Adapting His Dark Materials - BBC

[@Multilipstik]

2:52 ”I am a fan of these books and I want people who are fans of these books to feel pleased with this adaptation” Honestly that made me so emotional. As a ’fan of these books’ that’s pretty much the only thing I want to hear 🙈

[@netalicht]

PREACH!

[@thuryas5300]

Yes, if the author approves and if it's made by people who loved the books themselves then I can rest happy knowing that it was people who loved it that atleast tried to make it happen, whether it ends up badly or not.

[@Tridentus]

I actually still remember the moment I finished Amber Spyglass as a 10 or 11 year old in 2002ish.. I remember being stunned for a good hour or two by the emotional pangs I got in the aftermath of finishing that series, took me days to get over it. These were fantastic books, and still are as a 28 year old now.

[@chrissonofpear1384]

My word, the ending... Of all three, really.

[@SauqinaR]

Good things happend when fans contributes

[@jandreidrn]

When you realized Dafne Keen had scenes with two Professor X's.

[@ororomunroe4055]

And she's his daughter lol

[@KristofskiKabuki]

So far this is the first adaptation I've seen for ages (where I knew the original) where all the changes are for the best and improve the story

[@MrCodyhoskins]

This is now the fourth major fantasy/sci fi series James McAvoy has been apart since Dune, Narnia, and X-Men. Not only that, but he's now been in two series - HDM and Narnia - which are philosophically the polar opposites of each other based on the authors' beliefs.

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

Just read that Pullman called Narnia 'sexist and racist' as well as criticising its nauseating Christian undertones. Can't say I entirely blame him

[@princessthyemis]

@@saoirsedeltufo7436 He seems a bit mean-spirited and conceited concerning other author's works. He didn't like Tolkien even though he's writing fantasy, and without Tolkien the fantasy genre wouldn't even exist! He seems so...superior. In a really annoying way. It's like he thinks if something *doesn't* critique religion than it's automatically bad and inferior.

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

princessthyemis he was right about CS Lewis. And I thought he just wasn’t a fan of Tolkien’s work, I haven’t seen any criticism. Pullman is a big fan of Rowling for example

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

anonymous who said anything about cancelling them or a right way of seeing a work of literature? You’re making up a strawman Yeah sure many works have subconscious theocratic religious imagery but it’s pretty explicit and dumbed down in Narnia...

[@ryanmorrissey3923]

@@princessthyemis the fantasy genre existed long before Tolkien lol

[@liliks14]

As a christian this universe did not make me feel at odd with my faith at all when i first read the books as a young teen . I loved every line of those books and i still love that universe today , i do not understand the criticism . this story may have been written by an atheist , but it's for everybody to enjoy , i never felt looked down on in it as a believer .

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, sung HDM's praises - it criticises doctrinal theocracy and organised religion, particularly Catholicism, but doesn't really criticise faith or belief. It should be enjoyed by theists and atheists alike

[@liliks14]

@@saoirsedeltufo7436 i am a catholic . it was my favorite "young adult" book of all times . the intelligence of the story telling is what got to me

[@princessthyemis]

@@saoirsedeltufo7436 hmmm.....

[@Risaala]

Thank you, yes! I feel like as a Christian (Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement!) that these books actually go deep into what my faith is about. The books are clearly against authoritarianism, not faith or even organized religion, per se. I think the show is doing a wonderful job so far with the fascist architecture of the Magisterium.

[@babettekern7161]

Lol

[@Crichjo32]

McAvoy is such a good actor.

[@unusualspectacular2532]

I have been screaming at anyone who will listen for YEARS that this series should be done by HBO, or someone who won’t sanitize the story. I am so excited about everything in this adaptation, and the early hype is making me scream!!

[@stanleyt.7930]

BBC production but with money and broadcast rights by HBO

[@Delinae]

Honestly glad it's not just HBO. I won't want the story to be Americanized. While HBO has good track record for production quality and riveting stories, I don't think it's proven it can handle intellectually nuanced stuff yet.

[@Tridentus]

@@Delinae The BBC don't really F things up. Like ever. The BBC has always been fundamentally elitist about quality of art over financial incentives (I mean hell it still doesn't allow commercial advertising), it's a philosophy that has kept British programming at the highest level of quality despite the fact American productions have always had way more money and theoretically a bigger talent pool to draw from.

