"The Witcher" debuted recently on Netflix to a warm reception from audiences. The series, based on fantasy novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, follows the story of Geralt, a Witcher. Witchers, using a distinctive pair of swords, fend off both mundane and magical threats.
In addition to its games, the series stars Henry Cavill as Geralt. Data company Parrot Analytics reported that the series had the highest ranking based on demand expressions. After its debut on December 20, "The Witcher" has passed Disney Plus' "Star Wars" series "The Mandalorian." This comes after "The Mandalorian" dethroned Netflix's "Stranger Things" series, an 80s thriller at the top of the charts for 21 weeks, last month. Currently, "The Witcher" is second only to "Stranger Things" in the US, a clear testament to its popularity.
Netflix bases its analytics on a variety of factors, mainly on the number of households that stream a series for at least two minutes within 28 days of its release. Because of its recent release, the company did use projections to predict future viewership for "The Witcher."
Despite middling reviews from critics, the series' first season has garnered a large base of support. 63 critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes by critics gave the series a 59% freshness rating. Audiences, however, beg to differ. Audience votes have the series sitting with a 93% freshness rating with over 14,000 votes. Many of the critical reviews are average to negative, though Ben Travers of IndieWire notes that it is "a pretty entertaining spectacle."
Netflix has already confirmed the existence of a second season, coming in 2021. Showrunner Lauren Hissrich mentioned the possibility of a whopping seven seasons in an interview with Gamesradar.
Quick Take
Spare a coin for your Witcher, make Netflix richer. The games are fantastic RPGs and I definitely recommend taking a look at them if the series strikes your fancy.
