User Reviews

I don't care about the books, or games, or ethnicity of who is cast. Those don't guide my view of the show at all. I'm just looking at this interpretation and I appreciate all the characters and enjoy the acting.

What I do care about is the writing, directing, and editing. Scenes are just thrown together, decisions made by characters make little sense, and the dialogue so often is trite.

New Ciri is definitely this way because of Creepo who likes messing with girls lives (we know who that dude is). Like why do you even need a name. But whatever.

Yen is 90 and knows all about Aretuza, but tells Ciri basically nothing? Allows the most sought after person to traipse around with a boy? Like I get being a parent is hard, but this is silly. Oh! But let's have a conclave. This will fix everything even though you can't trust any Mage right now (or outside influence). Then a dead queen no one cared about is used as a pawn and the tides change...snooze.

I really liked Robbie Amwell's character so that was a huge bummer but seeing Cahir do the deed he didn't want to was good tv. I like the character of Cahir and who plays him, so this was probably the most interesting scene of the whole episode. I hope he goes full evil.

I wish this show was better. It has good moments, characters, and actors. But the decline is real. It's trying to chess move like GoT but it falls flat because we don't get enough story to support it. We don't see Ciri and Yen grow with their magic. I wish we had fuller episodes with the core three so we even cared more. It's just been too disjointed. Sad, because it really did have a lot of promise.

(880-word review) This was the best episode so far. That doesn't mean it was incredible; don't get me mistaken. Still, it did feel better than the first two episodes. There was more smoothness to the moving and progression of the plotlines.

In typical fashion concerning this show (and in more ways than one, it seems, with the positive aspects), however, there was a bit of a catch with that: the slight lack of clarity and continuity with the scenes of Philippa and Eva/Rience and Lydia, and the ending.

A gap in Philippa and Eva's dialogue was seemingly present compared to the prior knowledge we've been given; same with Rience and Lydia's scene, as if you had missed something or things weren't made clear enough previously.

And the ending was abrupt, given that the last time Ciri was on screen, she contacted Geralt in the middle of town. Now, she's out in the middle of the woods, presumably for an evening ride considering her speed (like she's already running from what hasn't appeared yet) and because where would she go? Where WAS she going? To Geralt? How would she know his location? Yes, she asked, "Where are you?" But is that supposed to be enough information, even though there was nothing further/no answer? Better yet, how did HE know where SHE was at the end?

Both instances of slight discontinuity can potentially be "accounted for" by the assumption that they weren't an oversight but rather a scene or two was cut for some stellar reason - in which case, that's still, in and of itself, a bit of an oversight, if only by incompetence rather than purposely or not.

As an extension to the "necessary negative to counteract and taint a positive" complexity for the ages, Mr. "I asked for a private audience to protect your secret" Cahir, in his infinite and genius wisdom, said that in front of three no-name, no-dialogue, irrelevant guards behind him.

And yet, our White Flame, Emhyr, is a grander genius than our "strong for a scrawny little..." Cahir, as he so kindly revealed to us at the end of the second season by sharing his connection, albeit secret (but he's SO kind), with Ciri to Fringilla and Cahir: and a congregation of inferior soldiers.

But through the smooth moving and progression, a lingering problem for me, which is likely a combination of two things, is the onset of confusion linked to everything happening; there's too much going on at once (it feels that way at the very least), and while I can still unravel everything, it's the fact that things are confusing in the first place - that shouldn't be such an easy and prominent observation to make.

This could be more because of how it's written rather than the nature of this expansive world, with many characters; their motivations/desires, multiple groups; their internal conflicts, and so on. I'll wager two things: Games of Thrones, an apt comparison to make, probably had more layers and more going on - and that the novels of this show aren't as disorienting. Good storytelling can be so vast and detailed, in various ways, and at the same time, digestible, and not by the incompatible modernity of the dialogue in this show.

And the second but one-and-the-same (depending on how you look at it) problem is my engagement and investment in what's happening, aka the lack thereof. Hardly anything going on feels as entertaining as it should be. There's a severe lack of excitement.

None of the plotlines have captured me. Even the central one revolving around Ciri (including building up Ciri's character journey to greater focus and personal development, like meeting a particular character who'll impact her character arc significantly), especially when Geralt and Yennefer are involved, doesn't have me.

