‘The Witcher’ Season 2’s Lack of Sex and Nudity Was Deliberate, Says Showrunner: ‘The Story Is Much More About the Evolution of a Family’
Besides the riveting fantasy storyline, the monsters, and the drama, The Witcher gained some attention for its nudity. The first season did not shy away from Geralt’s sexual rendezvous. The Witcher Season 2 was noticeably tamer when it came to sex. It was a conscious decision made by showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich.
Instead of focusing on Geralt’s brute and masculine form, the new season was about developing the family bond between Ciri, Yennefer, and the witcher. The bond would help cement the storyline for future seasons.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains mild spoilers for The Witcher Season 2.]
How much nudity is in ‘The Witcher’ Season 2 compared to season 1?
The first season of the Netflix series caught fans’ attention for its use of sex, mostly seen with Geralt and Yennefer. In the first episode, Geralt has an intimate interaction with Renfri in the forest when he realizes she is not the monster everyone thinks her to be. He later pays for the services of a prostitute where viewers can see the woman’s bare top half.
In The Witcher, fans also see Yennefer engage in sex with Istredd and later see her naked top half when she goes through the beautification process. The same goes for when she tries to trap the djinn. A lot of the steamy sexual tension is between Geralt and Yennefer.
Fans also can not forget Geralt’s infamous bathtub scene. But compared to season 1, The Witcher Season 2 is very tame in the sex and nudity department. The most fans see is when a group of prostitutes goes to Kaer Morhen to appease the witchers.
Lauren Schmidt Hissrich did not need sex to sell the story for ‘The Witcher Season 2
Some fans were disappointed the second season had a noticeable decline in sex and nudity. But Hissrich explains it was deliberate and unnecessary to develop the story. Speaking to Digital Spy, the showrunner says using sex scenes is a cheap way to gain attention.
“I’ve always said that if someone has to be having sex behind you to make the scene interesting, then I’m not doing my job. The person who’s talking in a scene needs to be the focus,” said Hissrich.
In the grander scheme of the season’s storyline, there was no room for sex and extreme nudity like in the first season. “It would have been gratuitous because we would have thrown it in there to be sexier, or to have people talk. And that’s just not of interest to me,” said Hissrich. The second season focused on Geralt becoming a father figure to Ciri.
Geralt helps her understand her immense powers and protects her as his own. The same goes for Yennefer as she grows closer to Ciri. The Witcher Season 2 was about “the evolution of a family.”
Yennefer and Geralt become Ciri’s adopted family during turbulent times
Ever since Geralt meets Ciri in The Witcher season finale, he forms an unbreakable bond with his Child Surprise. While the world hunts her down, he becomes her shield and agrees to train her. Geralt is fully aware he will not always be there. The Witcher Season 2 also introduces the importance of Yennefer in Ciri and Geralt’s journey.
Fans finally see Yennefer, Geralt, and Ciri look like a family. While initially using Ciri to regain her powers, Yennefer sees how extraordinary Ciri is and her instinct to protect her.
“What I love is that Geralt and Yennefer at the end of the season agree that they are the balance that Ciri needs. They both need to be part of her life going forward,” said Hissrich to Variety. “Only together are they going to be able to protect her and make sure she’s safe and teach her to protect herself.”
Sex and nudity had no place in The Witcher Season 2. The coming together of Geralt and Yennefer for Ciri will lead the Child of Elder Blood to understand her powers and stay away from darkness.
