I never read the books, but I did play the games.

The Witcher 2 and 3 were a couple of the best games I ever played! The first season was a bit weak, but it seemed to have the beginnings of a show that could grow and possibly become something really great. I was cautiously excited and looking forward to what could possibly come next!

Perhaps another Game of Thrones caliber show?

Nope! The casting and character introductions were done pretty well in the first season I suppose.

Some of the special effects at the end of the first season made me think they were perhaps a bit over budget near the end of filming... Totally forgivable in a first season! Then the show changed abruptly and awfully. I managed to grind my way through the second season even though it progressively got more confusing and political and ultimately quite "lame" for lack of a better term. I STILL didn't want to give up on it and I got mildly excited again when the third season arrived. IT IS AWFUL! I wanted to like it! I wanted to continue watching. I can't bear to watch another minute of it and I'm only half way through. I'm not the type to fall asleep watching movies or shows, but this one makes my eyelids feel like lead. Whoever is running this show seems to have not been at all interested in making a show about "Geralt of Rivia The Witcher". It's all just god awful feudal politics, painfully forgettable characters, and women and very feminine men discussing their feelings now. Of course there is still a battle between a monster and Geralt every 4 episodes or so, but you have no idea why he's even doing it because everything in between is just dreadfully perplexing and awfully stupid. Just.. Don't waste your time with this one. I wish I could get those hours back! I'd give it a 0 if I could. This is an epic failure, and it really had the potential to have been something great. Someone made it "their own", and "their own" is just a monumentally tragic failed attempt at story telling and cinematography that likely irreparably damaged a valuable intellectual property.