Topic: His Dark Materials - TV Series [Please use Spoiler tags]

[jillcwhomever]

The other thing is that it's now slap bang in the middle of the World Cup, I think the knockouts are starting that weekend so that'll cause a lot of flux with the BBC schedules.

I have just realised they are saying the show will be broadcast on iplayer rather than any BBC channel. So, they may get around it that way. I know the iplayer viewing figures for HDM were second only to Strictly. It seems to be the popular way of watching shows now, that way you don't have to tune in on the actual day.

[Trada]

I have just realised they are saying the show will be broadcast on iplayer rather than any BBC channel. So, they may get around it that way. I know the iplayer viewing figures for HDM were second only to Strictly. It seems to be the popular way of watching shows now, that way you don't have to tune in on the actual day.

The trouble with that is spoilers and I like the event TV when everyone watches it at the same time and chats about it on social media.

[jillcwhomever]

The trouble with that is spoilers and I like the event TV when everyone watches it at the same time and chats about it on social media.

I absolutely agree with you. But the problem is the show is due to clash with the World Cup knock out stages, so I am not sure how they will do it otherwise. I would prefer it to be on BBC1 they could put the football on BBC2, but I doubt they will somehow. Let's see what happens.

[thejbs]

The other thing is that it's now slap bang in the middle of the World Cup, I think the knockouts are starting that weekend so that'll cause a lot of flux with the BBC schedules.

Good to know I’ll have something to watch while avoiding that sportswashing propaganda.

[jillcwhomever]

The show has a panel on at the moment at London Comic Con and they have just announced a new trailer is imminent as well as other clips.

[Armand9]

looking forward to this, something i've actually been waiting for since the opening season ended, glad to know it's on the horizon

shall wait and binge as usual when it's all done

[jillcwhomever]

Second trailer, folks!

https://youtu.be/tHDsA34FFT4

[sheepfest]

Love this show. Gets me into the chrimbo polar bear mood as it is always shown this time of the year.

[jillcwhomever]

Has anyone seen the Mulefa on the second trailer. You will have to pause the video on 1.26 to get a glimpse of them in the background. 

[jillcwhomever]

For those who wait to see a certain acquaintance of Mary Malone.

Spoiler

https://twitter.com/daemonsanddust/status/1589648984263757830?s=20&t=AVkLxxqmaSpAQM7SdHqoww

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[jillcwhomever]

As hinted at earlier on all the episodes will be available on iplayer from the 18th of December in the UK. It can be seen also on HBO Max which will start on the 5th of December, and it will include two episodes per week.

[jillcwhomever]

It's worth putting another warning on about the different times, different parts of the world will get to see His Dark Materials series three. It is due to go out on HBO Max on Monday the 5th of December, there will be two episodes early on. So, just be warned if you go on social media there will be spoilers everywhere best to avoid it as I intend to do, if you don't want it ruined for you. Can I also urge anyone who does manage to watch it early, please use spoiler tags on here. For us in the UK, all episodes available on iplayer on the 18th of December or you can watch it weekly on BBC1.

Can I just say screw HBO for this completely stupid scheduling. 

[jillcwhomever]

A reminder that series three kicks off tonight at 7pm. Once that episode has been completed the other episodes will be available on iplayer for those who would prefer to blitz the final series.

[RedSince86]

Started off strongly, just finished episode 2.

[jillcwhomever]

Started off strongly, just finished episode 2.

Agree the filming has gone up a notch so beautiful to look at each scene.

[jillcwhomever]

Spoiler

As I was off in the afternoon, I decided to blitz series 3 and wow now I am proper destroyed. : I think overall it really worked and they certainly gave the ending real impact. I loved the Mulefa especially when they were on their wheels. I missed not having Tialys in it, but thought the whole cast did the business. I am happy with what they did with it, the show was beautifully filmed right from teh first moment. I am going to need time to recover from this, it feels like the first time I read the bloody book.(

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[RedSince86]

We wanted to each episode 3, but it was downloading so slow on the Skybox, it took like 45 mins to get to 10mins so didn't bother, must have been loads downloading the episodes last night.

About to start episode 3 now.

[PaulF]

Ooh. Could be my next binge watch.