Complexity and nuance are noticeably prominent elements of this world, particularly in this season thus far. But it feels watered down, and even then, the execution of them comes across as lacking. Other shows with those similarities of expansiveness and the like are assumably better in the excitement department with the undeniable moments but also manage to make the subtle but sharp, slow but meticulous elements of politics (plenty of characters: ambitious goals, clashing, conniving, moving pieces, etc.) genuinely engaging, and riveting. That's almost borderline nonexistent here, and I doubt the source material is at fault.

The stuff with Yennefer and Ciri/Yennefer and Tissaia, second to what's going on in Redania: some actual 4D chess by Dijkstra instead of being the underdog (which supposedly isn't an accurate representation of his character - oh, wait, it wasn't done by him - but turning it into his advantage off the cuff was the breadcrumb of all breadcrumbs) were the highlights of this episode, admittedly with some struggle.

But the most significant takeaway from this episode was that Isturd, sorry, Istredd, is back to bring us his escapades of monotones, sorry, monoliths, and the primal inner beast thoroughness required to dare research such blood-curdling things: just horrifying. You can't even imagine how brave this deity of a man is. He's the lifeline of this show!

Tl;dr: An improvement compared to the previous two episodes, yet with some questionable moments to boot, which relate to writing/clarity/continuity difficulties - nothing new for this show.

That horse riding scene and reunion at the end were horrid. I'm not sure if we are letting some younger people take the helm or be responsible for parts within these episodes, but I cannot fathom how that was released like that.

The show as a whole is struggling to maintain it's edge and hook, but at the least it was always beautiful and pleasant to watch. If we are going to drop the ball on the visually striking and pleasant element, this show had better step up the plot and character interactions. I think everyone is getting tired of the politicians sitting around a table and bickering. This isn't game of thrones.

The story doesn't seem to be developing. Intro of new unremarkable characters that don't add to anything. Exposition during dancing "I'm getting pregnant tonight " ... what is that adding? Random sing bards. Honestly season one was great this is just meh.

The wider continental war has faded. It's as though the writers are ignoring the main antagonists and drifting the season.

The dialogue is so light- Hollywood writer strike so get a 13 year old to write it "how many organism tonight?" Gerald fighting with Yen's first love.

Citi is soo precious so leave her with Jaskith of all people. Hmm.?

Season 3 has been atrocious so far. This show has always done a bad job referring back to things and having the timeline make any sense. The Kingdoms, the names, the side characters, etc. I have no idea who they're talking about half the time or why I should care. This season has been a complete relapse. The pacing went from zero to crack head real quick. The CGI is pitiful. What was that scene where he's fighting an arm monster? And all these young girls heads are screeching bloody murder. Why do all of the extras and minor characters really suck at acting? Why do most of the side and main characters suck at acting? Yennifer and Tisea are the only two who can act. Coincidentally they're both very hot. Ohh and if one Cerilla wasn't enough now we have more? I think, not sure. Henry Cavil doesn't care, it shows. Lots and lots of screeching. Fights are cringey. All action is cringey in this season. Sets and makeup look cheep. This season has absolutely no soul.

I have read the first two anthology books: The Last Wish & Sword Of Destiny & really enjoyed them. Now, I will start the pentology with Book 1 - Blood Of Elves.

Oh yeah, the show! What happened??? I was so lost & confused by this episode. So, Cavill bows out... & the show gets all kinky? It seemed to have switched focus from well thought out storytelling, fascinating characters, super cool monsters & great fight scenes.... to a random emphasis on sexual orientation?

Please don't get me wrong, I love erotic content, & films/series' with human sexuality as a central theme... but this is high fantasy with minimal emphasis on human sexuality, which is why most people prefer the first two seasons.

People who like fantasy, want to see fantasy. If you want to incorporate sexual themes, so be it, but do not deviate from the obligations of the genre or the plot & character story arcs.

Game Of Thrones incorporated sexual themes, but they were bi-products & therefore, the plot & character journeys kept us on the edge of our seats for at least seven seasons.

For example: that's fine Jaskier is revealed to be bi-sexual, but that revelation distracted from his purpose in the show. The direction of the show focused exclusively on his sexual preferences. But what is he doing??? Like, is he a spy? No, he disclosed to Geralt that he is working for the Radania Royality, & Geralt is okay with that. Like... big whoop! Where are the stakes for Jaskier, now? His character journey WAS compelling. But now, his character just flirts with the brother of King Vizimir.... who's a complete nincompoop! Jaskier, you can do better than that! Lol. Seriously though, I have no interest in whether his character ends up sleeping with "Prince Valium from Spaceballs wanna-be". However, we should be interested in whatever he is up to.

But I digress, just like the whole series digressed & now I want to watch something else.