Lyra is sent on a new and dangerous journey by the Alethiometer which will bring shocking revelations to all.

This week, His Dark Materials felt very much like I was watching two separate, distinct shows. One of those shows engaged me, with emotional performances, gorgeous vistas and some great scripting. The other felt like it had literally been bolted on from elsewhere.

In the North, Lyra and the Gyptians are headed toward the secret facility where the children are being held, guided by Kaisa, Serafina’s daemon. But the Alethiometer has very specific ideas about what Lyra should do next, and after a series of heartfelt and well-acted scenes between Dafne Keen and various adult members of the cast, she sets off on a journey that will bring answers, albeit not the ones that either she or the Gyptians want.

Meanwhile, over in our world, Carlo Boreal is watching a particular child and what appears to be his mentally ill mother. This part can’t help but feel tacked on because this is the first time we are introduced to either the boy or his mother and although I was able – by process of deduction – to work out who they were and how they connected to the plot, none of this felt especially gripping or even that important next to the other half of proceedings. It’s not the actors themselves – Nina Sosanya in particular is always a welcome sight on screen and is deeply sympathetic as the isolated Mrs Palmer, who clearly knows more about what’s really happening than anyone gives her credit for. But the script gives everyone so little to work with, and to date has given us no real information as to exactly what Boreal’s motives or goals are so that whereas I can sympathise with Will and his mother and the challenges they face day to day, I can’t readily identify why this is important next to the narrative in the other world, which is fairly straightforward (kids being kidnapped, bad things happening, people set out to rescue them).

Back in the other side, Lyra’s discovery brings grief and devastation to the Gyptians, but also a sense of resolve about what must be done. Whether it’s Lin Manuel Miranda and Dafne Keen, or James Cosmo and Ruta Gedmintas, on this side everyone is giving their A game and getting better material to work with to do it. Genuine moments of lump in my throat told me that I’m invested in these characters in spite of early confusion/misgivings, and I only wish that the show as a whole could hang together this well.

Verdict: Frustratingly split between emotional, invested drama and pedestrian, unclear scripting. This is getting so close to being much better than it initially presented, but also moving further away at the same time. 7/10

Greg D. Smith