The Witcher had a very good first season. It was interesting, and Geralt, played by Henry Cavill, proved to be a compelling protagonist, along with Princess Cirilla, played by Freya Allan, and Yennefer, played by Anya Chalotra. While the first season was interesting, it also chose to break up the events. The plot fragmented into three different storylines, all occurring at different points in the timeline. One storyline followed Geralt, the other Ciri, and the last followed Yennefer. This narrative structure proved very confusing, and luckily the second season does not follow this pattern. In light of the second season, the first season more or less serves to build up each of the three protagonists and establish them firmly in the world of the Witcher, which is called the Continent.
The different kingdoms circle around each other, preparing for the battles soon to come. The second focus of the season, and the much more pertinent one, is the dawning realization among the various groups of Ciri’s importance. The value of Ciri and her blood is a much discussed issue throughout the show. Many different groups seek to exploit her, and the second season goes into more depth about what it is that makes her so special.
Now that she is under Geralt’s care, he spends the season training her and keeping her safe from the prying hands and eyes of the many groups at play in this show. This season starts off slow, but quickly gains momentum after a couple episodes. The core of this season, Geralt and Ciri’s relationship, is much stronger than the core of the first season. Despite Ciri’s frequent presence in the first season, her connection to Geralt did not get built up much. The second season makes this much more important though, and the message of found family is very strong. One of the subplots of this season involves Yennefer losing her magic. This is a very interesting concept, and the show explores it well. But her regaining of her magic near the end of the season is a little abrupt.
Yennefer does not come across Geralt and Ciri until close to the end. I assume that her role as part of Geralt and Ciri’s little family will be explored in the next season. Another part of the season that works very well is the introduction of new witchers. Geralt takes Ciri to Caer Morhen, where witchers live in the winter. Adding this addition fleshes out the world even more, and creates a more lively setting, especially since witchers are so important to the show. It is possible that The Witcher suffers from having a bloated cast, but despite the many, many characters, it remains balanced fairly well. Season three is sure to bring many more surprises and revelations.
