OR

Email Address

Password

Forgot password?

His Dark Materials

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 38 Critic Reviews

See All

71

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 142 Ratings

See All

7.4

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.4	Your Score
7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 142 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

His Dark Materias: Iorek Byrnison

Now Playing: His Dark Materias: Iorek Byrnison

His Dark Materials

Series Details & Credits

HBO | Release Date: November 3, 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, Science Fiction

Recent Episodes

tbd
S3:E8. The Botanic Garden
Air Date: December 26, 2022
tbd
S3:E7. The Clouded Mountain
Air Date: December 26, 2022
tbd
S3:E6. The Abyss
Air Date: December 19, 2022

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

71

Positive:

24

Mixed:

14

Negative:

0

Critic Reviews

100

Radio Times Neil Armstrong

Dec 5, 2022

Season 3 Review: It has been streamlined by screenwriter Jack Thorne and some characters and plot elements from the book have been ditched but it remains a thrilling, immersive TV treat that looks stunning and still has the hard-hitting emotional heft of the book. It is a credit to all involved, both on and off-screen. 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

Wall Street Journal

John Anderson

Dec 23, 2022

Season 3 Review: It can be said without revealing much that season 3 spends too much time of its eight-episodes on Asriel and Coulter and less on Lyra and her companion, the daemon-less Will Parry (Amir Wilson). ... A mostly first-rate cast is thoroughly committed to the beyond-fantastical tale. ... They’re one of the elements of the series that readers of the novels will find particularly ingenious, startling and/or endearing. But these same qualities can be applied to the entire series. Read full review

70

Paste Magazine

Lacy Baugher

Nov 28, 2022

Season 3 Review: At the end of the day, Season 3 of His Dark Materials is…fine. Fans of Pullman’s novels will love the opportunity to see the world of his books brought to such vivid and detailed life onscreen, and its final episode is a rich and heartfelt coda to all that has come before, with Keene and Wilson at their absolute best together. But it’s hard not to wonder what a version of this series that was more willing to take more risks. 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]

40

The Independent Nick Hilton

Dec 19, 2022

Season 3 Review: The dazzling intelligence of the books becomes blandly expository in the actors’ mouths, while that spark of madness – the shimmering aurora – fades as the story reaches its final notes. Read full review

SEE ALL 38 REVIEWS

Write a Review

7.4

User Reviews

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

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

10

Jackal

Dec 20, 2019

Great story telling, incredible characters and many layers in this fantastical series.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

9

xSnipShotx

Nov 26, 2019

Love it, especially the visual effects (the animals look stunning!) and acting. Can't wait to see more.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

7

Octomort

Jan 6, 2020

Overall I like the series, but it sometimes falls a little flat.
At times it feels hurried and lacking the depth, and side-plots, of the books. Information is suddenly available to the characters, many things seem to happen overnight and off screen. for example, Lyra secretly moves to aOverall I like the series, but it sometimes falls a little flat.
At times it feels hurried and lacking the depth, and side-plots, of the books. Information is suddenly available to the characters, many things seem to happen overnight and off screen. for example, Lyra secretly moves to a place and lo-and-behold a few minutes later her enemies know and raid said place.

I have read a few of the professional reviews and one thing they fail to mention, as usual, budget. This is a series which could do with an extra two of even four episodes per season to capture the depth and scope of the books. After all Pullman's original does cover 2 alternate universes and the whole of Christianity. Until a production company has the finances of a Starwars or Harry Potter production, we aren't going to see Pullman's work done full and proper TV justice.

Mrs Coulter is very well portrayed. The CGI for the daemons is well done and, usually, seems naturalistic. The North has the bleakness and majesty expected of a true arctic landscape. As in the books part of me wants to protect Lyra at the same time as telling her to stop being such a brat! The often hurried pace tends to make the other characters a little shallow.

The diversity casting is rather like using a sledge hammer to crack a peanut and leaves a bitter taste of political correctness on the back of the tongue. The Gyptians just do not come across to be the unified people they should be. Despite rousing speeches and group cheers.

What it does do well is convey the underlying themes of the books, the authoritarianism and suppression of the Magisterium, greased with lashings of hypocrisy. I get the over all impression the production team have been trying really hard to get the feel of the original within serious budgetary constraints and politically correct management silliness.

Well worth a watch!… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

5

f1o_o1f

Mar 25, 2020

I've been a fan of the books for about a decade now since I first read them. To me the show is just painful and it absolutely couldn't hook me.

The dialogue is painfully bad, especially of the kids. Lyra was annoying in the books already but Daphne Keen makes it even worse (maybe that's aI've been a fan of the books for about a decade now since I first read them. To me the show is just painful and it absolutely couldn't hook me.

The dialogue is painfully bad, especially of the kids. Lyra was annoying in the books already but Daphne Keen makes it even worse (maybe that's a good thing?).

Most actors don't seem interested and the special effects could've been way better in our time.

Also the alterations they made from the books were mostly unnecessary and many scenes would've improved drastically, if they were just a little closer to the source material. I'm afraid to say that even the movie (which I didn't like) managed that alot better at times.

Don't get me started on the cinematography. I'm just from the audience so I don't have any expertise whatsoever BUT there are so many horrible shots that killed the already thin immersion due to bad composition or camera angles...

Generelly very disappointing to someone who waited a long time for a just adaptation. Guess I'll wait for even longer...… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

SEE ALL 32 REVIEWS

More From Metacritic

21 TV Shows to Watch in November and December

Preview the most noteworthy new and returning shows debuting in November...

What to Watch Right Now on Paramount+

Find a list of the best recent and upcoming film and TV titles added to...

What to Watch Right Now on Amazon's Prime Video

Get a list of the best movie and TV titles recently added (and coming...

What to Watch Right Now on Netflix

Get a list of the best movie and TV titles recently added (and coming...

Current TV Shows

By MetascoreBy User Score

1 92 The Pitt: Season 2

2 90 The Celebrity Traitors UK: Season 1

3 87 Hacks: Season 5

4 87 Industry: Season 4

5 87 Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal:...

6 85 The Beatles Anthology

7 85 The Traitors [UK]: Season 4

8 85 Bait: Season 1

9 84 Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!

10 83 Lord of the Flies

11 83 Riot Women: Season 1

12 83 For All Mankind: Season 5

13 81 The Muppet Show (2026)

14 80 Outlander (2014): Season 8

15 80 The Other Bennet Sister: Season 1

16 80 The Mighty Nein: Season 1

17 80 The Comeback: Season 3

18 80 The American Revolution

19 80 One Piece (2023): Season 2

20 80 Dark Winds: Season 4

SEE ALL

Seasons & Episodes

71

Series Overview
Season 3

77
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: December 5, 2022
- tbd
  S3:E8. The Botanic Garden
  Air Date: December 26, 2022
- tbd
  S3:E7. The Clouded Mountain
  Air Date: December 26, 2022
- tbd
  S3:E6. The Abyss
  Air Date: December 19, 2022
- tbd
  S3:E5. No Way Out
  Air Date: December 19, 2022
- tbd
  S3:E4. Lyra and Her Death
  Air Date: December 12, 2022
- tbd
  S3:E3. The Intention Craft
  Air Date: December 12, 2022
- tbd
  S3:E2. The Break
  Air Date: December 5, 2022
- tbd
  S3:E1. The Enchanted Sleeper
  Air Date: December 5, 2022
Season 2

71
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: November 8, 2020
Season 1

69
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: November 3, 2019