--- title: "The Witcher: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/the-witcher/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/the-witcher" critics_score: 59 critics_reviews: 16 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Witcher (2019): what the critics said Critics' score 59 from 16 reviews: 5 positive, 7 mixed, 4 negative. The reviews split down the middle, and most critics land somewhere between grudging enjoyment and mild exasperation. What they agree on is Henry Cavill: gruff, committed and taciturn as Geralt, he is named again and again as the best thing on screen, and the swordplay around him is praised almost as often. Several notices also single out the scale of the production and the comedy, particularly Joey Batey’s exuberant bard, as the reasons the series works when it works. The complaints cluster on the storytelling. Critics find the timelines convoluted, the backstory dense, the exposition either absent or endless, and the tone unsteady, with humour landing where drama is meant to. Comparisons with Game of Thrones cut both ways, from a worthy successor to a cheaper imitation. The spread is wide: Collider and Paste call it well-built adult fantasy, while Den of Geek says it aims low and still misses, and The Times finds it ripe for mockery. ## The AV Club — William Hughes Rating B+. 20 December 2019. The review finds the series improves after an overly grim opening episode that apes Game of Thrones, becoming more engaging when its protagonists interact and it leans into fairy-tale elements rather than grimdark posturing. The critic praises the chemistry between leads and the show's embrace of its fantastical tropes once the structure settles. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/netflix-s-the-witcher-is-a-lot-more-fun-once-it-stops-p-1840353612) ## Empire — James Dyer Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2019. A rewarding, if convoluted, fantasy romp with a memorable hero and a vivid, grimdark world. Cavill is delightfully gruff in the lead, and the bleak, morally bankrupt world is unflinching with gore and rich in challenging themes. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/the-witcher/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2019. The critic suggests the show is for those who like this sort of thing, describing it as a Tolkienesque effects-heavy fantasy epic about monster-hunter Geralt of Rivia played by Henry Cavill. They highlight the toxic masculinity theme and note the convoluted names and wigs but acknowledge the appeal for fans of the genre. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/dec/20/the-witcher-review-netflix-henry-cavill) ## Radio Times — Huw Fullerton Rating 3/5. 20 December 2019. The series is flawed but ultimately lovable, with plenty of issues around dense backstory and focus, yet the critic completely and unironically enjoyed watching the whole thing. Cavill is a gift in the gruff, taciturn role of Geralt, with standout combat scenes. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/fantasy/the-witcher-review-netflix/) ## The i Paper — Jeff Robson Rating ★★★. 20 December 2019. The opening episode is a little confusing but handsomely mounted, with Henry Cavill's Geralt looking every inch the sword and sorcery hero. Battle scenes, special effects, and locations are impressive, though the dialogue can veer into the silly. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/the-witcher-episode-1-netflix-review-henry-cavill-377180) ## The Telegraph — Ed Power Rating 3/5. 20 December 2019. The review calls the Netflix adaptation a missed opportunity that lacks Game of Thrones' grandeur and politicking, feeling muddled and more like a mindless fantasy rollercoaster. It praises Henry Cavill as the best thing about it and notes strong action sequences amid convoluted subplots and YA-tinged secondary stories. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/0/witcher-review-netflixs-hotly-anticipated-sex-and-dragons-epic/) ## Variety — Daniel D'Addario Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2019. The show lacks tonal consistency and feels overlong and centerless, with moments of drama and violence undercut by misplaced humor. The appeal may be limited to those already under the spell of the source material. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2019/tv/reviews/witcher-netflix-1203434525/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2019. The piece uses a list of things absent from the show to highlight its dense, confusing mythology, lack of clear exposition, and surprising elements that defy expectations for a fantasy adaptation. It conveys a sense of the series being visually striking and eventful but hampered by restrictions and narrative opacity. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2019/12/the-witcher-netflix-review-no-spoilers.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2019. The series is mostly for pre-existing fans; when it takes itself seriously it is fairly bad with endless exposition, but when it doesn't it is reasonably fun thanks to cheeky elements and action. A curious neophyte may need patience. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/witcher-review-1264101/) ## The Times — Hugo Rifkind Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2019. The critic describes the show as ripe for mockery, oozing with incel testosterone and lacking inventive wit, precisely the kind of fantasy those who disliked Game of Thrones expected. They note watching multiple episodes despite the flaws and that some will love it while others will loathe it. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/the-witcher-review-ripe-for-mockery-but-im-watching-every-episode-jzfvlsdwb) ## Paste — Jacob Oller Rating 8.3. 20 December 2019. The critic praises the series as a wildly entertaining high fantasy treat that brings D&D-style fun with excellent fights, body horror, and performances, rewarding viewers who stick with the narrative. They single out Cavill’s deadpan delivery, the tone balancing goofy and grim, and Jaskier’s exuberance for praise. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/the-witcher/the-witcher-netflix-review) ## Collider — Tom Reimann Rating ★★★★. 20 December 2019. The critic calls the series entertaining high fantasy for adults that is well-constructed, well-acted, and refreshingly straightforward, creating a believable world on par with early Game of Thrones. They single out the impressive scale, production values, swordplay, and Cavill’s charming performance for praise. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-witcher-review-netflix/) ## NME — Mark Beaumont Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2019. The critic describes the series as a fun, often thrilling romp that fills the void left by Game of Thrones with its bloodthirsty fantasy elements, sex, monsters, and comedy. They single out the lighter, cartoonish tone and strong comedy thread, particularly Joey Batey’s Jaskier, for praise. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/the-witcher-review-netflix-2589876) ## Digital Spy — David Opie Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2019. The review likens the series to a flawed hybrid of Game of Thrones and The Mandalorian, praising Henry Cavill’s committed performance and the strong fight choreography while noting its potential as a fully realized fantasy world. It criticizes the pacing, the absence of the lead for long stretches, and the sense that season one functions mainly as an extended prologue. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a30284664/the-witcher-netflix-review-season-1/) ## The Ringer — Alison Herman Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 23 December 2019. The critic questions whether the show aims to be more than a source of ironic screenshots, framing the review as a list of interrogations about its bizarre elements rather than a standard analysis. She singles out the show's convoluted world-building, multiple timelines, and lack of clear explanations as central issues. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2019/12/23/tv/witcher-review-questions-henry-cavill) ## Den of Geek — Matthew Byrd Rating 1/5. 20 December 2019. The adaptation is criticized for aiming low and still missing, delivering caricatures instead of compelling characters, weak stories that lean on clichés, nudity, and violence, and serviceable but uninspired production values. It singles out the bard character’s unfunny jokes and the overall failure to capture the source material’s depth as major flaws. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-witcher-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/the-witcher.md