TV Shows You Should Watch If You Like The Witcher
Toss a coin to your witcher? You've done it. In fact, if you had a leather sack of coins, you'd huck the whole thing right at him. Is it that snowy hair? Is it that brawny chest? Is it that gravelly voice? Why do we love The Witcher so?
Aside from the sheer sexiness of the show, which is enough to carry a franchise on its own, The Witcher is a tightly crafted world with complex lore. It's the classic and well-worn "monster of the week" format covering a narrative skeleton of intensely tough moral choices, brought to life by fallible and, ultimately, lovable characters.
Whether it's the expertly cast ensemble, the explosive action sequences, the thrill of seeing a world where magic lives and breathes in everyday life, or the terror of knowing that a deadly monster could be right around the corner, fans flocked to The Witcher. Alas, no season lasts forever, leaving fans of the White Wolf, Yen, and Ciri (and Jaskier) clamoring for more. Never fear, Looper is here to give you advice in this difficult time!
If you're going through Witcher withdrawals, here are the TV shows you should definitely check out.
Game of Thrones is the perfect show for fans of The Witcher
Alright, if you haven't seen Game of Thrones yet ... here's your sign from the universe. Now, we understand that it can be overwhelming to dive into such a massive phenomenon of a show with long episodes and lots of seasons. But that's no excuse. Time is ticking!
There's also the strange, human behavior of becoming hyper-resistant to something everyone is raving about. Well, get over that. This is a do not miss, once-in-a-generation kind of show. It's understandable to dig in your heels and avoid something that your co-workers, friends, and parents can't stop talking about ad nauseum, but again, get over it.
You love fantasy? Game of Thrones has it. You love gruff and burly protagonists? Game of Thrones has them. You love a sexy sorceress willing to do anything to achieve her ends? Woo baby, have we got a show for you. It's Game of Thrones — that's the show if you couldn't guess.
Seriously, buckle up, wipe that smirk off your face, do yourself a favor, and watch Game of Thrones. You don't even have to tell anyone, although they'll probably guess you caved and hopped on the bandwagon when you show up in your fire Khaleesi costume this Halloween.
Kingdom has magic, battles, and high society intrigue
If it's a well-crafted world full of intrigue and cool monsters you fancy, look no further than Kingdom. But be warned. This Korean-language drama is not for the faint of heart.
Set in medieval Korea, lush backdrops and absolutely stunning costumes make this a period piece with a twist. At first glance, this show could easily be set in our world's past ... except for the ravenous hordes of mindless, undead, decaying zombies. That's right, just like The Witcher's cast of characters faces off against the unnatural undead, re-animated by curses or dark magic, the heroes of Kingdom fight for their lives against very well done zombies.
If you loved the brutal battle scenes and heart-pounding monster chases in The Witcher, Kingdom has plenty of that. But maybe that's not your bag. Maybe you're into The Witcher for the high society intrigue and delicate social maneuvering that can move nations and shape the future of an entire world. Well, Kingdom has got you, fam. Centered on a prince struggling to save his dynasty while combating a mysterious, quickly spreading disease, Kingdom hits on many of the same things we loved so much about The Witcher.
Altered Carbon is for Witcher fans who want a little sci-fi
Another fun and fantastical world is the distant future of Altered Carbon. Just like The Witcher, this show is adapted from a book of the same name. Just like The Witcher, it's main character is a man both feared and hated by society, someone who's just trying to do good and earn a little bit of coin along the way.
Unlike The Witcher, this is definitely more science fiction than fantasy. But there are still plenty of incredible action sequences and tough moral calls that endeared us to Geralt's adventuring and kept us sticking around for more. If what you loved most about The Witcher was the non-chronological storytelling and narrative structure, well, there's some of that in here, too!
