Netflix’s Witcher Writers Hate the Source Material

Television

Any readers of the Witcher novels would have been able to surmise that the writers for the Netflix show were not fans of the source material after seeing season 1. However, after the horrendous season 2, they knew that the writers were nearly entirely averse to accurately portraying these characters. This has been confirmed in a recent Instagram Q&A with Beau DeMayo, a former writer for Netflix’s Witcher and a current writer for the upcoming X-Men ’97 reboot. He said:

“I’ve been on show [sic] – namely Witcher – where some of the writers were not or actively disliked the books and games (even actively mocking the source material.)“

This revelation explains so much about the production of The Witcher. This includes season 2’s complete disregard of Blood of Elves and the reported battles Henry Cavill endured to improve the script. Unfortunately, this is what Hollywood is. Long gone are the days when fans wrote beloved properties. The industry’s corporatization and tokenization have fostered writers with little interest in source material. Their only priorities are getting paid, like the She-Hulk actress, or the opportunity to inject current social justice issues. With priorities like these, it’s little wonder that a writers’ room like The Witcher’s exists.

In a perfect world, hating or even being unfamiliar with the source material should automatically disqualify a writer from adapting that story. Even in our imperfect world, actively mocking the source material should be enough to show studios that they’ve hired the wrong people. Allowances can be made for actors and crew, but writers should know and love this world enough to understand what parts to adapt. Otherwise, it will be a willy-nilly approach that only alienates fans. DeMayo continued:

“It’s a recipe for disaster and bad morale. Fandom as a litmus test checks egos, and makes all the long nights worth it. You have to respect the work before you’re allowed to add to its legacy.”

It’s surprising to hear such a commonsense perspective from any Hollywood writer, especially from one who worked with Netflix and Disney. If this is truly his perspective, it may take him far. In a stark contrast to DeMayo’s approach, The Witcher showrunner Lauren Hissrich previously explained her hiring process, which led to this travesty:

“We need writers who are close, but not too close. Who love the world, but aren’t afraid to question it. Who are fans, but are willing to step back and open their minds, in order to bring their beloved world to our real (big) one.”

Yet another Hollywood political pundit who wishes to bring otherworldly stories into our modern world. She specifically hired people unfamiliar enough with the material to go along with her weaponizing it for feminist politics, such as the storyline with Yennefer in season 2. With her words, we have the cause; with DeMayo’s, we have the result, leaving the fans to endure the messy and hate-filled adaptation that is Netflix’s The Witcher.