His Dark Materials: 41 Thoughts I Had

“When I am frightened, I shall master my fear.”

Title: His Dark Materials

Adapter From: His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

Writers/ Directors: Jack Thorne, Jamie Childs, William McGregor, Otto Bathurst, Tom Hooper, Euros Lyn, Dawn Shadforth

Main Actors: Dafne Keen, Ruth Wilson, James McAvoy, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anne-Marie Duff, James Cosmo, Ariyon Bakare

Release Date: 3 November 2019

Number of Episodes and Duration: 8 episodes, each about an hour long

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thoughts:

I remember nothing from the books, to be honest.
This theme song is so beautiful? Who composes the music?
Ahh, it’s Lorne Balfe.
I can’t remember exactly if Mrs. Coulter is good or bad, but I’m immediately suspicious.
I want a daemon.
I have only seen James McAvoy in X-Men, but I can tell he’s a really good actor.
It’s a bit slow at the beginning, but I’m sure the pay-off will be worth it.
To be honest, I can understand where Mrs. Coulter is coming from. Only strong woman in a society ruled by men.
Pan is such a cutie.
Can I just say how much I’m loving Dafne Keen as Lyra? How is she that talented?
The Gyptians seem like the only sane people in the world.
Ahhh yes, I remember the children going missing in the book.
Why can no one ever give a straight answer to the “Why am I special?” question?
I honestly thought that daemon was pronounced “day-mon”.
Okay, so…I’m guessing parallel worlds?
I wonder what my daemon’s shape would be when it settled?
Uh…Mrs. Coulter is scaring me.
Yooh…Lyra’s parents have a messed up backstory.
This alitheometer-thing is stressing me out.
I swear this music will kill me with its beauty.
What the actual fudge (Non-spoilery context: An elevator, a falling boy, and a vanishing daemon)
Hey, look! It’s Lin-Manuel Miranda! And his daemon is a rabbit?
Oohhh, I’m loving the witches!
I hope Mrs. Coulter’s daemon gets a redemption arc. It seems like it isn’t as evil as she is. And why doesn’t it talk?
Mrs. Coulter is such a force of nature, to be honest. A scary one, though.
Umm…Armored bears are so cool?
Ma Costa and Lee Scoresby are precious and they must be protected at all costs.
I’m telling you this with tears in my eyes: Any show that can make me cry is worth watching.
Roger is such a cutie.
Yooh…Is that Andrew Scott?
Mrs. Coulter is most definitely unhinged.
Witches are so cool.
I’m so glad the only American they cast in this series was Lin-Manuel Miranda.
It should be illegal for an episode to end on such a horrible cliffhanger.
The floors where the bears live are so red…
Can I be like Lyra when I grow up?
I’m loving the way the animals look.
Poor Elaine. There’s definitely something fishy going on, but everyone writes her off as crazy.
YEAH LYRA SILVERTONGUE! (This I remember from the books, too)
Wow, James McAvoy. Just wow.
Uhhh…what?? How can it end like that??

Last few thoughts:

I think my thoughts should tell you how much I enjoyed this series. Yeah, it was a bit slow at the beginning of the series, but I can understand why. Viewers are immediately thrust into a new world and they take baby-steps for us to understand what’s going on. I appreciate that. I honestly have no idea how true this adaption stays to the book, but so far I’ve heard only good things.