TV: His Dark Materials (HBO)

[Hockeyfrilla]

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[Neutrinos]

Solid cast. Looks interesting enough. I'll probably give it a go

 

[HanSolo]

My ex will be all over this if for no other reason but because of Lin Manuel Miranda.

But I'll probably check it out too.

 

[missingmika]

I was disappointed they didn't keep making the movies.

 

[Jussi]

 

[Siamese Dream]

I came across this series while browsing audible and I've just finished the first chapter of Northern Lights and I'm hooked. Cool to see that HBO is making this into a series which I'm sure will high quality knowing their standards. Is anyone else a fan and can tell me a bit more about this series without giving anything away? I don't really know much about it. I've never been that much of a fantasy guy but I'm a massive A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones obsessive and enjoyed Harry Potter growing up. Now as an adult I've become a big fan of the dystopian fiction genre so this seems right up my street as it appears to be a combination of that and fantasy.

 

[Caeldan]

Wondering who watched this tonight and thoughts? I've read the first book, seen the golden compass and recently listened to the first audio book but have never got anywhere with the second book. Was hoping an HBO adaptation could be the best way to get through the whole series. However, after tonight's episode I have my doubts. Biggest issue being the lack of attention to detail. Every human is supposed to have a daemon, yet they only have them for scripted characters... So the animals feel out of place in my opinion. Pacing also feels a bit off, rushed a bit to get to where it was... And while it sets up the background of the world, it seriously lacked any character development.

 

[HanSolo]

Seeing a lot of complaints about source material...never read the books. No idea what's going on at all tbh. Seems like it has potential with people like me unfamiliar with the source material. Production value is great so far.

 

[Peasy]

I've never read the books so went in blind. I enjoyed it and look forward to continuing to watch it.

 

[Voight]

Seeing a lot of complaints about source material...never read the books. No idea what's going on at all tbh. Seems like it has potential with people like me unfamiliar with the source material. Production value is great so far.

The Golden Compass wasn't bad, but I also read it over a decade ago so I do not remember a lot of what happened.

 

[Caeldan]

Seeing a lot of complaints about source material...never read the books. No idea what's going on at all tbh. Seems like it has potential with people like me unfamiliar with the source material. Production value is great so far.

I think what's noticeable about source material vs show is that the world building was done upfront in the tv show, while in the book is let out over time in piecemeal.

And the character inter relationships weren't developed at all last night, yet that's a lot of what is built up early on in the books.

 

[Peasy]

Wondering who watched this tonight and thoughts? I've read the first book, seen the golden compass and recently listened to the first audio book but have never got anywhere with the second book. Was hoping an HBO adaptation could be the best way to get through the whole series. However, after tonight's episode I have my doubts. Biggest issue being the lack of attention to detail. Every human is supposed to have a daemon, yet they only have them for scripted characters... So the animals feel out of place in my opinion. Pacing also feels a bit off, rushed a bit to get to where it was... And while it sets up the background of the world, it seriously lacked any character development.

I feel like visually it would be very chaotic and cluttered if this were to happen, show the daemon for every single character on screen. The scene with all the Gyptians, you would have had hundreds of various animals as well as people in a crowded space. Also would be a lot more expensive.

 

[Ceremony]

The books are essential and incomparable.

James McAvoy as Asriel is an astonishing piece of miscasting. He's far too scrawny.

The CGI so far is awful, the Magisterium scenes in particular looked barely a step up from like drawn backgrounds you'd get in cheap sci-fi in the 70s. Thankfully the Daemons are better looking and the other animals should look good. I'll see how it goes.

 

[Caeldan]

I feel like visually it would be very chaotic and cluttered if this were to happen, show the daemon for every single character on screen. The scene with all the Egyptians, you would have had hundreds of various animals as well as people in a crowded space. Also would be a lot more expensive.

Yet, to establish the premise of the books... every person needs a daemon. So perhaps rather than show a scene with a 100 characters, show a more intimate scene instead with their animals. You probably could even just cast extras who brought their own personal pets for things like the servants since I believe the line is something like 'every servant's daemon settles as a dog'.

So when you have scenes with people just doing their things, have their pets beside them and you don't even need to pay for CGI.

To me, it just feels like a lack of attention to detail. And I don't even hold the series up that high in regard considering I've yet to find a way to finish it (since the ending of the first book it takes a big left turn and goes downhill fast into the second).

 

[Ceremony]

I feel like visually it would be very chaotic and cluttered if this were to happen, show the daemon for every single character on screen. The scene with all the Egyptians, you would have had hundreds of various animals as well as people in a crowded space. Also would be a lot more expensive.

Ah yes, this is also going to annoy me when I'm watching. They're Gyptians, not Egyptians. No matter how much it sounds like people are saying Egyptian (I realise you probably got done by autocorrect here)

 

[Fripp]

I'm not familiar with the source material at all, but I just didn't enjoy the first episode.

 

[HanSolo]

I'm not familiar with the source material at all, but I just didn't enjoy the first episode.

I wasn't crazy about it but I feel like the rest has potential.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

This series was one of my favourites as a kid, helped shaped my beliefs going forward. I wasn't a huge fan of the movie, but always hoped it would get more developed in the sequels which obviously didn't happen. Always felt this would work better as a series, and particularly by someone like HBO which didn't need to appeal to all audiences (ie didn't need to scale back the anti-religion aspect). Can't wait to watch it. Hope it's faithful to the books.

 

[tealhockey]

I wasn't crazy about it but I feel like the rest has potential.

Yeah, it was just kind of fine but piqued my interest to an extent

 

[HanSolo]

Yeah, it was just kind of fine but piqued my interest to an extent

Yeah I'm interested to see how it goes but if it doesn't hold my interest I'll just make time to read the books.

 

[Caeldan]

So they are definitely jumping all around with pulling in plot material from the source.

Feels like they're just jumping from story beat to story beat without building any real character development or relationships.

 

[HanSolo]

So they are definitely jumping all around with pulling in plot material from the source.

Feels like they're just jumping from story beat to story beat without building any real character development or relationships.

Maybe they're trying to get through the whole first book this season to account for how fast Dafne Keen will grow up? I mean I still haven't read them so I don't know the difference and I thought this episode was fine.

 

[Jussi]

Serafina Pekkala... Finns rush to the market place!

 

[Blender]

I thought episodes 3 and 4 were very good, and a step up from the first two.

 

[HanSolo]

I thought episodes 3 and 4 were very good, and a step up from the first two.

Yeah, this isn't quite a Thrones replacement but I find myself looking forward to new episodes of this and Watchmen.

Dafne Keen and James Cosmo's acting gives the show a good amount of charm. And I've enjoyed Lin-Manuel Miranda's role so far. I've found that stage actors can often make for an over the top presence on the screen but he's fit into his role well so far.