality and representation, bu you're actually arguing AGAINST it. Give it a rest, and if a hispanic dragon shows up in the show I hope you'll know to keep your mouth shut
Divaman 12.24.19	It at least takes balls to come out and state what you know is going to be an unpopular position on a forum like this. It takes none whatsoever to come on here and try to beat the guy down and virtue signal because he expressed an opinion you don't agree with.
Deviant. 12.24.19	That's an odd point to base a defense around. "Yeah, but at least he had balls". How awkwardly irrelevant
Tyler. 12.24.19	i absolutely love all of gyromanias opinions in this thread just great all of them
Itwasthatwas 12.24.19	That’s a lot of self righteous bluster Dev but the truth is not every series needs to be turned into a microcosm of american pop culture. My family are arabs, id love to see more shows about our history or culture that aren’t about terrorism or being depicted as dirt poor and backwards, but I won’t feel any more represented if you start dropping arab actors into polish or latin american or nigerian or whatever setting and just have them act as anachronisms that everyone pretends not to notice. It’s low effort and it’s condescending. I imagine a lot of other people feel the same. I get the fantasy angle and it’s really not a big deal to me in this particular case but the idea that it’s somehow virtuous to just race swap minorities into european or pseudo european stories instead of empowering new writers and directors to tell original, deep stories about other cultures is laughable. It takes away from the coherence of the existing stories and does little to expose audiences to diversity of anything other than superficial appearance. Like I said above my personal complaints with this series are not really about the cast but the idea that it’s inherently racist to disagree with hollywood’s current approach to its diversity problem is stupid. Same goes for just gender swapping old movie scripts instead of making something new.
hal1ax 12.24.19	i hate when my favorite fantasy characters are different colors on the tv show than they were in my head during all those times i came while reading their lore in my naboo starfighter themed gamer chair
Tyler. 12.24.19	preach brother
Gyromania 12.24.19	I was just about to write a response to you Deviant but honestly Itwasthatwas pretty much nailed it.
CosmicPie 12.24.19	I thought the bit where they decided to side with the dragon in some epic fashion because it laid an egg was pretty lame, but as a whole, the show is cool.
Divaman 12.24.19	So in conclusion 1. Good show; 2. No more virtue signalling; 3. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	What itwasthatwas said is infinitely more insightful than anything gyro said tho so lets not.just let him ride those coattails.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Also the "he had balls" defence is pretty cute considering we are talking about the internet here. What is someone gonna track his ip and kick his ass for not being PC enough?
sixdegrees 12.24.19	https://twitter.com/dril/status/831805955402776576?lang=en
Gyromania 12.24.19	"What itwasthatwas said is infinitely more insightful than anything gyro said tho so lets not.just let him ride those coattails." Lol ok. What he said was excellently put, but we're saying very similar things here. Sry 4 not being super eloquent tho =[
WatchItExplode 12.24.19	Did anybody even mention the sweet bard jams? So disappointed I can't even...
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	I still love u matt But u make me feel like an sjw sometimes and I hate sjws lol
Calc 12.24.19	"It takes away from the coherence of the existing stories" true, when I saw black little mermaid I straight up forgot how the story went.....
HoopyFrood 12.24.19	yo all this race debate is fine but remember when gyro told us how the best way to enter a wormhole was at an angle? maybe poland has dragons and wormholes lying around but libtard hollywood wont show that to us.
HoopyFrood 12.24.19	thank god that gyro is brave enough to stand up for the racial purity of fantasy characters and the scientific accuracy of fictional phenomena.
Gyromania 12.24.19	"But u make me feel like an sjw sometimes and I hate sjws lol" Haha my bad
Macros 12.24.19	haha fuck i always love when morons complain about diversity in fantasy as some nefarious pc plot, and I especially love it when they say that insert series here isn't how people really looked as if theyre not talking about a completely imaginary place that has never actually existed. can't wait to see these same douches with no knowledge of the source material whinge and moan about the diversity in the Wheel of Time show and what will no doubt be a vociferous take down of Amazon's obsession with making women powerful and even dominant over men. i guess the silver lining is it makes it easy to separate the dicks from the crowd.
