It might seem a little strange to dub season 3 volume 1 of The Witcher<\/a> \u2018calm\u2019, but compared to what it seems to be building to? Let\u2019s go with it.<\/p>\n The highly-anticipated third season of the Netflix<\/a> fantasy, which will see Henry Cavill<\/a> take his final bow as Geralt of Rivia, begins with Ciri (Freya Allan) on the run from, well, pretty much everyone, as kingdoms from Nilfgaard to Redania hunt her down.<\/p>\n There are moments of joy in her found family with Geralt and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), before someone \u2013 usually the fire mage Rience (Chris Fulton) \u2013 brings her right back to reality.<\/p>\n Amid all of this, Ciri\u2019s struggling with her magic despite Yennefer\u2019s best efforts, with the three of them forced to make a big decision about how to prepare her for what\u2019s to come \u2013 and quickly.<\/p>\n Those expecting all-out action in volume 1 might be a little disappointed, but it\u2019s clear it\u2019s building to something very big. Of course, there are some spectacular fight scenes and some gruesome monsters \u2013 some of which embrace horror elements a little more than the series has done so far (we won\u2019t spoil them here) \u2013 but they don\u2019t play as big of a role as they might have previously.<\/p>\n Instead, we get more plotting and scheming. Some of the time, it pays off, building the suspense for volume 2 and giving a clearer picture of the rich fantasy world as a whole after Blood Origin<\/a>. There are moments where this is done spectacularly well \u2013 episode 5, in particular, is a flawlessly crafted offering. But there are also moments that drag a little, prompting questions about whether we could have done more with this season.<\/p>\n Overall, it would have been more satisfying to spend more time with our core characters. There\u2019s no doubt that gaining a richer understanding of each clan\u2019s motives is important, but with just eight episodes to tell such a rich story, surely we could have cut some of the conversation in favour of more time with our heroes? Or inserted them into the politics in the way that episode 5 does?<\/p>\n In many ways, it\u2019s bittersweet to watch the cast at what could be their very best and it would have been lovely to see more of them. Ciri is very much the focus of volume 1, with Allan\u2019s performance having grown beautifully with the character. She\u2019s a far cry from the princess we met in season 1 \u2013 but, as she\u2019s forced to take the weight of the world on her shoulders, it\u2019s clear she\u2019s still only a child.<\/p>\n Chalotra\u2019s performance as Yennefer is similarly nuanced, showing off a softer side to the mage as well as her brilliant scheming. Meanwhile, Joey Batey has never been better as bard Jaskier, providing brilliant (and needed) comic relief one moment and beautiful sincerity the next. His scenes with Hugh Skinner (Prince Radovid) are particularly captivating.<\/p>\n And, of course, we get to see Cavill for one final season in a role he knows so well, and one we love him for. Volume 1 isn\u2019t quite a goodbye to him but, as he\u2019s faced with new monsters and plays off his cast members wonderfully, it is something of a love letter. As for how future seasons will fare with Liam Hemsworth<\/a> at the helm, and if he\u2019ll be able to match the chemistry with his co-stars, only time will tell.<\/p> On its own, volume 1 is a fairly well-crafted beginning to the season, giving us most things we could want from The Witcher and raising the stakes as we knew it would. As our heroes have grown, so have the monsters, with Geralt hunting down a mysterious big bad (our lips are sealed) throughout the episodes.<\/p>\n But, by the end of volume 1, when we\u2019re five episodes down, you\u2019d be forgiven for being a little worried about the final three. In fact, Netflix might have been better off releasing the eight-episode season all at once. In terms of the plot, it makes sense to split them after episode 5 (you\u2019ll see) but it leaves a lot to wrap up in the three episodes still to come in volume 2.<\/p> ![\""Henry\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2023\/06\/EE305Unit00553RT2-3240e76.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C412"\" "\\"\"Henry\\"\/")
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