This is a mostly spoiler-free review of His Dark Materials Season 1, episode 1, which premieres on BBC One in the UK on Nov. 3 and HBO in the US on Nov. 4.
His Dark Materials fans have been hurt before. New Line’s 2007 adaptation of the first book in Phillip Pullman’s young adult series boasted an impressive cast and the budget necessary to bring the world to life, but they squandered those riches on a story that didn’t dare address the book’s more free-thinking themes. Thankfully, co-producers the BBC and HBO have learned from those mistakes to deliver both spectacle and story in their adaptation.
For those who haven’t read the books, His Dark Materials takes place in an alternate world where the human soul manifests as an animal companion called a Dæmon, its form ever-changing during childhood before settling on one in adulthood. This world is ruled by the Magisterium, a theocratic government that suppresses free thought everywhere save for scholastic institutions, and even then, with strict guidelines forbidding outright heresy. The story follows Lyra (Dafne Keen), a young girl left at Jordan College as a baby by her uncle, noted explorer Lord Asriel (James McAvoy). The pilot throws a lot of mythology and world-building at viewers up front, so if you’re not familiar with the source material, this approach might make your head spin, but stick with it and you’ll be rewarded with a rich world that grows far wider and deeper as the story progresses.
Source: IGN.com His Dark Materials Season 1, Episode 1 Review