DDDeftoneDDD 12.24.19	I m kinda digging the side stories...waiting for them to touch the main one...3rd ep here. Couldn t care less about politics...
Divaman 12.24.19	It's pretty nicely done. I won't spoil it for you about when things start to come together. But there were a couple of things I didn't see coming, and most TV writing is so hacky that that's fairly rare.
thedoom 12.24.19	„haha fuck i always love when morons complain about diversity in fantasy as some nefarious pc plot, and I especially love it when they say that insert series here isn't how people really looked as if theyre not talking about a completely imaginary place that has never actually existed.“ I don’t see whats wrong with fans of the Witcher books wanting a faithful adaptation of the source material. Doesn‘t matter if it‘s completely imaginary or not.
JohnnyoftheWell 12.24.19	"can't wait to see these same douches with no knowledge of the source material whinge and moan about the diversity in the Wheel of Time show" Read a really interesting article semi-recently on how WoT was whitewashed by the book fans and how the source material is far more diverse than the fantasy cliche
TheNotrap 12.24.19	I saw the first episode yesterday and honestly I was expecting more, namely from Cavill's character. I hope it gets better along the way.
thedoom 12.24.19	Honestly, I was disappointed how cheap the show looks. But maybe that‘s just my aversion to high fantasy.
Henderson 12.24.19	@TheNotrap: Don't worry, it gets better. Just finished watching the last episode and all in all, being a fan of both the books and the games, I'm quite satisfied with how this turned out. It's not perfect (some scenario setting and pacing issues), but it translates the original stories pretty faithfully and it makes for an interesting show, so for me it works. Just hope they solve those little issues for the next season. I understand that they want to take some liberties with characterization, it happens in most adaptations, but I think they did a good job here for the most part. Triss is the only one that doesn't work at all for me.
Divaman 12.24.19	Agreed. I enjoyed the first episode, but the consensus seems to be that the first episode or two are the dullest.
JWT155 12.24.19	I very much enjoyed the show, but it was very inconsistent and all over the place. Highlight: Striga fight Episaode 3. I think the writing/multi timeline approach was very bold but fell apart in certain areas. Not a big fan of the actress who played Yennifer, and her story arc shifted so rapidly in some places. For all the faults the show has though, I found it very enjoyable. The final episode was a disaster in my eyes. The show is about the Witcher, and instead we get this last minute attempt at a Helm's Deep scenario where we now need to care about characters that have yet to be seen really on screen, the mages powers on some level are just exposed for the first time, the budget on these scenes was noticeable compared to other parts of the show, AND the finale of the first season barely even shows Geralt, only a few select scenes of him moaning for his Ma which the show could have done such a better job building up to throughout the season.
Itwasthatwas 12.24.19	Wheel of time is different because it’s a fully fleshed out world with all kinds of cultures and ethnicities and social dynamics defined from place to place. The show will still be bad though because the series is about 8-10 books too long and the first one is totally derivative
Cygnatti 12.24.19	tldr what potsy said [2] more criticism: the shots and the directing weren't terribly good imo but generally i liked the writing and the acting just fine. i get why people wouldn't want black ppl in the show for historical accuracy, but it didn't really bother me at all, least as a viewing experience.
