If You’re Tired Of Fantasy Shows Getting Canceled, Watch HBO’s 3-Part Series With A Perfect Ending

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Adapting the fantasy novel His Dark Materials has proven challenging, but HBO’s television series successfully captures the spirit of the original book trilogy. It’s earned a strong audience approval rating of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, and is a significant improvement over the previous movie adaptation. The longer format of the TV series allowed for a more complete and immersive exploration of the story’s fantastical world.

I’ve always been a bit worried about fantasy shows – they often don’t get the chance they deserve, especially if they don’t become hits right away. When the movie The Golden Compass didn’t really take off, I thought a TV series would be a huge gamble. But I was so glad they went ahead with His Dark Materials! It ran for three seasons, and each one beautifully adapted a book from the series. It all built to an ending that was truly heartbreaking, but ultimately, incredibly satisfying. I was completely invested!

His Dark Materials Has A Perfect Ending

Fantasy stories can be tricky to pull off, especially when they mix whimsical elements like talking animals and magic with serious topics. The His Dark Materials books tackle big questions about the human soul, critique organized religion, and tell a beautiful love story all at once. It’s a complex story, and finishing it well would be a tough task for any filmmaker, but His Dark Materials provides a truly satisfying conclusion.

The book’s conclusion is deeply sad, though several characters survive. The creators of His Dark Materials had the option to extend the story or change the ending, but they wisely chose not to. This ensured the show remained a true adaptation of Philip Pullman’s books, avoiding the problems seen in Game of Thrones where later seasons diverged from the source material.

His Dark Materials Was Luckier Than Most Fantasy Shows

Netflix has gained a reputation for canceling promising fantasy shows before they can really find an audience or develop a following. This frustrates both the people who make the shows and viewers who want to get invested in them. In contrast, HBO’s His Dark Materials succeeded because the platform gave the show’s creators enough time to adapt the entire story properly.

It’s frustrating when promising fantasy shows are canceled before they can finish their stories. When audiences don’t get closure, they might be hesitant to invest in new fantasy series, fearing those too could be cut short. Shows like The OA, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and The Wheel of Time unfortunately suffered this fate, unlike His Dark Materials, which was allowed to complete its run.

What Are The Best Fantasy Shows Like His Dark Materials?

It’s hard to neatly define His Dark Materials – it’s a really layered story with something for everyone. It blends angels, witches, parallel worlds, and even magical technology. If you enjoyed this show, here are some other excellent fantasy series you might like.

If you enjoyed the fantastical elements of His Dark Materials, especially the unique connection between humans and animal companions, you might like Sweet Tooth. For viewers who loved the magical objects in His Dark Materials, Locke & Key is a good choice. Carnival Row explores similar themes of conflict between different groups, though it doesn’t have quite as satisfying a conclusion.

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2026-02-08 23:40