Witcher Season 2

SPOILERS below just FYI for Witcher Netflix season 2

I said I wasn't doing this, in fact I have another blog almost good to go saying no more random blogs BUT I have to do this one. Its the Witcher! Its my jam! The books are awesome and I admit I sadly only played Wild Hunt I didn't do 1 or 2 but I do know the storylines.... So let me quickly jump into Netflix season 2....

First let me say I have heard more than once they have a seven season goal. I admit 7 / 8 seems to be the ideal length for shows. Look at Walking Dead and it dragging out and getting awful.... BUT I am asking for more than 7! Or at least more episodes / season if that is the plan. I pretty much watched the whole season in a Sunday afternoon evening. You could make 7 seasons just based on the Wild Hunt game let alone all the source material they are using for the show. (Hell Blood and Wine could be a few seasons & even Hearts of Stone is a season or 2)

First off I want to say production value seems better. I think they realized they had a hit and gave the show a few more bucks. Which is good, I have no proof of that either I am just saying it looked better. Also a more straight foreward timeline was nice. Even having read the books in season 1 a few times I was confused as to when and where our heroes were. This was nice and clear for those questions. I do have a big beef with the "buildings" and such though. In general other than Kaer Morhen they all looked the same to me! Maybe I am dumb but ya cities, ruins, they all kinda looked the same. Also the Wild Hunt looked awful, sorry. I mean up close they DO look like the game just way cheesier on TV than on an animated game. Going to assume they become a big part of the series, lets work on the look.

Moving past that what I like is also what I hated about this season! I absolutely hate Eskel being dead. I enjoy him in the game and unless somehow he is written alive again I hate him being dead. Part of me hates deviating from the source material. HOWEVER I really enjoy some of it as well. While it seems to be still going in the same direction how we are getting there is different. Everyone is getting ready to hunt Ciri, I have to reread the books but I think it was different...I mean I doubt Ciri can go to Thanedd now, everyone is already looking for her. So that will clearly change and Yen is wanted so again will we see the Thanedd coup? Certain parts seem lined up for it like the elves and Nilfgaard but major components seem unlikely. Again that is not a complaint, well I guess it kind of is as I would really like to see this scene. It is the equalivant to the "Red Wedding" which scarred people in GoT that didn't know what was coming. However having all these people already hunting Ciri should give her and Geralt a lot of new adventures. I mean I really think they still need to follow somewhat of the laid out material for things to make sense BUT it is cool to throw some changes in. SO nerds like me who think they know everything don't see things coming.

So for new characters Rience was cool to see. Honestly that whole subplot from the books is fairly interesting and I am hoping to see more of it. I am sorry but Charles Dance should have been the white flame! Beside that it took all season for a minute long scene? I will admit the build up was a let down compared to seeing him. It was awesome to see Nenneke on screen. It may just be my interpretation of the books but she seems to have a big influence on Geralt. Of course Netflix would stick with a star from another hit (Bridgerton) and thats fine she is a great actress. Dijkstra also shows up. I am not sold on him. I mean love the character but not sure it is the right actor. Dijkstra is so clever and I hate to said it but Graham McTavish doesn't feel right. Also I really liked Codringher and Fenn. I am hoping we see more of them, a lot more. They could be a good way to show backstories that maybe don't need a ton of screen time. But if we stick to source material.... Vesemir felt alright. Like not bang on but close. All the Mark Hamil rumors for that role may have ruined me though. I would have loved that. Lambert, Lambert what a prick.... He could have got more screen time but having Coen at the keep is also cool. I see all these online debates Yen or Triss... What about Shani! She is literally the only women in Geralts life who doesn't fuck him around. I thought we might see her in Oxenfurt, sadly we didn't but maybe someday Netflix??

Okay so the overall story.... So right off the bat I dont like Eskels death. They literally introduced a bunch of cannon fodder Witchers so why kill Eskel? I mean sure fanboys will feel it but overall most people probably dont really care. Giving him a 3 minute memory with Geralt isn't going to make most people care all that much. I love Vesemir being there but I wasn't too cool with him being willing to try and transform Ciri. He dies protecting her I don't see him risking that... Like I said its okay to deviate from source material  but this whole story honestly is almost as much about Ciri as Geralt and protecting her becomes the goal, so again I don't see Vesemir doing that... Also on top of that did I miss that? I don't think Ciris blood does that in the games or the books. So I thought that was super lame. I wanted more Lambert! Honestly when they are all calling Ciri trapped in her mind and she is almost free I really thought douchey Lambert might be the last voice that broke her free. (I was wrong) Triss was good and bad at the same time.... I like her coming to Kaer Morhen like the books, I hate her running in fear and selling Ciri out. Sure back to the Yen / Triss debate either way I don't see her seeing out Ciri. Yens greed seems possible, Triss betrayal not so much. Jaskier or as gamers call him Dandelion. I love this character. Everyone is so grim and moody except him yet he still has some of the best and most clear lines about humanity. (This entire series is about humanity if you missed that. In fact it often does a better deal of dealing with racism that BLM but i am not getting in to that)  His pokes at Yen had me laughing. In a world of heroes and villains he is the most normal which I think is endearing. I mean we all think we could be a big hero but in reality I think most of us end up the side kick who now and then is helpful. Then you get to the big 3 and I am starting with Geralt. All in all he is simply Geralt. There really isn't a story arc. He guards Ciri, kicks some ass and in reality doesn't change or have much of an arc at all. At least last season there were various stories (Shorts from the books) that showed more of him. This season he is simply Ciris rock. Yen IMO has the biggest arc. She loses what makes her Yen but still manages to take care of herself. She shows she is still ruthless and willing to do whatever including sacrifice Ciri but in the end can't. Same as saving Dandelion. For all her coldness she is still a good person. Or at least a person you want on your side. I am glad she got her magic back though. I dunno if I could stand them changing that... Ciri of course is the biggest story. She starts Witcher training and we know she will be deadly someday. Falka of the Rats.... She starts magic and clearly is powerful in that as well HOWEVER the big thing is the "blinking" We see what she is known for in the Wild Hunt. That in reality is cool and I hope we see more of that. The flipside of that is how if she is already this bad ass will Bonhart handle her. He is a big part of her story for a long time. The fact is he is deadly enough to supposedly kill Witchers but the Lady of Time and Space is actually more deadly than anyone. IF the show keeps up the story and Yen trains her magic, Geralt her swords and she masters blinking really who is going to be able to fight her? There is a reason that the wild hunt want her so bad. Also I do hope one day the Rats gang is introduced and Ciri gets a unicorn, not like Yens.... I mean there was some foreshadowing there. Also mentioning Falka was a very nice touch.....

I have to end on the White Flame. Like I said I am a Witcher nerd so to me the big reveal at the end he is Ciris dad really wasn't a big reveal. My wife said I was wrong, some people would have no idea. Then she was proven right, I get a text from a friend who had no idea and she says OMG the white flame! I had to laugh I guess it is a huge reveal to some.

Anyways quick blog done, Witcher season 2 definitely worth a watch!