User Reviews

From where i stand, i have no problem with this episode. In fact, it's another beautiful, dark and filled with suspension episode but also with some plot holes like why they are camping in such dangerous area without enough guards and how come he sends Lyra Alone to the Unknown.

I'm also sick of ppl who just hate the show because it doesn't match the books! Come On! The show is BASED on the books it's NOT the books. The Directors and writers are free to deliver whatever vision they want to communicate and to direct the show as they see fits.

You have the right to critique them within the show its self not for not following the books to their letters! Otherwise there is no point of making a show if you just want to see the same stuff written in the books.

Although I have enjoyed this series so far, this episode has prompted me to write down my feelings that have been building up over the first 5 weeks. As a major fan of the books, I am trying to distance myself from my opinions on the books changes, and maybe focus on how the story actually comes across the audience who are completely in the dark about the story, especially how the show is tackling Will, dust, daemons, the authority. I think when comparing it to the film, which spoon fed all the information to you in the first 2 minutes, the series so far has done well to get keep the mysteries of Lyra's world, revealing them slowly allowing the audience to learn as Lyra learns, not over simplifying or over complicating. However, I think my one issue is how the show has handled the demons, and I think this is generally agreed upon.

The things I love so far: Dafne Keen as Lyra, Lin Manuel Miranda as Lee Scorsby (which I was sceptical about when I learned about the casting). In this episode, we are introduced to Serafina Pekkala amazingly portrayed by Ruta Gedmintas. The acting between her and Farder Coram was amazing and believable. Despite some of the CGI being a bit off to me (the golden monkey) the bear is truly amazing. I loving Lyra's relationship with Iorek so far.

Onto my issues, the demons. Since the start I and everyone else have noticed their absence, but this episode especially should have made sure at least Pan was present. He was nowhere to be seen for example when Lyra was riding the polar bear. This made the reveal that Billy Costa didn't have a demon less impactful as I don't think the show has done enough to show the bond between a person and their demon, especially when it comes to Pan and Lyra. If I didn't know the books as well as I did, I may have been confused to why for example Pan was shown to be scared when entering the shack where Billy was, and Lyra telling him to calm down.

Until this episode, what had been my main issue with the series is the introduction of Will's story line so early on. I guess this was done to keep Lord Boreal relevant in the show and to make sure Will's introduction wasn't rushed at the start of the second season, but it had taken me up until this episode to fully be on board to the benefits of including this so early. For me, the first book was all about building and expanding upon Lyra's world and then being able to branch off from that in the second and third book when looking at the bigger picture, which is why I was against the idea of going into 'our world' so early on. I think it could possibly be detracting from the audience following Lyra, as I have seen many people suggest that many events in this episode such as finding Billy Costa, the fight where Lyra is taken being glossed over and their journey though the north being rushed.

However, the introduction of Will in this episode justified this all for me. Amir Wilson is perfect for Will. As one of my favourite characters in the book I was worried no one would be able to capture him as well on screen, and so far, I'm liking what I'm seeing. Wills mum too is SPOT on. Though why they live in such a nice house is a mystery to me.

My prediction is we will see Will right up until he goes to Cittagazze, this will align with Lyra crossing from one world to another aswell at the end of the series, with both of them meeting in Cittagazze at the beginning of season 2.

(Finally, I LOVE THE THEME TUNE)

I enjoyed this episode and I thought the pacing was pretty great. I see others are saying it feels rushed but I don't agree. I also do not get all the complaints about the daemons not always being visible. That would be very overwhelming visually to constantly be seeing a group of daemons in every shot. Also, as others have pointed out, Pan is often in her pocket in the books-to relax and to keep warm in the freezing cold. It makes sense.

I get that they keep making the ghost boy Billy Costa to add emotional heft but it still kind of bothers me that both adaptations went that route. It was emotionally impactful with it being a stranger, as well. And I do wish they would have gonna all the way, with him grabbing the dead fish in place of Ratter. That really hit me hard in the books. I also wish he would have been asking about Ratter more, though it's heartbreaking. I will say I teared up when he was dying and Ma Costa said it's ok. Devastating.

I agree with another commenter that pointed out how it looks awkward with Lyra on the bears neck while riding. That caught my eye as well and really confuses me. Otherwise that scene was gorgeous. Cinematography and acting on this show has been top notch from the start.

Really enjoying this show and, overall, I'm very very satisfied.

In this episode we're introduced to Will, who's introduced in the second book. Since the second book begins chronologically before the end of the first one, I think this is a great move - gives the continuity that the book didn't have in that matter, filling in what would otherwise be time without Lyra in the second season. This isn't a problem in the book and it's used to bring in the second world, but I think it's a great solution for the series.

The episode itself was very emotional and hard to watch, but great nonetheless. The pacing was great and the visuals of Lyra riding with Iorek were stunning.

The only thing I didn't like was the acting of Ruta Gedmintas (Serafina Pekkala), but I hope this improves as we see more of her later.

Another thing I'd like to address is people complaining about daemons not being visible all the time - people, it's alright, we don't want a crowded screen in order to have every single daemon present so that all the nitpickers are satisfied. Use your imagination, if Pan is not visible, he's probably inside of Lyra's pocket, where he commonly is in the books. It's cold out there and he needs to be warm and protected, is it that big of a problem? It's really silly to cling onto such a minor detail while watching such an amazing show.

