Spoilers His Dark Materials TV series

[Owain Taggart]

Finally caught up with season 2. In general, I think I maybe enjoyed this even more than the first season. There were so many great scenes, and I also felt the acting was stronger this time around. Loved seeing Cittagazé, and it even felt like a small coastal french town at times. Loved the scenes with Lyra and the scientist, especially the scientist's big dawning moment of realization.

But with the 7th episode, I almost felt like it was too rushed, and it made me feel like I had missed something between the previous. Some sequence of events don't make much sense.

Spoiler

For example, while I understand why Lee Scoresby had died, I didn't understand why Will's father had, as it just seemed so sudden and badly telegraphed. It hadn't looked like he had any injuries, unless I missed something.

Also, for something based on book 2, which if I remember right, was the biggest of the three, it seemed way short. And by episode 7, they're already talking about the war that culminates in the third. I feel that the 3rd season is going to have to do a lot of heavy lifting. I really hope we get to see the Mulefa and their world, as they were one of my favourite parts of the next book.

I noticed towards the end, when we hear voices talking about the upcoming war, creatures that were up on a ridge that fled as the group got closer. I don't remember these from the book. Anyone know what they were?

 

[Gaith]

I noticed towards the end, when we hear voices talking about the upcoming war, creatures that were up on a ridge that fled as the group got closer. I don't remember these from the book. Anyone know what they were?

Sounds like spectres?

Also, for something based on book 2, which if I remember right, was the biggest of the three

Nope. Word counts:

Northern Lights: 112,815
The Subtle Knife: 109,120
The Amber Spyglass: 168,640

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Sounds like spectres?

No, they were angels.

We actually see more of them towards the end of The Subtle Knife but I guess show wanted to hold off their proper introduction until next season.

Which should be interesting since there's so much material to cover and they're still doing the same number of episodes.

 

[Owain Taggart]

No, they were angels.

Is that what they were? The creatures I'm trying to describe had raspy voices and were on 4 legs, and had posture similar to apes. They were shown only once, and very briefly as the camera lingers on them as they speak, then scatter way when the camera is at its closest. I'm not talking about the angels Asriel saw.

How odd about the word count. I don't know why, but I had a memory of it being the larger book. That may be more because I likely wasn't as engaged and taking more time with it.

 

[JD]

Do we know if they're going to do the creatures that Lyra runs into that roll around on the giant nuts? They seem to have a decent sized budget, but those guys seem pretty complex even for the budget they have.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Do we know if they're going to do the creatures that Lyra runs into that roll around on the giant nuts?

The Mulefa, you mean. Yeah, I'd really love to see them, as they were one of my favourite parts of the 3rd book and found them fascinating.

https://hisdarkmaterials.fandom.com/wiki/Mulefa

 

[crookeddy]

Which should be interesting since there's so much material to cover and they're still doing the same number of episodes.

They're planning to skip over most things and probably change the ending.

 

[JD]

The Mulefa, you mean. Yeah, I'd really love to see them, as they were one of my favourite parts of the 3rd book and found them fascinating.

https://hisdarkmaterials.fandom.com/wiki/Mulefa

Yeah, those guys. They were kind of weird, but cool too.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I found them rather compelling, because it's not often you come across alien species that are always well written. I certainly hope they won't be skipping over it, as it was easily the best part of the book to me, with the ending being rather a disappointing mess.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I will be very disappointed if we don't see them.

But considering they're the fundamental part of Mary's storyline and we already saw her begin her story, we should be seeing them next season.

 

[Gaith]

Y'know, the show could simply change the mulefa to a tribe of indigenous humans, and it still probably wouldn't rank among their lamest changes.

 

[theenglish]

No, they were angels.

We actually see more of them towards the end of The Subtle Knife but I guess show wanted to hold off their proper introduction until next season.

Which should be interesting since there's so much material to cover and they're still doing the same number of episodes.

I have been wondering this too. At one point there was speculation the final book would be divided into two seasons. Is this still a possibility?

 

[Owain Taggart]

Y'know, the show could simply change the mulefa to a tribe of indigenous humans, and it still probably wouldn't rank among their lamest changes.

Well, in a way, it would, as changing them would change the entire essence of that part of the story.

But that said, I'm curious to hear what you think are the lamest changes so far

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I have been wondering this too. At one point there was speculation the final book would be divided into two seasons. Is this still a possibility?

Unfortunately, no. I'm pretty sure I saw an interview with one of the producers that unequivocally stated that The Amber Spyglass that it would be covered by the same number of episodes. :-\

Y'know, the show could simply change the mulefa to a tribe of indigenous humans, and it still probably wouldn't rank among their lamest changes.

I haven't minded most of their changes but if they did that to the mufela, I would be very, very pissed off.

 

[Starscape]

Is that what they were? The creatures I'm trying to describe had raspy voices and were on 4 legs, and had posture similar to apes. They were shown only once, and very briefly as the camera lingers on them as they speak, then scatter way when the camera is at its closest. I'm not talking about the angels Asriel saw.

I think those were Cliff-ghasts, the creatures that attacked Scoresby's balloon in the first book/season. The scene you're discussing is the first time we've gotten a good look at them.

 

[Owain Taggart]

think those were Cliff-ghasts, the creatures that attacked Scoresby's balloon in the first book/season.

Oh, ok. I don't even remember those, and well, Scoresby's balloon segment in the first season was cut drastically short to only show it had crashed.

Ok., so according to this [https://hisdarkmaterials.fandom.com/wiki/Cliff-ghast], you're right, as they speak of The Grandfather and his prophecy as:

This Grandfather predicted the 'greatest battle ever fought': the war against the Authority, and that Lord Asriel would win if he were in possession of the subtle knife, called Æsahættr in their tongue.

Which are the exact words they spoke when we saw them briefly. Talk about an obscure detail though.

 

[Gaith]

But that said, I'm curious to hear what you think are the lamest changes so far

I've mentioned several upthread... I haven't watched the show past the rather mediocre premiere, but I've been reading the reviews over at the AV Club, and pretty much all the changes sound bad, including severely watering down the Catholic Church critique again.

 

[Owain Taggart]

To be honest, I would have been surprised if they hadn't, especially with the upcoming battle in The Amber Spyglass. Even when we first got the movie version of the first book years ago, I realized it would be quite an undertaking with all the underlying themes if they were to have gone ahead with a second movie. It was almost expected that things would be watered down. Basically, there wasn't a hope that they'd be unscathed.

 

[Gaith]

^ Well, it'd have to be a pretty excellent adaptation in all other respects in order to make up for watering down (some might say cutting out) the story's soul... and, from what I've seen and read, what is on the screen is pretty average. So, no sale.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Meant to post this when it came out on Friday but we finally have a trailer and premier date (December 5) for season 3:

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No sign of the mulefa which worries me greatly. Hopefully they're just held back as a surprise for new viewers.