Netflix's The Witcher series

[Classist.]

Well, it's not like there's no parallels...

That's what scares me, that they'll see some parallels and completely ignore the nuance. Nilfgaard is a highly expansionist state which culturally is more or less based of renaissance germany, but they're prosperous with fair(er) laws and efficient administration (at least in comparison to their northern neighbors.) When it comes to running their empire the Nilfs seem to have more in common with the romans than the nazis. I think that the Nilfgaardians should be the antagonists alot of the time but I don't tink that they should be 'evil' par se.

 

[Prompt Critical]

Its an adaptation meant to appeal to American audiences. Netflix isn't going to invest hundreds of millions of dollar in a show starring a bunch of nobodies who speak with accents most Americans would struggle to understand.

Good point, a high-budget show starring a bunch of nobodies with funny accents could never appeal to American audiences.

 

[HeyYou]

They really should have hired Polish actors, at least a few more than they did. Every single person sees through Lauren's "my Polish (-American teehee) friends said I'm writing the best show ever guise!" That tweet of her acting embattled because she's an American female doing this show was fucking hilarious. Bitch, despite your wokeness you are the perfect example of a clueless, obnoxious, American.

 

[Stab You in the Back]

Good point, a high-budget show starring a bunch of nobodies with funny accents could never appeal to American audiences.

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I was going to mention Chernobyl as an example of a production that uses British actors in the place of Eastern Europeans in order to appeal to American audiences. I ultimately didn't, because I thought the example was too obvious to bother making.

 

[Your Weird Fetish]

That's what scares me, that they'll see some parallels and completely ignore the nuance. Nilfgaard is a highly expansionist state which culturally is more or less based of renaissance germany, but they're prosperous with fair(er) laws and efficient administration (at least in comparison to their northern neighbors.) When it comes to running their empire the Nilfs seem to have more in common with the romans than the nazis. I think that the Nilfgaardians should be the antagonists alot of the time but I don't tink that they should be 'evil' par se.

They're way too centralized to be renaissance Germany. They're more like early Rome, yeah. A growing empire whose power is nonetheless based largely around a single city and its hinterland. Eternal reminder: Cahir is from Vicovaro.

Under Emhyr they're pretty ruthless, in any case. And sometimes pointlessly destructive because dude has a bad temper. A shame he won't be Charles Dance again.

Good point, a high-budget show starring a bunch of nobodies with funny accents could never appeal to American audiences.

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RP English is a weird accent that no one's used to hearing in TV?

They really should have hired Polish actors, at least a few more than they did. Every single person sees through Lauren's "my Polish (-American teehee) friends said I'm writing the best show ever guise!" That tweet of her acting embattled because she's an American female doing this show was fucking hilarious. Bitch, despite your wokeness you are the perfect example of a clueless, obnoxious, American.

In earlier communications she acknowledged the potential problems and said she'd just have to try to do her best. Recent tweets are probably more marketing oriented.

 

[Secret Asshole]

Netflix's The Witcher EP Lauren Hissrich Explains Race Changes: America Has "Long and Checkered History of Enslaving, Abusing, and Deriding People Who Aren’t White" - Bounding Into Comics

Netflix's The Witcher executive producer Lauren Hissrich explains why she race swapped a number of the characters for the upcoming TV series.

boundingintocomics.com

The article is pretty interesting, as it shows her contradicting herself. Several times. In just eight tweets. The thing from the screenshotted tweet is some sort of insane historosophical argument about America, which, in the original chain, is a few tweets later followed by "we are making the show for 190 countries" (which is itself an incorrect statement, for hopefully obvious reasons) and "I’ve been clear about my actions not being a result of “feeling liberal.”".

I find that this is proof that it was dictated by the Netflix higher ups because she's basically stammering and going back and forth, knowing she can't justify it but can't say, "Netflix made us have a diversity quota" either.

 

[Your Weird Fetish]

Lauren Hissrich did nothing wrong

 

[Prompt Critical]

I was going to mention Chernobyl as an example of a production that uses British actors in the place of Eastern Europeans in order to appeal to American audiences. I ultimately didn't, because I thought the example was too obvious to bother making.

Cool, but that wasn't your original contention.

This is the same reason John Cho was cast as Spike in Netflix's Cowboy Bebop despite being 20 years too old and a foot too short for the role. You could throw a rock off Tokyo Tower and hit someone who'd be a more convincing Spike, but Cho 1) speaks with an American accent, and 2) is a fairly well-known actor in America.

Do tell, who in Chernobyl speaks with an American accent, and is a fairly well-known actor in America?

This isn't even getting into the fact that they managed to cast Chernobyl without making half the cast black or middle eastern and somehow US audiences could still connect with them.

EDIT: If I'm being unclear here, I don't think you're necessarily wrong about the reason Netflix cast the show the way they did (although I tend to suspect at least part of it was also the traditional "fuck you nerds, no escapism" territory marking that motivates modern leftists). The point I was trying to make is that they are 100% wrong in their operating assumptions about what is necessary to cast, write and produce a television show that will appeal to US audiences.

