His Dark Materials / Pullman / BBC1

[Pulcinella]

OK, I give in. I'm 'nitpicking', and I d not want to bore Forumistas with thinking too precisely upon the event[s].
Will not post about the TV adaptation again.

Really?

[DracoM]

Sorry - was so angry that a book I treasured was being IMO bashed about.
Will refrain from posting since it causes hurt.

[Pulcinella]

Sorry - was so angry that a book I treasured was being IMO bashed about.
Will refrain from posting since it causes hurt.

Doesn't bother me if you want to vent your spleen here.
But I don't think you need to be so concerned about the adaptation's faithfulness to the book.
Either that, or stop watching!
And don't start worrying about what they'll do to Chaos Walking, which I mistakenly confused with Darkness Visible in my post #21, either.

[greenilex]

Agree that we are watching a separate but related work of art,IMO a very successful attempt at conveying the complex text.

Much much better than the rather naff film.

[DracoM]

Broke my promise. Apols, but...................

BBC - stunning CGI, stunning visuals.
Book serially and seriously demeaned.

Am simply amazed that Philip Pullman is billed as the 'executive producer' and has agreed to what the BBC has done to the book.

[Bryn]

BBC - stunning CGI, stunning visuals.
Book serially and seriously demeaned.

Am simply amazed that Philip Pullman is billed as the 'executive producer' and has agreed to what the BBC has done to the book.

There are many ways of telling the same story. Why would someone like Pullman not want to take a leaf out of Douglas Adams's book and tell the story from a somewhat different angle and viewpoint. He got his thrust in against the Abrahamic religions well in time for Wednesday.

[gradus]

Not having read the books and having missed the penultimate episode, I'm confused about some of the characters and would be grateful for a word of explanation. What is the significance of the young man who lives with his mother and is being watched by sinister characters and who is the chap whose daemon is a white snake and what lies behind the shimmering door that he passes through. Help gratefully received.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not having read the books and having missed the penultimate episode, I'm confused about some of the characters and would be grateful for a word of explanation. What is the significance of the young man who lives with his mother and is being watched by sinister characters and who is the chap whose daemon is a white snake and what lies behind the shimmering door that he passes through. Help gratefully received.

Answering these questions would involve a LOT of spoilers, gradus ... all becomes clear in the next series.

I would say that Will (the "young man" you mention) does not appear in the first book of the Trilogy (Northern Lights), but in the second The Subtle Knife, and becomes a very important character (and where all the events "spliced" into this first series occurs). Knowing the trilogy, I think this "splicing" for the benefit of the different medium is quite clever - but perhaps not so clear to those who haven't read it?

And, having been very (and, of course, entirely correctly) critical of the adaptation in the first episodes, I must say that, once the blaring "geddit?!" features had been dropped - around episode 3 - it turned into a rattling good adventure story. Yes, the trilogy (and its prequels) is much more subtle than this, but I think there's more than enough in the telly version to draw people to read the books themselves.

Highest praise possible for Dafne Keen --- and for the way Mrs Coulter treated her Daemon: some people have consciences that prick them: she grabs hers by the throat, continually irritated by it, repelling all its attempts to gain a sign of affection. The one aspect of the writing that was matched in television terms.

[gradus]

Answering these questions would involve a LOT of spoilers, gradus ... all becomes clear in the next series.

I would say that Will (the "young man" you mention) does not appear in the first book of the Trilogy (Northern Lights), but in the second The Subtle Knife, and becomes a very important character (and where all the events "spliced" into this first series occurs). Knowing the trilogy, I think this "splicing" for the benefit of the different medium is quite clever - but perhaps not so clear to those who haven't read it?

And, having been very (and, of course, entirely correctly) critical of the adaptation in the first episodes, I must say that, once the blaring "geddit?!" features had been dropped - around episode 3 - it turned into a rattling good adventure story. Yes, the trilogy (and its prequels) is much more subtle than this, but I think there's more than enough in the telly version to draw people to read the books themselves.

Highest praise possible for Dafne Keen --- and for the way Mrs Coulter treated her Daemon: some people have consciences that prick them: she grabs hers by the throat, continually irritated by it, repelling all its attempts to gain a sign of affection. The one aspect of the writing that was matched in television terms.

ThanksOK, I'll be more patient.

[Bryn]

ThanksOK, I'll be more patient.

If you are able to access it, the episode you missed, https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...t-to-the-death , will be viewable for the next 5 months.

[Pulcinella]

ThanksOK, I'll be more patient.

Get and read the books!
Combined edition available here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/His-Dark-Materials-including-Northern/dp/1841593427/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3K5471BH7JNPU&keywords=his+dark+materials+trilogy&qid=1577110805&sprefix=His+dark+%2Caps%2C316&sr=8-1

Other retailers/options may be available, including your library (if you are lucky enough still to have one).

[Bryn]

Get and read the books!
Combined edition available here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/His-Dark-Materials-including-Northern/dp/1841593427/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3K5471BH7JNPU&keywords=his+dark+materials+trilogy&qid=1577110805&sprefix=His+dark+%2Caps%2C316&sr=8-1

Other options may be available, including your library (if you are lucky enough still to have one).

Indeed, but as has been made clear in this thread, the television version does not follow the books too strictly.

[Pulcinella]

Indeed, but as has been made clear in this thread, the television version does not follow the books too strictly.

True, but if gradus can't wait until the second TV series to find out how Will fits in.....

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

If you are able to access it, the episode you missed, https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...t-to-the-death , will be viewable for the next 5 months.

- should be nice to review the whole of Series 1 [?just?] before Series 2 begins

And my apologies to gardus - my eye had skipped over the bit about missing Ep 5 (I could blame the cataract, but it's more likely to be the sherry! ) But I second Pulcie's recommendation of the books.

[eighthobstruction]

.................................................. .......................