The Witcher - Netflix **Spoilers**

I still haven't warmed to most of the castings other than Henry Caville if I'm being honest

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118351109#Comment_118351109

Likewise.

Sonics2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118351109#Comment_118351109

I think Joey Batey is doing a great job as Jaskier/Dandelion honestly. Freya Allen is certainly growing in the role of Ciri.

Cavill is doing a great job not only because he's a great actor, but also because he is a massive, massive fan of the books.

I do have a bad feeling that Netflix will cancel the series though, and it's on them for that. The only real negative things I'm seeing about the show is the veering off from the established story.

Relikk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118351268#Comment_118351268

About cancellation, I got that impression when I read that they were giving Cavill a million an episode. It immediately felt like they want it to fail or be enough of a financial burden so they have an excuse to cancel it. Very odd.

The White Wolf

I don't think there's a hope in hell they're cancelling this, it would be mental. A tight 8 episode series that is being watched is exactly what they need more of.

People are watching this, make no mistake.

pixelburp

That's quite the reach, that Netflix are paying more for Cavill cos they want to cancel the show? That makes nose sense. If Netflix want to cancel a show, they cancel it quicksmart and have had no problem cutting all sorts; be they big or small budget. And as White Wolf says, The Witcher is a huge hit for them. Not without reason there's at least one spin off on the way

Caught the first episode and yeah, that landed much better than the shaggier, messier first season already. This show is so aggressively crude, violent and melodramatic and it's a great watch because of it. It nails that sense of European folklore as this bloody, lustful and macabre thing.

Relikk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118353475#Comment_118353475

Of course people are watching it. They even said so themselves. That doesn't stop them from cancelling some fan favourite shows, though. And of course it's a reach, it's an impression I got reading the article as I found it to be quite a lot of money to be paying an actor, per episode, on a streaming platform production, along with every other expense. It's kind of unheard of.

billyhead

There already releasing a prequel next year.

BKtje

Unheard of? Each episode of friends in later seasons cost 1 million per actor. Each episode of friends took a fraction of the time to film. No complicated makeup, no learning fight scenes, styles or staying in shape.

I would hazard an 8 episode season takes as long as feature movies to make. How much does he make for his box office films? More than 8 million I'd guess.

I'm not saying that it's not a huge amount but i don't think it's as much as it's being made out to be.

Relikk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118354007#Comment_118354007

I specifically said streaming platform production, no mention of network television in there at all.

Sonics2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118353676#Comment_118353676

Eh, of all the reasons Netflix would have to cancel a show I doubt the amount they're paying Cavill is of real concern. A million an episode for them is very low when you take in the amount that Netflix is worth. 1 million an episode is also not unheard of, there's a great interview with Jason Alexander out of Seinfield talking about getting paid insane amounts of money way back in the 90's, Charlie Sheen was earning just shy of 2 million an episode on Two and a Half Men.

Netflix have a long, long history of seemingly 'randomly' cancelling shows and rarely offer up an actual reason for doing so, quite often even to the cast of the show.

Markcheese

I've never read the books .. are they worth it ?

Potential-Monke

I felt this season had a lot less action, but I did thoroughly enjoy the first fight the dwarves were in, really well executed (pun intended). I'm gonna have to go back and binge the 2 seasons back to back, I feel like I forgot a lot of the first season.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118354074#Comment_118354074

TBH it just reads like conspiracy; or trying to find the cloud in the silver lining 🙂 Netflix are easy going throwing around the cash (see Red Notice and that casts paycheques) but this segue that it's Machiavellian strategy for cancellation is a bit weird, and unfounded beyond "TV service might cancel show". Yeah. They might, but there are no indications at all they will, for a noted hit (such that Netflix feel confident to commission 2 spinoffs already). Season 1 was a huge well-liked success, viral song n all. This isn't Cowboy Bebop, Jupiter Legacy or Teenage Bounty Hunters. And if you wanna cut a show, you don't plough more money into it for an excuse to do so.

I'm sure one day Netflix will announce season X will be the last, so I guess you can be right then, under the Stopped Clocks Rule 😁

BKtje

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118354073#Comment_118354073

True you didn't but Netflix is not a simple streaming platform (neither is Disney+ in that regard). I think they have more in common with the large film companies in how they create content and would feel that they are in direct competition with them in many aspects. In any cases they are employing movie stars and thus need to pay them accordingly.

I've definitely warmed to the castings as it went on. I just default to the characters I know from the Witcher 3 and it's jarring at first seeing them differently. Dijkstra was well cast though.

Relikk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118356424#Comment_118356424

It was fun hearing his name mentioned earlier in the episode, then when you saw who the actor was you immediately knew it was going to be Dijkstra. A good choice, indeed.

JimmyVik

Im really enjoying this season. About half way through now.

Overall i enjoyed the first season too, but all the jumping around in time really wrecked my head. Other half couldnt handle that and stopped watching half way through season one. I think if it had started doing that in season 2 i might have just given up.

The White Wolf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118351268#Comment_118351268

My brother hates Jaskier, I think Batey is doing great.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118356810#Comment_118356810

Oh yeah forgot about that; that made Season 1 more heavy-going than it ever should have. Did the producers/writers ever give a reason for it? Always seemed a bit arbitrary and without much of a payoff or point... have seen SEason 2 dropped that structure and is basically more serialised.

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118357217#Comment_118357217

Producer/writer said it was the only way to get all the characters stories out in the first season but had listened to fans complaints ahead of S2 but it was damn confusing for the likes of me who havent read the books, played the games etc

The bartender's comment on Jaskier's song was pretty meta

Sonics2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118357217#Comment_118357217

Even as a pretty big fan of the books and games I was so confused in Series 1 about the timeline

Potential-Monke

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118356963#Comment_118356963

I prefer him to the game one! Mostly because he's not making me do pointless boring quests.

Penn

The point about Cavill being paid 1m per episode is kinda redundant, because no chance anyone else in the cast is getting near that so that's going to balance things out anyway.

Much better season than the first. Still flawed in some respects, but much easier to follow and actually having Geralt and Ciri together made a huge difference. The actress playing Ciri put in a great performance too.

They definitely took a lot of the criticisms of Season 1 on board too. Changed all the Nilfgaardian armour especially.

The actress who played Ciri's grandmother though, in the final episode not even was she clearly not in the same room as everyone else, I'm not even sure she was in the same country. They showed the back of her head more than the front.

Markcheese

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118356963#Comment_118356963

I found jaskier a bit annoying in season , really worked in season 2 ....

Sad Professor

First season was quite rough around the edges in places but felt distinctive and had its own style. So far (two episodes left) this season feels a little bland in comparison. There's clearly been some changes behind the scenes. Music isn't as good, direction isn't as good and some characters seem to have changed personality. There's also a shift away from the main 3 and onto previously minor characters/actors and feels like them trying to be GOT. Some aspects are improved and I am liking the story but overall I am a bit disappointed so far.

readyletsgo

I dropped off by episode 5 of S2. Just hasnt grabbing me like S1 did.

I hear that Netflix looks at the amount of episodes people watch, not the overall viewings. I dont think it will be cancelled, but S3 might be a tough sell (for me anyway).

pixelburp

Speaking of spin offs, we have a trailer of the latest, Blood Origin, starring Michelle Yeoh:

https://youtu.be/6wDY4aSf-Rg

Slydice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118366755#Comment_118366755

WANT!

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NOWWW!!!