Despite its imperfections, Netflix's dark fantasy offering is a worthwhile watch thanks to its character-driven approach to storytelling. Its first season does a surprisingly good job of fleshing our two of its three central characters - the titular Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, and Yennefer of Vengerberg.

The former's story takes the form of multiple self-contained episodes but each offers a peek at the humanity that lies beneath the monster slayer's hulking, brooding exterior. Henry Cavill brings a unique charm to Geralt and is a complete joy to watch whenever he's on screen. Yennefer's more tragic origin tale is equally compelling as it delves deep into the troubled character's psyche and is anchored by an impressive Anya Chalotra.

The Witcher's weakest link is its third central character Ciri, who just isn't as interesting as Geralt and Yennefer. Her saving grace is her connection to Geralt which makes her scenes worth sitting through even if they don't do much to develop her as a character.

The non-linear (not chronological) narrative of The Witcher breaks the momentum of the story when it doesn't work but thankfully, such occasions are few and far between. When it does work, this non-linear style ties in neatly with the show's recurring theme of destiny.

If you're asking if this is the next Game of Thrones, the answer is no. While it also takes place in a medieval setting and contains political intrigue, The Witcher differentiates itself from Thrones by building its own immersive world complete with interesting lore and prioritising personal stories over politics and conspiracies. You'd be doing yourself a disservice if you thought of it as a Thrones clone.