New BBC / HBO series coming along soon .... good cast

Adaptation of Sir Philip Pullman's books....

I enjoyed "The Golden Compass" film and thought why oh why did they not carry on and make more but the critics panned it....
Hopefully HBO and The BBC do better...
James McAvoy as Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig in the film) is a good shout and Ruth Wilson as Marissa *Nicole Kidman in the film) another good call.....

If its as successful as "Game of Thrones" it will be huge.

1st series 8 episodes....

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt5607976/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The books were effing brilliant, i might go back and read them again, if they can nail the world and themes it could be brilliant. Thanks for the heads up, was unaware of it becoming a series

The film was pants. A bit of a damp squib.

My eldest daughter will be very happy to hear about this. She loves the books.

I can only hope that they do a better job than the film which took a breath of fresh air of a book and butchered it.
Lyra should have been a little short haired scruffy punk of a girl. There was an obsession with the polar bear sections. The last two chapters or so disappeared completely and perhaps the most important scene - in which lyra'smother separates a child from it's daemon was cut out as it 'would be too scary' for young viewers.

There was never a chance that the third book would be properly put on screen as the Christian forces in the US would have gone way over the top with the "satanic" labelling.

Just as well really, given the mutilation that the first book was given.

If you haven't read the books, please read them before watching this adaptation.

It has already been green-lit for a second series. There's a ton of fantasy adaptations on the horizon. Thrones successor, obviously, and Amazon's Lord of the Rings which is reportedly costing up to a billion - the rights alone reportedly costing £250m; but also The Witcher on Netflix, Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicle adaptation on Showtime, and a couple more which I forget off the top of my head, but they're all vying for that fantasy crown. Exciting times right now if you're a fantasy fan because long form TV story telling is more befitting of the scope of the genre than cinema.

The books are very good,definitely worth a read .

As said already the books are great. They tackle some pretty weighty subject matters in a very thoughtful way

JohnDearyMe wrote:As said already the books are great. They tackle some pretty weighty subject matters in a very thoughtful way

One of the reasons Phillip Pullman got Knighted

Bosscat wrote:One of the reasons Phillip Pullman got Knighted

I also admire him for his stout defence of public library provision

One problem was the books got more and more boring as they went along. Bit like Harry Potter really - the author's big ideas were all in the early book(s) and the rest were a long winded finishing off. IMO.

I much preferred Pullman's earlier series "The Ruby in the Smoke" etc - a three or four book series depending whether you count "The Tin Princess" as part of the series. (There are no major characters in common in that book compared with the other three.)

I just finished the first book of the new series, "La Belle Sauvage", it was excellent. Highly recommended.

Just reading "La Belle Sauvage", It took a while to capture my imagination but its getting better as I read on. The thing about his writing is that it stands on its own and doesn't need Game of Thrones level epic production to make it appear better than it is. The drawings in the book do it all.

COBBLE wrote:Just reading "La Belle Sauvage", It took a while to capture my imagination but its getting better as I read on. The thing about his writing is that it stands on its own and doesn't need Game of Thrones level epic production to make it appear better than it is. The drawings in the book do it all.

His characterization is his strongest point for me, exceptional writer.

Read this when I was younger, read it more recently. It remains one of the best stories I've read.

Always wondered why it didn't make it as a series so glad to read this thread!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... Nr&ampcf=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This also looks good too initially on Amazon Prime but on BBC2 soon after.... A Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman book ... I've not read it, but by all accounts its a good story.

When is this expected to air?

This is really quite odd... during the last series of Luther, my wife and I were discussing how good Ruth Wilson would be, *if* the role of Mrs Coulter ever came up again. So, I hope it lives up to expectations. Thanks for the heads-up.

Bosscat wrote:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... Nr&ampcf=1

This also looks good too initially on Amazon Prime but on BBC2 soon after.... A Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman book ... I've not read it, but by all accounts its a good story.

