The Witcher's non-linear timeline as it traces the lives of Geralt, Yennefer and Princess Cirilla, initially comes across as haphazard
'The Witcher' is an adaptation of a polish book and the first season released on Netflix Friday. The show starring Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan in lead roles has an interesting narration technique which if executed well, could have made the tying together of the episodes brilliant.
This, especially towards the end when two timelines mesh and meet at the exact moment we saw unfold in the first episode. So the first season of the show follows the lives of Geralt of Rivia (Cavill), Princess Cirilla (Allan) and mage Yennefer of Vengerberg (Chalotra).
Interestingly enough, the three character's lives do not coincide until after the fifth episode. Even then, it is just Geralt and Yennefer whose lives cross paths. Until the last episode, Cirilla is not even aware of who Yennefer is and this is possible because the show approaches the plot lines in two different sets from one particular moment in time.
The past that led to this moment and the future that this moment would result in, is probably what the creators wanted to portray. However, the editing doesn't support this idea, because clearly, it takes getting used to a couple of episodes before you understand that the show is set in two different timelines.
As it flits between the present and the past, there is no particular indication to draw a line between the two. For instance, both Yennefer and Geralt's plot is set in the past and Ciri trying to find a way to survive an attack by Nilfgard is set in the present.
Ciri is told by her grandmother that she has to find Geralt of Rivia and Ciri tries to fulfill this only to get caught as a pawn in a political struggle between Nilfgard and Cintra. The connection between Nilfgard and Cintra is something people who read the books would be aware of.
In case you haven't read the book, here's a spoiler for season 2 of 'The Witcher'. Ciri's special powers that we see a presence of in season 1 is something that she had inherited from her mother Pavetta.
Her father, the knight who was cursed to look like a hedgehog is not a simple knight, but the prince of Nilfgard. The daughter of these two powerful kingdoms is hence coveted by both, more so by Nilfgard as Frangilla has convinced Cahir that Ciri is an important part of their plan for the future.
Now, coming to two different timelines; the present follows Ciri after Nilfgard's attack on Cintra takes place. She is told to find Geralt of Rivia by her grandmother, Queen Calanthe (Jodhi May) on her deathbed and so Ciri sets out.
Then we have the origin story of Yennefer, and a little introduction to Geralt's life to provide context for Geralt's relationship with Ciri and her family. These two forks of the narrative are set in the same time period. So the episodes flit between the three of their lives.
The fact that there is a difference in the timeline is something that we understand only when we see Geralt get hired to kill a monster in Temeria. In the next scene, we see a ball in Aratuza, which is where Yennefer is being trained to become a mage and here we see the king of Temeria that Geralt deals with appearing as a child. Then in the following episodes, we also see Geralt's past intertwine with that of Yennefer and this complicated narration technique hampers the series more than supporting it.