[@RayzaNC]

@@Tridentus BBC make a lot of crappy dramas

[@gregoriadamic2484]

@@Tridentus dr.who is a big pile of crap in the last 5 years or so.

[@ThelouwseFD]

I don't know who that Jack Thorne is, but I trust him ! Make us fans of the books proud Mr. Thorne !

[@webaccess11]

Love Ruth Wison and James Mcavoy!

[@islabotty]

i'm trusting these people so much i will actually be distraught if it isnt as good as im expecting

[@giraffe7753]

I think you have to go into it expecting at least a Harry Potter kind of thing, where it's not going to be the same, but it can measure up in its own way. At least that's what I hope for with any fantasy series. You just can't make it feel the exact same, but books and TV both have different things they excel in honestly.

[@chrissonofpear1384]

They Gyptians could be better, and not sure of the Coulter relationship, yet. All else looks promising.

[@princessthyemis]

don't have your expectations unreasonably high :)

[@oskardolinar3696]

3:46 - 4:05 is that the opening credits??

[@filmmakerdreamstudios]

yes

[@Angie-ji7be]

HOLY SHIT THAT LOOKED AMAZING

[@Emma-yq7pk]

@@Angie-ji7be Believe me when I say it's beyond amazing! Every single thing they've done in adapting the book has just added to a perfect story... Also, the score is beautiful!

[@thuryas5300]

That last scene with all the worlds in the opening credits is the one scene that blew my mind. Such a great idea to show them in that way!

[@iratepirate3896]

It is perfectly emblematic of everything the series represents.

[@giovanniCS]

OH MY DEAD GOD THE OPENNINGGGGGG

[@mmgringoire2]

Can't wait! What is everyone the most excited for? I'm looking forward to seeing Iorek Byrnison. I love that character and I hope they do him justice.

[@thuryas5300]

Asriel and coulter and the daemons! They're my faves.

[@leilam-k9569]

Everything, but also Will. Not this year, sure, but maybe someday we might meet Will. I've been waiting for 20 years to meet him.

[@thuryas5300]

@@leilam-k9569 yes, i really hope will matches his description.. I always imagined him with dark, straight hair

[@JixieDyeAuthor]

@@leilam-k9569 My favourite book in the series is the Subtle Knife so I can't wait to see that. I hope they make the spectres scary and I would love to see Cigazze. But in this season I can't wait to see Serefina Pekkela. But I think in the series they make Kaisa a falcon but he's supposed to be a snow goose. I was a little pissed at that. But did you know that David Suchet voices him?? That's pretty cool. I love the Poirot series lol

[@thuryas5300]

@@JixieDyeAuthorthey make kaisa a falcon? But a snow goose was so much cooler!!! And we have enough falcon/hawk daemons with most of the characters already... :(

[@Zahra.Basiri]

3:22 chills... McAvoy's GOD

[@beardedpanda5086]

I’m liking the series so far. I wish I saw a bit more of the daemons and interactions with the people. I loved the book series and I think BBC is doing a good job with them so far

[@gabriellagonzalez1149]

BBC, thank you so much for this

[@yourcrapp]

Better then the movie

[@bouncycow3010]

Can’t wait to watch this on Sunday!

[@Delinae]

Regarding people of colour in the casting, I'm curious what it says about the historical migration of various ethnicities in Lyra's world (or at least the adaptation's take on it). With the Magisterium being the ruling power, and North America divided among New France, New Denmark, and Texas, it doesn't seem like Britain colonized much in the New World. Did the mass enslavement of Africans happen? Would there be more Skraelings (native Americans) in Europe than in our world? Thoughts?

[@Ioraek]

That's a really interesting point! Hadn't considered it. Indulge me for a moment in a lot of speculation: If France was able to successfully maintain its position as an imperial power in the New World then that could suggest that Louis didn't bring the kingdom to bankruptcy in the late 18th c. That could mean the Revolution of '89 didn't happen, which would similarly benefit France in maintaining its imperial expansion. And if the Revolution didn't happen, then the abolitionist movement would have been severely impaired. Regarding whether the mass enslavement of Africans happened, I think a major factor has to be the state of the slaving kingdoms of Africa in the history of Lyra's world. Because if they existed in roughly the same way as in our history, it's pretty difficult to imagine expansionist European powers not exploiting them. And I can't imagine the Church of Lyra's world being any better vis-a-vis slavery than the Roman Church of our world was.

