My feelings as well. You can tell in just the first 2 episodes of the second season that the budget got a boost (apparently it was increased 50% over season 1). Beyond the CGI the production is just so well done. If you compare it to Wheel of Time (which I am also enjoying) it is a stark contrast in production quality.
Television The Witcher | Netflix | There are book spoilers here
- Thread starter Revan
- Start date
My feelings as well. You can tell in just the first 2 episodes of the second season that the budget got a boost (apparently it was increased 50% over season 1). Beyond the CGI the production is just so well done. If you compare it to Wheel of Time (which I am also enjoying) it is a stark contrast in production quality.
About to start episode 5. It is definitely better than the first season and I liked the first season as well. Like everyone mentioned you can clearly see the bigger budget everywhere from sets to costumes to CGI. They keep things moving right off the bat this season
Just finished season 2. Really good watch. As a non-book reader the plot twist I wondered about earlier in the season then got it just before the reveal. Will be able to rate it better once I watch some reaction videos to see things with other perspectives.
But really liked it on first thoughts.
But really liked it on first thoughts.
It's much easier to follow as it's a linear story so better for the viewer.
Thank god they upgraded the armour from the Trash bags they were wearing in the first season..
Massive improvement from the first season. Ciri and all her Witcher Uncles and Papa Vesimir are killing it at Kaer Morhen.
Episode 3: Yenn was very accurate with that axe.
Episode 4: Was Triss this....whimsical in season 1?
Episode 4: Was Triss this....whimsical in season 1?
Episode 3: Yenn was pretty badass in the sword fight in the Season 1 Dragon Quest episode... which come to think of it was super weird that she used no magic. CGI budget must have been tapped out by that ridiculously bad dragon.
Episode 4: Triss is going through some things. She is pretty scarred, physically and mentally, from Sodden Hill. More on Triss in the next post as I have thoughts but don't want to spoil it for those who have not finished the season.
I think the only issue I have with Season 2 from a story perspective is what they did with Triss. She was Ciri's "sister" and first and chief tutor in the books. Having her be scared of, run out on, and then betray Ciri just left a sour taste.
Binged watched the entire season in 2 sittings and my fecking God did it come together well. Episodes 5-8 are brilliant tv imho (if someone had to sit down and write a tv show to please Padr81, they'd be doing well to top this). Like early GoT level fantasy tv for me. Also someone should send videos of Yen to Kevin Smith and be like "Heres how you write a real strong woman.".
Production is better but I think Yen and Ciri understand there characters better and that made a huge difference. Its the show I hope it could be last season now. Blown away. Don't know how I'll feel on 2nd rewatch but on first watch that had everything I could want from a Witcher series. Huge improvement on season 1 which was fun but flawed this is 10/10 level stuff for me. Kind of nerdy shit I'd have pumped in my veins 24/7.
Production is better but I think Yen and Ciri understand there characters better and that made a huge difference. Its the show I hope it could be last season now. Blown away. Don't know how I'll feel on 2nd rewatch but on first watch that had everything I could want from a Witcher series. Huge improvement on season 1 which was fun but flawed this is 10/10 level stuff for me. Kind of nerdy shit I'd have pumped in my veins 24/7.
I agree Triss got hard done by so they can pass her book role on to Yen (kinda). Episode 1 also kinda felt like it didn't belong in the season as a whole for me, like a filler episode to start the season.
Agreed 100% with this.
And speaking of Yen, my god Anya Chalotra has absolutely blown me away with her portrayal of her. The first part of season 1 was "hey look, she has amazing boobs" and on rewatch I was unimpressed since I felt they were doing her a disservice. As you say, this season she is just amazing.
Yeah it was weird she had the most interesting arc last season but it never felt as engaging as Geralt and Ciri, this season she probably had less screen time but pretty much stole every scene she was in. Her struggles and ups and downs since the start have been huge and the actress really nailed it this season, she came across less campy sneaky witch and more real person.
Fantastic season, the best season in the genre outside of GOT I think. Ciri and Yen are wonderful, the character work in the early episodes pays off beautifully.
Just a huge improvement on the decent first season.
Just a huge improvement on the decent first season.
Great so far just one thing bugged me
Episode 3: Ciri is and Geralt are in a snowy Forrest one minute the next they are at the bottom of a cliff no snow and green everywhere even at the top of the cliff
Episode 3: Ciri is and Geralt are in a snowy Forrest one minute the next they are at the bottom of a cliff no snow and green everywhere even at the top of the cliff
Is that when Ciri is getting chased and Geralt gets knocked, I found that really jarring too. Just pretend she kept running for a season or two.
I really enjoyed the first season and love the games (Witcher 3 is in my top five games ever) and the books. I’m two episodes in to this season and it’s just up a level in every way - performances, writing, costumes, sets, CGI. I think Netflix were perhaps slightly surprised with how well the first season did and have thrown everything at this one as there’s clearly a market there, especially with no GOT currently and LOTR looming on the horizon.
