Fantasy TV shows have seen a huge surge in popularity over the past decade, but one standout series may have slipped under the radar for some viewers. Based on Philip Pullman's best-selling trilogy, His Dark Materials follows the journey of Lyra Belacqua (played by Dafne Keen), a courageous young orphan determined to find her missing friend and unravel the mysterious truth behind a cosmic substance known as Dust.

Lyra's world is the first universe intorduced in the series one that appears similar to our own on the surface, yet is strikingly different. In this world, every human is born with a daemon: a shape-shifting animal companion that is the physical manifestation of their soul. As Lyra is drawn deeper into a web of secrets and powerful forces, Lyra relies on her alethiometer, a powerful truth-telling device, to uncover what's real and what's deception. The BBC adaptation features a star-studded cast, with Ruth Wilson and James McAvoy taking on leading roles.

It also stars Anne-Marie Dugg, Clarke Peters, James Cosmo, Ariyon Bakare and Will Keen. His Dark Materials premiered on BBC One in 2019 and ran for three series, concluding in 2022. All 23 episodes are available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

The series was inspired by the critically acclaimed trilogy by author Pullman, who is considered one of the greatest authors of all time, especially in the fantasy and adventure genre.

The original trilogy began with Northern Lights in 1995, followed by The Subtle Knife in 1997 and concluded with The Amber Spyglass in 2000. Pullman expanded the universe with a companion trilogy, The Book of Dust, which started in 2017.

As of 2025, the combined sales of the two trilogies and related short stories have surpassed more than 49 million copies worldwide. In 2008, The Times named Pullman one of the "50 greatest British writers since 1945".

The BBC adaptation matched books' success, with fans expressing their admiration online, many confessing it moved them to tears.

One wrote: "Finally watched the least season of His Dark Materials and I'm uncontrollably sobbing. I'm just as heartbroken as I was when I read the books as a teenager; if not more because the actors' chemistry was insane."

Another echoed: "Pls i just watched the last episode of His Dark Materials and I am violently sobbing."

A third posted: "I grew up with His Dark Materials, as a lil gal in Oxford I dreamed of being Lyra. But finishing the bbc series has reminded me that @PhilipPullman, you've created the most devastating love story in history. Cheers, sobbing, again."

Alongside a five-star rating, another penned: "Just, Wow. I had zero expectations going into this series and have not read the books. I said Yes to James McAvoy, as always, and was so glad I did. The acting is top notch, with an impressive effort by Dafne Keen and just a stunning performance from Ruth Wilson. I just want to thank everyone who put this together, because they have brought me so much joy. I haven't enjoyed anything this much in a very long time. Thank you!"