[@Delinae]

@@Ioraek Those are really interesting points about France. I should know more about this as a Canadian person, but I wonder if the French policy towards natives would have been different. In The Secret Commonwealth we see the Magisterium being funded by corporations, so at least their power isn't exclusive of profit-making as some religious orders are. Still, it doesn't seem like American-style corporatism has taken over as much as in Lyra's world, and there's less of a middle class, so there's more diversity of politic regimes around the world (countries in Asia still seem to be on the Emperor system). I'm sure exploitation of less technologically developed societies still goes on, but it may not be as concentrated and systematic. Anyways, if there's black men in high positions in both Oxford and the Magisterium, I'm curious about the social forces that got them there.

[@chrissonofpear1384]

Not very Romany looking Gyptians in this...

[@iratepirate3896]

The new books have fleshed out the world somewhat. The main point of divergence appears to be John Calvin becoming Pope and obliterating the Papacy, leading to a delayed Industrial Revolution and the power of the various Magisterium bodies based in Geneva becoming the key power in Eurasia, but not by directly ruling countries. Brytain and others seem to be rare exceptions to it. The Magisterium seems to have extensive power as far as at least China and Skraeling lands. Without the rise of economic liberal ideas which brought our Britain to economic and imperial power around the world it's unlikely that the world got as extensively colonised. Things seem a lot more loose, with the Magisterium indirectly ruling most of the known world to varying degrees but those ethnicities remaining in charge of their respective lands. There may be for example, independent sultanates in South East Asia, Vietnam, the Kongo Kingdom may still be standing, South America might be in a totally different state. Enslavement of Africans is probably unlikely because that flowed from a demand for labour in the New World which was itself the result of liberal market economics based on cash crop plantations. Just hazarding guesses. Austro-Hungary and the Ottomans seem to exist in this world, which suggests some movement towards 'nationalism' and centralised nation-states.

[@chrissonofpear1384]

Yes, it was established even in the old books that Calvin had become a pretty big deal in the Church.

[@fevricjglandules2170]

I'm happy they tried so hard to make it good, even though it's not perfect

[@camillae9539]

Lee Scorseby is my hero!

[@xxgsxx4908]

Wow wow wow wow wow There are scenes that i haven't seen in the series

[@shrimboy7492]

I loved The Golden Compass. I loved HBO/BBC for bringing this to life. Therefore, HBO will get my 15 bucks a month from now on.

[@Seaottters]

ROIGHT! AM LORD ASRIEL

[@ragnaice]

waaait, is this the same jack thorne who's listed as a 'co-author' of that dreadful harry potter play? ugh, good thing I didn't know that beforehand or I would have been a lot more pessimistic about this show

[@K5lynn]

I am a fan. Of the trilogy, and so far is an excellent adaptation I can wait for the next chapter even if I know the story so far and that little plot twist they are adding

[@JixieDyeAuthor]

What plot twist?

[@phillise1]

Maybe they'll get it right this time. Most remakes don't measure up, but this one might be different. I hated the death of Roger, but it's in the book, so it shouldn't be left out. Not that the original changed it--they were just saving it for the next film which never happened.

[@grapes9h5]

Don’t let me down!!!

[@williamfairchild7439]

0:16 Lin-Manuel Miranda from Mary Poppins Returns

[@grantwallace1882]

A wonderful escape from the crud going on in the so called real world. I loved the books and am totally hooked to the TV series after only one episode.

[@camilla5900]

Thank You!

[@MrShaun42088]

oh Jane Eyre... my sweet Jane

[@JixieDyeAuthor]

OMG YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!

[@warrensimpson3276]

just watched e.1 and e.2 of 2nd series infinitely better than series 1...

[@hanniffydinn6019]

If they dumb down the deeper themes (anti Christianity et al ) like the film, I will be pissed. It’s the depth that made it interesting! 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍

[@Ioraek]

Indeed! Although I don't think it was wholly anti-Christianity per se, rather anti common practices of Christianity and other organized religions, as well other kinds of institutions (the little bits describing the Muscovite empire always intrigued me). I'm worried though that they're shying away from any comparison to the church; the art style of the Magisterium that we have seen so far looks very sterilized and abstract. Jane Tranter, the executive producer, has said about the story that "It doesn’t equate to any particular form of religion in our world and we should be clear on that”. This worries me a lot. Yes, Pullman's criticism of control over thought and imagination should be applied across the board, but to think that he wasn't imagining an alternate version of the Roman Catholic Church is just silly. The Magisterium took over from the papacy after the death of the Pope, the organization consists of bodies like the College of Bishops, they teach Adam and Eve, and their holy book is the Bible. I mean it's pretty obvious and if the producers have wussed out I'll be pissed as well.

