# The Witcher Season 4 - HOW BAD WAS IT!? - Angry Review

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctgRN8GoQyA
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/ctgRN8GoQyA
Generated: 2025-11-20T22:09:49.311+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The reviewers collectively gave The Witcher Season 4 a low rating of 3/10, citing poor writing, confusing timelines, and perceived narrative pandering as major issues, despite acknowledging some strong character moments and good action sequences like the mage battle and the fight where Geralt kills the monster.

**Key Points:**
- The panel collectively rated the reviewed Witcher Season 4 content a 3/10, indicating significant disappointment.
- The main criticisms centered on what the reviewers perceived as poor writing, confusing timeline jumps, and unnecessary exposition, particularly concerning the character of Jaskier.
- Henry Cavill's performance as Geralt was praised as being 'really good' and 'charismatic,' and his fight scenes, like the one against the monster (01:25), were highlighted as strong points.
- The reviewers heavily criticized the handling of the sorceresses and the introduction of characters like the 'rats' (Fringilla's group) and the character of the 'evil sorcerer' (01:27), finding their writing weak.
- One major point of contention was the decision to separate Ciri and Geralt for long periods, which the reviewers felt broke immersion.
- The segment discussing the fate of the sorceresses (03:25) and the general dark, morally grey tone of the show was mentioned, but ultimately overshadowed by the perceived narrative failures.
- The reviewers noted that the showrunners seemed to be prioritizing certain storylines (like the politics of Ciri's parentage) over the book material, which they felt was handled poorly.

![Screenshot at 46:08: The reviewer in the white wig dramatically gestures while yelling about the sorceresses' attempt to kill Leo, emphasizing a moment of over-the-top, poorly written action that frustrated the panel.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ctgRN8GoQyA/00-46-08.png)

**Context:** This video features three reviewers from 'The Angry Joe Show' discussing their impressions of the recently released season of Netflix's 'The Witcher,' likely Season 4 based on context referring to Henry Cavill's departure and the introduction of Liam Hemsworth. The panel critiques the season's writing, character arcs, and overall narrative cohesion, contrasting the show's direction with the source material (the books).

## Detailed Analysis

The review panel delivered a harsh verdict on the season, scoring it a 3/10 overall. The main thrust of the criticism was directed at the writing quality, citing a 'slow' pace, confusing timelines that separated key characters like Geralt and Ciri for too long, and poor character development for characters other than Geralt. The reviewers felt that major plot points, such as the death of Geralt's mentor Vesemir or the battle at the Sodden Hill, were handled poorly or lacked emotional weight due to being rushed or poorly set up. Specific examples of poor writing included the characters' dialogue feeling 'amateur' and unnecessary exposition being given for events the characters already knew. The reviewers specifically disliked the portrayal of the sorceresses, noting their motivations felt manipulative and that their arc felt like an attempt to force a political narrative rather than serving the story. They praised Henry Cavill's performance as Geralt, considering him a highlight, but felt his character was underserved by the surrounding plot and supporting cast. The panel concluded that while individual action scenes were sometimes good (like the mage battle), the overall narrative structure and writing quality were severely lacking, making the season mostly boring.

### Overall Verdict

- The season received a low score of 3/10 from the panel due to poor writing, confusing timelines, and weak character arcs for nearly everyone except Geralt
- The reviewers stated that despite some good action, the overall experience was 'boring' and 'rotten' compared to the source material.

### Geralt & Casting

- Henry Cavill's portrayal of Geralt was praised as 'really good,' 'charismatic,' and 'cool,' suggesting his performance was a highlight despite the show's flaws
- The reviewer who dresses as a witcher agreed that Cavill was the best part.

### Writing & Narrative Issues

- Major criticisms included the story jumping between timelines confusingly and the writers shoehorning in action sequences (like the mage battle or the fight with the monster) without proper emotional payoff
- The dialogue was criticized as not being 'up to par' and the overall narrative feeling 'amateur.'

### Character Focus

- The reviewers felt that characters like Yennefer were poorly developed, citing her actions as 'manipulation' and 'abuse' that didn't make sense based on her book counterpart
- The subplot involving the sorceresses' political maneuvering was deemed poorly executed.

### Specific Episode/Scene Critique

- The reviewers pointed to the Battle of Sodden Hill (47:38) as an example of poor fight choreography where the sword cuts looked unrealistic, and the character deaths felt unearned or poorly handled
- The scene where Yennefer kills the rats felt overly dramatic and unnecessary.

### Comparison to Source Material

- The reviewers repeatedly referenced the books, noting that the show simplified or changed elements, specifically mentioning the characterization of Yennefer and the handling of Geralt's father's death.

### Final Thoughts

- The consensus was that the season was a huge disappointment, especially considering the high budget (50:51) and the expectation for Season 5 to be filmed back-to-back.

![Screenshot at 00:04: The 'Angry Joe Show: Streaming Reviews' title sequence with 80s-style neon grid aesthetic.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ctgRN8GoQyA/00-00-04.png)
![Screenshot at 00:11: The three reviewers \(Alex, Joe, and the host in white wig\) are seated in the review setup, with the host holding a sword prop.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ctgRN8GoQyA/00-00-11.png)
![Screenshot at 01:10: A dark, intense scene from the Witcher trailer showing Geralt \(Henry Cavill\) fighting a large, multi-limbed monster in a swampy forest.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ctgRN8GoQyA/00-01-10.png)
![Screenshot at 02:05: A trailer clip showing a group of diverse characters, including the sorceress from the books \(long blonde hair\), standing outdoors in period costume.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ctgRN8GoQyA/00-02-05.png)
![Screenshot at 04:07: A dramatic shot from the trailer showing multiple streams of fire being conjured in a dark, cavernous room during a magical confrontation.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ctgRN8GoQyA/00-04-07.png)
