The Witcher Season 3 Volume 1 Review: A Lukewarm Return to the Continent

The Witcher Season 3 Volume 1 starts on a high note before slowly descending into a mishmash of odd narrative choices and tepid moments. Thankfully, there are also wonderful character beats and fun relationship dynamics to balance the cons. You take the bad with the good, right? 

“Shaerrawedd,” the season opener, is unarguably Volume 1’s strongest installment. The Witcher is at its best when it focuses on its core characters, namely our trio — Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri. Unfortunately, we don’t get a lot of “family” moments in Volume 1. That said, Volume 1 steers closer to the source material than its predecessor. It’s a fine line to walk in deciding what to adapt and what to leave on the page. 

Acting-wise, the core four hold their own amid an expanding cast of characters. Volume 1 marks the beginning of Henry Cavill’s farewell tour as Geralt of Rivia, our titular witcher. Cavill is a steady presence as usual, emitting the occasional grunt and gravelly one-liner with a bit of acerbic wit for good measure. 

Joey Batey is reliable comedic relief. Volume 1 explores more of Jaskier’s inner life as he grapples with his feelings for his new love interest, Radovid. While the chemistry between Batey and Hugh Skinner, who plays Radovid, is there, Volume 1 rushes through their budding relationship. It would’ve fared better and been more impactful if the writers methodically planted seeds and gave their bond time to flourish organically. 

Freya Allan also puts forth a solid performance. This first batch of episodes digs deeper into Ciri’s conundrum, but only temporarily. It still feels like they barely scratch the surface. Ciri struggles to understand her role in the potential war to come. Is it her job to stop it? Or does she let the Continent essentially eradicate itself? 

We see her fall short during her magic training with Yennefer, and that’s yet another aspect that Volume 1 could’ve delved further into: why is she failing to grasp it? What mental block is preventing her from executing what Yen teaches her? For a season with Ciri as its connective tissue between various plots, it doesn’t give us much by way of exploration of said connective tissue. 

Last, and certainly not least, is the fantastic Anya Chalotra. Chalotra is a standout in Season 3 Volume 1, as is her mother-daughter relationship with Ciri. There is movement in that department as the two learn how to work together and better understand each other. Chalotra embodies Yennefer to her core. She’s vulnerable, playful, and formidable. She can communicate so much with her expressive eyes. 

Chalotra experiments with Yen’s dynamics with the other characters and gets some fun moments with Ciri, Geralt, and Tissaia in Volume 1. Her emotional scene with Ciri in the bathhouse is heart-wrenching. Nobody cries like Anya Chalotra. 

Volume 1 also sees Yennefer return to Geralt’s and the Brotherhood’s good graces. Well, she’s making attempts at the latter, anyway. Her path to redemption isn’t smooth, but it’s intriguing nonetheless. Chalotra boasts sizzling chemistry with Cavill, as we all know, and Volume 1’s end finds them taking the next step when Geralt finally tells Yen he loves her. 

Speaking of Season 3 Episode 5, “The Art of the Illusion,” while it’s certainly not the show’s strongest episode, it’s a breath of fresh air in that it’s a departure from the standard episodic format. Nonlinear storytelling is nothing new; however, The Witcher takes a creative swing by employing such a device. The effort is admirable on its own, even if it’s just shy of hitting the mark. 

Perhaps the Volume 1 finale’s greatest sin is the incessant reminder that not everything is as it seems. Something’s amiss! You begin to understand why Jaskier loathes Valdo Marx. Yes, we get it. No need to thwack us over the head with it. “The Art of the Illusion” dabbles in the mystery genre as Geralt and Yennefer attempt to figure out who Rience’s boss is and if Stregobor is guilty of kidnapping missing novices and throwing Yennefer through a deadly portal. 

Of course, Streggy is a red herring and an obvious one at that. Geralt and Yennefer learn the truth as the outing barrels toward the conclusion. Mere seconds later, the episode sort of … ends. It’s a jumbled rush that doesn’t stick the landing. That said, this reviewer doesn’t believe “The Art of the Illusion” is as bad as the internet spouts. It simply needed to smooth out the rough patches and add more action. 

That’s one thing Volume 1 is sorely bereft of as a whole — action. That’s part of what made the season premiere so brilliant. The battle at Shaerrawedd is glorious, from the fight choreography to Geralt’s exciting action scene that appears to be shot in one long take. It’s such an immersive narrative moment that allows viewers to feel like they’re part of the battle, too. 

Additionally, Volume 1 could’ve stood to feature more monsters. Remember when The Witcher was a monster-of-the-week show? Part of what’s thrilling about this series is the lore and intricate mythology. It’s fantasy, for crying out loud. Show us more fantasy!

While we’re on narrative aspects that fall flat, Volume 1 crams too many characters into five episodes. Juggling all these storylines feels like a high-wire act that sends the season tumbling groundward toward the end. It’s challenging to envision how the writers will resolve these plotlines in the final three episodes. 

At least the supporting performances are solid, especially Cassie Clare and Graham McTavish. Anyone who’s watched Preacher can attest to McTavish’s menacing presence. He’s adept at using his tall frame to his advantage without uttering a word. Meanwhile, Clare injects cunning and charisma into Philippa Eilhart. Her mannerisms are subtle and understated yet effective. 

Overall, The Witcher Season 3 Volume 1 is a mixed bag. It fails to maintain the momentum established in the season opener and keeps uneven pacing throughout the remaining four episodes. The performances save what falters, though, and Geralt’s biting sarcasm makes for fun comedic moments. 

The stakes are high, to be sure, but whether the payoff from these stakes will satisfy viewers remains to be seen. It would be nice to see the show return to its roots and what made its earlier episodes so enjoyable: monsters and a more streamlined focus on the main characters. 

Stray Observations: 

• Jaskier needs a new big hit besides “Toss A Coin To Your Witcher.” The song he sings to Radovid and his party doesn’t feel like it’s on the verge of becoming a memorable tune. Don’t be a one-hit wonder, Jask. 
• We didn’t get quite as many stunning landscape shots in Volume 1. The world doesn’t seem as immersive and ethereal in that regard. I’m assuming this was for budgetary reasons. 
• The dresses the mages wear at the ball are gorgeous, Yennefer’s in particular. Side note: you could probably balance a stack of books on her abs. Yeesh. Give us the ab routine, Yen! 
• I’m glad Rience doesn’t believe in animal murder — just people murder. Apparently, killing cute kitties is where he draws the line. 

What did you think of The Witcher Season 3 Volume 1? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Witcher Season 3 Volume 1 is now streaming on Netflix. 

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