[@hanniffydinn6019]

Ioraek Well one thing you can’t deny is the Church and it’s power and corruption ....and they did it in style, they built highly majestic buildings showing their power! Shying away from that imagery is ridiculous! Even today when I see and enter a cathedral I am in awe, we don’t even have that will now to build such majestic buildings over generations to show power and control over people. Plus there is absolutely no doubt he was criticising the Roman Catholic Church and their power and corruption and grip on People. He was directly tapping into real history. If they steer away from that and make it an abstract non religious power, they will have strayed away from the depth of the books. I guess we can’t ever expect on this age of SJWs, leftism, progressives PC bullshit to make statements against real people in our world, woe on the case of offending someone. But we most definitely need to criticise the death cult and corruption and power control behind what religion is now. It’s nothing to what any religion was, but power control structures by evil men using religion to their nefarious ends. It will be a great shame of they stray away from the meta Pullman was saying, is that all religions are corrupt, particularly the death and human suffering in the past from Christianity. 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍

[@B.B.Digital_Forest]

I think Pullman wasn't going for complete anti-Christianity but the blind obedience to the authority the institution creates. I don't know if you've read the latest book but it's obvious the people of her world didn't get the good news after her journey was over.

[@chrissonofpear1384]

It's particularly anti Calvinist, but other parts are touched on too.

[@iratepirate3896]

I never liked to interpret them as manifestly anti-Christian. It's more like anti-authoritarian zealotry in all forms. The Amber Spyglass makes explicitly clear that there may be an actual God, it's just that what and who we see isn't that.

[@PhilSvitekYT]

It's a great show! Loved the first episode

[@archie-1208]

I think the actor for Lyra is PERFECT except for one itsy bitsy thing.Her hair isn’t blonde!!!

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

It's been great so far and I love that they haven't dumbed down the religious aspects (like the film did). They've got a great cast, but I don't understand casting L-M Miranda (with the most New York accent) as a gruff Texan... still, very excited for the rest of the series

[@lordjoaquin4837]

Hermoso! Beautiful 👏👏

[@akosimansanas7032]

I wanted to watch it...but the writer is the one wrote The Cursed Child 😓

[@stelmaria-mx]

1st episode was really good don't judge before you watch it

[@evgenkhersonets880]

Damn, now i need to hate the series...

[@akosimansanas7032]

He did say he is a fan of the books at 2:52 maybe he just ain't a fan of Harry Potter 🤔

[@Pendragon-zw6jl]

He only co-wrote the cursed child. John Tiffany wrote it as well.

[@LizardCustom]

Kept re_reading but still can't find a 1960 helicopter in Northern Lights !!

[@joshuathompson5082]

Read la Belle sauvage - the prequel book

[@warrensimpson3276]

Loved the books..but I thought the series a bit weak, made a mistake ? of watching the movie first, and the actors in the TV series just cannot match the actors in the Movie..Certainly the movie was rushed..but the settings were better, I thought Lyra was better..Just going to watch the 2nd series now and hope its better than the first..Although they are still good...my opinion..!!

[@matt111hew]

subtitles no???

[@claranva404]

Jack has done a brilliant job.

[@megandaniels2002]

i feel like they were kind of bashing the movie 🤣🤣

[@dangilhermoso]

so this is a series of the movie "golden compass"?

[@bennydelon]

It's based on the same books

[@ninoj3774]

@Kali K lol

[@JAZGanjACitY]

It's not a "series of the movie". Please, let's stop confusing that distorted and sweetened up representation with the actual source material. This is a TV adaptation of the original trilogy, called His Dark Materials. Btw, The Golden Compass is how it was translated in the USA, but as it can be clearly seen in the video, the first book's title is Northern Lights. Trust me, this is going to be so much better in every way.

[@telectronix1368]

We do not speak of......that.....movie. It never happened.

[@stelmaria-mx]

But better because it is based on the deeper themes of the book

[@wilkatis]

"I want to be a 100% true to the original. I am a fan of these books. And... I want people who are fans of these books to feel pleased with this adaptation" *butchers nearly everything along the way* You literally couldn't have missed the mark even more if you tried to