"His Dark Materials" Season One Reviews (Spoilers)

[matt_zimmer]

His Dark Materials "Lyra's Jordan"

This will be a new experience for my reviews. Bear with me.

This is a BBC show but it also airs on HBO. What I love and appreciate is that it's a TV-14 show designed for families. Current HBO original programming boils down to two different genres: Sesame Street and soft core porn. It's REALLY nice to see an HBO show that isn't all topless dancers, f bombs, and beheadings. I suspect HBO saw the success Netflix was having with all different kinds of programs with different ratings and for different age groups and kind of realized maybe not EVERY single show it does needs to be something that would get an NC-17 in theaters. I hope this is a start of a trend, because I'm been catching up on a lot of HBO lately, and the network's hardcore TV-MA stance is really difficult to enjoy and defend.

But the actual reason this review will be a new experience has nothing to do with this being more family friendly than other HBO shows. Normally, when I see an adaptation of a famous book I have read the adaptation beforehand. Oftentimes in preparation to SEE the adaptation. This is almost never true for superhero adaptations, but for book series, generally speaking, I read the book first and compare the projects, and figure out what they did right or wrong. I made a very conscious decision not to read the books first. The books have never really appealed to me because of their controversial nature. I will also be watching and reviewing A Series Of Unfortunate Events on Netflix, which is another book series I haven't read, mostly due to me buying that vast amount of hardcover Lemony Snicket books would be expensive. So I'm coming to two adaptations of popular modern kid-lit fresh.

Is this a good adaptation of the material? Unfortunately, I have no idea! What I will say is that it was easy enough to follow, although I recognize how much easier it is to build and keep straight a world with the reader on the page instead of the screen. But it's a solid world, and if perhaps the series doesn't go too fast or too far with the premise and takes it easy so novices like me can catch on, I'll enjoy the show whether it's a decent adaptation or not.

I like the world and the concept of the Multiverse (that IS what's going on, right?). What I especially like and am intrigued about is that on the surface the world is beautiful, progressive, and idealistic. But you scratch the surface and the world is filled with paranoia, intolerance for new ideas, and a stifling of creativity. The notion that colleges in this world aren't a place to grow and learn, but to oppress and retard knowledge is very provocative. I understand the books eventually come up with a major atheist and anti-creationism moral. But that in and of itself is a scary moral too and something that might trigger independent thoughts from young readers. As a rule, I don't like or appreciate fiction that takes a dump on Christianity for the sake of taking a dump on it and offending its adherents. But if a project with that mindset instead decides to teach critical thinking to children and asks them to come to the project's way of thinking on their own, I cannot reasonably object to that. That's actually admirable teaching kids to think for themselves. It seems to me that a lot of fundamentalist uproar over the books isn't because it engages in blasphemy the way the TV show Preacher did. It's probably the same deal as Lucifer getting cr*p thrown at it: An overreaction based on the idea that kids should NEVER be subjected to new ideas. I'm interested in the books now, and I'm thinking whatever they are, they don't sound deliberately offensive to me, although I have heard the biggest controversy comes from the last book. But teaching kids how to think for themselves and realize not all adults are looking out for their best interest is actually a REALLY healthy thing to impart the children. I think any project that gives kids a healthy mistrust of authority is probably pretty good. And I think that goes for this show and probably the books too.

Cautious opinion: The notions of dust and Gobblers sort of play here, but I also think they are the sort of silly things that would read better on a page than said aloud on a screen. This is a similar problem for Harry Potter's nonsense, although admittedly not on as grand a scale as that.

I love that upon learning the Master has tried to poison him Asriel simply wonders if he had a good reason.

Solid first episode (speaking as a mere newb). As an adaptation? No clue. I liked it though. ****.

His Dark Materials "The Idea Of North"

Wow, that was dark. And I mean that in the very best way.

When Lyra says "I will never understand grown ups at all," that is like the smartest and deepest thing anyone will ever say on the show.

If current politics has taught me anything it's this: Never trust a woman named Coulter.

I hope Mrs. Coulter isn't Lyra's mother but she probably is. Rats.

Georgina Campbell looking as radiant as ever. Bummed she was killed off so quickly.

As Lyra is doing her rooftop escapades I am eerily reminded of Bran Stark. Obviously Lyra won't have a fate like his, but that's what I'm reminded of when I see a child climbing around rooftops. It gives me a bit of the willies to be honest.

Quickly becoming addictive. I might need to check these books out once the season is over. ****1/2.

His Dark Materials "The Spies"

This is a solid show and premise that I am enjoying very much. It's weird but when it comes to genre I always have a buttload of complaints at the ready, but so far this is doing everything right. We'll revisit that opinion when we get to the finale, but this series is off on the right foot, and assured in its storytelling in a way a lot of other stuff isn't. Granted, it has a series of books as a backbone and how-to guide on what to do, but that doesn't automatically mean the adaptation is faithful or entertaining in its own. I can't speak for the faithful part, but it's good, entertaining television that isn't trying to make me feel guilty or bad for liking it. Granted this is only the third episode so things can change. But I would not be shocked if that didn't happen.

One theory I have postulated is that every great series is two appalling episodes away from being a terrible series. It is beyond easy to make a great show jump the shark or simply destroy it's appeal entirely with a terrible arc that lasts only two episodes. So be aware that this preliminary opinion can easily be undone by two bad episodes in a row that the show doesn't recover from. But as of now, I'm loving this show. I am definitely checking out the books when this is over. *****.

