Geralt of Rivia is a witcher. He was sent to a brotherhood that trains children to become hunters of monsters and magical creatures. Many witchers have disappeared. Geralt survived, but he’s one of the best.
He pays little attention to the world’s troubles and the power struggles taking place there. The kingdoms are at war, having formed an alliance against Nilfgaard, which is ruled by a ruthless emperor. Every king is advised by a witch, because magic is powerful in this world—and unpredictable.
But now, a young princess on the run—Cirilla, whose kingdom has been destroyed—is developing an extraordinary power. With everyone hunting her down, she seeks refuge with a protector she has never met: Geralt.
A tale for adults, blending magic, horror, and wonder
Based on the novels of the same name by Andrzej Sapkowski, the series explores a richly detailed universe. Monsters abound, magic comes in many forms, and there are countless powers. The universe is even more complex than that, but I won’t give anything away here. As in any good heroic fantasy story, we encounter a multitude of characters from diverse peoples. There are classic races reimagined—elves, dwarves—as well as more original ones.
This diversity is a strength, but it also poses a challenge in ensuring the audience isn’t overwhelmed as the seasons unfold. However, a quartet is at the heart of the entire plot: Gerald and Ciri, as well as the sorceress Yennefer of Venderberg and the bard Jaskier (whose narrative value I didn’t really see). The first season added an extra layer of complexity by interweaving different time periods, without a linear timeline. Many people (including me) felt that this was a bit much, and the subsequent seasons return to a logical chronology.
The actor playing Geralt changed in Season 4, leaving fans skeptical, because Liam Hemsworth, as handsome as he is, doesn’t have Henry Cavill’s charisma. But the action and the story keep things interesting.
The series has spawned numerous spin-offs: An animated origin story film, Nightmare of the Wolf (2021). A prequel miniseries, Blood Origin (2022). A second animated film, Sirens of the Deep (2025). A feature-length special, The Rats: A Witcher Tale (2025).
4 seasons, 32 episodes (60 mn), 2019 – , on Netflix
WITH :
- Ciri & Witchers : Henry Cavill (seasons 1–3) then Liam Hemsworth (season 4) as Geralt of Rivia, Freya Allan as Ciri / “Falka”, or Cirilla, Kim Bodnia (season 2) then Peter Mullan (The bombing of Pan Am 103) (season 4) as Vesemir
- Sorceresses and mages : Anya Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg, MyAnna Buring as Tissaia de Vries, Mimî M. Khayisa as Fringilla, Anna Shaffer as Triss Merigold, Royce Pierreson as Istredd, Mahesh Jadu as Vilgefortz, Cassie Clare as Philippa, Lars Mikkelsen (Star Wars: Ashoka, Sherlock) as Stregobor, Therica Wilson-Read as Sabrina
- Humans : Eamon Farren as Cahir the “Black Knight”, Joey Batey as Jaskier, Graham McTavish (Outlander) as Sigismund Dijkstra, Bart Edward as Emperor Emhyr, Meng’er Zhang as Milva, Jodhi May (Renegade Nell) as Queen Calanthe, Adam Levy as Mousesack, Ed Birch as King Vizimir
- Elves, dwarves, gnomes & other creatures: Wilson Mbomio as Dara, Mecia Simson as Francesca Findabair, Danny Woodburn as Zoltan Chivay, Laurence Fishburne as Emiel Regis
- Guests : Robbie Amell (Upload) as Gallatin (season 3), James Purefoy (Altered Carbon, A discovery of witches, Sex education) as Stefan Skellen (season 4)…