Centered around a man out of time (and his original body) named Takeshi Kovacs, Altered Carbon introduces us to a dystopian future society where death has been all but eliminated, and the ultra-rich live in essentially an immortal paradise. As you can probably guess, not everyone is okay with this, and seasons of battle-packed, skin-switching, planet-hopping action is the result. Oh, and did we mention that the cast is dead sexy as well? Just a little extra incentive for you if your main draw to The Witcher was that one bathtub sequence.
Xena: Warrior Princess is an incredibly fun fantasy series
The show that launched fans into a frenzy, the vehicle that launched Lucy Lawless into the pantheon of TV greats, it's the classic adventure show, Xena: Warrior Princess. If you love The Witcher because of it's infallible hero, you'll love Xena. The show ran from 1995 to 2001, so it's a TV show with that very fun, mid-'90s sensibility that they just don't make anymore.
A lesbian and feminist icon, Lucy Lawless' portrayal of this ancient Greek hero is perfection. More like Lucy Flawless, right? Anyways, this show was originally a spin off of Hercules (also a great show which you should absolutely watch after you're done binging Xena.) And as for the plot, Xena: Warrior Princess is all about a villain turned hero on a quest for redemption with the help of her best friend and soulmate, Gabrielle.
If you liked The Witcher for its sexy stars, this show is for you. If you liked The Witcher for its fun "monster of the week" format, this show is for you. If you don't like how few episodes of The Witcher there are, you are definitely in luck. Xena: Warrior Princess ran for six seasons with 134 episodes. Happy binge-ing.
Vikings is like The Witcher, only based on real people
If you're not already a fan of the megahit instant classic Vikings, get ready. Aside from (apologies in advance to The Wire) having the best theme song in all of television, "If I Had a Heart" by Fever Ray, Vikings also has some of the best plotting and action ever to grace the screen.
Its devil-may-care hero has a lot in common with Geralt of Rivia. Just like Geralt, the young viking Ragnar Lothbrok is destined for great things, accomplishments that will shape the course of nations. But first, he has to survive high school! Just kidding, there's no high school in ancient Nordic times. Instead, this show is about raiding, pillaging, and the lovers and enemies you make along the way.
The sweeping, epic show is beautifully shot, just like The Witcher. Of course, it's full of sexy heroes and a sexy villain or two, and the themes it deals with — loyalty, kinship, morality, and destiny — will be familiar to The Witcher fans, as well. Vikings begins with one young farmer's dream to find new, richer lands, but where his journey takes him and his family is truly the stuff of legend. But the best part? This show is based off of actual historical figures and events. Check it out, fall in love.
The Last Kingdom is the perfect show for fans of swordplay
Historical dramas are a dime a dozen, but there's something really special about The Last Kingdom. This Viking series is a brutal show about Norse warriors, but what really sets it apart from other old-timey epics is a truly unique twist.
We won't spoil too much, but it's a definite fish out of water story. If you loved the gritty hero of The Witcher, there's a good chance you'll enjoy The Last Kingdom. It's set in the historical time period of the 800-900s, so you know there's that good, sweet swordplay. And there are plenty of brutal battle scenes to keep you on the edge of your seat. And for history nerds, this show is littered with historical places, people, and events, all of which are an inspiration for some of the best scenes and plot lines in this show. And if you're a real Viking history buff, you'll see some of the heavy hitters from the pillaging and sacking league pop up from time to time. Granted, there's no spells or sorcery here, but the show feels pretty magical all the same.
If you're missing the magic of The Witcher, then check out The Magicians
Okay, this one is very magical as you probably guessed from the title of the show. It's like Harry Potter, if the wizarding world had college, and the students knew about sex and drugs.
Outcast and general weirdo Quentin Coldwater gets a wake-up call to the "real" world when he's enrolled in Brakebills University, a (you guessed it) school for magicians. He links up with some new pals, and they all live happily ever after. Okay, we're super kidding on that one. Instead, he and his new magical buds are thrown into one life-threatening, world-ending, moral dilemma-causing situation after another. And we can't stop watching. This charming show is packed with very cool hand movements, very scary monsters, and a pretty wild amount of vests from the costuming department to be frank.