Finished it. I've enjoyed The Wheel of Time but this is far superior at the moment to me.
Maybe the wheel will outlast it or improve a lot but this S2 is exceptional one of the best series I've watched just for switch off and enjoy indulgance.
Maybe the wheel will outlast it or improve a lot but this S2 is exceptional one of the best series I've watched just for switch off and enjoy indulgance.
"I really didn't see that coming at the end. Poor girl is going to be hounded from everywhere."
From what I remembered of it, I really quite liked the first season and thought it was pretty cool, some nice characters with nice development in an interesting magical world.
Having just finished the second season, I don't know about this one. It's just some mindless entertainment, but it just felt a bit corny and very rushed at times, actually didn't enjoy it as much as the first season - yesterday I watched the first four episodes and I liked them more than the last four I watched today. So it's interesting to see the positive reactions in here with people liking this second season more.
Might have to give the stories and novels a go during Christmas.
Having just finished the second season, I don't know about this one. It's just some mindless entertainment, but it just felt a bit corny and very rushed at times, actually didn't enjoy it as much as the first season - yesterday I watched the first four episodes and I liked them more than the last four I watched today. So it's interesting to see the positive reactions in here with people liking this second season more.
Might have to give the stories and novels a go during Christmas.
Have you read the books or played Witcher 3? I think a lot of the excitement is coming from seeing the “family” come together. Beyond that though I thought the acting and production were light years better this season.
Only thing that bugged me is
otherwise it's a very good season 2
Eskel's death
same here, but I am wondering if it was due to a casting issue since they had already had to replace him in season 2. It was a bit random since they had a bunch of other “red shirt” Witchers to mess with.
a couple of episodes into the 2nd season now and still the production design is below par. Some costumes and environments doesn't look too far off from some into serious LARPing. Aren't netflix spending a ton of money on this series?
I was going to say the opposite. I thought the costumes, effects and CGI was really poor in season 1, but I’ve found a massive improvement in season 2 production values.
I also much prefer the continuous storyline threads, rather than the almost “monster of the week” approach to most of season 1. I’m only on episode 4 but I much prefer almost everything about it over season 1. Maybe I am yet to come across the terrible effects you speak of.
Much better than season 1. Loved Geralt and Ciri's relationship this season and not much of the other storylines to be honest - found them to be quite boring. The last episode was terrible imo.
yep. I hate it. And they turned him into a womanizer Ahole. Butchered a good character. Also Roach!? What the feck.
wheel of time bored me to death.
this one is also cheap but with much better delivery.
Yeah, it definitely has improved from the first season but its still subpar for me. Subpar for what's supposed be one of netflix's most prominent series. From the first 3 episodes I've seen, clearest scenes/parts I remember are the whole Elves things from the second episode?, the meeting of the sorcerers from the third episode, all costumes and sets look like they are brand new and not worn/lived in, and haha the armors of soldiers esp. the golden ones clearly look like hard plastic with gold paint sprayed on and some black spray to give a weathered effect.
I agree with what you mentioned. Completely needless to say the least
So far at episode 3. They did so many changes from the books that it almost feels like "loosely inspire by" instead of "based on"- Time will tell if the changes are for the best.
Only a little more than an episode in. Good fun so far.
Just finished season 2. I've read the first 1.5 books and played TW3. Only read the following if you've watched season 2 also.
A random thought first:
Season 2 tries to mention most places and important characters that the books mention, but the way they're bringing it together is really quite different to the books. All the right characters, all the right places (even with them simply being mentioned in dialogue for the fans, if they're not being shown), yet at times it's almost like a parallel universe in itself, because the connections from one situation to the next are handled so differently. That said, it did come together generally, yes.
I loved the costume design and they did a really good job with portraying Oxenfurt imo.
I just can't believe how negatively they portrayed Triss' impact on Ciri, or that they killed Eskel right at the start. Also how much fighting is happening at Kaer Morhen seems crazy to me, maybe mostly because this isn't so much a thing in The Witcher 3 (which is kinda fan fiction anyway, yes). I'm not far enough into the books to know if that amount of fighting at Kaer Morhen is happening in the books also, but I wouldn't have thought it is.
Generally how badly must Vesemir regret having taken in Ciri. Vesemir is still a loving grandfather so to say, but damn has he had bad luck with his castle and his boys ever since Ciri showed up.
I also find it a bit crazy how Geralt instantly knows all the clues and all the myths, like that about the deathless mother. Yes he's a centuries old hero, yes he's a legendary warrior and has traveled the continent more than almost anyone. Yet Yennefer is just as old as him but she was mostly unaware of the myth surrounding the deathless mother when in fact it was sorcerers and not witchers who had locked her up back in the day. I mean, that's a possible scenario that Geralt would instantly connect the dots, yes. But it seems like whenever the show needs to move the location to the next place that was mentioned in the books, someone just magically knows a clue that leads them to that place. After all the northern kingdoms are a huge area, how do these people keep randomly guessing the right spots to be at?
