Hold on to your dæmons: His Dark Materials premieres tonight
Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Monday, November 4. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
His Dark Materials (HBO, 9 p.m. series premiere): HBO and BBC’s adaptation of Philip Pullman’s acclaimed fantasy trilogy arrives tonight with an all-star cast in tow, including Logan’s Dafne Keen as Lyra, Ruth Wilson as Mrs. Coulter, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby, and James McAvoy as Lord Asriel. In his pre-air review, our own Zack Handlen called the adaptation “respectful, if rarely revelatory,” saying:
As adaptations go, His Dark Materials is a credibly faithful one, and the show is never clumsy or outright bad; anyone familiar with the Golden Compass film can take comfort in knowing this version is considerably more thoughtful and comprehensive.
We’ll have not one, but two recaps of tonight’s premiere—Myles McNutt will be handling our “experts” recap for those who have read the His Dark Materials trilogy, while Lisa Weidenfeld is looking out for all the “newbies” who haven’t.
Regular coverage
Wild card
Monday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants (ESPN, 8:15 p.m.): Are you a fan of football? Then head over to John Teti’s latest Block & Tackle column.