Series Thoughts: His Dark Materials (Season 2)

• Released: 4 November 2019
• Total amount of seasons: 2
• Seasons watched: 2
• Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

Lyra finds an ally in another world who is willing to help her in her quest to learn more about Dust, while they're both being hunted by the Magisterium.

My Thoughts

Continuing from the first season, this is yet another great season of the adaptation of Philip Pullman's books. Unlike the first season, it had no other movie adaptation to be compared to, so this season can go all out with what they want to for theirs. And honestly, it's good.

I don't have that much to say here what I haven't already said about the first. It's a darker take on the world, and there's less daemons in the background due to budgetary reasons, but it's still a really good adaptation full of great acting, writing and it's pretty damn faithful as far as adaptations go (especially if you compare season 1 to The Golden Compass movie).

Lyra and Will's paths finally cross in this season, and they become friends and end up helping each other a lot, both wielding a supernatural tool. For Lyra it's obviously the alethiometer, and for will the Subtle Kife. Interpersonal conflict ensues as both Will and Lyra don't just have the police, Spectres and Magisterium to fear, but also deal with their respective families; Will with finding his father and Lyra coming across Mrs. Coulter again.

The Magisterium still make for great villains (as do some of the individual characters, such as Mrs. Coulter), and I'm also just happy to see how they handled the whole "various dimensions" concept. I didn't imagine Cittagàzze to look like this when I read the book, but it's honestly a much better and imaginative version than how I saw it. Another aspect I liked is how we got to see more of the witches (though, sadly enough, less of the armored bears). 

It's still a really good season and I look forward to seeing the penultimate one, hopefully sometime this year!