JWT155 12.24.19	I agree about the casting choices, as long as they weren't contrived choices made from executives that didn't make sense, if the person completes the role and brings out the character in the books/games then I'm happy. The grandmother for instance does a decent job, but I was confused because she clearly does not look like Ciri's grandmother and barely ages when flashbacks are shown, which really takes away from showing how the story arc is non chronological.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	I havent watched yet but the biggest problem with the show is that Jennifer, triss, nor ciri are hot
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	How can I stan a queen in these desperate times
polyrhythm 12.24.19	"The show will still be bad though because the series is about 8-10 books too long" So much of that bloat is Robert Jordan's verbose and repetitive prose... the actual events he is describing could easily be told in half the time. I am sure the show will do just that. Instead of Jordan spending three pages describing a dress, the series will show that dress in a single shot. Bad example maybe but you get the idea. This story won't take nearly as long to show on screen as it took Jordan to tell it
Sinternet 12.24.19	nerd masturbation stocks are depreciating
polyrhythm 12.24.19	The actress of Yennefer is damn fine tbh Triss is okay Ciri is a child soooo
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Wait people.actually.read these books rofl
polyrhythm 12.24.19	The fact you aren't attracted to her Pots is a good thing
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Ok fine I'll reevaluate poly Skele is probably masturbating to ciri as we speak
polyrhythm 12.24.19	@sint more like nerd masturbation socks are depreciating
polyrhythm 12.24.19	If you don't find Yen hot after her transformation, I don't know what to tell you
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	I googled them and I still dont fucks wit these hoes but maybe a bae will swae me when I actually.watch
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	At least triss isnt a lowly ginger
polyrhythm 12.24.19	Yen's hotness has always been half looks and half attitude tbh, regardless of the medium
Itwasthatwas 12.24.19	yeah pots I read a bunch of these fantasy series as a kid
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Extremely fair point Should be eva green
luci 12.24.19	"It at least takes balls to come out and state what you know is going to be an unpopular position on a forum like this" dumbest comment in the thread, quite impressively
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Agreed hard
Divaman 12.24.19	Luci, if you're looking to pick a fight, you're going to get one. Just walk away boy.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Are there any condescending elven cunts in this show
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	And does geralt have his dork ass manga weeb eyes?
CosmicPie 12.24.19	I'll echo that Cavill does a great job with Geralt.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Is geralt still force sensitive
polyrhythm 12.24.19	Not cat eyes, just yellow contacts. And the elves here, like in the game and the books, are bitter due to genocide. Not gonna hold that against them boyo
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	I hold it against them enough for the two of us
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Glad geralt isnt a weeb tho that's great news. Does he smash as much gash as he does in the game? And is he unintentionally hilarious?
CosmicPie 12.24.19	I'm not familiar enough with the story to know how anything is supposed to be. I played about 30 minutes of the game, though.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Just long enough to see some titties amirite
CosmicPie 12.24.19	Was trying to milk some dragons, but it was taking too long.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	I'd hardly call those pathetic little scale chickens "dragons"
CosmicPie 12.24.19	Ey, you take what you can get.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Are there lots of cool abominable beasts in the show or is it another piece of shit with too small of a budget to show anything but humans and a glimpse of an orcs foot?
Gyromania 12.24.19	There was another guy a while back who sent in an audition tape and he absolutely nailed thr voice and had the look too, but I guess they went with Henry Cavill because Henry Cavill
CosmicPie 12.24.19	Not quite. Comes off like their budget is lower than what they need. It's got potential, and I can see it picking up as they get the cash. Who knows, maybe this is how the story is supposed to go. It opens up pretty cool.
CosmicPie 12.24.19	"There was another guy a while back who sent in an audition tape and he absolutely nailed thr voice and had the look too, but I guess they went with Henry Cavill because Henry Cavill" I don't know how much more spot on Geralt can be. At least if you're comparing it to the game.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	So no monsters?
Faraudo 12.24.19	There's plenty of monsters, episode 3 is like a monster hunt side-quest of sorts.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Is it shitty CGI?
osmark86 12.24.19	CGI is respectable
polyrhythm 12.24.19	Yeah CGI is fine, actually quite impressive for a first season of something. The script made me cringe more than the special effects, but only at certain points. 7/10 show probably, with potential for amazing future seasons.
WatchItExplode 12.24.19	Hmmmmmmmmmm
CosmicPie 12.24.19	Supposedly they're already in for another season. I'm interested to see how they bump up the quality.
CosmicPie 12.24.19	And yea, CGI is quite good. The writing is in need of depth. Feels a bit shallow.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Aight I'll check
Divaman 12.24.19	It would go really good with the Nightwish track I rec'd you.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Lol no doubt but I was thinking I'd pair it with the hobbit instead
JohnnyoftheWell 12.24.19	Lorde Pots is a hobbit name
JohnnyoftheWell 12.24.19	But silentpotato was a Nazgul name hmm
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Bitch no.
JohnnyoftheWell 12.24.19	How do u prefer to decorate ur hobbit hole?
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Ima fuckin snap
JohnnyoftheWell 12.24.19	Eat me Mr Baggins
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	I'll eat your fucking ass for breakfast
Gyromania 12.24.19	Don't watch this show pots, it'll invert your penis and you'll grow a vag
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Lmao
JohnnyoftheWell 12.24.19	First breakfast or second breakfast or elevenses tho (you get to choose probs 2 unless you're extra hungry)?
