The Witcher Season 3 Vol 1 review: Henry Cavill gears up for last hurrah

The Witcher Season 3 Volume 1 is an exciting yet confusing expansion of the fantasy saga’s small screen universe, one in which Henry Cavill brings more charisma and command as he prepares to depart the role for good. Don’t worry, this is a spoiler-free review.

Finally, after two seasons’ worth of anticipation, Yennefer, Ciri, and Geralt – the family of destiny – are together. Given the events of the last chapter, Yen’s got some work to do if she is to regain the trust of her former flame and surrogate daughter – but this is far from the main focus of The Witcher’s third outing. 

Creator of the Netflix adaptation, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, previously said Season 3 will be “mostly based on the Time Of Contempt,” which may allay some of the criticism fans had in the past about straying away from its source material. But as a viewer who hasn’t read the books (sorry, Andrzej Sapkowski purists), the first five episodes of the new chapter feel a little inaccessible at times; politics, lore, philosophies, and characters grow increasingly complex, especially as it gears towards a shocking revelation at the end of Part 1. 

But, again, this may work in its favor for the true fans. The same goes for Hissrich’s second promise: to give Henry Cavill a heroic sendoff. Ever since it was revealed that Season 3 will be the star’s last outing with The Witcher, Cavillians have been promising to boycott the series. But those who do will be missing out on another solid performance from the white-haired monster hunter, whose character is fleshed out as he leans even further into his paternal role. 

The hunt for Ciri is on

Season 3 of The Witcher opens with Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer as they jump from home to home. For now, Geralt is focused on keeping Ciri safe, while Yen is determined to teach her how to harness her power. The opening scenes give us an opportunity to watch their family dynamic play out, one we’ve been waiting to see for so long.

But this doesn’t last long. Between the kingdoms, the elves, and the mages gone rogue, it would be easier to list the people not on the hunt for the Cintran princess and her precious Elder Blood. Soon enough into Episode 1, tension bubbles in the background as a burgeoning war threatens to bring down the entire Continent. Oh, and let’s not forget the menacing monsters, which are used to great effect in Season 3. 

The Witcher’s greatest paradox

The third chapter once again proves to be the paradox many of us have come to accept from The Witcher – it’s as silly as ever, and for non-fans of games and books, it can be tricky not to snortle when we’re being told to take such hammy dialogue seriously. A woman with pointy ear prosthetics saying, “I will find Dol Blathanna,” with no sense of irony is a drop in the ocean, and whether you’re here for it or not will very much determine your feelings on the show overall. 

Netflix

But, at the same time, Season 3 develops the characters with more maturity than we’ve seen before. Though purists complained that Netflix’s interpretation veered too far from the source material in the past, the groundwork pays off in the third chapter. We are now able to fully comprehend the motives of each group, from Nilfgaard and its Elven allies to Dijkstra, Phillipa, and their murky ties to Redania. It feels like everything has been building up to this moment and the tension is palpable thanks to the foundation laid before.

The inner workings of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers is another necessity, as Vilgefortz, Tissaia, and Co. play a vital role, building towards a reveal that will have jaws on the floor (unless you’ve read the books, of course). 

Henry Cavill shines as Geralt

What dispels some of the silliness of The Witcher are the excellent cast performances, of which there are many. Anya Chalotra shines as Yen, who in the first five episodes does her best to make amends for her actions. As for Ciri, we see her power come into play. Freya Allan is once again brilliant in the role; she brings energy to the high-octane fight sequences, and emotional range as her character experiences somewhat of an identity crisis. 

Netflix

And then there’s Henry Cavill as Geralt. He’s come a long way from grunting and fighting his way through Season 1. Don’t fret – there’s still plenty of that. Cavill’s commanding presence and impeccable stunt work make him a key pull of the TV adaptation. But Season 3 is arguably his best performance yet thanks to compelling character development, a bittersweet outcome given his forthcoming departure from the show. 

Too many cooks in The Witcher

Alongside the big three, there are so many additional performances to shoutout: Graham McTavish as Dijkstra; Cassie Clare as Philippa; Joey Batey as Jaskier; Mimi Ndiweni as Fringilla; Eamon Farren as Cahir; Mecia Simson as Francesca, Tom Canton as Filavandrel; Anna Shaffer as Triss; MyAnna Buring as Tissaia; Wilson Mbomio as Dara; Royce Pierreson as Istredd; Mahesh Jadu as Vilgefortz; and Lars Mikkelsen as Stregobor.

Netflix

And that’s not even counting the big bads of Season 3 Part 1, with Sam Woolf taking over as our new Rience, and Bart Edwards as Duny, aka Emhyr, aka the White Flame, aka Ciri’s dad. And herein lies our problem: between confusing characters and their countless narratives, it’s difficult to know who to focus on and when. 

The Witcher Season 3 Volume 1 review score: 3/5

Once again, the show’s intense approach to its lore makes The Witcher feel, at times, more like a lecture than escapist fantasy. Nonetheless, there’s a lot to celebrate too. The previous groundwork pays off, as we learn what the show has been building up to, and Henry Cavill once again shines as Geralt – although this may generate feelings of apprehension rather than joy for the Cavillists as Liam Hemsworth prepares to take his place. 

The Witcher Season 3 Part 1 drops on Netflix on June 29, while Part 2 arrives on July 27. You can read more about the show here.