Unlike the strong critical acclaim The Witcher received throughout its two seasons, we can’t say the same for Blood Origin. While a 38% critic approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes is certainly not great, there’s been worse cases. Think of the now-canceled Resident Evil series, but even that had a 22% audience score. At just 8%, The Witcher: Blood Origin nowhas the lowest audience score on Rotten Tomatoes for any major Netflix original ever. The feat is even more unimpressive when you compare the numbers to other shows featured on many ”Worst series on Netflix” lists. Even Haters Back Off managed to score a 50% critic score and a 76% audience score. This puts the latest release in The Witcher franchise in a league of its own. The general consensus drawn from the reviews is that Blood Origin is a ”shallow” attempt at excavating lore from the previous series, without adding anything substantial that would make it memorable. Here are some of the most brutal comments from both critics and the audience:
“The TV equivalent, in a way, of a tangentially-related hyperlink that you end up clicking while reading about something else on Wikipedia.” – Ready Steady Cut (Critic Review) “Lackluster, unoriginal and carried through on the promise of better things - The Witcher: Blood Origin is a mediocre affair. Michelle Yeoh is wasted, Lenny Henry lacks conviction and Minnie Driver gives some great narration. Best avoided.” – We Got This Covered (Critic Review) “Bad. Just really really bad. I wonder when Netflix will reach the point where they can’t treat source material any worse. I certainly hope this is their lowest point finally, otherwise it might be time to leave this platform for good” - Al R (Audience Review) ”Another franchise adapted for the mythical ‘‘modern audience’’, alienating the actual fan base in the process. Respect the source material or don’t bother making your series. There is literally no redeeming quality to this ‘‘origin’ story.” - Jean Sebastien (Audience Review)
Here’s the official description of Blood Origin: Fans likely had higher expectations for Blood Origin as it features a noteworthy cast led by Michelle Yeoh, Jacob Collins-Levy, Sophia Brown, and Laurence O’Fuarain. This also sets up gloomy expectations for season 4 of The Witcher, in which Liam Hemsworth will take over the role of Geralt. Some fans have already threatened to boycott the show after Henry Cavill’s third and final season as the main protagonist. While others might be more willing to give the new actor a chance, this appetizer before the third season of The Witcher has left a bad taste in the mouths of many fans. We’ll find out soon enough if The Witcher Season 3 will fare better when it premieres next summer.
