The theatrics in The Witcher streaming series pale in comparison to the backstage drama and off-screen conflict. The reaction to the trailer right now is driving Netflix execs to the whiskey and Tylenol, undeniably a bleak omen. Not a single episode has aired, yet a consensus has already emerged. Hardcore fans aren’t just abandoning the Netflix adaptation, but they are actively advocating against watching it. Liam Hemsworth likely had no idea what he was signing up for when he took on the role of monster-slayer Geralt of Rivia. The sad truth is, no matter how emotional or engaging his performance is, a large contingent of The Witcher fandom will never give him a chance.
The creators and fanbase are increasingly pitted against each other, and the newest trailer has elicited over 12,000 (mostly hostile) comments as of the time of writing. We’ve previously highlighted how the show has taken a trajectory that does not appeal to old fans of the character, who was popularized first in book form before transitioning to a video game and his own streaming series on Netflix. While Cavill was not wholly accepted at first, he soon made the role his own. Now the British actor can’t be replaced. In a monkey’s-paw twist of fate for Netflix, fans came to identify Henry Cavill as the only real Witcher.
“Henry Who?”
Cavill’s departure was the worst kind of PR event that a show could ask for. The title character and heart and soul of the fantasy series bowed out for philosophical reasons, leaving the program after Season 3, casting a pall on the whole endeavor thanks to a publicized spat with the creatives and showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich. For many a Witcher fan, this was the final straw and was certainly seen as the kiss of death for those hoping that Cavill could persuade the writers to return to the source material. That did not pan out, with Netflix also cramming in footage from a canceled spin-off into Season 4, which should go over well.
Hemsworth slipped his way into the show’s roster, trying his best to ingratiate himself. It hasn’t worked. Take a look at the YouTube trailer for a harrowing sneak peek of social media abuse to come. By installing an extension on Chrome or your browser of choice, anyone can restore the hidden likes-to-dislike ratio data.
For comparison, The Witcher Season 2 trailer garnered an enormous amount of clicks, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response. Season 4 is struggling to find that level of interest, with only two million views, and is being downvoted into oblivion at this very moment. The comments? Woof. They’re even uglier, repeating all the same criticisms that loomed over the controversial Season 3 and its trailer, as illustrated perfectly by the mixed YouTube trailer rating.
“Henry Cavill at Home”
They didn’t hold back their bile, mercilessly tearing the upcoming season apart and questioning the point of even bringing back the show at all, one YouTube poster remarking, “This is like Deadpool without Ryan Reynolds.” Stop us if you have heard this one before. Social media has largely shared a united opinion that the upcoming fourth season is doomed, with most of the criticism centered on the new Geralt. One commenter dismissed Hemsworth for appearing “like he’s cosplaying Cavill playing Geralt.” The most brutal takedown yet states: “When mom says: we have plenty of Henry Cavill at home.” And those are the ones that weren’t censored or removed for swearing.
That said, many irate commenters expressed sympathy for Hemsworth, with the majority of their wrath projected at the showrunners, trashing the show as a “sinking ship.” This sums up the general disgust for Netflix’s producers, who weren’t spared any abuse. “This is the SNL version, right?” another added, piling on. Others criticized the show for straying from Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels, as well as its wardrobe, cinematography (somewhat unfairly, given the 96-second trailer), and Geralt’s increasingly diminished role in his own show.
Make no mistake, regardless of the collateral damage, Netflix and the writers are the real targets of Witcher fans’ rage, lamenting the fact that they were robbed of a Game of Thrones-style run. In this case, Netflix was gifted with completed source material to adapt, removing the need to fill gaps like David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. Unlike HBO, which was stuck in an unwinnable situation, this disaster was an own goal by Netflix.
Are We Witnessing ‘The Acolyte’ 2.0?
There’s a slight chance of recovery as Hemsworth looks up to the challenge, but the warning signs portend a divisive run. Nobody has uttered the dreaded words, “jump the shark,” yet, but things are not looking promising for Seasons 4 and 5, the latter of which is already in production. “This is the beginning of a two-season journey for our family to finally reunite and be together — hopefully forever,” Hissrich said in a Netflix press release. The fact that the show persisted this long is a miracle, considering Netflix’s tendency to ax programs. Remaining fans can take some solace in knowing that the network didn’t cave to pressure.
As for that sizable missing chunk of viewership, they will argue that the show has already run its course. With a catastrophic five-to-one negative ratio, even worse than Disney’s The Acolyte (we don’t blame you if you need to Google that show), Netflix may be rethinking its choice to prioritize the writers’ room over retaining Cavill. Granted, the downvote ratio still hasn’t descended to Snow White-levels of despair, and likely won’t. Decide for yourself on October 30, when the retooled version of The Witcher returns to Netflix for its fourth and penultimate season.

- Release Date
-
December 20, 2019
- Network
-
Netflix
- Showrunner
-
Lauren Schmidt Hissrich
- Directors
-
Stephen Surjik, Charlotte Brändström, Edward Bazalgette, Loni Peristere, Louise Hooper, Bola Ogun, Alex Garcia Lopez, Gandja Monteiro, Sarah O’Gorman
- Writers
-
Haily Hall, Clare Higgins, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Jenny Klein, Tania Lotia
-
-
Anya Chalotra
Yennefer of Vengerberg