By no means is this episode bad but boy, is it rushed!

Writer & executive producer Jack Thorne & executive producer & director Otto Bathurst clearly struggled fitting this much substance in to just one episode & thus, the fifth installment in the launch series of "His Dark Materials" is left severely underdeveloped, leaping from one major sequence to another - sadly possessing hardly any connective tissue to hold these set pieces & important reveals together; it's the first time where I'm left feeling as though the creators bit off far more than they could chew with the task of adapting such audacious novels for television.

One also genuinely wonders why they didn't think to flesh out the first book by having 10 episodes instead of 8 after watching but realistically, budgetary constraints are the most likely answer & it's safe to assume they're to blame for that particular quarrel.

Other issues are prevalent immediately whilst viewing: Lyra's visually awkward positioning on Lorek Byrnison whilst riding him in shots, having her sit on the polar bear's neck instead of on his back (why was this not adjusted in post?) & additionally, the noticeable lack of her dæmon Pantalaimon when travelling from one destination to the other... It's an issue which has frequently irked me several times in scenes from other weeks (continuity errors galore) but none moreso than now - he just appears & then disappears randomly without reason or mention, conveniently turning up when the plot warrants his attendance / the cost of CGI is affordable.

Not to sound like a pedantic killjoy - the increasingly dark & disturbing story is still thoroughly enjoyable, the cinematography is great & the effects are impressive but mistakes like the ones I've mentioned are a blatantly unwelcome distraction.

For what should have been a remarkably emotional, poignant, reflective & bleak part of the season (& what could've been a highlight), to see such potential squandered & wasted is a tragedy in itself - irrespective of the events which unfold within it.

I was super hopefull for this series of my all time favorite book series, hoping that it would be made justice this time around. I understand some cuts and changes has to be made, but the books are soo good that very few adjustments apart from what would be hard to convey visually would have to be made. The first episode did not impress much, though I kept hopefull. The next two definatly amped it up a bit, making me for a brief moment actually believe that this could be good. Then the god awful fourth episode came around, changing key features of charcters and plot points from the book. Now this episode airs and while it has more scenes that can be recognized from the books, it totallly lacs that wich made the book so special around this part, it lacks heart, acting talent and a lot of tiny details are missing or changed for the worse. Like Billy in this episode, this series has becomes detatched from any soul it might have had, and maybe we should, like Ma Costa, accept that and let the seires pass away. I will give the last 3 episodes a chance, because I get HBO for free from my TV provider, I would not PAY for another month of HBO to watch this series end.

Speaking of Billy as well, why is it Billy and not Tony Makarios? I gave it a pass in the Movie, cause that is a faster paced medium, but seeing how much time this series think it has to include a bunch of out of place bad BS, there is really no reason not to have him. Sure the scene with Ma and Billy is emotional, but I love how in the book not everything that happens has to happen to someone who has an pre-established connection to the main character. It gives what Lyra does much more power. Ofcourse she would help Billy and the Gyptians wouldn't shy away from him, but a kid they don't know it's not as certain they would.

And that bird (no I'm not using the name of Serafina's daemon, cause that's not him) just tells us that Will and Lyra will eventually meet and become allies. Why? Show, don't tell, even if it takes a couple more episodes, as it did in the books.

Episode 5: Good acting (Dafne Keen's acting is convincing and she's already a good actress), filming, cinematography, average-actions, show of emotions, some colorful scenes and "bear-back traveling".

As far as the flow and vibe are concerned, there's some elements of brilliancy and the story just develops further with more twists and turns. Where was the bear in the "kidnapping"?!

Good acting (Dafne Keen's acting is convincing and she's already a good actress), filming, cinematography, average-actions, show of emotions, some colorful scenes and "bear-back traveling".

As far as the flow and vibe are concerned, there's some elements of brilliancy and the story just develops further with more twists and turns. Where was the bear in the "kidnapping"?!

In the books, daemons are physical manifestations of your soul, they're not supposed to be more than a couple of metres away from humans, and yet there is scene after scene after scene with humans and no daemons next to them. Which makes it downright STUPID that when they find Billy everyone goes crazy 'where's his Daemon where's his daemon' when none of them have daemons near them. In the books (it's not Billy it's a different boy) the kid is found in a shed clutching a dead fish in place of Ratter, and mumbling Ratter's band over and over again. Here Billy just looks unconscious, it takes all the emotion out of that scene. WHAT is Jack Thorne thinking????

Complete and utter trash. They couldn't of messed things up any more. The producers didnt even read the damn book! The person they find in the shed is not Bill Costa ! They screwed this whole thing up, its Tony Makarios and they cut out one of the most important fight scenes in the damn book.

This is what happens when people who have no passion about something and have literally not read the books get to make a movie about it.

Also it's so obvious that they dont care about the concept of daemons thsy play no role in this whole series.

The testing are rigged. It's not possible that it's as high as it is. The books sold really well and the fan base is huge they would all be watching this. I guarantee you none of them would be giving this seireis more than 2 stars. Everything is rigged. It's so obvious they are not even hiding.

I am sorry, but without the fish scene this whole episode missed the point.