5 best (and worst) book changes in The Witcher season 3

Best change from the books: Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri’s deeper familial bonds

Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri’s relationship is the beating heart of The Witcher book series. That’s even more true in the TV show, which made the excellent decision to more thoroughly explore the trio’s familial bond in season 3.

In the books, Yennefer and Ciri are in hiding while Geralt is drawing Rience’s attention; aside from that one scene with Jaskier and Ciri spying on Geralt and Yen, we really don’t get much of the whole family together. But the show keeps them together for the whole first episode and then gives us more encounters throughout the season.

That time is also better spent, especially when it comes to Ciri and Yennefer. When Yennefer tells Ciri she’s her daughter in the show, you feel it. Yen and Ciri’s relationship isn’t as developed at this point in the book series, so that moment just wouldn’t have worked as well.

Focusing more on the found family of Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri was by far the best change from the books The Witcher made in season 3.

Worst change from the books: Valdo Marx and his annoying music group

There was no more grating change in The Witcher season 3 than the inclusion of Valdo Marx, Jaskier’s rival and the leader of a jarringly modern-sounding musical troupe. We first meet Marx and his gang during the ride on the chain ferry, where they bombard Geralt and Ciri with their music before the aeschna attacks.

They then go on to play the earworm “All Is Not As It Seems” at the Thanedd ball. And while that song is catchy, it’s also so on the nose as to be cringeworthy.

Jaskier has been holding a grudge against Marx since all the way back in season 1, when he made a wish to the djinn for Marx to die of apoplexy, so I don’t object to his inclusion. The problem is the style of music Marx’s troupe plays, which sounds like something fresh off Broadway and is totally out of place on the soundtrack.

The show tries to make a big joke of this by having Geralt and Ciri hate Valdo Marx as much as the viewer does, but it doesn’t quite work. It just becomes more embarrassing.

All eight episodes of The Witcher season 3 are streaming now on Netflix. What were your favorite or least favorite changes from the books? Let us know in the comments!

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

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