If you're a fantasy enthusiast where witches, monsters and wizards are all part of your imagination, The Witcher is definitely a series that could be for you.
Created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich for Netflix, this series follows Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), a solitary monster hunter who struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove to be eviler than monsters.
When fate brings him together with a powerful sorceress and a young princess with a special gift, the three follow a journey through different timelines across an increasingly volatile Continent.
While you anxiously wait for the third season of this truly addictive series, we have prepared a shortlist of 9 fantastic titles full of magic, supernatural powers, mythology and even apocalyptic scenarios.
With so many great options available on this list, let yourself get caught up in this mystical world, and who knows, maybe you'll find your next favourite show.
You can always leave other suggestions in the comments below.
OUR LIST OF SHOWS LIKE THE WITCHER
Shadow and Bone
Shadow and Bone has a plot filled with magic, destiny, star-crossed lovers, impressive CGI, and really really nice costumes. But is it enough to rival The Witcher or Game Of Thrones?
Hellbound
Supernatural creatures have come to earth creating chaos and sending people to hell which gives rise to a new religion founded on divine justice in this Korean crime thriller, Hellbound.
Ragnarok
Ragnarok is a Norwegian teen drama based on Magne who discovers that he is the living embodiment of Thor, God of Thunder. A quirky superhero series based in modern-day with plenty to like. Simplified but well worth a watch.
Barbarians
Barbarians is a six-part series that tells the story of The Battle Of Teutoburg Forest. The battle has gone down in history as the greatest military defeat suffered by a Roman Army. Discover how a band of 'Barbarians' out-thought and outfought the mi...[Read More]
Vikings
Originally produced by the History Channel, Vikings is the epic saga of Ragnar Lothbrok, his family, and his violent ascent into Norse Legend.
Highlander
In a world where there can be only one, immortals roam the world in a bid to the last man standing in Highlander. Iconic performances and a solid soundtrack have ensured this 80s flick stands the test of time, much like the highlander himself.
The Wheel Of Time
An Amazon Prime original, The Wheel of Time is set at the dawn of time when a deity, known as the Creator, forged the universe.
It also created the Wheel of Time, which spins the Pattern of the Ages using the lives of men and women as its threads.
The Wheel has seven spokes, each representing an age, and it is rotated by the One Power, which flows from the True Source.
The series follows Moiraine, a member of the Aes Sedai, a powerful organization of women who can channel the One Power.
She seeks a group of five young villagers believing one of them is the reincarnation of the Dragon who is prophesied to either save the world or break it once more.
The show stars Rosamund Pike, Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins and Madeleine Madden.
Tribes of Europa
The Netflix series follows a Europe divided into tribes in a post-apocalyptic scenario.
Set in 2074, three brothers struggle to survive in the middle of a war between states while a major threat emerges on the continent.
A global catastrophe has caused the continent to fracture into dystopian warring tribal microstates who vie for dominance over other states.
The siblings get caught up in the conflict when they come into possession of a mysterious cube.
Cursed
Based on the illustrated novel of the same name by Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler, Cursed is a Netflix production.
It follows Nimue, a young heroine with a mysterious gift who is destined to become the powerful Lady of the Lake.
Based loosely on the legend of King Arthur, Nimue and her partner Arthur go on a quest to find Merlin and deliver an ancient sword to him.
Not only is a fantasy series, it is also a coming-of-age story starring Katherine Langford and Devon Terrell. However, it was cancelled after just one season.
Is The Witcher Series Based On The Books Or Games?
In reality, the series has several different forms of literature. This is something that those who have only heard about it through Netflix may not know.
The Witcher has three adaptations: the books, the games, and the action series.
The books were written by Andrzej Sapkowski and released from 1986 to 2013. Meanwhile, The Witcher game is split into three separate sets launched from 2007 to 2015.
The Witcher Netflix series is the latest instalment in this entire franchise.
While there are resemblances between both, the Netflix show is unrelated to any of the three games released.
However, because they follow the same story and source material, The Witcher series and the games inevitably have some similarities.
Which Book Is The Witcher Based on?
The Geralt of Rivia storyline is a collection of tales. Netflix's first season is inspired by the stories of the first two books, The Sword of Destiny, published in 1992 and The Last Wish, released in 1993.
In addition to these, there are six other titles written by Andrzej Sapkowsk: The Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Swallow's Tower, Lady of the Lake and Time of Storm.
All the books have been worldwide hits, so Netflix plans to release seven more seasons, adapting the remaining stories in the future on streaming.
Who Is Yennefer In The Witcher?
The character appeared in the first season catching everyone's attention. Yennefer de Vengerberg is one of the most powerful sorceresses in the entire universe of The Witcher, as well as being Geralt's main love interest.
In an interview, Andrzej Sapkowski said he wanted to make the plot more appealing: “When I created Yennefer, I wanted Geralt to develop fully, but then I decided to complicate things”.
He still mentioned, “I created a female character who refuses to be part of the fantasy stereotype. For the reader's pleasure.”
In Aretuza, she learned to master the power of chaos to conjure various types of magic, quickly adapting to them and sometimes even giving her personal touch to each new skill learned.
Her Elven blood explains the extent of Yennefer's power. In the world of The Witcher, the Elves created magic, teaching the dark arts to humanity.
In the tv series, Yennefer is played by actress Anya Chalotra.
Are Witches Immortal In The Witcher?
No, witches are not immortal because they can die by age, natural causes or other means, such as being killed in battle.
Geralt and other wizards age very slowly due to their process when they become sorcerers.
Wizards like Yennefer can live for centuries because they stop ageing through magic. Meanwhile, Ciri and Jaskier have a human life expectancy.
The ageing time of some of the characters in The Witcher can easily confuse viewers. However, it becomes easier to understand when you identify which ages like normal humans and which ones tend to live longer lives.
This is why there aren't many sorceresses left on the continent, even though there were many in the past.
Why Do Geralt's Eyes Turn Black In The Witcher?
Geralt's first appearance made a big impact on viewers. However, some wondered why his eyes were black while fighting the Kikimore but not when battling other creatures in subsequent episodes.
This is due to Geralt being under the effects of a potion, which are very common in The Witcher universe.
The black eyes are his fully dilated pupils, allowing him to see better in the dark, which fits the scenario of the opening scene of the series.
Potions can also increase speed, resistance, healing, and more, depending on what they need to fight each monster.
Conclusion
So there you have our amazing list of shows like The Witcher. Of course, the list is not exhausted but there is only so much we can write!
So if you have some suggestions for great shows like The Witcher, let us know in the comments and we can include them in our article.
