So I think I should start by pointing out that after you have seen this week’s episode the runtime for this series so far has now surpassed that of the movie version The Golden Compass, and yet Lyra hasn’t even made it to the North yet. I guess some novels can be shortened and adapted to movies easier than others, but what I think we are getting with His Dark Materials in TV format as opposed to the movie is character development, motivations, and mystery, all pieces of the puzzle that were missing in that movie version.

I guess that is the major advantage to adapting a book series like this on TV instead of film, the downside is usually that the budget is far superior in a movie, but so far His Dark Materials is doing a good job, albeit with some of the less effects-heavy content thus far, I guess that’s going to change starting next week, but before we get to that lets find out what happened this week and how it fared shall we?

The Spies

I think this episode may feel a little filler to some, but there were a lot of little threads set up here which should help the show in the long run. When we left her last week Lyra had been grabbed by The Gobblers, and this week’s episode doesn’t waste any time in having her rescued by the Gyptians. So now Lyra is with the Gyptians and she knows they are looking for The Gobblers to free their children, same as Lyra as she searches for Roger.

Without going into great detail, this episode sees the Gyptians story actually start to go over content that was in the source novels, and as a result, I felt far warmer towards these characters than I have in previous episodes. I wasn’t sure about Farder Coram and John Faa, but this week’s episode has alleviated those fears, as I thought James Cosmo really nailed Farder Coram and Anne-Marie Duff began to capture Ma Costa better for me as we see her become a more steeled, adamant character, more matriarchal than perhaps we got to see in her initial emotional state at the loss of her son Billy. This episode also establishes a few connections between the Gyptians and Lyra that she was unaware of, and it seems that both John Faa, Ma Costa, and Farder Coram are aware there is something a little special about this young girl.

Meanwhile Lord Boreal has found out what Stanislaus Gruman’s real name and place of origin in, and is now keeping an eye on the Parry family back in our own world. Mrs Coulter, furious at the loss of Lyra, for reasons which will be made all too clear in this episode, exerts power to get what she wants and we also see a glimpse into the nature and reason of her madness.

Was it any good?

This question may depend on what you are looking for in terms of entertainment, in terms of important events, then there isn’t much that advanced this week. However, for me it was about developing characters, this week I feel like as the Gyptian story collided with Lyra’s, those characters suddenly became more important and more alive for me as well. I loved the little character moments between Lyra and Farder Coram, as well as Ma Costa, and the roping of the Gyptians, whilst different from the books, I think may have worked a little better here. We also get quite a dramatic reveal for Lyra on exactly who her mother is and what happened to her, I’m going to have to say this reveal felt more emotional than it does to Lyra in the books.

Again (like previous weeks), I heard some criticism that this information was being spoiled and didn’t happen so quickly in the books, I think some fans might need a re-read of that book, because Lyra is fully aware of her parents identity early on in the first book and information about her mother was given to her by the Gyptians, the same as it was in the show, it was just more dramatic for a medium where you have to show rather than tell at times.

One thing that keeps coming up and I keep growing more and more confident it was the right choice for this show, are the little glimpses of story we are seeing in our own world and I am enjoying the character of Lord Boreal more with each passing week as well. It is clear this is a televised version of His Dark Materials, with the confidence in knowing they already have a Season 2 green-lit. Instead of just focussing on the novel Northern Lights, they are taking this as a whole book and pulling plots from later in the books to sow the seeds early on here and I am loving it. Did we even get a small look at Will Parry in this week’s episode? Will is my favorite character in the books and I can’t wait to see him show up properly, is there a chance he could appear in Season 1 and not just Season 2 as we all expected?

