Geralt is not the same anymore: the new season under criticism

On October 30, 2025, the fourth season of “The Witcher” series was released on the Netflix platform. However, the new season received mixed reviews from fans and critics.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the critics’ score was 53 percent, while the audience score was only 21 percent. This is one of the lowest ratings in the history of the series.

The main dissatisfaction among viewers was not the replacement of Henry Cavill with Liam Hemsworth, but rather how far the series had deviated from the spirit of the original books and games. In the comments, it was emphasized that this is now just a “Witcher-like” story, but no longer a faithful adaptation to the original work.

Fans especially criticized the weakness of the script. Ciri’s storyline was deemed “meaningless,” unnecessary characters were added, and important characters were removed at the wrong time.

There were complaints that the tone of the series had become “childish” and that it had now turned into a standard fantasy story aimed at teenagers. Liam Hemsworth’s performance as Geralt, replacing Henry Cavill, received mixed reviews.

Some viewers acknowledged that he “tried” and “adopted to the role better than expected.” However, most thought he was not the real Geralt.

The new Geralt was described as “too talkative,” failing to convey the impression of the tough and experienced hero from before. Even in cases where Hemsworth’s performance was rated well, it was noted that the problem lay not with the actor, but with the script and the creators’ attempt to adapt the story to fit their own vision.

The main reason for the low ratings among viewers was said to be the creators' “disrespect for the original source.” They were criticized for trying to rewrite Andrzej Sapkowski’s works.

As a result, many called the fourth season a “parody of The Witcher,” “Temu version of The Witcher,” or “the final point of the series.” Some suggested that the series should have ended with Henry Cavill’s departure.

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