Episodes viewed: 3###Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials novels deal with enormous’vast’massive’tremendous ideas. The fantasy trilogy, set in a steampunky alternate reality, tackles organised religion, the nature of reality and the human soul, just in/with regard to’concerning’regarding starters. Yet the 2007 film The Golden Compass, adapted from the first reserve in the saga, felt like a bland Harry Potter knock-off. Now the combined might of the BBC and HBO possess’own’nurse brought toacquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure her a heavyweight team including writer Jack Thorne (This Is England) and director Tom Hooper (Les Misérables), to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure the tone right in/with regard to’concerning’regarding this eight-part TV version.###Even despite’in spite of’albeit the narrative centres on the expedition s of youngster Lyra (Keen), a cheeky orphan brought up by stuffy professors at an Oxin/with regard to’concerning’regarding d college, the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue fully embraces the darker strands of Pullman’s writing. There are disturbing scenes, in/with regard to’concerning’regarding example, of young children being abducted by a mysterious in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ce. Lyra’s father figure, Lord Asriel (McAvoy), meanwhile, is considered a dangerously radical figure by the religious establishment, resolute’resolved as he is to explore the truth with regards to’concerning’with respect to a powerful substance called Dust.###When Ruth Wilson’s creepy Marisa Coulter swoops in to mentor Lyra, the sense of in/with regard to’concerning’regarding eboding is startling. Pullman’s elaborate world of talking spirit animals, arcane gadacquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure s and massive airships is eye-catching’good-shaped’appealing’charming’fascinating’gorgeous ly realised, and half-way through the series, Lin-Manuel Miranda arrives as thrill-seeking expedition r Lee Scorseby, just to ratchet eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfullything up a notch.
