The Witcher is a great example of a modern TV show with a strong premise but many flaws, and a different Netflix show proves how these issues can be avoided. The very best episodes of The Witcher prove its potential, telling the story of Geralt of Rivia hilariously and dramatically alongside other key players. Created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and launched in 2019, The Witcher is based on the book series by Andrzej Sapkowski and follows Geralt, the mutant monster hunter, on his many adventures. The show had a mixed reception despite its all-star cast.
Airing on Netflix, The Witcher was expected to be Netflix’s answer to Game of Thrones and had the potential to become one of the streamer’s flagship shows. Although The Witcher has been successful may be one of the fantasy TV shows with the best world-building around, it has failed to amass the same amount of presence on pop culture as some of Netflix’s other hits. The Witcher fanbase also has a complicated relationship with the show, which could have learned from a different Netflix adaptation how to navigate such rich pre-existing lore.
Castlevania Was Not A Very Faithful Adaptation – And It Still Worked
It Is Possible To Create Unfaithful Adaptations That Are Great On Their Own
Castlevania is one of the best shows on Netflix, even though it isn’t incredibly faithful. On the other hand, The Witcher is also not incredibly faithful to its source material, but gets a lot more flak than Castlevania. More recently, Castlevania: Nocturne also got great reviews despite not being a very faithful adaptation of the franchise’s lore. The lesson we can take from Castlevania is that, if a show is great on its own, it’s easier for it to get along with big changes to the source material.
|
Show |
Rotten Tomatoes’ Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes’ Audience Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Castlevania |
94% |
89% |
|
Castlevania: Nocturne |
98% |
69% |
|
The Witcher |
80% |
54% |
The Witcher has taken critiques from fans of the books and video games, along with the author of the books himself. Flanked by Anya Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg and Freya Allen as Ciri, Henry Cavill played Geralt in a universe that followed elements of both the game and the books but never quite matched the tone of either. The show tried to make a lot of different ends meet, and didn’t optimize its own logic thoroughly as a result. But Castlevania demonstrates how adaptations can build on source material to create something popular with all fans.
Castlevania’s Creative Liberties Made It Into A Show Everyone Could Watch
Castlevania Exploited Its Format Correctly
The hit anime Castlevania took a lot of liberties with its source material, which actually ended up improving its premise. Castlevania built on less source material than The Witcher had, which may have made it a simpler adaptation. By contrast, The Witcher tried to unite the video game and books, which were very hard to adapt. In terms of the gaming, Ciri is confirmed as The Witcher 4 protagonist, which means that the game will start aligning more with the books. But this may come too late for the show to get its ducks in a row.
Netflix’s Other Hit Video Game Animated Show Also Took A Lot Of Liberties
Netflix Has A Solid Lineup Of Animated Shows
Castlevania took a different approach to The Witcher and committed to telling its own story using elements from the Castlevania universe, from characters to locations. Arcane exhibited a similar approach, and the result was incredible. Dracula is far more tragic in the Castlevania anime than in the games, serving more as the driving force of the story rather than the ultimate villain that is meant to be defeated in every era. Likewise, Arcane amplifies the drama between its core characters, expanding on League of Legends lore.
Related
The Witcher 4’s Ciri Reveal Is A Great Sign For The Netflix Show’s Future After Henry Cavill’s Recast
The upcoming videogame The Witcher 4 made a big change that the Netflix Witcher show should definitely learn from and apply in season 4.
Arcane is one of Netflix’s highest-rated shows and one of the best animated series of all time. Arcane, Castlevania, and Castlevania: Nocturne all exhibit the power of an authentic story well-told, regardless of the creative liberties they take. Showrunners face a hard task in adapting varied formats into TV, and achieving both faithfulness and good TV drama requires compromise. This is why it can be difficult for The Witcher to succeed on both fronts, but Netflix’s other adaptations show that it can be done.
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- Created by
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Andrzej Sapkowski
- First Film
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The Hexer (Wiedźmin)
- Latest Film
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The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
- First TV Show
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The Hexer (Wiedźmin)
- Latest TV Show
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The Witcher
- Upcoming TV Shows
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The Witcher
The Witcher is a dark fantasy franchise that spans books, video games, and a successful Netflix series. It follows Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter with supernatural abilities, as he navigates a world rife with political intrigue, magical creatures, and moral ambiguity. The franchise is celebrated for its deep lore, complex characters, and exploration of the gray areas between good and evil.
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Castlevania
- Release Date
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2017 – 2021-00-00
- Showrunner
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Warren Ellis
- Writers
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Warren Ellis