There was also a little extra moment added to this week’s episode, probably to give the ‘The Spies’ a bit of excitement to it where the majority of the episode was conversational. I am not sure how effective that really was, whilst I enjoyed it, it felt like the death of a certain character was (admittedly exciting to watch) a little off. I know that the showrunners of this series did not yet have access to Phillip Pullman’s latest book The Secret Commonwealth when making His Dark Materials, but one of the characters they have decided to kill is actually someone still alive 10 years ahead in Pullman’s universe. I guess it’s just one of those unavoidable little decisions which was made in good faith, without having the knowledge that he could become important in a story which may never even be told on screen.

The Performances

This week, it’s all about Lyra, Dafne Keen continues to impress with her performance, at times almost feral and defiant, and at other times she has such a bland expressionless performance when required, and that’s exactly what Lyra was like in the books. I also love how slowly they are building up Lyra’s connection to the Alethiometer, with this week’s episode really giving us the first idea that Lyra has a special connection with this device which gives her a huge advantage over anyone else using a similar device. Not to harp on about the movie any more than necessary, but again this is an area that felt too quick on film, Lyra just starts reading it immediately because they simply didn’t have the time to let the Alethiometer become a kind of character in itself.

We don’t get as much of Ruth Wilson as Mrs Coulter as we did last week, but I like that we are seeing her outside of Lyra’s perspective as she is the most interesting and deviant character in the story for me, not to mention that Wilson once again simply knocks it out of the park. The way she seems to be able to go from uncontrolled raw emotion to putting her ‘game face’ back on is superb and it makes the character an enigma, and not just a mustache twirling villain.

James Cosmo, Anne-Marie Duff, and Lucian Msamati all come into their own in this week’s episode and in hindsight I believe they made the right decision to introduce these characters and their motivations prior to Lyra meeting them. It allowed the audience to understand what Gyptians are and why they are doing what they are, without bogging down this episode with needless exposition about Gyptians. Now they have more focus in the story I thought we really saw all three grow into their roles this week.

As for Ariyon Bakare as Lord Boreal, I find myself compelled to watch him on screen, he feels like a shadow creeping around from place to place, involved in everything and always playing his own little games inside his head, calculating and planning, and he feels right at home when he is with Coulter. I guess he is a spy, and snake like, just like his Daemon represents. So far I think the performances are the strongest part of this show, the acting has been spot on from the first episode barring the Gyptian side and that has improved greatly this week.

Any criticisms?

Honestly, I can’t think of much, I thought the story was strong, the teasing was on point, the acting superb and the way it was shot was excellent. I especially love how they are showing the Alethiometer visually so far. I guess then if I had to pick a criticism so far it has to be the pre-show recap and the post-episode preview for next week.

For me this is a very old-fashioned TV idea that we long removed, Imagine sitting to watch Game of Thrones each week and it gave you a recap before the title screen and then prior to the credits we have a forced preview for next week? It somehow feels less cinematic and more like traditional TV when this is done and I am not a fan. Previews for next week will always happen, but they do not need to be forced into the actual runtime of the show. End the show and then run the previews so it’s more of a choice whether to watch or not. But the recap at the start, well it has to go for me, if audiences have not started watching from the start, I don’t think this is the kind of show where that are going to begin on Episode 3 and just watch the recap. Unfortunately, I can’t see this being changed, but maybe they can consider a change for Season 2 when it eventually arrives?

RELATED: His Dark Materials Episode 2: The Idea Of North Review, And Addressing Fan Criticism

Conclusion:

I’m in, as a big fans of the books, this series is drawing me in more and more each week and I am loving the way they are choosing to tell this story in the visual medium. Great performances, exciting mysteries, little teases of what is to come, and a confidence that means they are not rushing to get to some of the more exciting aspects of the story.

‘The Spies’, was all about the characters and those characters felt like they came alive a little more this week. Yes, it probably is a set-up episode for more dramatic events next week. However, I feel like the main cast has been given enough room to grow before we introduce two more major brand new characters in next week’s episode and that’s why it is essential to not rush a story like this. Can’t wait to meet Iorek and lee Scoresby next week, and maybe some witches?

Grade: B+

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