fantasy novel series of the same name, which follows a girl named Lyra as she searches for her missing friend, Roger. Lyra's quest becomes larger than she could ever have imagined as she is thrust into a conflict that spans the entire multiverse. The first book was adapted into a 2007 movie, which was not a faithful adaptation of the source material, and was poorly received.

The TV show adaptation cast Dafne Keen to play Lyra, along with casting James McAvoy as Lord Asriel, Ruth Wilson as Mrs. Coulter, and Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby. With each of the three seasons adapting one of the books, the series was a more faithful adaptation and had a far more positive reception, including an 84% critical score and 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite all the great Dafne Keen in His Dark Materials and the positive reviews, the show could have been bigger if it hadn't been released in 2019.

His Dark Materials Would Have Been Bigger If It Hadn't Premiered Right After Game Of Thrones

Game Of Thrones Ended And His Dark Materials Debuted In 2019

His Dark Materials debuted in November 2019, only months after Game of Thrones' divisive series finale came out in May 2019. As a new fantasy show released on HBO so soon after Game of Thrones, His Dark Materials was inevitably and unfairly compared to the pop culture phenomenon, and there was more of an expectation that it would be a "Game of Thrones replacement." At the time, there was an expectation for other fantasy shows to look and feel like Game of Thrones, and anything that did not meet these expectations could be considered a disappointment.

However, His Dark Materials' fantasy has little in common with Game of Thrones, both in of content and tone. His Dark Materials is more similar to shows like Percy Jackson & the Olympians and Shadow & Bone, which benefited from coming out years after Game of Thrones. If the adaptation of Lyra's story had also come out in 2021 or later, there would have been less of a misguided expectation for it to be the next Game of Thrones, and for it to instead be appreciated on its own merits.

The Timing Of His Dark Materials Hurt An Otherwise Incredible Fantasy Show

It Had All The Ingredients To Be A Hit

While the timing of His Dark Materials' debut hurt the show, everything else about it was incredible. The casting was impeccable, with Keen being the perfect choice to play the determined and fiery Lyra, while McAvoy and Wilson excelled at playing the complex Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter. Andrew Scott, Amir Wilson, and Simone Kirby's characters introduced in season 2 continued the phenomenal casting. Even though it looked different from Game of Thrones, His Dark Materials still had outstanding production value, with the effects, costumes, and settings all feeling immersive as they brought fantastical worlds and daemons to life.

Having it come out years after Game of Thrones could have helped, but regardless of the release timing, His Dark Materials will remain a top-tier fantasy show.

The stellar writing did the source material justice while also making the story feel accessible for those who had never read the books. This included delivering one of the best fantasy TV endings of all time. His Dark Materials had all the right ingredients to be a massive fantasy show and deserved to have a larger audience. Having it come out years after Game of Thrones could have helped, but regardless of the release timing, His Dark Materials will remain a top-tier fantasy show.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes