His Dark Materials.

ArmaniJeanss

coL wrote: »

Did I miss something or was the shadow that came up behind Will at the end of the last episode explained/resolved in any way?

Earlier in the first episode, the local girls had said that the shadows lurked around those who were about to become adults, ready to pounce at the moment. And that Will was 'close'.
So presumably it will be resolved in the near future when puberty happens.
Would have made sense (though probably expensive) for the shadow to be continually above him during the scenes in Citigazze in the second ep.

coL

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Earlier in the first episode, the local girls had said that the shadows lurked around those who were about to become adults, ready to pounce at the moment. And that Will was 'close'.
So presumably it will be resolved in the near future when puberty happens.
Would have made sense (though probably expensive) for the shadow to be continually above him during the scenes in Citigazze in the second ep.

It just left me confused as I thought I had missed an episode or an intro. Also seems like a cheap trick to end the last episode on a supposed cliff hanger.

Cracking second episode.

Slydice

2.2: Good episode. Both episodes of season 2 have just flown by. I want to know what happens next. They're really well made for a tv show as well!

Gbear

Huh. Just realised that Will Keen, who plays Father MacPhail (

now Cardinal

), is Dafne Keen (Lyra)'s father.

TheIrishGrover

Thought that was very good. In some ways it is very close to the books (Right down to Lyra being hit by the car) and in others it is quite different but the differences are understandable from a narrative POV: How do you portray the animosity between the Magisterium and the witches without another info dump? Show them attacking eachother. Funnily enough, even though her name is Mary Malone, I never read her as being Irish.

While I knew what the cliff-hanger last week was, I do agree that it was a bit of a cheap trick. They could at least have had him turn around and see nothing. But anyway.

So again, over-valued tuppence worth:

The Good

• Mary and Lyra was well done. It reminded me of Tyrion meeting Dany in Game of Thrones. Readers were (Still are, believe it or not) waiting for it to happen and it was handled well.
• Ruth Wilson just getting better and better. Her speech at the end basically saying she owned them was fantastic
• Well done how Boreal looks so totally different between Will's world and Lyra's.

The Bad

• The complete ignoring of the Spectre behind Will from last week's cliff-hanger certainly could have been done better with a single second scene of him turning and seeing nothing.

The Meh

• Not much

Anything spoilered below should be considered a MAJOR spoiler so non-readers, don't be tempted. Seriously!

IT will be interesting to see

how they handle Mary's conversation with Dust: Dust being Angels. So far they have been very clever in their depiction of the Church. Also, the trailer for next week shseems to have scenes that are quite a departure from the books. Iorek, Lee and Mrs Coultter etc. Of course it could be just clever editing. But this season is only 8 episodes. We'll really need to see Boreal tasking Will with getting the Knife pretty soon.

Actually, now I think about it, Iorek scene is probably him deciding to move due to the ice melting.

And I can't wait for people to realise that Lyra's Baby Yoda's mother!!!!

r93kaey5p2izun

Another cracking episode tonight. Loved the scenes between Lee and Mrs Coulter, both actors doing an incredible job in those roles. Hester comforting Lee...

Kyler Shy Woodchuck

Kyler Shy Woodchuck wrote: »

Another cracking episode tonight. Loved the scenes between Lee and Mrs Coulter, both actors doing an incredible job in those roles. Hester comforting Lee...

Yes indeed, first rate. Roll on Sunday!

S.M.B.

Best episode of the season so far for me.

Slydice

2.3: Start felt a bit filler to reveal some story but then by the end I was wanting more

information about who's in this tower and what exactly did happen to all the people in the middle world. Bears cameo was good.

TheIrishGrover

Enjoyed that. The Mrs. Coulter and Lee scene wasn't in the book but was a fantastic addition. Yes, the real story starts now. Series 1 (And book one) was really an introduction of most of the cast: Lyra, Asriel, Mrs. Coulter, Lee, Iorek, Serafina etc. (Will doesn't even turn up in book one).

Once again, my overvalued tuppenceworth:

The Good

• Lee/Mrs Coulter scene. Fantastically written and acted by both. Great addition
• Great to see Iorek (albeit briefly) in the episode
• Boreal/Lyra/Will scene. The calm way in which he assumes ownership of the Alethiometer was straight from the books.

