Netflix's 4-Part Fantasy Series Is Perfect To Binge This Weekend

Image via Netflix Published May 15, 2026, 9:14 PM EDT Dyah (pronounced Dee-yah) is a Senior Author at Collider, responsible for both writing and transcription duties. She joined the website in 2022 as a Resource Writer before stepping into her current role in April 2023. As a Senior Author, she writes Features and Lists covering TV, music, and movies, making her a true Jill of all trades. In addition to her writing, Dyah also serves as an interview transcriber, primarily for events such as San Diego Comic-Con, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Sundance Film Festival. Dyah graduated from Satya Wacana Christian University in October 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, concentrating on Creative Writing. She is currently completing her Master's degree in English Literature Studies, with a thesis on intersectionality in postcolonial-feminist studies in Asian literary works, and is expected to graduate in 2026. Born and raised between Indonesia and Singapore, Dyah is no stranger to different cultures. She now resides in the small town of Kendal with her husband and four cats, where she spends her free time cooking or cycling. Sign in to your Collider account No other Netflix fantasy series has had fans talking quite like The Witcher. When the show first premiered in 2019, viewers were drawn to its grittier take on the genre, where monster hunter Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) isn’t admired as a hero, but shunned as a mutated freak. Despite being a self-proclaimed lone wolf, he eventually crosses paths with Ciri (Freya Allan), the long-lost princess of Cintra, Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), a powerful sorceress shaped by a traumatic past, and Jaskier (Joey Batey), a chirpy bard. With beasts, bounty hunters, and kingdoms breathing down their necks, the four traverse the Continent looking for answers — only to become pulled into a greater prophecy with apocalyptic implications. What is 'The Witcher' About? As a witcher, Geralt of Rivia spends much of his time hunting beasts for money, from insect-like swamp creatures to maleficent djinns. However, Geralt's path changes when he learns of a girl who is supposedly tied to his destiny. As the show reveals, Geralt and Ciri are bound by the Law of Surprise, an ancient magical custom in which a person who saves someone's life can claim "something they already have but do not yet know about." Unintentionally, Geralt becomes linked to Ciri before she is even born. Related Meanwhile, Ciri barely escapes with her life when the power-hungry empire of Nilfgaard conquers her home. While on the run, she ultimately crosses paths with Geralt. Although Geralt does not initially believe in his changed destiny, he takes Ciri under his wing, protecting her and training her to grow from a sheltered princess into a capable warrior. As this unfolds, Geralt’s future allies, Yennefer and Jaskier, later become key figures in protecting Ciri from evil forces seeking something only she possesses. 'The Witcher's Characters Are More Complicated Than They Appear From grotesque monsters to visceral sword-yielding action sequences, The Witcher doesn’t hold back on the slaughter, but it also understands restraint. Geralt isn’t just a killing machine for hire; he’s observant, calculated, and upholds a pragmatic sense of judgment. More often than not, he tries to understand before he strikes, recognizing that some monsters are made, not born — especially in a universe where "non-humans" are either persecuted or exploited by kingdoms seeking to harness their power. One may argue that the true evil in The Witcher isn't even the monsters themselves, but humans instead. The same goes for Yennefer, who can be considered Geralt's more magical counterpart. Yennefer grew up abused and mocked because of her disfigured, hunchbacked appearance. When she is taken in by a high-ranking sorceress from Aretuza, her obsession with becoming the most powerful mage gets the better of her, leading her to sacrifice a vital part of her body in exchange for beauty and power. However, when she meets Ciri, she changes, too. Although Yennefer is not as bound by destiny as Geralt is, she gradually softens, realizing that her powers are better used to protect others rather than simply prove people wrong. ‘The Witcher’ Only Grows in Stakes as the Series Continues Image via Netflix Over time, Geralt begins to lower his guard — not out of sentimentality, but out of necessity, especially when it comes to protecting Ciri, Yennefer, and Jaskier. He never intended to have a chosen family, but as destiny would have it, they became exactly that. Like Geralt, the other characters are all pushed toward destinies they never fully chose. Much of their journey lies in resisting those expectations and defying the fates initially bestowed upon them, even if it puts them at great risk. Over The Witcher's four seasons to date, Geralt, Yennefer, Ciri, and Jaskier are constantly pulled together and pushed apart for reasons that always feel bigger than them. While the first three seasons see Geralt coming to terms with his destiny involving Ciri, Season 4 — fittingly marked by the controversial casting change from Cavill to Liam Hemsworth — shifts the spotlight more toward Ciri and Yennefer. Both find themselves alone in foreign territories, with targets on their backs and no Geralt to protect them. Despite the growing gloom, Jaskier consistently shows up to cut through the intensity. With the fifth and final season of The Witcher expected to premiere in late 2026, it's only a matter of time before Geralt gets the gang back together to stop an inevitable apocalypse. 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 Franchise(s) The Witcher