If Game of Thrones, then The Witcher

Beware, spoilers may lurk ahead. Particularly for Game of Thrones since I'm endorsing The Witcher based on the enjoyment of it.

Two sprawling worlds at war with the rare sprinklings of magic. While Game of Thrones and The Witcher have their differences, it isn't a stretch to recommend The Witcher to fans of Game of Thrones with the belief that they'll find enjoyment in it. Particularly if they need a bit of escapism from the real world.

There are a lot of reasons to find enjoyment in The Witcher.

Iconic Songs

When the Rains of Castamere starts playing, Game of Thrones immediately comes to mind. The entire scene when the song plays is difficult to forget, and the song itself remains in your mind. While the moment came as a shock to many viewers, House Frey did kind of get snubbed by Robb breaking his engagement to a Frey. It isn't surprising that they would seek some sort of revenge for that, and considering the world of Westeros, the extent of their revenge also makes sense.

The Witcher, on the other hand, has a more up-beat iconic song. A much more jovial tune written by the ridiculous Dandelion. When I hear Toss a Coin to Your Witcher, it gets stuck in my head for days. Besides, witchers have a tough job. A coin here and there could really help them.

I, for one, would much rather pay someone else (who is specifically trained for killing creatures) to deal with the grotesque, supernatural creature terrorizing my village than try to kill it myself.

Clear Character Names

The first thing that I remember thinking when I watched the beginning of Game of Thrones was the immediate onslaught of important characters to the point that it was overwhelming and difficult to remember. Even by the end of the show, not all the names were completely clear. How many people thought that Daenerys' name was actually Khaleesi through all or most of the show? Yet she was only called that because she married a Khal and that earned her the title of Khaleesi.

The Witcher having a smaller set of main characters means that it's quick and easy to learn their names and differentiate them. Besides that, the main characters are separated at the beginning, so you learn them individually. When you meet the Starks in Game of Thrones, they are all in one place, yet also all important to the main story. It tries to force you to learn a lot of characters in a quick manner.

If you liked Game of Thrones, but wish there was a story with a more narrow cast of main characters, I think The Witcher would be a nice watch.

Defined Magic

There are elements of magic in Game of Thrones that manifest in unique ways, but they don't seem to get clear explanations as to how or why they manifest. Unless I missed a horribly important part of the series, but it isn't clear how Arya's training translates into her being able to more-or-less shapeshift into other people or how Melisandre was given the gift of magic for being a priestess of the Red God. Magic in the world of Game of Thrones isn't understood or widely practiced, which means that the audience never gets much reasoning behind it, leaving it mysterious.

The Witcher, even in the first season, has a character whose background is dedicated to magical studies. This show has stronger and more prominent elements of magic, and the magic is given more clarity as to how it functions. And because the magic is more prominent, we get to see more of it. Which is fun.

Completed Source Material

While Game of Thrones fans are still waiting for the last book to be released, all the books for The Witcher series are available and have been for awhile with the last book in the main series being published in 1999. The showrunners have all the material they need to adapt to the screen without worrying that they might reach the end before the author does.

One of the issues with the end of Game of Thrones was that the showrunners had been adapting the material to the screen so far, and then in the last season they had to create the material as well. Until the last book comes out (if it ever does), it's hard to know how close that season is to G.R.R. Martin's vision of the ending.

It's Just a Great World

The world of The Witcher is fun. It's full of magic and monsters. It has a lot of potential and the first season showed that off very well. For people who want a new show, whether it's because they want to fill more time or because their previous show has completed, this is a show that can pull you in and keep you entertained. Really, Geralt's snarky attitude is enough to convince me to stick with the show.

I truly look forward to season 2.