Problematic But Fun: My Review of Netflix's The Witcher

I tried to hold off on watching The Witcher because I have so many other shows to watch. But all the posts on social media really got me. There’s a bard with a catchy song? Magic? I’m not ashamed to admit that what finally sold me was the video of Henry Cavill reading the first chapter of the first book. I definitely wanted more Cavill, but I was also intrigued by the character.

Overall, I loved it. Michael and I devoured it in a few nights. I even left a writers’ happy hour early so I could get home and finish it. I’m a sucker for high fantasy. But The Witcher is not without its problems. I’m going to touch on those first so that I end on a happy note.

There are some spoilers ahead.

Ableism

Episode two needs a giant trigger warning. The verbal and physical abuse of Yennefer is brutal and hard to watch. But art should mimic life, and that sort of abuse does happen.

One thing I really loved was that Yennefer was able to find someone who loved her even with her physical impairments. She even had sex! Get it, girl! We don’t see disabled people in sexual relationships a lot in Hollywood. It made what happened later all the more problematic.

Yennefer is a badass. She is exceptionally powerful. So, getting rid of her disfigurement to make her traditionally beautiful kind of hurts. At least it was her choice to do so. Tissaia and Istredd don’t really want her to undergo the enchantment.

But it’s still problematic as fuck. We need more disabled badasses in our media.

The Timeline

Okay, I know that the director kept the timeline unclear on purpose. But I’m not sure to what end. I don’t think it would have detracted from the story to know that things weren’t happening all at the same time. At least once they did reveal it, I wish it had been clearer when things were happening.

This also made the character development a little vague. We know that all the characters change. But we don’t really see Yennefer’s change occur over time. All of a sudden, we’ve jumped ahead three decades. We also don’t get to see her relationship with Geralt develop. It’s hinted that they cross paths often, but we only see their first meeting and their breakup.

Sexism?

I’ve seen some critiques about the story having some underlying sexism. Overall, I thought the women were well-developed and defied a lot of tropes. I’m going to touch on a couple things that I’ve seen people mention as sexist because I interpret them differently.

I have seen a few posts about the extent of Renfri’s motivation being driven by her rape. First of all, I don’t think that’s true at all. Her motivation is about the fact that she was despised from the second she was born. She was sentenced to death for being born during an eclipse. The guy who was supposed to kill her raped her.

Renfri had a lot to be angry about. And guess what? Rape happens to women A LOT. And it does change us. I wouldn’t say it defined her character entirely at all.

The other sexist issue I’ve seen talked about is Yennefer’s motivation. People say that they wish it wasn’t all about having a child. I don’t think this is sexist at all, because it’s not about becoming a mother. It’s about two things: leaving a legacy and having a choice.

Yennefer was just a girl when she gave up her fertility in exchange for her looks. She didn’t understand the extent of her decision because she was an adolescent. Not understanding consequences fully is reality for teens. I think by using the reverse issue of teen pregnancy, it highlights the importance of helping teens make better, informed decisions.

Yennefer also says she wants the choice back. I think this is a perfect pro-choice, feminist storyline. Fantasy helps us understand our world in new ways. It’s the reverse issue of abortion, right? So we can look at it from a new viewpoint. She is a woman who wants a choice.

And what’s wrong with wanting to be a mother? Saying that desire is sexist sounds like some second-wave feminist bullshit to me. Powerful, bad-ass women can also desire children. The two are not mutually exclusive.

And for the comments about gratuitous breasts—we got a lot of gratuitous naked men, too! There’s just restrictions on showing penises. It’s not the show’s sexism. It’s television’s.

Source: Giphy

The Good Stuff

I thought the fantasy elements were well-done. I love fantasy (no duh! I write it!), and I can’t wait to read the series. The Witcher is meant for fans of the epic fantasy genre. Game of Thrones reached a wider audience because it was basically a political drama with a splash of dragons, sword fights, and a little magic.

Henry Cavill is delightful! And not just because he’s so pretty. I’ve got a crush on him and Yennefer. But he brings Geralt to life in such a compelling way. I really appreciate the depth he puts into the character. He’s entirely believable, and I forget that he’s ever been any other character.

All of the acting, writing, and directing are on point. I love that the showrunner is a woman! I enjoy the blend of action and drama with humor. I’m also completely addicted to Jaskier’s song. I hope we get more Jaskier in the next seasons.

I was sad when it was over. I met someone Tuesday night, when I only had one episode left, who had already watched the entire season three times since it premiered on December 20th. I have to say: I get it! I really do! It was just that good.