It's an excellent book. One of my favourites

Sorry to hijack but on the subject to fantasy adaptations, I'm looking forward to Good Omens, which starts on BBC2 on 31st May.

Got some big names in it too.

Am currently watching the 1st series of "Riviera"
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt5936448/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Its not bad

Very good series of books, I thought the film adaptation was poor.

I hope this will be good but I won't hold my breath. Prefer these kind of stories to remain on the page.

Not a GOT fan but with the exception of The Lord of the Rings and The Harry Potter series I don't enjoy that many book to film/series adaptations.

Final Series on from 18th December on BBC

This series is a repeat is it not from about from circa 3 years ago

Goalposts wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:07 pm

This series is a repeat is it not from about from circa 3 years ago

Just said its the final series ... the last one was "The Subtle Knife" this is the 3rd series

So its season 3 ?

Goalposts wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:10 pm

So its season 3 ?

Yes as I said the final series ... on i-player from 5th of December I think and on ordinary telly from 18th Dec

Think I'll have to binge watch the earlier two series.
Its been a while.

Buxtonclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 01, 2022 10:28 pm

Think I'll have to binge watch the earlier two series.
Its been a while.

Was thinking the same Bc

Bosscat wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:01 pm

Final Series on from 18th December on BBC

I am currently doing a refresher on the first two series on iplayer in anticipation

then fo und HBO dropped the first two episodes of Series 3 yesterday in the States - I take it they stumped up the money and the Brits filmed it

Its started very well

Looking good. The story building from the first two series makes even more sense. I wish I had a knife that would open polythene wrapping like the one in the story. Probably Viners.

Just finished watching it.
Not the biggest TV watcher, but enjoyed this.
Very good production.

Excellent first episode.

Was trying to puzzle out one of the locations as I knew I had been there a few years ago ...

St Govans Chapel in Pembrokeshire

I must be losing the plot here but I thought the new series was the second. I was convinced I’d seen the first series. FFS I’m losing it. And before anyone suggests it I’m not confusing it with the film, which by the way I thought was excellent. Didn’t other films get stopped after complaints from the Catholic Church because the Majesterium (is that right) was perilously close to it ? Or was that just an urban myth?

houseboy wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 21, 2022 2:10 pm

I must be losing the plot here but I thought the new series was the second. I was convinced I’d seen the first series. FFS I’m losing it. And before anyone suggests it I’m not confusing it with the film, which by the way I thought was excellent. Didn’t other films get stopped after complaints from the Catholic Church because the Majesterium (is that right) was perilously close to it ? Or was that just an urban myth?

Yes its the 3rd series Ian

The Magisterium is sort of looking like their priest like leaders are in Cardinal Red but this is a TV series they made "The Golden Compass and it sort if Flopped as a film at the Box Office which stopped the other 3 films being made rather than the Church intervening ...

More like Illuminati than Catholic Church

houseboy wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 21, 2022 2:10 pm

I must be losing the plot here but I thought the new series was the second. I was convinced I’d seen the first series. FFS I’m losing it. And before anyone suggests it I’m not confusing it with the film, which by the way I thought was excellent. Didn’t other films get stopped after complaints from the Catholic Church because the Majesterium (is that right) was perilously close to it ? Or was that just an urban myth?

It had more to do with the Christian right (politically speaking) in America and their boycott moves

For those who don't want to wait for the broadcast all 8 episodes in series 3 are available on iplayer

Chester Perry wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 21, 2022 3:32 pm

For those who don't want to wait for the broadcast all 8 episodes in series 3 are available on iplayer

I am on Ep 3 now ... rationing to one a day

Finished the series today ... Enjoyed it immensely

Bosscat wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 24, 2022 9:30 pm

Finished the series today ... Enjoyed it immensely

Diverted wildly from the books at times, but yes, I've enjoyed what I've seen so far.

dougcollins wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 25, 2022 9:38 am

Diverted wildly from the books at times, but yes, I've enjoyed what I've seen so far.

Haven't read the books Doug, so hadn't anything to compare