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The live-action The Witcher series, starring Henry Cavill, was a huge hit, and The Witcher: Blood Origin is the next big addition to that universe. This new series serves as a prequel to the original show and is set 1200 years before the Geralt of Rivia started his quest.
With the intention of providing a solid backstory to the humans, monsters, and elves' battle, this series stars Michelle Yeoh, Sophia Brown, Laurence O'Fuarain, Jacob Collins-Levy, Joey Batey, and Mirren Mack.
A four-episode odyssey into an unfamiliar timeline with a familiar plotline, the series is not unwatchable in any way. But given that it has a plotline that has been done so many times in films, television, and video games, it simply isn't enough to hold the viewers in place. This is not helped by shallow character development, an uneven pace, and a general lack of awareness.
In essence, The Witcher: Blood Origin is not nearly as good as its predecessor, but it could still be a fun watch for those who don't want to delve into the technicalities.
Read on for a detailed review of The Witcher: Blood Origin.
The Witcher: Blood Origin review: Some clever tricks lost in a messy pace
The Witcher: Blood Origin isn't a scattered narrative trying to be something it is not. It was simply not clever enough to avoid its mistakes despite being clever enough to incorporate the good things. A subtle air of humor, profanity, and politically conscious statements hidden in plotlines and dialogues, all indicated that the sequel to the popular 2019 series planned to be something else entirely.
To its credit, The Witcher: Blood Origin is an easy watch. With ample fun elements, new monsters, and some great fight sequences, it is not the kind of show that would bore an audience to death. Rather, the problem with this one seems to be simply not reaching its potential.
The first half of the series (the first episode and half of the second) was far more nuanced and well-balanced. The characters seemed to fit into each other's world well, and there was solid chemistry. This could have built into something far better if not for the sudden surge of pace and forcefulness.
A major flaw of the series was that midway the events started happening too close to each other, sacrificing both pace and character development in the process. This issue was quite evident in the last two episodes. This unpacking of the plot also left viewers with a shallow sense of character understanding, which made the show much more forgettable.
The ending may have saved the series somewhat, but again, the pacing was a consistent problem throughout.
Other than that, technically, The Witcher: Blood Origin was pretty much like its predecessor. Most of its scenes were wonderful, while others served the purpose well. None of the cinematography, sound design, or production design was out of place, per se.
The series may not be the most lucrative watch but for fans of The Witcher, this is still worth a shot owing to its brevity.
The Witcher: Blood Origin is now streaming on Netflix.