The Bad

• Not much

The Meh

• While I did love the scenes with Lee/Mrs Coulter, I thought how she found out was clunky ("Oh, we have an Aeronaut here too"). I mean I don't know how else they could have done it but it was just a bit awkwardly done.

Musings: And Spoilers could be BIG spoilers so don't be tempted, non-readers. Just realised that Angelica (The girl Will talks to) is the bad-ass Lyanna Mormont girl from Game of Thrones:



Loved the brief glimpse of Grumman

Joparry

There were little details/observations I loved: Hester (Lee's Daemon) pressing her head to Lee and the casual violence of Mrs. Coulter's daemon. As they leave Lee the second time you see him casually dragging the guard's Daemon before throwing it away in disgust. Non-readers may have missed it but it's there. It's not a spoiler but just a little detail from the books.

Liked the

scene after Mary leaves The Cave. You see a snake appear on the screen. I bet many non-readers will interpet that as a warning of Boreal (With his snake Daemon) but it probably is "Play the Serpent"

TCDStudent1

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Enjoyed that. The Mrs. Coulter and Lee scene wasn't in the book but was a fantastic addition. Yes, the real story starts now. Series 1 (And book one) was really an introduction of most of the cast: Lyra, Asriel, Mrs. Coulter, Lee, Iorek, Serafina etc. (Will doesn't even turn up in book one).

Once again, my overvalued tuppenceworth:

The Good

• Lee/Mrs Coulter scene. Fantastically written and acted by both. Great addition
• Great to see Iorek (albeit briefly) in the episode
• Boreal/Lyra/Will scene. The calm way in which he assumes ownership of the Alethiometer was straight from the books.

The Bad

• Not much

The Meh

• While I did love the scenes with Lee/Mrs Coulter, I thought how she found out was clunky ("Oh, we have an Aeronaut here too"). I mean I don't know how else they could have done it but it was just a bit awkwardly done.

Musings: And Spoilers could be BIG spoilers so don't be tempted, non-readers. Just realised that Angelica (The girl Will talks to) is the bad-ass Lyanna Mormont girl from Game of Thrones:



Loved the brief glimpse of Grumman

Joparry

There were little details/observations I loved: Hester (Lee's Daemon) pressing her head to Lee and the casual violence of Mrs. Coulter's daemon. As they leave Lee the second time you see him casually dragging the guard's Daemon before throwing it away in disgust. Non-readers may have missed it but it's there. It's not a spoiler but just a little detail from the books.

Liked the

scene after Mary leaves The Cave. You see a snake appear on the screen. I bet many non-readers will interpet that as a warning of Boreal (With his snake Daemon) but it probably is "Play the Serpent"

Every time I read one of your posts, it makes me want to go back and read the books again.

jim-jam

Another great episode tonight.

Really must read the books again. It's been so long since I have read them that sometimes I feel like I'm watching as a non reader.

Slydice

2.4: Good episode. I was like..

hold up... Vengance?!?! and so now I'm wondering if they are the same as the dark creatures from the middle world.

Fluorescence

Wow!! What a brilliant episode! it covered the part of the books I've always enjoyed most, Mary finally connecting to the Cave and Will learning about the knife. I must say, I am super impressed with how the show is handling the material.

AbusesToilets

Not a fan of how they interpreted the Spectres. I always pictured them as more slow.moving, kinda floating about the place. It also undermines a pretty significant scene from later on in the books with Ms. Coulter and them.

I thought the way they have the witches cloud pine is an interesting wrinkle

Really good episode again this week. The production and visual effects are excellent, too.

TheIrishGrover

Just a suggestion. I see people speculating about particular scenes on episodes. I propose that readers do NOT respond because the books are quite tight in that there are answers to everything really. So it's not like the X-Files or something where you are waiting on vague answers and much is left to interpretation.

CastorTroy

Not everything really as I was curious about something but the author couldn't answer the question when asked.

How are daemons born?

Fluorescence

CastorTroy wrote: »

Not everything really as I was curious about something but the author couldn't answer the question when asked.

How are daemons born?

I always imagined it was the reverse of how they depart :pac:

TheIrishGrover

Well yes, I believe in the first Book of Dust it is mentioned

That Daemons form almost immediately after birth

But what I meant was that narratively it is quite tight.

I’ve just watched Sunday’s episode, which I think was excellent. The daemons are characters in their own right, and the storyline is excellent. Love the relationship between Marisa and Lyra, and Dr Mary Malone’s inquisitiveness The actors are very good. Ruth Walker a stand out for me

S.M.B.

Probably a silly question but what's up with this split staircase motif used on most of the interior sets? I'm assuming it's something more nuanced than they are reusing the same set which happens to have this staircase at the back? I feel like I could make a drinking game out of it at this stage. Is there something obvious in the books that I don't remember (and I don't remember a lot...) or have they taken some thematic element and just gone a little OTT with it?

ThunbergsAreGo

S.M.B. wrote: »

Probably a silly question but what's up with this split staircase motif used on most of the interior sets? I'm assuming it's something more nuanced than they are reusing the same set which happens to have this staircase at the back? I feel like I could make a drinking game out of it at this stage. Is there something obvious in the books that I don't remember (and I don't remember a lot...) or have they taken some thematic element and just gone a little OTT with it?

Is it just how they do stairs in that world?

that even the most mundane thing can fulfill the same function bu look differently?

S.M.B.

Yeah, sounds plausible. Just a way to highlight a subtle difference between worlds and the fact that Boreal has been moving between them for some time.

Fluorescence

I think it's just to give visual flavour and character to Cittigazze, makes it feel very consistent within itself and like a different world to the other two we see.

Another brill episode, I'm wondering are they going to split Book 3 into more seasons? It's going to be difficult to wrap it all up in one more season, and the two kids are losing plausibility as prepubescents very quickly :pac:

Slydice

2.5: Good episode. Felt like a needed connection episode to move things along.

Didn't feel like Lyra or Will were going to get caught. Now Dr Malone coming to the spectre city, that's what feels a bit dangerous. I don't even think she's been told about them.

CastorTroy

She was told she would be protected. Just not what she would be protected from.

Slydice

2.7: Aha! Easy one! They must be

about to crash land in the baloon next to Lyra.

I assume

A lot of talk about

Asriel but no sign of him. He's hardly up some other mountain in this world trying to open a portal to yet another world maybe?

CastorTroy wrote: »

She was told she would be protected. Just not what she would be protected from.

Must be. Maybe it's

those Angels the witches mentioned. Looked like some invisible wings when she was down on the beach being watched by the 2 girls.

corkie

Reminder on @19:10 instead of 20:10 Tonight.

CastorTroy

Short post credits scene.

I think they may have reworked that as a season finale as it felt like it.

Not one but 2 big deaths. Was surprised to see even 1 of them go.

How did Coulter find and catch up to them so fast. I assume the spectres knew where they were but getting there so quick?

Good episode and looking forward to the next season whenever that will be.
His Dark Materials: The Overnight Growth Spurt

qwerty13

I found it slightly disjointed. And definitely less engaging than the previous episode

TheIrishGrover

I enjoyed that. And have enjoyed this season more than the first (The first, like the book, is mainly introducing characters).

I thought they adapted the books to TV very well. The changes they made made sense narratively: Introducing Will earlier, Mary's slightly quicker timeline. The extra scenes with Mrs. Coulter & Lee and Mrs. Coulter & Mary were fantastic additions. Mrs Coulter's envy of Mary's freedom. Knowing that, had she been born in our world she would have ruled it at this stage

Regarding the disjointed nature of this season. Yeah, I can understand that. There were many strands that needed to come together: Will/Lyra and the knife; Lee and Jopari (John Parry, geddit? ); Mrs Coulter; Charles Boreal; The witches Vs The Magesterium; The Magesterium itself; Mary.
Assuming season 3 goes ahead, this will continue at the start of the season but strands to entwine. Depending on how closely they adapt the books, we are probably really only looking at one or 2 new characters.

Again, really really REALLY don't read below if you don't want to be spoiled. Readers only!!!

REALLY!!!

I will still keep it as vague as possible. I believe Atal and her people will be entirely cut as it would be very difficult to do. I bet Mary's angel may tell her how to make the Amber Spyglass "You wish to see us? Here is how" type thing.

I also believe the spies will be cut.

While I really enjoyed both storylines/characters, things have to be cut for running time/budget contraints and simply because some things work out better on paper than on screen.

The Metatron will stay as you need a antagonist focal point.

I really can't wait to see The Harpies.

I can't wait to see non-reader's thoughts on "Well, if Roger's there then does that mean........Hell Yeah!"

And their reaction to the fact that that will be it. No Season 4. No possibility of changing the outcome.

CastorTroy

Maybe put the answer in a spoiler for anyone who doesn't want to know the answer, but did season 2 cover the second book completely or for the most part? Like will season 3 be the third book?

Fluorescence

CastorTroy wrote: »

Maybe put the answer in a spoiler for anyone who doesn't want to know the answer, but did season 2 cover the second book completely or for the most part? Like will season 3 be the third book?

Can't remember exactly cause it's been so long but pretty much covered all of book 2

Can't imagine how they'll fit book 3 in one season, it's a much longer book than the first two

TheIrishGrover

CastorTroy wrote: »

Maybe put the answer in a spoiler for anyone who doesn't want to know the answer, but did season 2 cover the second book completely or for the most part? Like will season 3 be the third book?

Well, I won't get into specifics but it pretty much ends where book 2 ends.

For those who haven't read the books, Will doesn't appear until the very start of the 2nd book but, had they done that, they would have had to cover a lot of time away from Lyra at the start of Season 2 so it made sense to introduce him earlier. (Chronologically it made sense to do it the way they did it on the series also)

But there was no real bleed through from book 3 into season 2 and season 2 pretty much ended where book 2 ended.

Slydice

Slydice wrote: »

2.7: Aha! Easy one!

Gah! that should have been 2.6!



2.7: Good episode. I'm not sure if

I've forgotten or if it's not been shown.. but I've no idea how she could've got Lyra away like that. Interesting to see what is happening with the post credits interaction with Roger. Yet another plain of existence I assume.

That scene at the end with

Lee Scoresby and his Daemon Hester. A bit but not as much with Will's father. Might just be because he's not been in the show long enough.

Sudden Valley

Felt like I was watching a game of thrones episode. Overall the season was better than the last but it is unfortunate they got rid of some of the best characters.

Agent Coulson

Renewed for a 3rd and final season.

flazio

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Renewed for a 3rd and final season.

I actually thought it already was.
Great to hear they can finish it off.

However if it's only getting the green light now that means we're unlikely to have Series 3 for winter 2021. Could be looking at 2022.

CastorTroy

I remember when I started watching this and seeing the daemons, thinking back to the earlier BBC productions like The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Effects have improved slightly.

Slydice

Hold on.. that was the last episode of the season?! Nooooo!

flazio

Slydice wrote: »

Hold on.. that was the last episode of the season?! Nooooo!

It wasn't supposed to be. That last scene with Asriel was meant to be an entire episode revolved around him but it had to be canned because they couldn't film because of lock down.

JP Liz V1

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (The Fix), Jamie Ward (Tyrant), Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Motherland), Simon Harrison (Endeavour) and Amber Fitzgerald-Woolfe have joined the cast

https://www.tvwise.co.uk/2021/06/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje-jamie-ward-more-join-bbc-ones-his-dark-materials-for-season-3/

So is the consensus that this is worth watching?

Read the books years ago. Remember enjoying them, but can't really remember what they were about.
Something about spirit animals and wheely things.

flazio

MikeOxsgreen wrote: »

So is the consensus that this is worth watching?

Read the books years ago. Remember enjoying them, but can't really remember what they were about.
Something about spirit animals and wheely things.

It's an improvement on the failed movie series.

flazio

flazio wrote: »

It's an improvement on the failed movie series.

That wasn't great TBF

Fluorescence

MikeOxsgreen wrote: »

That wasn't great TBF

It's quite good! We haven't met the wheely creatures yet though, that'll be season 3

TCDStudent1

MikeOxsgreen wrote: »

So is the consensus that this is worth watching?

Read the books years ago. Remember enjoying them, but can't really remember what they were about.
Something about spirit animals and wheely things.

I think you should read the books again. They are fantastic and I am not convinced any TV show / film can do them justice.

pixelburp

I've enjoyed the TV series, speaking as someone who hadn't read the books. But, the enjoyment is in spite of the execution: I get the source is a YA series of novels but the show leans really hard into exposition and weirdly declarative dialogue. Everyone spoke their mind and intention all the time, while things "just happen" without any feeling of natural progression or agency. The world is fascinating, Mrs. Coulter a properly intriguing "villain", but the dialogue killed the vibe every time IMO.