His Dark Materialsremains one ofHBO’s most underrated TV shows,perfect for fans of the fantasy and sci-fi genres alike. The network and now streaming service has produced some of the most noteworthy prestige dramas of the modern age, and has particularly proven its deft hand at the big world-building and visuals of fantasy.
Game of ThronesandSuccessionare considered to be two of thebest TV shows of all time, butHBO has also given us series likeThe Penguin, True Blood,The Last of Us, and the continuation of its defining fantasy epic,House of the Dragon.Thus, the company was more than prepared to take part in the trends that arose afterGame of Thrones’ending.
In the search for the nextGame of Thrones, different streamers returned to popular fantasy book series with previous adaptations that failed, and rebooted them in the better-suited format of a TV show. Disney has had great success withPercy Jackson and the Olympians, butHis Dark Materialsdid this just as well, if not better.
His Dark Materials Is The Perfect Combination Of Fantasy & Science Fiction
Lyra’s World Is Filled With Wondrous Technology & Magi
Philip Pullman’s work was first adapted into the 2007 movieThe Golden Compass, based on the plot and sharing the name of the first book in his series. 12 years after this movie flopped,His Dark Materialsdebuted, offering a significantly better adaptation of the fantasy storywhere people travel in advanced ships with animal companions that house their souls, walking alongside them.
His Dark Materialsdemonstrates some of the best blending of fantasy and sci-fi concepts.The parallel world that Lyra lives in has a lot of mysterious technology and academia,but it is all presented as largely scientific, alongside more fantastical concepts like talking animals, witches, and the daemons. Furthermore, this tension between the natural and supernatural is at the heart of the story.
All Three Seasons Of His Dark Materials Honor Philip Pullman’s Book Series
One Book Per Season – Which Many Streamers Are Realizing Is The Best Strategy
His Dark Materialsadapted one book per season, trimming some storylines and expanding characterizations here and there, but was largely faithful to Philip Pullman’sHis Dark Materialsbook trilogy.Fans realistically know that adaptations will have to make changes for runtime and medium, but they expect that the story’s framework and most iconic beats remain.
The cast perfectly executes the books' most famous moments, enthralling readers and new fans.
His Dark Materialsexplores the most poignant themes of its source material,concerning religion being used as a branch of authoritarianism, scientific exploration and free will being vital to a peaceful existence, and growing up and love ultimately renewing the world. The cast perfectly executes the books' most famous moments, enthralling readers and new fans.
His Dark Materials Is Still One Of HBO’s Most Underrated Shows
It Was Never Set Up To Be The Next Game Of Thrones
His Dark Materials’cast is stellar, with various A-listers in the adult roles and relative newcomersDafne Keen and Amir Wilsonleading it all as the two young leads, with excellent chemistry.HBO’s penchant for fantasy visuals is as excellent as ever,the writing is elegant and complex, and the show tells a complete, meaningful story.
And yet,His Dark Materialsnever reached the heights ofGame of Thronesor evenWestworld.This is potentially due to it having always been planned as a shorter story, with less time to gain momentum as a show, and dealing with some very heavy themes that require a certain degree of patience to understand.
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However, any sci-fi or fantasy fan should giveHis Dark Materialsa try, safe in the knowledge that it lives up to previous prestige fantasy series' standards of quality and depicts one of the most unique and thought-provoking stories the overlapping genres have to offer.
