My experience of the Witcher's lore and history goes as far as playing Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, therefore my review may not hold much gravitas as others due to my lack of book knowledge. On the other hand, knowing that this show is based upon the books and NOT the video game allows me to approach this TV series with a fresh set of eyes whilst still appreciating some of the history, characteristics and existing relationships between Gerald and the rest of this vast fantasy world.

As a massive fan of fantasy in both movies and TV I'm always sceptical when it comes to widely publicised or highly hyped new series, re-makes, or re-vamps. However, the Witcher's first season was brilliant. Sure, they spent an average of about $10 million per episode but the Witcher offers so much more than the impressive camera angles and expensive visuals. Digging deeper and past the ascetics of the show there are so many underlying elements that make this show more than an emotionless Michael Bay-esc production.

The dialog, emotional suspense, character interaction, lore appreciation and complex relationships amongst other elements are all there. Each character has their own story, personality and weaknesses which get revealed more and more throughout this first season, doing a great job at introducing potential character arcs and hinting at future character development. As for the casting, Henry Cavill playing Gerald is worthy of noting, his performance on screen is perfect and attitude to the character off screen has made him an instant hit for this show, can't really fault his performance so far. Anya Chalotra as Yennefer is definitely a good casting, the chemistry with Cavill is definitely there and it's notable that she's a confident actor, looking forward to seeing her and Gerald's relationship develop. The young Freya Allan as Ciri is the last cast member of the 'main three', compared to the other two her performance isn't as convincing or captivating - This isn't unexpected to due to acting experience of the others and screen time they got compared to Ciri, however I do believe Allan will drastically improve for season two. It is very hard to fault this show, but if I was cherry picking I would mention that the chronology and constant 'flash-backs' in the first season got me slightly confused. I was nearly half way through the show and realised that some characters where on different timelines.

Season two is set to release in 2021 and I can't wait. There is probably more expectations for season two now than for the first, having now gathered a fan base and diverse viewers pleasing all of them will be near impossible, so I'm intrested to see which route they take this show - Full on fan service or a complex and compelling story. The countdown begins!

One last thing - This is not GoT, do not compare the two. Yes there are swords, yes there is magic and yes there are mythical beasts but this is a completely different fantasy world. Detach yourself from the huge expectations and enjoy the show on its own.