How to watch

His Dark Materials follows Lyra Belacqua, a girl from a parallel Oxford, as she uncovers a vast conspiracy spanning multiple worlds. Philip Pullman's beloved trilogy was first adapted as a single film and later as a faithful multi-season TV series, so there are two very different screen versions to consider.

🕐 Release Order

Release order covers the film adaptation and the later television series.

1. The Golden Compass (2007)
2. His Dark Materials: Season 1 (2019)
3. His Dark Materials: Season 2 (2020)
4. His Dark Materials: Season 3 (2022)

The 2007 film and the TV series both adapt the same books but exist separately, so story order is really about which adaptation you follow.

📖 Story Chronology

The TV series covers the entire trilogy across three seasons in order, beginning with the story told in The Golden Compass. If you watch the show, you get the complete narrative in sequence.

1. His Dark Materials: Season 1 (2019) — Northern Lights / The Golden Compass
2. His Dark Materials: Season 2 (2020) — The Subtle Knife
3. His Dark Materials: Season 3 (2022) — The Amber Spyglass

Which Order Should You Choose?

The best way to experience the story is the TV series, which adapts all three books faithfully across its three seasons. The Golden Compass film only covers the first book and was never continued, so it's an optional alternate take on the opening chapter. Start with Season 1 and watch straight through for the full saga.

🔗 Related Guides

• The Chronicles of Narnia Watch OrderGuide
• The Wheel of Time Watch OrderGuide
• The Witcher Watch OrderGuide

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