The world of fantasy television broke wide open after the advent of cable networks and streaming services. They both seem to have the money and the desire to pursue such content, more so than their traditional network counterparts. Once nerd culture became mainstream, the popularity of these kinds of shows took off. Nowhere was that more evident than with Game of Thrones.
It dominated ratings, the news cycle, and water cooler conversations for eight seasons on HBO. Since it ended, fans have been looking for their next obsession and they may have found it in The Witcher on Netflix. But which one is better?
Game Of Thrones: Popular Source Material
George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, served as the source material for the Game of Thrones TV series. But the books were not, and are still not, finished by the time the show wrapped up.
Eventually, the showrunners had to strike out on their own and start building the rest of the story without source material to draw on. They did still have Martin's guidance, though. Martin's books were already incredibly popular before the TV series was conceived. Having that as a base was definitely a huge factor in the show's success.
The Witcher: Video Game History
The Witcher also originally existed as books, though they were nowhere near as well known as A Song of Ice and Fire. Most people know the characters from the video game franchise, which is popular with both gamers and critics alike. Having these games gave fans a clear vision of what Geralt of Rivia's world looked like.
That can be a double-edged sword for the TV show because every visual difference is then questioned by people who played the games. Still, having the level of notoriety that comes with a AAA game franchise is a good start for a TV series.
Game Of Thrones: Drama & Intrigue
While fans tuned in for huge battles, dragons, and the occasional bouts of forbidden love between brother and sister, the bread and butter of Game of Thrones was the drama. There was so much nuance infused into each conversation that those moments kept viewers on the edge of their seats.
The banter was well written and executed, particularly in scenes involving Tyrion Lannister. He remains the most quotable and possibly memeable character on the show. There's a level of political intrigue at the core of Game of Thrones that makes it must-watch TV.
The Witcher: Cool Monster Fights
While The Witcher has its fair share of drama and intrigue, fans are streaming it to watch Geralt beat up monsters. That, and the occasional bath. Geralt is a mystically enhanced monster hunter, a solid but solitary career path. He is one of the last witchers on the Continent, making him a legend in his own time.
Essentially, the job of a witcher is to wander around and fight monsters. Geralt is very good at his job, leading to some ridiculously epic monster fights. Seeing if Netflix can take things up a notch in season 2 will be interesting.
Game Of Thrones: Peter Dinklage
Out of all the characters in Game of Thrones, Tyrion Lannister was the one breakout star. This was due to the outstanding work of Peter Dinklage, who played Tyrion throughout the entire series. The youngest child of Tywin Lannister, Tyrion was born a dwarf and deals with the prejudice from his own family with the twin shots of wine and wit.
In the novels, Tyrion has been referred to as one of Martin's greatest literary creations as well as being named one of his most popular characters. That is a lot to live up to, but Dinklage took on the challenge and played the role to absolute perfection.
The Witcher: Henry Cavill
Geralt is a dominating figure. A mountain of a man, his sour gaze and sharp, often angry demeanor putting both his allies and enemies in their place. He is not someone anyone wants to cross. Like Peter Dinklage and Tyrion Lannister, there were high expectations for Henry Cavill's portrayal of Geralt.
Cavill had recently come off a divisive turn as Superman, even if most of the blame for the deficiencies in his portrayal of the Man of Steel rest elsewhere. He was a great choice for Superman and a great choice for Geralt.
Game Of Thrones: Dragons
If there's one thing years of fantasy TV series and movies have taught the entertainment industry, it is that people want to see dragons. Lots of big, scary dragons breathing fire on people Emilia Clarke does not like.
From the moment the dragon eggs showed up on Game of Thrones, fans kept asking when they were going to see the dragons in their grandest form. It took a few seasons, but it eventually happened and became a highlight of the series. Again, it's an indisputable fact that people want to see dragons setting Emilia Clarke's numerous enemies on fire.
The Witcher: Mages
While The Witcher has its fair share of mythical beasts, the mages really set it apart. Game of Thrones does have a relatively strong mystical presence but not to the same extent as The Witcher.
There are entire schools devoted to sorcery that do not look anywhere near as fun as Hogwarts. The Continent seems to have dozens, if not hundreds, of mages wandering around. Even Geralt has mystical training and has been enhanced by magic.
Game Of Thrones: Legacy
Between the books and the TV series, Game of Thrones has carved itself a permanent place in pop culture. Even though HBO seems to keep changing its mind on where to go next with the franchise, there is always the potential to tell more stories in this world through sequels, prequels, and spin-offs.
While HBO appears to have nixed this idea, the most obvious and popular choice would be following Arya on her adventures. That looks unlikely at this point. Regardless, Game of Thrones now has a legacy that will be almost impossible for another fantasy franchise to live up to.
The Witcher: Potential
For many fans of The Witcher, the Netflix series was their first introduction to the character and this world despite the existence of the books and video games. The first season was by no means perfect but it was quite good overall.
It showed that this premise has the potential to do more and become great, which is probably why Netflix gave the go-ahead to a second season so quickly. If everything goes well and viewers fall for The Witcher, Netflix might end up with a Game of Thrones situation on its hands.