The Witcher series on Netflix has had its fair share of fans, hugely in part due to the star power and charisma of its lead star Henry Cavill. Although a hit for the platform, it has not reached the level of success that other more widely known Netflix projects like that Stranger Things (2016- present), You (2018- present), Bridgerton (2020- present) Money Heist (2017-21) to name a few. Netflix has been able to maintain its position as a prestige platform churning out quality content, especially in the series format. Unfortunately, the release of the third season of The Witcher has not changed things for the IP and instead has gone downhill.
In a recent April list prepared by What’s on Netflix, the 5 most popular Netflix shows in 2023 were laid out as follows:
5. The Night Agent (2023- present)
This espionage thriller blew up once it was released on Netflix and has become one of Netflix’s newest blockbuster shows. The mixture of the classic espionage tropes with a suspenseful narrative captivated fans and has led to the show becoming a big win for the streamer in 2023.
4. Glory (2022- present)
This psychological thriller/revenge drama climbed the Netflix charts and continued to maintain the increasing popularity of K-dramas on the streamer. Following the footsteps of successful Korean dramas including Squid Game (2021- present), All of Us Are Dead (2022- present), Hellbound (2021), and My Name (2021) to name a few, The Glory is another huge success for Korean content in Netflix.
3. You (2018- present)
This endlessly entertaining psychological thriller about a charming serial killer has continued to bring in new audiences and has since developed a cult following. With the release of the fourth season in 2023, Joe Goldberg’s devilishly seductive charm has managed to grab eyeballs and put the series on an all-time high on the streamer.
2. Ginny & Georgia (2021- present)
This dramedy revolving around a widowed mother and her daughter has been embraced by audiences and has been a popular title on Netflix since its debut in 2021. With the release of the second season at the start of 2023, its popularity spiked manyfold and has been placed as the second most popular show on Netflix.
1. Wednesday (2022- present)
This Jenna Ortega starrer has been a sensation on Netflix ever since it debuted and has become one of the streamer’s most-watched original content ever. Its gothic aesthetics, quippy dialogues, and the already viral Wednesday dance have been the talk of the town ever since audiences saw it and have led to it being a reigning tile in terms of its popularity.
Missing from the list is the aforementioned The Witcher series, which recently had some news about its behind-the-scenes drama and unfortunate incidents surrounding it.
Also read: Before The Flash’s Disaster, Henry Cavill was Ready to be Turned into CGI Superman by Zack Snyder
Henry Cavill’s Love for the Source Material Not Reciprocated by its Writers
It is widely known that Henry Cavill is a die-hard fan of The Witcher books and the games. He has time and again proclaimed his love for the IP and shared his vision and the approach that he wanted to take with his series which would be a respectful adaptation of its source material. In an article from Hello Magazine, it is mentioned that some of the current writers of the show and their disdain for the source material may have soured Cavill’s enthusiasm for the show and led to his departure.
One of the ex-writers of the show Beau DeMayo talked about the differences in interest regarding the material between Cavill and the current writers saying,
“I’ve been on a show – namely Witcher – where some of the writers were not or actively disliked the books and games (even actively mocking the source material.) It’s a recipe for disaster and bad morale”
Thus, it would make sense for Cavill to be frustrated with working with people who do not share a similar vision and train of thought of where the series should go. Ultimately, he decided to depart from the show without creating any big drama or nuisance.
Sources: What’s on Netflix, Hello Magazine
