His Dark Materials (BBC serial)

[AlexH]

This looks exciting after the disappointment of the film:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1099609883165450240

It's due on BBC and HBO either this year or next.

 

[Dave]

All I wanted to say was that Ruth Wilson as Mrs Coulter is fantastic casting and makes me want to watch it just for that reason. It is as good casting in this TV version, as Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman were poor casting in the film. Also the TV version is going to be the whole trilogy.

 

[picklematrix]

Cautiously hopeful for this series. The film really skimmed through a rough outline plot of the book.

 

[anno]

No poly bear?!!!

 

[Mouse]

Oooooooh.

 

[Brian G Turner]

And there's more:

 

[Culhwch]

Looks good! I have hope. I do love an armoured bear. I must say I liked Sam Elliott as Lee Scoresby in the film version, but that was about it.

 

[AlexH]

I enjoyed the first episode.

 

[Rodders]

I watched the first episode last night and found it quite enjoyable. Definitely worth sticking with.

I haven't read the books, so there would be nothing to disappoint.

 

[Dave]

This is going to be a better adaptation than the film, but films can rarely capture the complexities of long books.

 

[CupofJoe]

I fell asleep during the first episode. Glad I recorded it. Will try again tonight...

 

[Mouse]

I really enjoyed it too, though it seemed to skip quite a lot (I know they can't squeeze it all in, but I wasn't expecting Billy Costa to go quite so fast! Also why was Ratter a squirrel and not a rat?)

 

[Bugg]

I thought it was decent but I can't help feeling it's one of those stories that works better on the page than it does on the screen. Shall stick with it, though - don't want to miss Iorek Byrnison!

 

[Hugh]

I thought it was decent but I can't help feeling it's one of those stories that works better on the page than it does on the screen. Shall stick with it, though - don't want to miss Iorek Byrnison!

I can't bear to look. Well I did peep through my fingers at @45 seconds. I'll stick with the book.

 

[ctg]

I cannot remember the film, and I haven't read the books, but I liked the adaptation. One thing that I don't understand is why the mainstream critics are calling this series as a new Game of Thrones?

 

[Dave]

One thing that I don't understand is why the mainstream critics are calling this series as a new Game of Thrones?

Probably, merely because it is Fantasy and has cost a lot of money to produce, nothing more complicated than that.

They may be expecting it to be as popular as Game of Thrones. The BBC will be crossing-fingers and hoping it is, but you cannot predict that will be the case. The BBC is already making Season 2, and has War of the Worlds and Runestaff lined up, so they obviously are heavily invested in SFF now. While I loved wobbly scenery and shaky lines in the old Blake's Seven and Dr Who, I wished for a day when they would spend the same amount on SFF as they did on say, I, Claudius or The Onedin Line. SFF was always seen as less literary and cheaper to make, and the Director-General didn't like it. Even their most recent attempts, like Outcasts was pretty grim stuff. I think that the popularity of Game of Thrones has been a game-changer and become a bench mark. Which has to be good news.

 

[ctg]

Well, let's hope it's going to be popular, and be prepared to listen villains as they are apparently speaking Finnish (for some reason). I doubt it will be the elvish kind, but more of the darker side. Should we start on the episodic reviews then?

 

[Dave]

Should we start on the episodic reviews then?

I won't stop you. I'm not certain that it will as popular here on Chronicles. I'm surprised that some haven't read the trilogy of books. There is a second trilogy now (The Book of Dust) with the second of three published. I also thought most would have seen the film, which also starred Daniel Craig.

 

[Matteo]

I enjoyed the books and thought they were very good - though can't remember enough details to spot differences between them and the new series. I did see the film and thought it was OK.

As for the episode that was on Sunday, we started watching it but the wife got bored part way in and so I recorded the rest and saw it last night. It's obviously had some money thrown at it because it looked good. A slow start (but maybe that's reflecting the books - I don't remember) and some good acting overall - although some of the kids, less so.

Will certainly be watching episode two.

 

[Vareor]

I liked the first episode a lot. To me, it seemed like the quality was on par with the movie's.
I don't know about any comparison to Game of Thrones, but I do hope it will get more than a season.