S1 of 'His Dark Materials' is enjoyable viewing. First and foremost, the special effects for this show are incredible. The animals and dæmons look insane, especially by television standards. That is the thing that I love most about this. The cinematography is also top notch.

Cast-wise it's good. It's easy to see that Dafne Keen (Lyra) has serious talent, she is impressive for the majority here - at a few moments her performance isn't perfect, e.g. when finding out something in episode two, but I wouldn't expect her to be, definitely the best actor on display and she'll only improve. You may think I'm forgetting or ignoring James McAvoy (Asriel). Of course he is 'the' star but he hardly features, he's just barely in three episodes. For when we do see him, he is - obviously - terrific.

Away from Keen and McAvoy, you also have Ruth Wilson (Marisa) and Anne-Marie Duff (Ma) involved - I've only recently become aware of those two, from 'Luther' and 'The Salisbury Poisonings' respectively, they are both good here. Elsewhere, James Cosmo (Farder), Lucian Msamati (John) and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Lee) are enjoyable in their roles. Helen McCrory (Stelmaria) is in there too, but I didn't notice her until typing this review to be honest.

I did find some of the pacing across the first four episodes rather off, there was a fair amount of times when I felt like it was dragging its heels. Thankfully, the second part of this eight-episode series is much better. The opening theme is superb, also. I look forward to catching season two.

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The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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The sci-fi genre, short for science fiction, features imaginative and futuristic concepts that are often rooted in scientific principles, technology, and possibilities. These stories delve into "what if" questions and can serve as a platform to address contemporary social, political, and ethical issues by projecting them onto future or alternate settings.

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As the Magesterium closes in, Lyra learns more about Asriel's rebellion. But her assistance to him comes at a great personal cost.

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Streaming Stars, Then and Now

James McAvoy, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ruth Wilson, Brian Fisher, Kit Connor, and Dafne Keen in His Dark Materials (2019)

Dafne Keen and Lewin Lloyd in His Dark Materials (2019)

Dafne Keen and Joe Tandberg in His Dark Materials (2019)

Kit Connor and Dafne Keen in His Dark Materials (2019)

James McAvoy and Ruth Wilson in His Dark Materials (2019)

James McAvoy, Helen McCrory, Ruth Wilson, Brian Fisher, and Lewin Lloyd in His Dark Materials (2019)

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