I'm a massive fan of the Witcher in all shapes and forms. I read the books three times when I was in high school, completed all the games as they were released, even watched the disappointing Polish serialization, and now, finally, the time has come for Netflix to take up the challenge.

The long wait is finally over, and now I'm on my third go on the first eight episodes of the series. I must admit that not everything here is perfect - some of my favorite scenes from the books are missing, some were not dramatic enough in my opinion, a few dialogues are not entirely coherent in English (much improved in Polish dubbing), and the camerawork seems awkward at times. All of this is a minor annoyance, though, and for me, it's an excellent, well-made production, with a considerable potential for growth.

All main cast characters have been made very well. Henry Cavill is a very believable witcher - cold and reserved, with just the right amount of wittiness and humanity flashing through his mercenary facade. Anya Chalotra is the best Yennefer I've seen so far, and she managed to pull out the problematic transition from a worthless, disfigured girl to a stunning, proud, powerful, and ambitious sorceress. Same with Joey Batey, his Jaskier is just flawless, spirited and funny, I loved every single scene he's in, his music sending chills down my spine at times. Mimi Ndiweni, as Fringilla stands out as well, making this secondary character a vital addition to the main plot, and I hope her role is going to grow in importance. Anna Shaffer made a very nice interpretation of Triss Merigold, but I wish we saw a little bit more of her. Freya Allan pulled out Ciri just fine; however, I think her time to shine is yet to come, as her plotline so far is pretty dull in comparison to what awaits her throughout the story. From secondary characters, Jodhi May as Queen Calanthe caught my heart, and I regret her part in the plot already ended.

I enjoyed how the creators managed to stitch up different parts of the story together and fill out the blanks with their own ideas. Their take on how magic works differs significantly from the source material, making mages less powerful and more manageable in war scenes. It also highlights the difference between regular magic and the power of elder blood Cirilla wields. Introducing ethnic diversity could be done with more thought and background information, in my opinion, but it was decent and made me think back on the all-Caucasian world presented in the games as rather bland and incomplete in this aspect. All in all, I feel most of the changes make sense and allowed the creation of a believable, coherent, and exciting world.

I enjoy the series so far. For me, it's the best fantasy series at the moment. Some minor things feel quirky and unpolished, but I think that as the whole staff gains experience, it's just going to keep being better and better in the seasons to come.