The Witcheris a great example of a modern TV show with a strong premise but many flaws, and a different Netflix show proves how these issues can be avoided. The verybest episodes ofThe Witcherprove its potential, telling the story of Geralt of Rivia hilariously and dramatically alongside other key players. Created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and launched in 2019,The Witcheris based on the book series by Andrzej Sapkowski and follows Geralt, the mutant monster hunter, on his many adventures. The show had a mixed reception despite its all-star cast.
Airing on Netflix,The Witcherwas expected to be Netflix’s answer toGame of Thronesand had the potential to become one of the streamer’s flagship shows. AlthoughThe Witcherhas been successful may be one of thefantasy TV shows with the best world-buildingaround, it has failed to amass the same amount of presence on pop culture as some of Netflix’s other hits.The Witcherfanbase also has a complicated relationship with the show, which could have learned from a different Netflix adaptation how to navigate such rich pre-existing lore.
Castlevania Was Not A Very Faithful Adaptation – And It Still Worked
It Is Possible To Create Unfaithful Adaptations That Are Great On Their Own
Castlevaniais one of the best shows on Netflix, even though it isn’t incredibly faithful. On the other hand,The Witcheris also not incredibly faithful to its source material, but gets a lot more flak thanCastlevania. More recently,Castlevania: Nocturnealso got great reviews despite not being a very faithful adaptation of the franchise’s lore. The lesson we can take fromCastlevaniais that, if a show is great on its own, it’s easier for it to get along with big changes to the source material.
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The Witcherhas taken critiques from fans of the books and video games, along with the author of the books himself. Flanked by Anya Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg and Freya Allen as Ciri, Henry Cavill played Geralt in a universe that followed elements of both the game and the books but never quite matched the tone of either. The show tried to make a lot of different ends meet, and didn’t optimize its own logic thoroughly as a result. ButCastlevaniademonstrates how adaptations can build on source material to create something popular with all fans.
Castlevania’s Creative Liberties Made It Into A Show Everyone Could Watch
Castlevania Exploited Its Format Correctly
The hit animeCastlevaniatook a lot of liberties with its source material, which actually ended up improving its premise.Castlevaniabuilt on less source material thanThe Witcherhad, which may have made it a simpler adaptation. By contrast,The Witchertried to unite the video game and books, which were very hard to adapt. In terms of the gaming,Ciri is confirmed asThe Witcher 4protagonist, which means that the game will start aligning more with the books. But this may come too late for the show to get its ducks in a row.
Netflix’s Other Hit Video Game Animated Show Also Took A Lot Of Liberties
Netflix Has A Solid Lineup Of Animated Shows
Castlevaniatook a different approach toThe Witcherand committed to telling its own story using elements from theCastlevaniauniverse, from characters to locations.Arcaneexhibited a similar approach, and the result was incredible. Dracula is far more tragic in theCastlevaniaanime than in the games, serving more as the driving force of the story rather than the ultimate villain that is meant to be defeated in every era. Likewise,Arcaneamplifies the drama between its core characters, expanding onLeague of Legendslore.
Arcaneis one of Netflix’s highest-rated shows and one of the best animated series of all time.Arcane,Castlevania, andCastlevania: Nocturneall exhibit the power of an authentic story well-told, regardless of the creative liberties they take. Showrunners face a hard task in adapting varied formats into TV, and achieving both faithfulness and good TV drama requires compromise. This is why it can be difficult forThe Witcherto succeed on both fronts, but Netflix’s other adaptations show that it can be done.
The Witcher
The Witcheris a dark fantasy franchise that spans books, video games, and a successful Netflix series. It follows Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter with supernatural abilities, as he navigates a world rife with political intrigue, magical creatures, and moral ambiguity. The franchise is celebrated for its deep lore, complex characters, and exploration of the gray areas between good and evil.
Castlevania
Cast
Based on the video game franchise, Castlevania is a Netflix original animated action series that follows the never-ending battle of the monster-slaying Belmont clan as they continue to face off against the hordes of the night. When Count Dracula’s human wife is murdered, his grief leads him to doom the world to eternal darkness. To stop him, it’ll take a team of three unlikely heroes banding together: the last remaining Belmont, Trevor, a magic-wielding seeker named Sypha Belnades, and the tortured half-human, half-vampire son of the count himself, Alucard.