[Alan_X]

Just finished Series 3. Wow.

Spoiler

That was a great adaptation. Some moments that were heart-rending and the ending... ...must have been a lot of dust in the room as my eyes wouldn't stop watering.

My dad was a big fan of His Dark Materials and I asked an old friend oif his to read this at his funeral. I couldn't manage it myself.

"I'll be looking for you, Will, every moment, every single moment. And when we do find each other again, we'll cling together so tight that nothing and no one'll ever tear us apart. Every atom of me and every atom of you...We'll live in birds and flowers and dragonflies and pine trees and in clouds and in those little specks of light you see floating in sunbeams...And when they use our atoms to make new lives, they won't just be able to take one, they'll have to take two, one of you and one of me, we'll be joined so tight..."

I'll come back and write more. I might have to watch it again from the start.

[close]

[jillcwhomever]

Just finished Series 3. Wow.

Spoiler

That was a great adaptation. Some moments that were heart-rending and the ending... ...must have been a lot of dust in the room as my eyes wouldn't stop watering.

My dad was a big fan of His Dark Materials and I asked an old friend oif his to read this at his funeral. I couldn't manage it myself.

"I'll be looking for you, Will, every moment, every single moment. And when we do find each other again, we'll cling together so tight that nothing and no one'll ever tear us apart. Every atom of me and every atom of you...We'll live in birds and flowers and dragonflies and pine trees and in clouds and in those little specks of light you see floating in sunbeams...And when they use our atoms to make new lives, they won't just be able to take one, they'll have to take two, one of you and one of me, we'll be joined so tight..."

I'll come back and write more. I might have to watch it again from the start.

[close]

Agree with every word Alan, they did a fantastic job on it.

[Phineus]

It’s the best adaption of this we’ll get but they still got Asriel all wrong for me.

[Red Ol]

It’s the best adaption of this we’ll get but they still got Asriel all wrong for me.

Have now finished watching and have to say I agree with you. Great actor but not the right one for this part I felt. Subjective view of course but having read the books you do tend to envisage a character in a certain way. It didn’t feel to me as if this was the man who many people in many worlds would come to follow and to lead them in this almighty struggle. For me he wasn’t quite extraordinary enough, grand enough and didn’t have enough of that air of natural superiority, arrogance and physical bearing that I imagined Asriel to have.

That aside, it is only a slight gripe as I was otherwise really very happy with the series and characterisations generally. Excellent TV.

[Alan_X]

That’s a fair comment. It didn’t bother me though and what he lacked in authority was balanced for me by his obsessive drive.

[thejbs]

It’s the best adaption of this we’ll get but they still got Asriel all wrong for me.

I’ve said before, but Scoresby was my major gripe. Casting for the name rather than suitability. Scoresby was a “tough looking” Texan cowboy in his late 50s, not a fast-talking New Yorker in his early 40s.  I guess they got the moustache right…

Asriel was different but somehow worked for me.

[jillcwhomever]

Yes, I don't have a big problem with Asriel either, I kind of guess where people are coming from though. I have just seen the fourth episode again and it doesn't get any easier watching the last scene. 

[PaulF]

Yes, I don't have a big problem with Asriel either, I kind of guess where people are coming from though. I have just seen the fourth episode again and it doesn't get any easier watching the last scene. 

Tougher than watching Michael Thomas score that goal?

[jillcwhomever]

Tougher than watching Michael Thomas score that goal?

Definitely. 

[jillcwhomever]

This is quite a good podcast on the show, which goes all the way back to series one.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/his-darker-materials/id1540162162

[Disregarder]

Finished the third series yesterday. Wow. An amazing adaptation that had me gripped throughout. I read the books about 15 years ago and remembered that my interest in the story was high with Northern Lights but dimished with each of the subsequent installments. I think I found the war with heaven plot too overblown and, along with those strange animals, a clunky insertion of Pullmans atheism. I didn't feel that way with the series and loved it from start to finish.

[Schmarn]

Long time since I read the books but have enjoyed the adaptation. The final series was always going to be difficult as the source material was not easy to follow. The actors playing Will and Lyra have been excellent (very easy for child actors to grate) and for me they manage the chemistry from the books. Got a few episodes to go but it shows that with care and attention you can faithfully adapt anything.