Especially in the books and the game Geralt often tries to seek guidance or information from others before being able to connect the dots, imo. He's obviously a good historian himself and knows a thing or too, but generally I feel like he's a bit too omniscient in some situations. Then again, how would they fit more background stuff into 8 episodes at the pace they're going.
Aside of some of the above mentioned things I really enjoyed the season too, but I already loved the way the first season set up the story. The acting in season 2 is much better and they obviously had more budget to work with. I'm intrigued by the introduction of the Wraiths of Mörhogg (The Wild Hunt), Emhyr's story, and the soon to be revealed team behind Rience - the fire magician (season 3 probably, I think book readers early into the second book will already know what the plot is here).
Season 2 tries to mention most places and important characters that the books mention, but the way they're bringing it together is really quite different to the books. All the right characters, all the right places (even with them simply being mentioned in dialogue for the fans, if they're not being shown), yet at times it's almost like a parallel universe in itself, because the connections from one situation to the next are handled so differently. That said, it did come together generally, yes.
I loved the costume design and they did a really good job with portraying Oxenfurt imo.
I just can't believe how negatively they portrayed Triss' impact on Ciri, or that they killed Eskel right at the start. Also how much fighting is happening at Kaer Morhen seems crazy to me, maybe mostly because this isn't so much a thing in The Witcher 3 (which is kinda fan fiction anyway, yes). I'm not far enough into the books to know if that amount of fighting at Kaer Morhen is happening in the books also, but I wouldn't have thought it is.
Generally how badly must Vesemir regret having taken in Ciri. Vesemir is still a loving grandfather so to say, but damn has he had bad luck with his castle and his boys ever since Ciri showed up.
I also find it a bit crazy how Geralt instantly knows all the clues and all the myths, like that about the deathless mother. Yes he's a centuries old hero, yes he's a legendary warrior and has traveled the continent more than almost anyone. Yet Yennefer is just as old as him but she was mostly unaware of the myth surrounding the deathless mother when in fact it was sorcerers and not witchers who had locked her up back in the day. I mean, that's a possible scenario that Geralt would instantly connect the dots, yes. But it seems like whenever the show needs to move the location to the next place that was mentioned in the books, someone just magically knows a clue that leads them to that place. After all the northern kingdoms are a huge area, how do these people keep randomly guessing the right spots to be at?
Especially in the books and the game Geralt often tries to seek guidance or information from others before being able to connect the dots, imo. He's obviously a good historian himself and knows a thing or too, but generally I feel like he's a bit too omniscient in some situations. Then again, how would they fit more background stuff into 8 episodes at the pace they're going.
Aside of some of the above mentioned things I really enjoyed the season too, but I already loved the way the first season set up the story. The acting in season 2 is much better and they obviously had more budget to work with. I'm intrigued by the introduction of the Wraiths of Mörhogg (The Wild Hunt), Emhyr's story, and the soon to be revealed team behind Rience - the fire magician (season 3 probably, I think book readers early into the second book will already know what the plot is here).
I really enjoy the actress playing Tissaia, those eyes show so much, best for me outside of the main characters.
You are the only one I read saying this, everyone, including me, is impressed how better CGI and everything else looks compared to Season 1.
as I mentioned in my other post, yes, it has improved from the first season, but it still feels subpar to me. And by production design, I mostly mean the costumes, sets and environments, and not just CGI.
I completely echo the sentiments re: Triss. I am fine with most of the other changes from the book as I understand, similar to WoT, the need to adjust the story to a new medium. That one however was jarring as Triss plays a massive role in Ciri's development. Speaking of Triss, the one downside of Geralt turning her down is that we won't get to see Yen throw the bed out of the window when she sees the red hair in it 
.
I look at Geralt knowing everything as a TV plot device needed to move things along. I guess they could always do a library session montage, but I am fine with it.
.I look at Geralt knowing everything as a TV plot device needed to move things along. I guess they could always do a library session montage, but I am fine with it.
I would respectfully disagree but to each their own. As long as we all keep watching to ensure a season 4 then who cares!
I completely echo the sentiments re: Triss. I am fine with most of the other changes from the book as I understand, similar to WoT, the need to adjust the story to a new medium. That one however was jarring as Triss plays a massive role in Ciri's development. Speaking of Triss, the one downside of Geralt turning her down is that we won't get to see Yen throw the bed out of the window when she sees the red hair in it
I look at Geralt knowing everything as a TV plot device needed to move things along. I guess they could always do a library session montage, but I am fine with it.
Have Geralt and Triss banged in the past already?
I can't remember if it happened in the books, but in the Witcher 3 Yen throws the bed out the window when she shows up at Kaer Morhen.
I enjoyed it overall and it was nice to not have a jumbled timeline. Some of the dialogue is a bit shit though. Episode 4 felt strange.
Oh and Jaskier annoys me.
Oh and Jaskier annoys me.