The Witcher series has had a fan following since long before its Netflix adaptation. That is why it came as no surprise that viewers absolutely adored the show. While the first season left audiences wanting more, the second season failed to bring the story to life accurately, which is why their third season was so anticipated. But after the release of the third season back in June, it soon came out that the episode was not what fans had expected.

With Henry Cavill leaving the series, and Ciri joining The Rats, viewers were already thrown for a complete spin once the season aired. But one episode brought back a similar debate to the one that occurred when the Game of Thrones finale was released. Though there were many positives to the latest season of The Witcher, there were also a huge number of negatives that ended up sticking out like a sore thumb.

Issues with The Witcher’s Season 3 Episode 5

During the fifth episode of the season, even though the directors stuck more to the book this time around, the issues remained but were not about the storyline changes, but with the way the entire episode was put together. The episode was also rated the fifth worst of the series on IMBD. Here are the main issues that viewers and fans of The Witcher had with the episode, The Art of Illusion.

1) Too Predictable

One of the biggest issues with the episode was that it was filled with a lot of predictable moments. The most evident was the revelation of Vilgefortz as the villain. While some may have missed Yen’s reference to Chekov’s bracelet on Tissaia’s wrist, others noticed it earlier in the season.

Throughout the episode, it was clear that Vilgefortz did not have pure intentions. And though the episode ended on a cliffhanger, it was not before the connection between the mage and the villain was revealed.

2) Direction and Editing

Unlike the book by Andrzej Sapkowski, Netflix’s adaptation started off with Yen and Geralt at the Conclave Ball and then just ended up confusing fans with their attempt at fiddling with timelines. What fans got were two more repeats of the same exact scene, which frustrated the audience.

This episode again, just like most of season two, strayed from the books. But one thing that they had in common was that both depicted Yen and Geralt sharing an intimate moment together before discussing the events of the night. The major difference, however, was the ease of flow that the books gave their readers, which the show and its creators managed to miss.

3) Drifted from the book, yet again

A recurring theme of Netflix adaptations has them straying far away from the book that they are based on. And so far, that has been the case with The Witcher. While the first season seemed to follow the story of the book, the second did the complete opposite. And now it looks like the third has given fans a mix of both.

The chapter in the book focused on various characters trying to make Geralt join their side during the Ball, whereas in the show, that was portrayed but just barely. The episode focused more on portraying Stregobor as the villain, even though most signs pointed to Vilgefortz. While overall the show might have a great rating on IMDB and a ton of followers, the ratings say it all. The fifth episode of the third season has the fifth-worst rating.

What did you think about the 5th episode from the third season of The Witcher? Let us know what you think in the comments below.