 

[Stab You in the Back]

Cool, but that wasn't your original contention.

That was precisely my contention. British accents are one of the few foreign accents Americans have no trouble understanding (for the most part). That's why I included the comment about Henry Cavill speaking with his native accent in The Witcher.

The point I was trying to make is that they are 100% wrong in their operating assumptions about what is necessary to cast, write and produce a television show that will appeal to US audiences.

Perhaps, but I think when there's this much money on the line, companies aren't going to take unnecessary risks just for the sake of authenticity when authenticity has never been that important to them. Marco Polo might be a good comparison point because the accent work was all over the place in that series and I think The Italian Explorer himself spoke with a light Irish(?) accent. When there's $100 million on the line, companies don't fuck around.

 

[Your Weird Fetish]

"fuck you nerds, no escapism" territory marking that motivates modern leftists)

Why the fuck would you want to escape into the world of the Witcher? It's a shit hole.

 

[Secret Asshole]

Everyone wants to be the Witcher that bangs all the women. But you're more than likely to die fucking horribly during the trial of the grasses and then out on your first hunt.

 

[Uranus Pink]

Why the fuck would you want to escape into the world of the Witcher? It's a shit hole.

Same reason most people fantasize being in any previous point of history like Victorian England, the Old West, and etc. with out consideration even if they're 100% healthy life going to completely suck for them. As they all believe they will be the hero, heroine, or royalty not the peasent, serf, or cannon fodder.

 

[HeyYou]

Why the fuck would you want to escape into the world of the Witcher? It's a shit hole.

Why would you want to be in Game of Thrones? It's likely you'll die of some terrible disease and otherwise live as shitty as life as an actual real life European serf. Why would you want to be in Star Wars? It's likely you'll never even fly a spaceship/leave your home planet, much less be a space wizard. Even if you were royalty in Game of Thrones or a Jedi, it's just as likely you'll die in some shitty way. But it's cool as fuck.

It's the same thing for the Witcher. People imagine being a sorceress or a witcher, which involves you doing incredible stunts/magic and banging hot women and men. Of course even if you were a witcher you'd still be going through a horrific training regiment, facing discrimination, and likely die fighting some disgusting beast. It doesn't stop people from wanting to do it.

 

[Uranus Pink]

Star Wars before the prequel movies came out is/was one of the better sci-fi franchises. Post Battle of Endor anyone could have became a Jedi if what's they wanted to be, and LucasFilm's toy and advertising departments were extremely keen to hammer that point home to the target audience.

 

[Your Weird Fetish]

Everyone wants to be the Witcher that bangs all the women. But you're more than likely to die fucking horribly during the trial of the grasses and then out on your first hunt.

Geralt occasionally getting to slam some 10/10 chick really isn't worth the rest of the life he leads.

Besides if you post on Kiwifarms the only Witcher you'll be is Lambert.

 

[HeyYou]

Geralt occasionally getting to slam some 10/10 chick really isn't worth the rest of the life he leads.

Besides if you post on Kiwifarms the only Witcher you'll be is Lambert.

Lambert's cool, you mean that sperg in the first Witcher game who I can't even remember the name of, which shows just how perfect it is.

Star Wars before the prequel movies came out is/was one of the better sci-fi franchises. Post Battle of Endor anyone could have became a Jedi if what's they wanted to be, and LucasFilm's toy and advertising departments were extremely keen to hammer that point home to the target audience.

There was quite a bit of shit in the EU even before the prequels came out. Are you seriously going to claim the Jedi Academy trilogy was better than Revenge of the Sith? I wouldn't even say I, Jedi, which is 40x better than the Jedi Academy trilogy, is better than Revenge of the Sith.

 

[Your Weird Fetish]

Lambert's cool, you mean that sperg in the first Witcher game who I can't even remember the name of, which shows just how perfect it is.

Lambert's a whiny little bitch. But yeah I guess at least he's better than Berengar.

 

[Uranus Pink]

Lambert's cool, you mean that sperg in the first Witcher game who I can't even remember the name of, which shows just how perfect it is.


There was quite a bit of shit in the EU even before the prequels came out. Are you seriously going to claim the Jedi Academy trilogy was better than Revenge of the Sith? I wouldn't even say I, Jedi, which is 40x better than the Jedi Academy trilogy, is better than Revenge of the Sith.

EU novels back then were mostly complete and utter shit and got the ball rolling toward only special people can be Jedi, FU Kevin J. Anderson. Nevermind the New Republic couldn't do shit unless a Skywalker or Solo is there to wipe it's ass.

 

[Miller]

I was going to mention Chernobyl as an example of a production that uses British actors in the place of Eastern Europeans in order to appeal to American audiences. I ultimately didn't, because I thought the example was too obvious to bother making.

There's also the UK version of Wallander. It's shot in Sweden with Britbongistan actors and they pronounce people's names with a weird swedish accent.

 

[Sinner's Sandwich]

Hm...if you bring current politics into a fantasy series then it's not fun to watch it again years later because the political climate changes. I doubt many people want to watch an old fantasy show that's all about Fantasy version of Trump, detention centers, gender snowflake bullshit and so on.