Netflix needed a bit of fresh air. It's facing increased competition from other streaming services and it's original programming has been very hit and miss. It needed a new flagship show. The Witcher may just be it.

I've watched one episode so far. I'll do another review when I've finished the series, but I'm savouring it rather than binge-watching.

I've only played The Witcher 2 and 3. I know those games inside out. I know basically nothing about the books (though I know I should read them) asides from the lore contained in the games and bits and bobs picked up on the wiki.

After pausing the episode halfway through to google why Geralt only has one sword, I tried to just switch off my knowledge of the games and enjoy the show, and enjoy it I did.

The action is slick and brilliantly choreographed (even featuring some Signs, for game players). There's little nauseating quick-cutting. The music is reminiscent of the games, featuring a beautiful blend of Slavic instrumentation and melody with traditional western orchestral style. The script is a little heavy on the exposition, though the heavy lifting is done early on in the episode leaving the rest of it to get down to the brewing political intrigue and action. There's some pretty spectacular CGI, especially in the opening scene. Production values are overall very high quality.

The performances are mostly solid. Henry Cavill has a tough role to play because Geralt isn't the most charismatic of protagonists, but he brings more depth to the role than the mumblegrowl of the games. Freya Allan immediately convinced me in the role of Ciri. She's got little mannerisms here and there. She's sarcastic and rebellious, but also genuine. Other performances are nothing to write home about, but they're sufficient.

For players of the games, this helps fill in so much of Geralt's backstory that we've only heard passing reference to in the games (including a particularly important one). For book readers, I'm sure this is a more faithful adaptation of the books than the games are.

For newcomers, honestly, I'm not sure if I can recommend it at this stage. We'll have to see. It jumps deep into the mythos of The Witcher series with little easing into it. Unlike Game of Thrones (which The Witcher will inevitably be compared to) there's not much in the way of build up. Episode one launches you right into the middle of a major conflict, before you've gotten to know any of the main characters.

It's good - much better than expected - and I'm looking forward to watching the rest of the series over Christmas.