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.24.19	Only breakfast
HoopyFrood 12.25.19	what is it that black people eat cos we definitely shouldn't eat that, for the sake of historical accuracy
anarchistfish 12.26.19	Altered Carbon is great too
HoopyFrood 12.26.19	altered carbon was good yeah
GhostB1rd 12.26.19	Altered Carbon had some of the worst dialogue I've ever seen on a tv show so I gave up after two episodes. Was horrific. Even managed to watch His Dark Materials all the way through and the writing there is terribad but not the same league.
GhostB1rd 12.26.19	And I say that as someone who was a big Holder fan.
Divaman 12.26.19	They still have hobbits up in Canada, right?
osmark86 12.26.19	The proud hobitses of Edmontonia
rabidfish 12.26.19	finished up 1st season. It was aight. Biggest strengths, imo, were the settings and general aesthetic and tone. They really nailed that Witcher tone, not pitch black like a game of thrones clone, tho they went really close to that in a couple of occasions. For the 2nd season i'd like them to get a better script, cuz pacing and dialogs were pretty weak.
worthlessscab 12.26.19	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PuTPWgod3s idk about this
worthlessscab 12.26.19	and lazy fight scene where none of the hits are shown
CosmicPie 12.26.19	"finished up 1st season. It was aight. Biggest strengths, imo, were the settings and general aesthetic and tone. They really nailed that Witcher tone, not pitch black like a game of thrones clone, tho they went really close to that in a couple of occasions. For the 2nd season i'd like them to get a better script, cuz pacing and dialogs were pretty weak." Pretty much how I'm feeling. They're off to a decent start, though.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.26.19	saw the first couple episodes of altered carbon and it was fucking garbage
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.26.19	"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PuTPWgod3s" that was some lawl-bad fight choreography
CosmicPie 12.26.19	I thought Altered Carbon was pretty rad.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.26.19	It just seemed like a tv drama tier matrix RIP off type thing, concept seemed bewilderingly uncompelling
wwf 12.27.19	This thread is such a shit show However The Witcher is not a shit show Thanks everyone and good night
GhostB1rd 12.27.19	ur a shitshow
anarchistfish 12.27.19	"It just seemed like a tv drama tier matrix RIP off type thing, concept seemed bewilderingly uncompelling" are you a fan of cyberpunk in general?
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.27.19	i can be, just not when its fuckin geyyyyyy
Cygnatti 12.27.19	finished this show, it was nice
heyadam 12.27.19	Had a 6.5-7/10 time with the Witcher. Really liked a lot of it so far but you can def tell they were budget restricted. Hope they get room to breathe next season - cavill killed it as game Geralt and I liked Yen quite a lot
anarchistfish 12.28.19	My flatmate reckons this show is better looking than the Mandalorian
Divaman 12.28.19	Started watching The Expanse today. It's OK, but not holding my attention as well as The Witcher did.
conesmoke 12.28.19	The expanse is so much better than the witcher. I stated watching it yesterday and almost instantly could not believe how bad it was
conesmoke 12.28.19	Really heinous stuff guys. Verily
wwf 12.28.19	'My flatmate reckons this show is better looking than the Mandalorian' It actually is though. The Mandalorian is more consistent visually for sure but it's always dark and low contrast. Whereas when The Witcher looks good, it looks reallyyyyyy good Like look at this https://imgur.com/5TrHeaJ Whereas The Mandalorian has so many scenes that look like this https://imgur.com/2n8Qjy2
anarchistfish 12.28.19	True. Fwiw I think the Witcher is a really good looking show
TheNotrap 12.28.19	The series entertained me, but the characters lacked emotional depth
ignorethefashion 12.28.19	I'm 3 episodes in and think the show kind of sucks. Does it improve as the season progresses? Most shows are a bit rough at first, before the cast and crew get into a groove, and the source material is interesting, so I'd like to give it a couple of more episodes before deciding whether or not to stick with it. But so far it just comes off as really low-budget, and the acting elicits genuine cringes from me. It feels like I'm watching a CW show.