[jillcwhomever]

Agree with you both, it's been an excellent adaption all the way through.

[jillcwhomever]

Wow, I watched episode four again and that separation scene is even more brutal on the second viewing. Great acting by Dafne and Kit who voices Pan.

[Alan_X]

Wow, I watched episode four again and that separation scene is even more brutal on the second viewing. Great acting by Dafne and Kit who voices Pan.

That was such a difficult thing to watch - I felt my heart breaking for Pan. Lyra had made her decision but he had no choice.  The acting was great and so was the animation of Pan.

[jillcwhomever]

That was such a difficult thing to watch - I felt my heart breaking for Pan. Lyra had made her decision but he had no choice.  The acting was great and so was the animation of Pan.

Have you read the books Alan? They slightly altered that incident, as in the book Pan stays quiet so that Lyra doesn't feel any guilt about it. But Philip Pullman has written another trilogy called the Book of Dust and in the second book the Secret Commonwealth deals with the separation at the Land of the Dead. Their relationship really falls apart when she is around 21. The way they did that scene is more in keeping with TSC, it makes me wonder if they will now go ahead and do the Book of Dust as a television adaption as well. I hope so.

[emergency exit]

Have you read the books Alan? They slightly altered that incident, as in the book Pan stays quiet so that Lyra doesn't feel any guilt about it. But Philip Pullman has written another trilogy called the Book of Dust and in the second book the Secret Commonwealth deals with the separation at the Land of the Dead. Their relationship really falls apart when she is around 21. The way they did that scene is more in keeping with TSC, it makes me wonder if they will now go ahead and do the Book of Dust as a television adaption as well. I hope so.

Incidentally, do we know when the third book in the Book of Dust series is out? It's been a few years now since the release of TSC, I believe.

[jillcwhomever]

Incidentally, do we know when the third book in the Book of Dust series is out? It's been a few years now since the release of TSC, I believe.

Rumours are it could be out around September or the end of 2023. This was an answer from Philip Pullman on Twitter a while ago.

[emergency exit]

Rumours are it could be out around September or the end of 2023. This was an answer from Philip Pullman on Twitter a while ago.

Sounds promising, cheers!

[Red Ol]

Have you read the books Alan? They slightly altered that incident, as in the book Pan stays quiet so that Lyra doesn't feel any guilt about it. But Philip Pullman has written another trilogy called the Book of Dust and in the second book the Secret Commonwealth deals with the separation at the Land of the Dead. Their relationship really falls apart when she is around 21. The way they did that scene is more in keeping with TSC, it makes me wonder if they will now go ahead and do the Book of Dust as a television adaption as well. I hope so.

That’s interesting Jill and I had a similar thought. Fascinating to see how the third book pans out (…. forgive the pun) as the the impact of the separation was such key part of the last book. 

I thought Dafne Keen was fantastic as Lyra and the way she matured both physically and emotionally in the series was spot on in every way. If they go onto make a television adaptation of the newer books in the next couple of years she could easily continue to play a twenty something Lyra, especially as they would need to do La Belle Sauvage first (which of course she couldn’t be in)

[RJH]

I’ve said before, but Scoresby was my major gripe. Casting for the name rather than suitability. Scoresby was a “tough looking” Texan cowboy in his late 50s, not a fast-talking New Yorker in his early 40s.  I guess they got the moustache right…

Asriel was different but somehow worked for me.

I think the problem was that the perfect casting for Scoresby was already done in the film version with Sam Elliott.

I don't know if they'd have wanted to duplicate the casting, but probably a bit too old this time round anyway.

[jillcwhomever]

I think the problem was that the perfect casting for Scoresby was already done in the film version with Sam Elliott.

I don't know if they'd have wanted to duplicate the casting, but probably a bit too old this time round anyway.

Regarding the part of Lee Scoresby, I feel the team behind this went for a different profile of the character. The way Lin-Manuel plays him reminds me more of a younger Lee Scoresby. In Pullman’s stand-alone book Once Upton a Time in the North, he was a different character to the one that Sam Elliot portrayed as he was the older version. Maybe they decided they couldn’t better that so went for a younger version of the character instead. Either way, it really didn’t bother me overall.