TL;DR: The Witcher Season 4 shouldn’t work — but it absolutely does. Liam Hemsworth steps into Geralt’s armor with surprising gravitas, Anya Chalotra ascends to true fantasy-heroine greatness, and Freya Allan dives into moral chaos. The show’s action is sharp, its emotions sharper, and its world-building richer than ever. The Continent’s still full of monsters — but this season proves the magic isn’t gone.

When Netflix announced that Henry Cavill was hanging up his silver swords and bowing out as Geralt of Rivia, the collective groan from Witcher fans could probably be heard echoing across the Continent. After all, Cavill wasn’t just playing Geralt — he was Geralt. The man grunted with Shakespearean depth, fought with the precision of a mocap samurai, and somehow managed to make bathtub scenes feel mythological.

So when Netflix revealed that Liam Hemsworth would step into those monster-slaying boots for The Witcher Season 4, it felt like someone replacing your favorite beer with a light version. But here’s the surprise twist: Hemsworth doesn’t just survive the recasting apocalypse — he thrives in it. He turns in a performance that’s muscular, emotionally nuanced, and refreshingly self-assured. This isn’t Cavill’s Geralt 2.0 — it’s a different beast altogether, and it works.

Season 4 picks up in the smoldering aftermath of Vilgefortz’s rampage at Aretuza — a magical bloodbath that left the Continent fractured and its players licking their wounds. Yennefer (Anya Chalotra, now running on pure “sorceress CEO” energy) takes up the mantle of leadership, trying to unite the surviving mages and maybe, just maybe, save what’s left of their world. Ciri (Freya Allan) is on the run, going full rogue as she joins a group of thieves called The Rats, chopping her hair, renaming herself “Falka,” and flirting dangerously close to moral oblivion.

Meanwhile, our new-look Geralt is trudging toward Nilfgaard with Jaskier (Joey Batey, still the Continent’s most chaotic bard) and newcomer Milva (Meng’er Zhang), determined to rescue Ciri from Emperor Emhyr (Bart Edwards) — blissfully unaware that the “Ciri” in the imperial court is actually an imposter cooked up by Vilgefortz. Add in Laurence Fishburne’s Regis, a “barber-surgeon” who is definitely more than he seems, and you’ve got a quest party that feels like Baldur’s Gate 3 met The Lord of the Rings at a dive bar.

Let’s address the White Wolf in the room. Liam Hemsworth as Geralt shouldn’t work — and yet, against all odds, it does. Where Cavill’s Geralt was a brooding, stoic warrior-priest of pain, Hemsworth’s take leans into the weariness and warmth of a man who’s seen too much. His Geralt is still lethal, still dripping with that mutant swagger, but there’s a new vulnerability simmering beneath the scars.

And it’s not just surface-level mimicry. Hemsworth finds subtle new rhythms — less about baritone grunts, more about human exhaustion. His swordplay feels heavier, more grounded. His banter with Jaskier is drier, his interactions with Yennefer more emotionally raw. By mid-season, you stop comparing him to Cavill entirely. This isn’t a recast — it’s a reincarnation.

Netflix also smartly integrates the new face into the story rather than pretending it didn’t happen. The show leans into the change with a clever meta-awareness — Geralt isn’t the same man anymore, and narratively, that makes sense. After three seasons of betrayals, monsters, and one ill-advised bath too many, of course he’s changed.

Anya Chalotra continues to be The Witcher’s secret weapon. Her Yennefer is a volcanic mix of intellect, fury, and heartache — a woman who can level a battlefield and then quietly break your heart five minutes later. This season, she steps into the power vacuum left by her mentor Tissaia’s death, transforming from self-serving mage to full-blown revolutionary leader. Her uneasy alliance with Philippa Eilhart (Cassie Clare) adds bite and sophistication — think magical Succession with more lightning bolts.

Ciri, on the other hand, takes a sharp left turn into darkness. Her arc with The Rats is one part coming-of-age story, one part moral implosion. Freya Allan nails the complexity — you can see the trauma calcifying under her skin. Her chemistry with Mistle (Christelle Elwin) adds a tragic tenderness that keeps the storyline emotionally grounded even as it dives into violence and betrayal. It’s the show’s boldest arc yet, and it sets the stage for a potentially devastating finale.

Visually, The Witcher Season 4 is a mixed bag — but a thrilling one. The show’s effects have finally caught up to its ambition, giving us monster battles that feel tangible rather than rendered on a 2008 graphics card. The production design continues to blend Slavic folklore with gritty realism, creating a Continent that feels alive, dirty, and deeply lived-in.

One standout episode unfolds entirely around a campfire, where Geralt’s party shares tales of their pasts. It’s part character study, part visual experiment, with each story told in a distinct aesthetic — from watercolor animation to grainy horror flashback. It’s the kind of creative swing that reminds you The Witcher still knows how to surprise.

The action choreography remains brutal and elegant — less Marvel flash, more medieval MMA. Hemsworth handles the physicality well, and the sound design — those metallic clangs and guttural monster shrieks — continues to be top-tier.

Every great fantasy epic needs a villain worth fearing, and The Witcher may have just found its darkest yet. Sharlto Copley’s Leo Bonhart slithers onto the scene like a medieval slasher icon — a bounty hunter who kills witchers for sport and wears their medallions like trophies. He’s unhinged, unpredictable, and quietly terrifying. Copley’s performance oozes menace; it’s like watching a rabid dog recite poetry.

Bonhart’s arrival signals a tonal shift — The Witcher is done playing nice. The final season setup is pure doom, with our heroes fractured and the stakes at their bleakest. The Continent feels ready to burn, and I, for one, can’t wait to watch it all go to hell.

Verdict: The Witcher 4 is a Risk That Pays Off

Against all odds, The Witcher Season 4 sticks the landing. Liam Hemsworth makes Geralt his own without erasing what came before. Chalotra and Allan continue to own their corners of this dark fantasy sandbox. And while the pacing occasionally stumbles (Netflix, please, not every episode needs to be 70 minutes), the emotional core has never been stronger.

This isn’t just a rebound season — it’s a rebirth. The Witcher may have lost its original lead, but it’s found its soul again.