His Dark Materials "Armour"

Lin-Manuel Miranda! Neat!

That was quite excellent. Lee and Yorick are cool characters. The budget on this show is huge. We see Yorick through a great deal of the episode, and the show isn't shy about putting in the money to do so. It's quite a contrast to The Flash which is also so stingy about having Gorilla Grodd and King Shark actually appear on-screen.

I especially like that Lyra doesn't appear to be afraid of him.

Lee is funny. I liked him being impressed with the way Lyra plays cards and the way she stole his bacon.

Mrs. Coulter's bargain with the bear king at the end was great because you could actually tell what a big deal it was.

Is the guy being blackmailed for his "predilections" a pedophile or merely gay? Whichever one he is will determine whether or not this Universe sucks. Which means I'm weirdly rooting for him being a pedo.

If I were Lyra I'd be a lot more choosy to who I showed the Golden Compass and what it could do to, but it didn't end badly for her in this episode at least.

Good stuff. *****.

His Dark Materials "The Lost Boy"

Dire ending. I'm flipping out. Billy's fate also bummed me out too.

I like learning a bit about Yorick's backstory in his conversation with Lyra.

Will's stuff being so much like our world fascinates me.

For some reason I am every bit as interested in the intrigue and relationships between the adults as I am with Lyra, Yorick, and the Daemons. That's pretty cool.

Spooky episode. ****.

His Dark Materials "The Daemon-Cages"

That was outright amazing. Are you freaking kidding me?

Lyra calling Miss Coulter "Mother" was the first big moment in an episode filled with nothing but big moments. Her quiet scene with her afterwards was outright riveting leading to a moment that should be iconic: Her and Coulter screaming on opposite sides of the metal doors.

I love Lyra calling Coulter on his b.s. about her evil plan. If she truly thought separating the Daemons was a swell idea, she would have let her goons go through with it on her own daughter. Or better yet, the question Lyra FAILED to ask is why Coulter isn't volunteering to step into that chamber itself if it's so great.

I like that once Yorick appears, Lyra is back in charge. That's how this works.

I love that Lee is a bit apprehensive about his upcoming important role, especially because his love for Lyra was not something he planned on or asked for. And I get him having cold feet about that considering his lifestyle before all this. Very interesting scene.

Man, this show is firing on all cylinders, knocking it out of the park, and whatever other overused cliched synonym for "amazeballs" you can think of. With She-Ra gone it, The Orville and Star Trek Picard are my current favorite series on the air. Which frankly surprises me a bit. But it IS amazing. I love it. *****.

His Dark Materials "The Fight To The Death"

There is something very wrong with Asriel at the end. I am concerned.

Just started to cotton on that Will and Elaine's stuff takes place in our world. Should have noticed the lack of animals in the background. Her telling the dude that since she's afraid of everything that one more thing won't matter was pretty great.

Lyra pretending to be a Daemon to the bear king was SO freaking risky. I'm frankly a little shocked that it worked. Yorick was overselling the idea that bears can't be tricked. And him claiming he wasn't really a bear is a No True Scotsman fallacy.

Mrs. Coulter's demonic scream at the beginning suggests there's some demon in her herself.

Big Bear smackdown! I liked the choice to NOT see the death blow and the focus on Lyra hearing it instead. This is a kids show. It should not be overly gruesome or gory which that specific scene would have been to show. I admire and applaud the show's restraint.

I didn't love this as much as SOME of the episodes, but it's clearly setting up the finale and it did a good job of that at least. ****.

His Dark Materials "Betrayal"

This series is what would happen if I actually liked Game of Thrones. If I didn't always feel dirty and awful for watching it, and seeing disgusting and horrible things happen to characters I cared about. Roger's death here is a tragedy. But not one that disgusts me or makes me feel bad for enjoying the show. It's proper, earned pathos, and not horribleness for the sake of horribleness. This is just as well-written and acted as Game of Thrones, with comparable visual effects. This is what I wish Game Of Thrones was.

To be fair to the Game of Thrones producers, the source material is pretty bleak, and if you get right down to it, that bummer TV show is somehow crazily less depressing than the books. But if there was justice in the world this show would be as big as Game of Thrones wound up being.

Asriel is a monster. We spent the entire season wanting the wrong thing. I love that.

His evil plan also explains why he was flipped out to see Lyra last episode and relaxed immediately when he saw Roger was with her. I repeat: A monster.

I loved the scene between Asriel and Mrs. Coulter. It hints at dark, religious and cosmic themes coming in later seasons, and also suggest Asriel's hubris borders on megalomania and even blasphemy. It's a very weird situation when Mrs. Coulter is taking the cautious and justifiable approach. Plus, it's a bit surprising (in a good way) that she actually cares about their daughter and seems to be the only one of them who does. Juicy stuff is coming in the future.

I can't say I loved the ending or found it a satisfying conclusion to the season. But it was fine for what it was, and devastated me in the right places. I am definitely going to catch up with all the books now, especially in preparation for season 2 (whenever that is). ****.

Comments

[stinkingbishop.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't tale the controversy too seriously -- that mainly arise from the religious right in the US, as evidenced by the fact that the controversy didn't start until years after the books had been popular hits in the UK. Over here I think the main complaint was that the message became heavy-handed towards the end, rather than the themes themselves being particulary groundbreaking. Pullman's clarified in interviews that what he was really attacking was fundamentalism, rather than religion as a whole.

I havent seen the TV series but it sounds like they're doing a better job than the film...