The Witcher Season 2 Review: An Undeniable, Bigger, and better improvement
Two years ago, Netflix’s adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s Polish fantasy novels soared to global fame, fueled by the beloved video game adaptations by CD Projekt Red. That adulation was a challenge for its second season, and six episodes in, it has more than proven itself.
Season 2 of The Witcher, of which 6 episodes were supplied for review, is more of the Witcher we got in 2019, but better. The same fantastic fighting, interesting worldbuilding, and solid main performances. There’s even a new Jaskier banger, but it’ll never match the virality of “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher.”
It’s perhaps a measure to Lauren Schmidt-series’ Hissrich’s confidence in itself that its return expands on what made its premiere so beloved while weeding out much of what didn’t quite work. Beyond the season 1 focus on Geralt (Henry Cavill) and Yennefer, it has also constructed a world that feels greater in scale and populated it with characters that feel richer, more complicated, and more extensively explored (Anya Chalotra).
Much of the first half of the season is structured around Geralt and Yennefer’s storylines, similar to season 1, but without the confusing chronology of season 1. Geralt returns to the final Witcher stronghold of Kaer Morhen to decide how best to protect his Child Surprise from sinister powers who would use her for their own gain. After a dangerous sacrifice, Yennefer, who was dealt a crushing blow by her fellow Mages’ war with the Nilfgaardian empire in season 1, finds herself behind enemy lines and doubting her position in the world.
Finding meaning is a major element in The Witcher 2’s second season, pushing its lead characters beyond the heroes we met in 2019. Taking on the role of father figure for Ciri (Kim Bodnia, a standout among the new and expanded guest cast) loosens up Cavill’s character and allows him to be more communicative, and even funny at times. This season, Chalotra explores a new side of herself, while still delivering enough curse-laden barbs to remind us of the powerful figure she was in the first season.
The thoughtful character-driven lens applied to Ciri is the most welcome difference this time around. While Ciri is still a plot point in The Witcher season 2, Allan is given a lot more to do, both physically and otherwise, as Ciri is pulled through the strands of a fate she doesn’t completely comprehend.
Throughout the season, additional new and returning characters are explored. Season 1’s episodic style is gone after the first few episodes to help develop a plot that deals with the larger stakes of the Continent. Season 2 focuses on the position of Elves in The Witcher’s world and how they are treated, rather than the low-stakes action (Geralt hopping from job to job) that propelled the first season.
There are still some fun fights here, with enormous animals or otherwise. But they give way to character development and world-building, giving season 2 a feeling of scope and cohesion.
Ciri’s quest to discover her fate and the wider threads concerning the various powers on the Continent hunting her out begin to merge as the season approaches its latter half. But, unlike season one, the slower pace helps develop the main trio of stars and important characters like Vesemir and the remaining Witchers, returning faces like Triss Merigold and Istredd (Anna Shaffer and Royce Pierreson), and antagonists like Fringella (Mimi Ndiweni) and the newly introduced Elven factions led by Filavandrel and Francesca (Tom Canton and Mecia Simson).
Character-building may mean less focus on specific short stories from Sapkowski’s collection of Witcher tales, but it helps the show’s universe feel more wide and deep, while still keeping everything concentrated on the characters.
So long as The Witcher season 2 delivers more of the same but better, fans eager to hurl another coin at Geralt will find a valley of abundance. Theresa Reynolds’ The Witcher
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