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His Dark Materials

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Critic Reviews

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69

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 104 Ratings

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7.6

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7.6	Your Score
7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 104 Ratings

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His Dark Materials: In The Weeks Ahead

Now Playing: His Dark Materials: In The Weeks Ahead

His Dark Materials

Series Details & Credits

HBO | Release Date: November 4, 2019

Summary: The adaptation of Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy from the BBC and HBO follows Lyra (Dafne Keen) as she searches for her kidnapped friend, makes new friends and discovers secrets people want kept hidden.

Genre(s): Drama, Action & Adventure, Fantasy

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Recent Episodes

tbd
S2:E9. Æsahættr
Air Date: December 28, 2020
tbd
S2:E7. Malice
Air Date: December 21, 2020
tbd
S2:E7. Æsahættr
Air Date: December 28, 2020

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

69

Positive:

14

Mixed:

12

Negative:

0

Critic Reviews

100

The Independent Ed Cumming

Jan 3, 2020

Season 1 Review: His Dark Materials is worth the trip. This is a beautiful, brooding vision of Pullman’s universe, which retains the mix of childish wonder and darkness that make his books so beguiling to young adults. Read full review

84

Paste Magazine

Lacy Baugher

Nov 11, 2020

Season 2 Review: His Dark Materials finally feels as though it has found its groove in its second season. The series feels more lush, propulsive, and epic than it ever has before, with a tightly paced plot and characters we can actually care about. Read full review

80

Slate

Laura Miller

Nov 1, 2019

Season 1 Review: The plot of His Dark Materials is a fusion of ripping adventure yarn and coming-of-age story; neglecting the latter in favor of the former, on the misapprehension that action pleases audiences more than character, is a mistake this production does not make. The expanse of eight episodes makes it possible to do justice to both sweeping quests and intimate conversations. Read full review

62

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Rob Owen

Nov 4, 2019

Season 1 Review: “His Dark Materials” benefits from a mesmerizing Lorne Balfe-composed theme song and early on introduces an intriguing element of travel between dimensions but then bogs down as it moves forward to bring all the requisite characters from the book together. Read full review

60

TV Guide Magazine

Matt Roush

Nov 14, 2019

Season 1 Review: A robust adventure series. [11-24 Nov 2019, p.17]

60

The Hollywood Reporter

Dan Fienberg

Nov 1, 2019

Season 1 Review: This His Dark Materials nails much of what makes the books pop and both the special effects and a star-studded cast led by Dafne Keen and Ruth Wilson are in fine form. What never fully worked for me in the four episodes, out of the eight-episode first season, sent to critics is the necessary feeling of narrative and thematic momentum. It's vastly better than the movie, but neither fun nor smart enough to quite succeed. Read full review

50

Variety

Caroline Framke

Oct 24, 2019

Season 1 Review: The most jarring part of the series, however, is that it somehow renders the potentially vast, bleak, mysterious world of “His Dark Materials” into something more generic. Despite the rich complexities of the novel’s world of daemons, power-hungry players and warring faiths, HBO’s “His Dark Materials” feels like it could have been plucked from most any other fantasy epic out there. Read full review

SEE ALL 26 REVIEWS

Write a Review

7.6

User Reviews

10

Lefarien

Nov 6, 2019

A fantastic realisation of the books on screen. Strong performances and visually stunning.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

10

GilsonOvalhes

Dec 15, 2019

Não ligue para a críticas negativas. Assista até o 4 episódio e tire as próprias conclusões. Potencial para superar GOT.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

10

Gregdel69

Dec 1, 2019

It’s a very good adaptation. People saying it’s « boring », « slow paced » and « a total mess » need to go back on Disney+ to watch brainless Marvel movies. Do people have brains nowadays or only want boring action?! The show wouldn’t have 10 million viewers every week if it was « a totalIt’s a very good adaptation. People saying it’s « boring », « slow paced » and « a total mess » need to go back on Disney+ to watch brainless Marvel movies. Do people have brains nowadays or only want boring action?! The show wouldn’t have 10 million viewers every week if it was « a total mess ». The casting is one of the best of the year, the visuals and cinematography are top notch and the music is incredible. This amazing book needed a TV show and not a movie. Well done!… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

7

tjriz91

Dec 4, 2019

I never read the book, so I can't attest to its faithfulness to the source material, but I can definitively say this is a fun show to watch. It's not the most mentally-stimulating narrative out there, and fairly straightforward compared to many other thought-provoking series that areI never read the book, so I can't attest to its faithfulness to the source material, but I can definitively say this is a fun show to watch. It's not the most mentally-stimulating narrative out there, and fairly straightforward compared to many other thought-provoking series that are currently available on Premium Networks like HBO. Some of the acting is a bit cheesy and not quite genuine at times, and some of the "big moments" were quite predictable and not impactful for me...

But overall, it's a well-crafted fantasy world, that instills feelings of childlike wonder. It's well shot with good production values and sound design. And most importantly, it is entertaining enough to continue watching from week to week...it just doesn't reach the level of top-tier television.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

6

umaumai

Jan 27, 2020

I started out liking HDM. The world building is okay here, but that’s about all it had to offer as the foreshadowing almost gives everything away. Strangely though you never really get a sense of what’s at stake as it introduces a few fantastic characters only to have them leave once theyI started out liking HDM. The world building is okay here, but that’s about all it had to offer as the foreshadowing almost gives everything away. Strangely though you never really get a sense of what’s at stake as it introduces a few fantastic characters only to have them leave once they have somewhat motivated the story forward. That’s not uncommon in series like this, but I was left not really understanding what the antagonists actual motivation was to the point that I yelled “BS” when they spoke their last lines in the finale. Sadly, they didn’t take the time to care how they ended the first season as it almost literally freeze frame stopped just after essentially breaking the main thrust of the lead’s entire story arc. There’s much better out there to put the time into watching so if this doesn’t grab you on the first episode, I’d skip it.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

5

Bitash

Jan 20, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I never read the book or saw the movie, had super high hopes for this one with its impressive cast and unbelievable.production. The CGI is unreal, the animals are sooo real. However, the series lacked excitement it could have had for me. I guess they are following a book...but its a bit flat. It could have been so much better, I disliked how Lyra wins every battle and she even falls off a Hot air balloon and nothing happens to her! Not even a scratch ! And she is brave enough to fight every animal...blah blah....she made it boring for me after a while. Disenyish for me..... kiddy! Too hokey.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

0

svillar13

Jul 12, 2020

The author of the original books, admittedly hates, the Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis, and by extension God. His reason for writing the books is to destroy the notion of God in children, of which C.S. Lewis tried to do the opposite with his books, based on what he writes about Aslan inThe author of the original books, admittedly hates, the Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis, and by extension God. His reason for writing the books is to destroy the notion of God in children, of which C.S. Lewis tried to do the opposite with his books, based on what he writes about Aslan in Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Institutionalized religion is the evil institution that His Dark Materials is based on. The TV series does the same. This kind of material does not belong on TV.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 26 REVIEWS

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Seasons & Episodes

69

Series Overview
Season 2

71
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: November 16, 2020
- tbd
  S2:E9. Æsahættr
  Air Date: December 28, 2020
- tbd
  S2:E7. Malice
  Air Date: December 21, 2020
- tbd
  S2:E7. Æsahættr
  Air Date: December 28, 2020
- tbd
  S2:E6. Malice
  Air Date: December 21, 2020
- tbd
  S2:E5. The Scholar
  Air Date: December 14, 2020
- tbd
  S2:E4. Tower of the Angels
  Air Date: December 7, 2020
Season 1

69
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: November 4, 2019