His Dark Materials (2019) – TV Review

This large scale drama is based on Phillip Pullman’s epic novels and is one of the most expensive shows in the BBCs history, and in general, it is a big success. It was a very good series and connected mostly with a large audience.

This epic fantasy is very difficult to adapt to the screen and doing a multiple season TV series is definitely the best idea, as it allows you to build the world and develop the characters, which is exactly what the show does.

I will start off with a couple of negatives I had and then get into the positive’s, which are in the majority. Firstly, the alternate world story featuring Will Parry and his family was completely out of place and made the show lose its momentum. However, it seems like this story will come into focus much more in the new season and promises the introduction of the exceptional Andrew Scott.

I also feel like the season didn’t offer many complete arcs and acted as a total set up for season 2, which is fine, but I would’ve liked slightly more to be tied up.

However, in the whole, I found this to be a very enjoyable series, which many thrilling, scary, and heartbreaking moments. Jack Throne did a really good adapting and the effects and directing were strong.

The main strength of the show is the cast, full of brilliant actors. The whole supporting cast is strong, with people like Anne-Marie Duff and Nina Sosanya making impacts.

Lin-Manuel Miranda brings a real charisma and swagger to the middle part of the season and breathed a welcome breath of fresh air into Lyra’s story.

James McAvoy isn’t in the show that much but he has a crucial role to play at the start and end of the season. His character is such a contradiction and it takes an actor of McAvoy’s quality to pull it off.

Ruth Wilson is such a remarkable actress with incredible versatility and she is perfectly cast as Mrs Coulter. She brings menace, charm, and an internal pain to the character and leaves the audience unsure how to feel towards her.

Dafne Keen is the reason the show works. Without her performance as Lyra, everything wouldn’t fit together. She is so charismatic, feisty, and likeable, managing to carry the entire show on her back and is sure to have a huge career ahead of her.

Rating = 3.5/5