Mesm277 12.28.19	I think it looked a bit cheap in places and the writing wasn't great
anarchistfish 12.28.19	It steps up after 2 or 3 episodes Also funny that peeps were pulling the "botching of Slav literature card" when the show was vetted and approved by Andrej, which is more than can be said of the games.
JWT155 12.28.19	I personally loved the Striga episode. The finale was the most disappointing episode.
teamster 12.28.19	I am proud to say I have been a fan since the very first Witcher video game, released in 2007. Who was with me?
Aerisavion 12.29.19	I’ve been so obsessed with Witcher 3 haven’t even started this bloody series yet
Willie 12.30.19	I finally watched the first four episodes. Triss was definitely a shock that I'm still not entirely used to, but the rest of the main characters more-or-less look like their Witcher 3 counterparts (that's the only way I'm familiar with the Witcher, so maybe the books describe them differently). As for the story lines, episode 2 was a little slow, but 1,3, and 4 were pretty cool (especially the Striga episode). Overall, I like it so far.
Calc 12.30.19	I just finished it, whoever said it plays like a CW show is right. Cavill is great but 8 episodes is just not enough to develop the characters and story with all the time jumps going on. will continue to watch though since it's dumb entertaining
trilo 12.30.19	watched the first ep yesterday and it was kinda garbage. looks like a daytime syfy show with awful writing. only good thing i can say was the fight choreography was pretty good. does it get better?
rabidfish 12.30.19	it gets better but not much. if it's hot garbage now, it'll only be slightly better garbage by ep. 4.
Zorg 12.30.19	"Also funny that peeps were pulling the "botching of Slav literature card" when the show was vetted and approved by Andrej, which is more than can be said of the games." Just because it was approved by the author does not mean that it hasn't lost the Slavic spirit (it has). Though I think Cavill does a great Geralt.
TheNotrap 12.30.19	I had no idea the series was based on a video game. That explains the characters' emotional vacuum
Zorg 12.30.19	It's based on a book series from Poland. But it was made more popular from the video game series also based on the book series.
TheNotrap 12.30.19	Thanks for the intel man
Willie 12.30.19	I understand them making it accessible to people that havne't played the game or read the books. I guess that might make it play like a CW show (I've never actually seen one). I assumed the first season would be establishing all the back stories and the fuck ton of lore. I'm guessing there will be way less time jumps after this season.
TheSpirit 12.30.19	First few episodes are confusing b/c already the show is so heavily steeped in backstory and lore. It alienates anyone unfamiliar with the franchise. That being said, it really picks up after that point and by the end of the last episode any lingering questions have been answered and everything has been tied together quite nicely. Very very enjoyable show.
Willie 12.30.19	Glad to hear it. I look forward to finishing the season.
Calc 12.30.19	after selling the video game rights for a cheese sandwich I bet the creator is sitting in his bathtub of money right now laughing about how angry people are over the show's lack of fantastical authenticity
Larkinhill 12.31.19	I’ve been so obsessed with Witcher 3 haven’t even started this bloody series yet Dude, same! I finally got a PS4 last month, The Witcher 3 was actually the main reason I decided to finally get one. I bought a ton of awesome games, but have played nothing but Witcher for the past month and a half. Legit a top 3 game for me. Problem is my movie watch list is piling up because I only want to play Witcher, and I haven’t even been able to tear myself away to watch the show (I watched about 20 mins of the first ep, but this game has got me under some kind of trance).
Aerisavion 12.31.19	Yeah man, I’m pouring practically every free moment into it these days. I haven’t been this obsessed with simply roaming a massive open world since Skyrim. I’ve got so many reviews I want to write but motivation is shit haha
Larkinhill 12.31.19	I’m starting to gather everyone for the Kaer Moehran showdown, but still have so many side quests plus Witcher contracts, then the two DLCs. Gonna be stuck a while longer lol. But I fucking love it. Have you gotten to the part where you get trashed with your Witcher buds, then try on Yen’s Clothes? Best part of the game lol.
Aerisavion 12.31.19	Nah I’m still wayyyyyyy into early game doing side quest bits. Been exploring Valen mostly, just cleared out the ghost tower thing on the lake which was fun.
