[review]Burn, Witcher, Burn!
It started with a big bang two years ago when the first season of the Witcher came out in December. The whole world until then only familiar with books written by Andrzej Sapkowski or video games created by CD Project, finally got its longed-for, favorite adaptation on Netlix. Even though the plot was tangled and not persistent fans fell in love with Henry Cavil’s and Joey Batey’s acting. Yet, it turned out that it is not so easy to meet fans expectations and keep it up as the second season available since already one month on Netflix didn’t gather that positive opinions among them.
Already in July, when the first WitcherCon was having the place, the show runner of the series, Lauren S. Hissrich announced that the following season will be much different than the previous one. She claimed that she took all the opinions and recommendations to her heart and will use them while producing the new season. What is more, she proudly was saying how books are close to her and how much she prefers to stick to them rather than just imagining similar stories. Eventually she stayed persistent as it turned out in the new season the story began to slow down and lead the viewer through Geralt’s and Ciri’s adventures as it was in the books. However, needlessly, some of the fans still believe it is not a trustworthy and proper follow. What should be considered and noticed by them, but in this case – wasn’t – is that it is a huge challenge to adapt Sapkowski’s books and here the credit for that ought to be given.
The season two with its eight story episodes, is mainly reflecting the struggle of the witcher after finding his ‘law-of-surprise’, Ciri. The plot itself, as it was mentioned before, is slower and more precise. The watcher can easily find and connect the events together. It is more understandable and clear than in season one. The main character, Geralt of Rivia looks softer and kinder than before. What showrunner wanted to present by that, in her opinion, was the bond between father and daughter. Additionally, there is also a well-known witch, Yennefer, whose personal struggle cut her out of the story a bit. At the end, when she gets connected with the rest of the characters, again, we don’t see a powerful figure but a lost soul looking for familiar faces to recover. Next, there is Fringilla whose desires that we knew were mostly about conquering, together with Nilfgaard the northern kingdoms. Yet, in this chapter, we find out about her flaws and weaker side of personality when we see helping refugees and looking for help and solutions. Finally, there is also Jaskier whose positive energy and optimism was entertaining not only characters of the story but also the watcher, in front of tv. Unfortunately, this time Lauren S. Hissrich does not spare him from change and what we see on the screen is a bard with broken heart and miserable appearance.
What is happening is that looking for a new adventures of fans’ favorite crew, they get all characters with problems, struggles and distress which without any doubt applies to famous battle of Sodden that hit every each of them really deep.
In the end, the season creates not only a story about parenthood but also about life’s problems and misfortune. Apparently, even superheroes can have an existential crisis. This time, half of the characters like Jaskier, Yennefer, Fringilla, Tissaia or even Black Knight are lost and broken. The other half like Geralt, Triss, Vesemir, from the other hand, is too busy taking care of princess Cirilla, her powerful magic and witcher’s training. Unfortunately, even though it is working for a understanding of the story, it is completely unfavorable for plot’s tempo. In fact, the first four episodes are truly mundane and still. Instead of powerful witches, there are powerless women who are trying to get what’s their back and instead of monster slayer known as the butcher of Blaviken, there is a caring father.
What is interesting that the change itself in season two of the Witcher did not appear only in characters’ behavior but also an appearance. Fans of the tv series could not stop themselves from noticing the Ciri’s completely new image. Instead of white, barely visible eyebrows and lashes, young princess presents herself with the perfectly done full make-up with mascara and dark brown brows. Some of the people were defending her saying that in books Cirilla started to use elves’ cosmetics to impress Yennefer. The actress, Freya Allan finally spoke out explaining that it was her personal request to not destroy their own brows from whitening. However, the visagist of the crew could come up with the alternative because the small request turned out to be a distracting and very arresting detail while watching the series.
While the main already known figures are in pain, trying to recover, the other, evil characters are introduced to the story. Not only we finally meet the people serving for other kingdoms and new witches as Lydia or Phillipa, the producer show us not visualized before Kaer Morhen and Oxenfurt but also a set of new monsters are introduced to the story. This includes famous Baba Jaga which as Andrzej Sapkowski would do it – was based on Slavic’s legends and inspired to create one in the Witcher. The challenge that appeared in front of Hissrich, in that case, was properly accomplished by her.
Last but not least, there must be no new season of the Witcher on Netflix without outstanding soundtrack provided this time by American composer, Joseph Trapanese. In this chapter, lonely and angry at Geralt Jaskier performs in Oxenfurt’s inn the remarkable ballade called Burn, Butcher, Burn. The scene may honestly summarize the whole season in bard’s performance and express the agony that most of the characters must go through in the story to finally and hopefully find themselves again in the following seasons.
The second season of the Witcher available on Netflix since December 17, 2021.
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