While clunky at times and difficult to navigate without some effort, there is a giddy hope in Netflix's The Witcher that vastly outweighs its flaws. Unlike its benchmark predecessor in HBO's Game of Thrones, which boasted grounded human stories told in a gritty fantasy world, The Witcher is unafraid to tap into its most bizarre, fantastical (and at times, campy) elements. Elixirs and potions, portals and spells, wild beasts and mythical creatures grounded in lore; there's even a singing bard, lute and all.

If Game of Thrones gets credit for opening the fantasy door to genre newcomers, The Witcher deserves praise for storming through that open door, kicking its dirty boots onto table, and pouring itself a mug of Cintrian Faro.