Divaman 12.31.19	I wasn't familiar with either the game or the books, but I liked the whole different timelines thing once I started to figure it out (somewhere around episode 3).
Dunpeal 12.31.19	i had my reservations about this, but then I took a step back and remembered how bad the polish movie and series were and how much I wanted a better produced version of this story. 3 episodes in and I have to say I'm on board. They seem to be weaving a coherent story from the books so far and the action scenes are top notch. I was worried the adult nature of this might get muted a bit and was hoping for HBO to pick this up, but Netflix appears to be throwing money into this and keeping it faithful to the books.
WatchItExplode 12.31.19	Yeah just started but it is actually great. Cavill is absolutely nailing the role. Got hardcore deja vu watching though.
Dunpeal 01.02.20	the only casting choice I have a real problem with is Fringilla because she's supposed to be a love interest later on but they have this chick looking very frumpy. 8 episodes was too short, 10 would've been the sweet spot, but given that abbreviation I thought they did well overall. If you didn't read the books, the timeline thing is probably super confusing. They kinda make it seem like they're going on all these adventures in the span of a few months when really these stories take place over many many years. Also, WTF did they not stick to Dandelion for the bard's name. That name fits this actor way better than polish-ass "Jaskier." I couldn't even understand what they were calling him through Geralt's gruff voice until I googled it
Willie 01.02.20	I've always thought the chick playing Fringilla was hot, so I didn't really have any issues with that one. Isn't Jaskier what he's called in the book?
rabidfish 01.02.20	frigilla is hot.
Willie 01.02.20	Haha. That's what I'm talking about.
polyrhythm 01.03.20	Just watched it through again with the missus. Episodes 5 and 6 are frustrating as hell - they took two great short stories and butchered them both. I enjoyed every other episode though, despite some iffy dialogue, and found 3 and 4 particularly good. Overall a strong 7 or a generous 7.5. I fully expect the show will be class from here on out, with an inevitable rise in budget, a less confusing timeline going forward, and fingers crossed for better dialogue. I think this first season will go down in history as the promising, albeit rocky debut which laid the foundation for something special.
polyrhythm 01.03.20	Most of the women in this show are gorgeous. Yen, Renfri and Sabrina were all smokin'
Willie 01.03.20	Renfri is easily the hottest so far, IMO. Spoiler ***************** I was sad to see she's not part of the actual series.
anarchistfish 01.03.20	Agreed renfri hottest
Willie 01.03.20	I just checked her IMDB and she hasn't really been in anything else. Sucks...
BigHans 01.03.20	I power watched this as was snowed in for 3 days with nothing to do. I thought it was awesome, maybe because I had never even heard of the character before, so I have nothing to compare it to. Just found it entertaining as Hell.
Willie 01.03.20	I've only played Witcher 3, and I've made it through 5 Episodes, but I'm hooked.
anarchistfish 01.03.20	There's always Google images Actress for Ciri is p hot too ngl https://images.app.goo.gl/H8gebR7Xh8WWax6a8
rabidfish 01.03.20	Emhyr is played by richard horne from Twin Peaks the Return. I knew i recognized that crazy looking mf.
anarchistfish 01.03.20	Was surprised to find out Ciri and pavetta are played by different people. Look so similar
Willie 01.03.20	--Was surprised to find out Ciri and pavetta are played by different people. Look so similar-- Same here. I've been able to keep up on the different time periods, but the ones with Pavetta initially threw me off because I thought it was Ciri. I thought it was crazy that they were having her get married. I had to IMDB that shit and then re-watch the episode.
Valkoor952 01.03.20	so is this actually worth watching/ close to the game in terms of atmosphere lore and story or is it another bastardized american version of a foreign product
polyrhythm 01.03.20	Well they don't have fucking American accents like in the games, which is a relief It does a pretty good job of capturing the atmosphere, lore and story of the BOOKS it is based on... not on "the game" (presumably you mean Witcher 3, spoken of as though it was the first game in a series lmao) If you are expecting something with the scope and visual pizzaz of of Wild Hunt, then you won't get that. Not even LOTR or GOT ever had that much visual flourish. But if you come in expecting the grim, grey medieval world of the books, with its fairy tale-inspired stories, creepy monsters and lots of talk about destiny, then you will probably like it... sure sounds like you haven't read the books though
Willie 01.03.20	The atmosphere, sarcastic humor, sex, and violence are all very similar to the video game. Even the video game Bard is similiar to the one on the show. I've only played Witcher 3, and the show was similar enough for me to enjoy it even if all the stories are from the books (apparently).