This show shares a lot of The Witcher's sense of comic relief and timing, being at once genuine and deep without ever taking itself too seriously. You love to see it, you love to binge it. And of course, it's packed with hot, magical heroes who can't stop saving the world. There are plenty of seasons, which will give you time to decide who your favorite magician is. (Spoiler alert: It's Eliot.)
Picard can fill the adventure-sized hole in your heart
If you're a Trekkie, great. You've probably already binged this show and are contemplating whether you should get your Picard tattoo in Romulan or Standard. But if you're not, woo buddy, buckle up.
You're probably familiar with Jean-Luc and the exploits and adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise. They're on a mission to bring peace and find new life forms throughout an ever-expanding and ever more complicated universe. And this spinoff starring the incomparable Sir Patrick Stewart is a huge win for Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike.
The Witcher does fight sequences pretty much better than any show out there. And you may be thinking that Star Trek isn't your idea of a good time because the action shots are mostly the crew shaking and grabbing hold of things to steady themselves in the command center of the ship ... and the fight choreography is definitely a little dated now. But Picard changes all of that. Explosive action sequences, awesome fighting choreography, and of course, attractive heroes makes this a must-watch for any Witcher watchers.
The Tenth Kingdom is good, fairy tale fun
This classic mini-series might never have crossed your radar before, but it's worth a watch for any fan of sword and sorcery fantasy worlds. Ten episodes, all released in 2000, make this a show that's super bingeable. And once you start watching, we bet you won't want to stop.
To give you some set-up, a young woman from modern day New York City and her bumbling but sweet father get transported into a world of fairy tales brought to life. It's not exactly a gritty thriller, but there are plenty of cool villains and magical twists that you'll want to gobble up like a hungry wolf who's eyed some little piggies. Oh, did we mention there is a very hot wolf character?
Check out this series to see some stellar actors like Dianne Wiest, Ed O'Neill, and Warwick Davis having a blast as fully fleshed-out fantasy characters.
Fans of The Witcher are going to love the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Monsters, mayhem, and high school! Chilling Adventures of Sabrina hits that same sweet spot as The Witcher of being fun, emotionally grounded, and a little wacky at times, all without ever taking itself too seriously. This show is a re-imagining of the popular young adult hit show Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which you may remember from the late 1990s and early 2000s.
In this version, Sabrina Spellman still has two odd couple aunts, a black cat named Salem, and boy problems aplenty. She struggles to balance her normal life and mortal, non-magical friends with her life as a ever-more powerful witch, but in this fun, sexy reboot, she's doing it all a little darker. There's more blood, more sex, and more torture. So basically, on a scale of The Office to The Witcher, it's leaning more Witcher. And that's good news for you!
Artful special effects, well-done monsters, and epic plot lines make this an eminently fun watch.
Attack on Titan is grim, scary, and everything that fans of The Witcher want
Even though it's animated, Attack on Titan is one of the grittiest shows on this list. If The Witcher pulled at your heartstrings with its sometimes unsolvable moral quandaries, then give Attack on Titan a try.
Set in a world a bit like Earth — just like The Witcher — but with some massive differences, Attack on Titan is the anime adapted from the hit manga of the same name. Like the world Geralt and friends inhabit, the setting is largely pre-industrial. There are swords and cleverly designed contraptions instead of high-tech gadgets. And just like in The Witcher, there's also a lot of danger.
After suffering attacks from massive bipedal, humanoid monsters, most of humanity resides within a city with three ever-stronger concentric walls. There's an elite squad of guards that seeks to stop these titanic monsters and defend humanity, and we follow these heroes throughout their trials and tribulations. On top of its fascinating plot, the animation is gorgeous, and the story is inventive and gripping. Plus, this show can be exquisitely bleak, which makes the rays of hope all the more potent when they shine through. It also features some of the coolest (aka absolutely terrifying) monster design around.