Some huge changes are coming to The Witcher when season 4 eventually arrives as The Hunger Games star Liam Hemsworth will take over from Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia.
That's expected to be shot back-to-back with a fifth, and potentially final, season but Cavill can currently be seen back in the role in the first half of this current batch of episodes. Those have been met with a positive critical response, something that's evident from its 84% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, as we first reported on SFFGazette.com, the Audience Score seems to tell a very different story.
As we write this, it has a dismal 44% based on more than 500 ratings. Browsing through some of the reviews left by fans, it sounds like the way the series continues to diverge from Andrzej Sapkowski's novels (the rumoured reason for Cavill's departure) continues to be a problem for many.
On a more specific note, a lack of character development and world-building has also led to disappointment among fans. Then, of course, there are those who are simply rejecting this current season of The Witcher as a result of Cavill no longer being part of the series moving forward (though, unlike Superman, he hasn't been ousted from the role).
Also not helping matters is the fact the series returns in the wake of The Witcher: Blood Origin, a spin-off that took a mauling from critics and fans alike. Fans have seemingly soured on the fantasy franchise, and it's hard to imagine the streaming service remaining committed to the property if viewership numbers begin taking a hit.
"As monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it," reads the official plot synopsis for The Witcher season 3.
"Entrusted with Ciri’s magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where they hope to uncover more about the girl’s untapped powers; instead, they discover they’ve landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery."
The first five episodes of The Witcher season 3 are now streaming on Netflix, while the next three will follow on July 27.