polyrhythm 01.03.20	They stick to the lore pretty close, do some aight worldbuilding as far as the various factions go, and the moral dilemmas Geralt faces in the game are present here (as they are in the books of course). The story takes some time to get chugging along, but I mean it took the author 2.5 books for the main saga to start anyway so yeah, prepare for some heavy exposition and time setting up these characters and their driving forces
anarchistfish 01.03.20	emma appleton gives me serious meg myers vibes btw and yea as solely having played witcher 3 i thought the show was great. the deep voice is lifted straight from the games was the main thing i noticed. it was cool to see the backstory i could never be bothered to dig through told on the (big) screen. if you're a major sexy triss fan you're gonna have sad cum tonight though but my overall impression if anything is that the series is targeted at least partially, probably quite highly, with the game fanbase in mind; to the extent that if you're not at least a bit familiar with the games or books it's pretty hard to follow or invest in, which is where I think a lot of the bad critic reviews are coming from. so yeah just fucking watch it, and google the timeline if you have to. i had a pic somewhere but cba. show is flawed but epic
Dunpeal 01.04.20	@Willie yes, Jaskier is the bard's name in the Polish books. He goes by Dandelion in the English translation books and video game. Yes, it's kind of a weird and fruity name, but I'm used to it and it just fits the bard better at this point imo as a matter of fact, they kind of don't portray their relationship perfectly, but i'll give them the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to still being early in the books, Dandelion is definitely always in the middle of some drama, but he's not as much of a nuisance and annoyance to Geralt as he's being portrayed so far. He's a ladies man, confidant and usually Geralt's trusty wing-man. He'a a pretty cool dude overall, but he's coming off as quite the clumsy goof so far. Hopefully they develop him better later on
Willie 01.04.20	In the game he seemed to me to come off like a nuisance and annoyance, and a clumsy goof. It seems to me they did pull from the games for some influence, even though the chick running the show totally denies it.
Aerisavion 01.04.20	Lark you still as hooked on W3 as I am? Can’t stop playing the bastard
anarchistfish 01.04.20	dandelion is a stupid name
GhostB1rd 01.05.20	You insult the visuals in LOTR you insult your own intelligence.
Larkinhill 01.05.20	Lark you still as hooked on W3 as I am? Can’t stop playing the bastarD So fucking hooked dude. Play it nearly every night, usually until 4 in the morning lol (but I do work nights and usually don’t start playing until midnight or so). I’m at level 24 and gathering all the troops from the various cities for the final showdown against the Wild Hunt in Kaer Moehran. Then I’ll move on to the DLC (cannot wait time get to Touissant). Thing that bugs the shit out of me is that I have dozens of missions I haven’t played. I’ve been squeezing some in here and there, but I’ll definitely have to play through a second time. Got hooked on playing Friday the 13th and Dead by Daylight this week though. Holy fuck are these games fun as hell and extremely addictive.
Larkinhill 01.05.20	dandelion is a stupid name Talk shit about Dandelion and it’ll be the last thing you ever say.
Aerisavion 01.05.20	“Thing that bugs the shit out of me is that I have dozens of missions I haven’t played.“ Yeah I’ve done the total opposite tbh haha, chasing down every side mission I can find and then aiming for the story later on
Willie 01.05.20	Haha. That's what I do with any game like the Witcher that has a ton of side quests. I try to accomplish all the side quests first, then just plow through the story from start-to-finish without any interruptions (and usually way overpowered, by that point).
Aerisavion 02.03.20	So apparently Mark Hamill has jokingly agreed to play Vesemir. I’m down with this.
polyrhythm 02.03.20	"Mark Hamill has jokingly" cue signature maniacal laughter
DDDeftoneDDD 02.03.20	watching this and playing Wild Hunt...gorgeous game m/ "Can’t stop playing the bastard" 3