The Witcher season 4 on Netflix will face backlash – but give it a chance

The Witcher has faced an uphill battle for several years, since before Henry Cavill’s departure, when there were rumours of creative differences behind the scenes.

In 2022, it was confirmed that he would be stepping down as Geralt of Rivia and would be replaced by Liam Hemsworth in the hit Netflix fantasy series, which returns today with season 4, officially marking the changing of the guard.

Three years ago, when the news first broke, fans across the world wailed. ‘We won’t watch The Witcher without Henry,’ many declared, claiming that the show would never be the same, and might as well be considered as finished.

As upset as I was to see the Superman actor step down from a role that he played so brilliantly and cared about so deeply, I’ve had high hopes for Liam from the start. I could see his potential. The Hunger Games star has the acting chops, the physicality, the screen presence – so why couldn’t he be a worthy successor?

The recasting obviously threw an almighty axe in the works, but I personally wanted The Witcher be granted a complete end, rather than being cancelled prematurely. So when I approached watching all eight episodes of season four, I did so with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

I won’t lie – when the first episode opened with a Geralt who was not Henry, I was taken aback. It felt odd to watch someone else’s face with the protagonist’s signature white hair and bulky armour, fighting alongside Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), Ciri (Freya Allan) and Jaskier (Joey Batey). Almost as though his head had been superimposed onto another body.

However, the way that they introduce Liam into the series is smart, bringing his version of Geralt into the fold through a romanticised retelling of their adventures in a storybook. Following the initial opening scenes, the show continues where we left off at the end of season three.

Geralt is worse for wear after his near-death battle against the villain Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu), and is accompanied by Jaskier. Ciri has adopted a new name, Falka, and is running riot with a criminal gang known as the Rats. And Yennefer is not only trying to find Ciri, but find a way to defeat Vilgefortz with her sorceress sisters once and for all.

As strange as it was at first, I became accustomed to Liam being in this universe faster than I thought I would, and quickly came to the realisation that he more than holds his own. He’s not trying to imitate Henry – and let’s face it, if he did just try to mimic his predecessor, he’d be ripped to shreds for doing so.

Nonetheless, he still maintains the essence of Geralt, while bringing his own flair to the role. I have to give him credit for taking up a mantle that he knew came with a lot of baggage, and not being afraid to try something different.

Liam’s first few fight sequences are breathtaking and took me back to the feeling I had when I watched The Witcher for the first time in season one – particularly that iconic alley scene, which was a prime example of fight choreography at its best.

The new lead might not have the same level of gravitas that Henry conveyed while playing Geralt, but having been a fan of the series since it launched six years ago, I’d happily toss a coin to him as the new Witcher.

Watching Liam interact with Joey, and witnessing the bond between Geralt and Jaskier shine through the screen, it’s clear that the actors’ real-life bond helped them build their on-screen dynamic. ‘He’s an absolute champion. His resilience, his humour, the leadership that he brought to the role, it was just astonishing,’ Joey told Metro while talking about working with Liam.

‘It helps that he’s funny. We all laugh together fairly incessantly. He’s got a real depth of love in him for everyone. So that became the basis, I think, for his Geralt.’

Liam might be the main talking point of this season, but he is by no means the only part of The Witcher season four that’s worth discussing. Vilgefortz is a terrifying villain who seems near impossible to beat despite Yennefer’s best efforts, while the plans that Emperor Emhyr (Bart Edwards) is concocting to ensnare Ciri make her escapades with the Rats that much more fraught with tension.

Laurence Fishburne’s mysterious vampire Regis is a delightful addition, bouncing off Geralt with an effortless charm that’s both creepy and charismatic.

One thing that is glaringly missing is Geralt’s interactions with Yennefer and Ciri. We do see them together in the season, but very briefly, and for too short an amount of time to ascertain whether their bonds feel natural.

Given that their relationships are at the core of the show, I was left feeling unsatisfied, as I so desperately wanted to see how Liam would fit in with Anya and Freya in greater depth.

I had to remind myself that the basis of season four is the fact that they’ve been separated. So despite my frustration at this element of the plot, there was a valid reason for it. And it made me want the fifth season even more, when they’ll presumably finally come together again.

If you’re a fan of The Witcher, if you enjoy fantasy, if you love losing yourself in other worlds, then season four should be right up your street. There might be some viewers who are critical of the direction of the season after Henry’s exit, but you won’t know what you think of it unless you give it a chance.

The Witcher season 4 is available to stream on Netflix.

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