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T10 WHATS UP! December 25 - 31, 2022 trio brings more than their fair share of legendary weapon- wielding intensity to the screen, only one character in this saga's origin story can be- come the main event over the course of four episodes. According to the Netflix re- lease, "'Blood Origin' will tell a story lost to time, exploring the creation of the first prototype Witcher and the events that lead to the pivotal 'Conjunction of the Spheres,' when the worlds of monsters, men and elves merged to become one." That may seem like a lot of ground to cover in just four epi- sodes — ground that, if the trailer is any indication, is rid- dled with waterfalls, cliffs and gorgeous green hills — but se- ries co-creator Declan de Barra ("The Originals") felt the four- episode format was the best fit for the content. In fact, the se- ries was cut down from an orig- inal six episodes during the post-production editing pro- cess. When discussing the deci- sion to cut the series by a third, de Barra mentioned that with a streaming platform such as Netflix, there are "no set rules for times or episode count." Furthermore, he didn't want to get to a point "where we're just stringing the audience along to have an episode." "It always had to feel logical and right from a natural story- telling point of view," de Barra added. As for the story itself, all signs (and online speculations) point to Fjall as the potential "prototype Witcher." And while this subplot provides a decent amount of backstory to the franchise's leading profes- sion, it's the elves — introduced in "The Witcher's" first season and now at their prime (1,200 years prior to that encounter) — who drive the series forward as their world collides with that of terrifying monsters and men. Also starring in the series are Minnie Driver ("Good Will Hunting," 1997) as Seanchaí, Lenny Henry ("The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power") as Chief Druid Balor, Nathanial Curtis ("It's a Sin") as Brían, Dylan Morran ("Run Fatboy Run," 2007) as Uthrok One- Nut, Mirren Mack ("Sex Educa- tion") as Merwyn, Zach Wyatt ("Blythe Spirit," 2020) as Syn- dril and Jacob Collins-Levy ("The White Princess") as Eredin. Chock-full of magic, bravery, creatures and lore, "The Witch- er: Blood Origin" is the perfect companion piece for anyone looking to indulge in a bit more Witcher prior to the Season 3 release. Alternately, its shorter, four-episode format could also be the perfect franchise intro- duction for viewers looking for a starting point. "Blood Origin" is, after all, the very beginning. Don't miss the Christmas Day premiere of "The Witcher: Blood Origin" when it lands Sunday, Dec. 25, on Netflix. And keep those eyes peeled for fur- ther announcements regarding "The Witcher" Season 3. continued from page T2 Which 'Witcher's' which: Netflix fantasy franchise expands with 'Blood Origin' TV FEATURE 5 x 5 Laurence O'Fuarain as Fjall in "The Witcher: Blood Origin"