RIOTUS

I will never understand Netflix’s penchant for gleefully canceling excellent shows after two seasons, but recasting the main character of a series three seasons deep. Anyway, the streaming overlords are tossing more coin to The Witcher for two final seasons, now starring Liam Hemsworth as Geralt, following Henry Cavill’s (rumored to be rather tumultuous) exit. Hemsworth has some pretty large boots to fill, but the way Season 4 introduces him as Geralt is an interesting one (no spoilers), and you have to give the show kudos for taking a creative approach to rewriting history. 

Indeed, Geralt has come a long way since we first met him; once a monster hunter who worked for the highest bidder, he will now stop at nothing to find Ciri (Freya Allan) and reunite with Yennefer (Anya Chalotra). Hemsworth does a fine job as Geralt—it was always going to be tough not to draw comparisons to previous portrayals of the character, but for the most part, he sinks into the role well. He doesn’t quite make the character his own yet, but by the end of the season, he’s well on his way and brings some fresh and nuanced layers to the portrayal.

On his adventures, Geralt collects a misfit band of allies—his hansa/hanza, for the Witcher OGs—who each bring their own perspective, motivations, and skills to the table. The hansa is held together by the glue of the show, Jaskier (Joey Batey), who gets more chances to shine, sing, and get himself into trouble, making for some of the season’s highlights. Joining them is Regis, a higher vampire and barber-surgeon who deals in wisdom and scene-stealing. The always excellent Laurence Fishburne is having a blast chewing up the scenery here, dressed to the nines in the most fabulous costuming. 

The sharp-witted sniper with sharper arrows, Milva (Meng’er Zhang), becomes the crew’s compass in every sense of the word, getting them out of trouble and making sure they stay true to themselves. I loved Zhang in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and it’s great to see her show off her action skills. Zoltan (Danny Woodburn) and later Yarpen (Jeremy Crawford) round out the main troupe, bringing a certain level of both strength and cheer. 

Elsewhere, Yennefer begins to recruit other mages to help her challenge Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu). Yen’s character arc continues to be one of the biggest draws of this show, and Chalotra brings immense depth to her portrayal. Meanwhile, Vilgefortz is the other side of the coin to Yennefer; he seeks ultimate control and will stop at nothing to get it. Jadu plays him with so much menace and charisma that you can’t help but shiver when he shows off his powers.

As for Ciri, she adopts the name Falka and joins the Rats, a ragtag group of thieves and vagabonds who serve no master but themselves, providing her with the perfect cover. It’s here she bonds with Mistle (Christelle Elwin), the dangerous but loyal outlaw. It doesn’t take Ciri long to settle into this new way of living, but something much darker is calling: Her destiny.

Destiny has long cast its shadow over The Witcher, but it’s never more keenly felt than here as the story barrels along towards an inevitable war. Separating Geralt, Yen, and Ciri gives the show more time to build their motivations and desires outside of each other, while also keeping the audience curious to see how they’ll reunite. The narrative follows familiar fantasy adventure beats, blending Game of Thrones-esque murderous political machinations, medieval punishments, and monstrous side quests. 

With the changes in casting comes a tonal shift; the season is still hyper-violent and dark, but the scenes where the show reveals its twisted yet still beating heart allow more room for connection with the characters. Hemsworth himself said he wants to bring a sense of humor back to the show, and you’ll definitely enjoy those moments of levity amongst the blood and gore. Comparisons to the original games aside, I’ve always felt this show adaptation is at its best when it doesn’t take itself too seriously and gives us those reprieves, to remind us of what Geralt & co. are fighting for. In trying to course correct from S3’s rather forgettable run, S4 is a little jumbled in its approach, but the overall effect is solid. You can even begin to see how the show plans to bring all the story threads together. 

It has echoes of 2023’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves in that it feels more like a fantasy adventure that wants to have a good time in amongst the darkness. At times, the writing and dialogue border on cheesy, even a little too performative, like the heroic savior moments or the heavy-handed highlighting of women’s constant struggle to survive in a cruel world. The attempt is appreciated, even if the execution falls short of sincere—especially when it goes right back to torturing and violence in the next scene, just for kicks. 

But the season does take time to flesh out the world in creative and surprisingly moving ways, and has fun remembering that this is, after all, one big monstrous fairytale playground of the Grimm kind. Sometimes it works, at other times you might find yourself working hard to stay in tune with the show. The CG of magic and monsters is among the better-rendered effects of TV fantasy, as it leans into the fantastical part instead of uncanny realism. Especially when underpinned by The Witcher’s boldly beautiful score. And by Nilfgaard, it is refreshing to watch a fantasy show where you can see everything, even at nighttime. 

I went into S4 of The Witcher without much hope, given the obstacles facing its creation, but ended up having a pretty good time. It won’t work for everybody, particularly those wanting a more serious and gritty portrayal of the white wolf. However, it looks like Netflix is committed to telling a complete story, with both Easter eggs and good twists for any level of Witcher fan to discover. And, given the success of their animated spin-offs, Sirens of the Deep and Nightmare of the Wolf, it’s good to see Netflix experimenting with style and storytelling techniques in fantasy. Whether it will pay off when applied to an established show in the long run, only time will tell.