[TV] His Dark Materials ... Why ? and, whats the point ?

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vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
28,272
This series gets better and better each episode.

Mrs V and I started watching but we both ended up reading by the middle of the episode, saw the bit with Mrs Coulter doing 'Eck 'Ee Thump on an intruder. I have found I have no sympathy for any of the main characters.
 


Ninja Elephant

Doctor Elephant
Feb 16, 2009
18,855
Mrs V and I started watching but we both ended up reading by the middle of the episode, saw the bit with Mrs Coulter doing 'Eck 'Ee Thump on an intruder. I have found I have no sympathy for any of the main characters.

We've already established you have no interest in it, so why are you continuing to watch it in order to criticise?
 




vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
28,272
We've already established you have no interest in it, so why are you continuing to watch it in order to criticise?
I thought television was meant to " inform, explain and entertain " ?
 




Ninja Elephant

Doctor Elephant
Feb 16, 2009
18,855
I thought television was meant to " inform, explain and entertain " ?

But without the expectation that every single person is entertained by the same programmes. I saw an episode of Ru Paul's Drag Race once and didn't find it informative, explanatory or entertaining so I didn't watch it again and started a grand total of zero threads on NSC about it. ???
 


Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,453
Hove
Think it's been great so far, cinematography has been great, with some great locations, stylistically etc. I really like it. Character development is building nicely as is the tension. I read the books too long ago to remember all the detail, but had started La Belle Sauvage before I knew this was going to be on. As on Luther, Ruth Wilson cannot help steal every scene she is in, perfect Mrs Coulter imho.

War of the Worlds straight after. Wow best Sunday evening lineup ever. :clap2:
 


vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
28,272
But without the expectation that every single person is entertained by the same programmes. I saw an episode of Ru Paul's Drag Race once and didn't find it informative, explanatory or entertaining so I didn't watch it again and started a grand total of zero threads on NSC about it. ???

Perchance you should re read the thread title ? If YOU can't come up with anything to explain what the plot is in response to my thread, what are YOU doing posting on it ? If you can't explain then why are you here ?
 




Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,453
Hove
Perchance you should re read the thread title ? If YOU can't come up with anything to explain what the plot is in response to my thread, what are YOU doing posting on it ? If you can't explain then why are you here ?

I thought the thread title was a satirical reference to Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I didn't realise you started the thread for a genuine answer. :ohmy:

Has [MENTION=13055]Ninja Elephant[/MENTION] not explained loads about the show, how it relates to the books, the back stories etc.? Marcus Aurelius might well ask...

"are you not entertained?"
 


vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
28,272
I thought the thread title was a satirical reference to Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I didn't realise you started the thread for a genuine answer. :ohmy:

Has [MENTION=13055]Ninja Elephant[/MENTION] not explained loads about the show, how it relates to the books, the back stories etc.? Marcus Aurelius might well ask...

"are you not entertained?"

Not when you haven't a clue what is going on, other than the obvious, what is dust for instance ? Why does Lyra happily go off and stay with any tom dick or harry ? Anyway, when does this "Marcus Aurelius " turn up in it then ? It's all Greek to me .
 






Seaber

Well-known member
Oct 20, 2010
1,130
Wales
Mrs V and I started watching but we both ended up reading by the middle of the episode, saw the bit with Mrs Coulter doing 'Eck 'Ee Thump on an intruder. I have found I have no sympathy for any of the main characters.

Not even Pan?! :ohmy:

Roger and Billy (the kidknapped kids) are already favourites with me and my girlfriend, as their relationship isn't really in the books and I found it very touching when they met up. The Master of Jordon College and the Gyptian's devotion to Lyra is wonderful too.

It sounds like this may not be for you if you're not watching an episode all the way through. I tried lots of big shows like Westworld and Peaky Blinders that I didn't watch to the end as they just didn't hold my interest.

Not when you haven't a clue what is going on, other than the obvious, what is dust for instance ?

What is 'Dust' is one of the key points of the books, you find out more about it over 1200 pages. Revealing everything right away would take the mystery out of the piece.
 


Ninja Elephant

Doctor Elephant
Feb 16, 2009
18,855
Essentially, it seems the complexity of the plot threads are lost on people unwilling/unable to invest in them.

It's the equivalent of watching Breaking Bad's first season, thinking it's not going anywhere and giving up on it entirely. A series is different from a film in that it tells a story over an extended period of time. HDM will only be fully appreciated by anyone who hasn't read the books in the context of the full series. Let the story be told before deciding it's confusing/aimless/whatever else.

Obviously, the thread isn't just about it's title - but if you really want an answer to the question, "Why? What's the point?" - you'll find out if you watch the full series. Or, don't.
 


Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,401
Location Location
I thought the thread title was a satirical reference to Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I didn't realise you started the thread for a genuine answer. :ohmy:

Has [MENTION=13055]Ninja Elephant[/MENTION] not explained loads about the show, how it relates to the books, the back stories etc.? Marcus Aurelius might well ask...

"are you not entertained?"

That was Maximus.
 




Papa Lazarou

Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Jul 7, 2003
19,354
Worthing
The whole family are still enjoying it, and as I said, I can't remember the last time all 4 of us watched something LIVE on TV. Excellent stuff. I love the little bits of La Belle Sauvage they've weaved into the story seamlessly.

I also like the way they've moved some reveals and plot developments from the 2nd book earlier, it helps with the overall world building.
 






Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,401
Location Location
Yes of course, he was loyal servant to Marcus Aurelius wasn't he. :facepalm:

Commander of the armies of the north, and general to the Felix legions. And he will have his vengeance, in this life or the next.

(I've watched this movie waaay too many times)
 




Not Andy Naylor

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2007
8,992
Seven Dials
Nice to see my alma mater doubling as Jordan College but my interest in the books waned as the trilogy went on. Ruth Wilson is always watchable though, so have it on in the background and look up when she's on.
 


Ninja Elephant

Doctor Elephant
Feb 16, 2009
18,855
Nice to see my alma mater doubling as Jordan College but my interest in the books waned as the trilogy went on. Ruth Wilson is always watchable though, so have it on in the background and look up when she's on.

I definitely think books 2 and 3 were weaker than Northern Lights, I think the first book is inspired writing and the following two were a continuation and variance on the narrative than really building on it and driving it forward. I enjoyed both the 2nd and 3rd books a lot more on the second and then third reading, and I'm looking forward to re-reading them all again now I've finished book 5, The Secret Commonwealth. I suspect series 2 onwards of the TV show will start to move away from the second and third books but then pick up the story again for book 5 and hopefully book 6, although there's no sign of the release date on that just yet.

I thought Iorek was done significant justice last night, graphically he was very good and Lin Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby is every bit as genius casting as it seemed when he was announced. I was less convinced by Hester, but the daemons have looked very good generally so far in my opinion.
 


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