S03.E04: The Invitation

[AnimeMania]

Yennefer pitches a bold idea to the Brotherhood, Geralt strikes a dangerous deal with a ferryman, and Triss digs into the mystery of the missing novices.

Original Airdate: June 29, 2023     Netflix      

[Hanahope]

Geeze these people need to communicate with each other.  

[thuganomics85]

At least they gave us one monster battle in an episode that was mainly just about finding a way to get almost all of the important characters to the conclave and have most everyone side-eye one another while doing so.  This show really is better when it actually embraces the monster-slaying camp and doesn't try all of this political maneuvering.  Even great actors like Lars Mikkelsen, MyAnna Burning, and Graham McTavish can only do so much to keep this interesting.

It wouldn't be mature, but I would be down with Triss giving everyone a big "I told y'all so!" once she proves that recruits are actually getting taken and aren't just leaving on their own accord.  Everyone seems to be dismissive of her, outside of Istredd.

So, Emhyr wants Cahir to form some kind of alliance with Francesca?  Still not sure what to make about this particular storyline.

Jaskier and Radovid finally hook-up.  Don't see it lasting for long though.

Jaskier and Ciri imitating Geralt and Yen's conversation was amusing.

Hope the final episode is a little stronger, because these initial episodes have been kind of slow.

[Tuggy]

This is the episode I liked, in this first part of season 3. It was way more fun than the previous ones, with scenes like the monster slaying or Jaskier and Ciri's banter. I wish they would tap more into this kind of storytelling instead of all the shenanigans around politics that makes no sense and where people are presented as really smart when they act not that smartly at all...

[iMonrey]

Well at least we didn't get too much of Redania, but otherwise this episode did feel like an awful lot of table setting.

Who was the guy riding through the forest that got shot in the throat?

There was some reference here about Tissaia and Philippa having had a falling out, but is this some kind of retcon? As I recall, Philippa was something of a mystery character last season. Now it's like everyone knows who she is.

I'm not sure how I feel about Jaskier and Radovid. I'm irritated by the way TV shows take characters that are clearly established heteros and suddenly put them into a same-sex relationship. It sort of reinforces the idea that everyone is fluid and can choose their sexuality. This isn't Grey's Anatomy.

On 7/4/2023 at 2:38 AM, thuganomics85 said:

Jaskier and Ciri imitating Geralt and Yen's conversation was amusing.

Yes, I did get a kick out of that. The monster fight was pretty good too.

[Ottis]

More monster hunt facts and strategy please, less of everything else. And with every ep I’m reminded of how miscast Yen is. She is so weak and lost, and should be commanding and confident.

[Affogato]

10 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Well at least we didn't get too much of Redania, but otherwise this episode did feel like an awful lot of table setting.

Who was the guy riding through the forest that got shot in the throat?

There was some reference here about Tissaia and Philippa having had a falling out, but is this some kind of retcon? As I recall, Philippa was something of a mystery character last season. Now it's like everyone knows who she is.

I'm not sure how I feel about Jaskier and Radovid. I'm irritated by the way TV shows take characters that are clearly established heteros and suddenly put them into a same-sex relationship. It sort of reinforces the idea that everyone is fluid and can choose their sexuality. This isn't Grey's Anatomy.

Yes, I did get a kick out of that. The monster fight was pretty good too.

I have a vague memory of Jasker always being referred to as pansexual, which is the word used in this episode. 

[TaurusRose]

On 7/8/2023 at 11:38 AM, iMonrey said:

I'm not sure how I feel about Jaskier and Radovid. I'm irritated by the way TV shows take characters that are clearly established heteros and suddenly put them into a same-sex relationship. It sort of reinforces the idea that everyone is fluid and can choose their sexuality. This isn't Grey's Anatomy.

I agree. It's almost as if they're trying to make heterosexual people the minority. 

[Kasienka]

Well, I actually liked that episode. Reduce Redania and elves plotlines to minimum and focus on characters we know and want to see and voila! It's nice to see Geralt and Ciri work together, but I still wish we saw more of her bond with Yen. Those should be equal relationships and they don't feel that way. Jaskier narrating Yen and Geralt reunion was hilarious though.

Unfortunately his scenes with Radovid are so awkward. No sexual tension, no flirty banter and I'm supposed to believe that Jaskier is just soo into him. Why exactly? They really should have done some chemistry reading before they casted him.  Also I think Radovid is playing him. I don't trust that guy at all.

On 7/8/2023 at 5:38 PM, iMonrey said:

Who was the guy riding through the forest that got shot in the throat?

He was in the first or second episode I think, Ciri had a vision of him dying by an arrow. His job is to deliver messages between rulers.

One think I still don't like is that Dijkstra doesn't look competent enough. He's getting outplayed almost every episode.

 

[tennisgurl]

This was a surprisingly good episode, its amazing how fun this show can be when it focuses on its actual strengths. The monster hunt was really cool and everything with Jaskier and his rival bards as well as the banter between him and Ciri was great. Put all of the boring and convoluted political stuff and elven drama on the backburner and just have a good exciting time with the characters we actually like. This is one of those shows that clearly thinks it needs to have this big overarching plot to be a proper prestige show, while ignoring the fact that they are much better doing monster of the week episodes. 

Why wont anyone just listen to Triss? She's making lots of good points and everything she's saying is wild but it makes a lot of sense given what is going on. So many scenes in this show is just characters I don't care about talking about their convoluted political mechanisms which I can barley follow. 

Edited August 1, 2023 by tennisgurl

[Silver-hyren]

I really don't understand Yenn in this show.  She's powerful and feared, she's an outcast, she's politically savvy, she's bored by politics and wants nothing to do with it, everyone loves her, nobody trusts her.  I feel like they keep changing her character to what they need for that particular scene and nothing is consistent.  Didn't she have an affinity for portal magic in the first season?  Why does she need to rely on other people to make portals for her now?  Is it fallout for losing her magic for a while last season?