I haven't had a chance to sit down and watch yet, but I'm SO excited! I've set aside some time next week. Practical effects and puppetry are some of my favorite things of all time, and I'm loving that they didn't just go with some cheap-looking CGI like a lot of sequels/remakes these days. (Honestly do NOT watch the Netflix version of Watership Down because it suuucks, and not just because of the horrid animation but it didn't help... :pout: )
It's based on the Dark Crystal novels (the prequels) which I haven't read. So I can't tell you how close they stick to these books. However, I am greatly enjoying the series.
The author of those books is my childhood friend! ^.^ We haven't spoken in many years, but I'm super glad he got to be part of something so, so cool.
Oh that's amazing. Never heard of him before. I guess TDC was something only niche groups knew about as a fandom.
Like not even mainstream nerds, you'd have to be into puppetry or this very particular type of fantasy movie.
TDC always sort of received new content in form of books once in a while, but a high budget Netflix show just brought it to an entirely new audience and generation. People are comparing it to Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.
I never thought something only I knew about as a kid would come back in such a bombastic way.
I recommend watching the Making Of special as well. It's also on Netflix. There is a lot of talk about how it was so important that the creators were fans of the original movie and Henson's daughter made sure her father's style was respected.
I finished it yesterday night (I binged through it like no tomorrow because it was so engaging) and while it really moved me I do NOT want a second season.
We all know what will happen to the Gelfling -_- That's the downside to prequels.
Anyway, can we make this a discussion thread? I have so many feelings.
For instance, how did some of you respond to the violence and gore? There is quite a lot of on-screen death in this show.
I damn near cried when...
!!!
MASSIVE SPOILER for character death
!!!
Spoiler
...the All-Maudra died and that stupid, spiteful crown princess sided against her and burned her corpse. That was just all-around cruel and sad to see.
I was not prepared for that happening for some reason. I was prepared for many deaths because of the movie's mythology but not this kind of backstabbing from the Gelfling side.
Also, probably a popular opinion but the Skeksis are hilarious. You want to hate them but they are so entertaining to watch and fantastically performed. Spoiler
Especially the Heretic. Omg, I love this character :lol:
I am SO PLEASED that the voices of Aughra + Chamberlain are spot-on like in the movie (original voice actors passed away a few years ago).
And I chuckled at the end of ep 6 when...
Spoiler
a certain, naughty princess had a goth make-over! :lol: check out the eyeshadow, deep red lips and black accessories!!
Aughra is just an awesome character, too.
Right, looking forward to more tomorrow! :cool:
And I chuckled at the end of ep 6 when...
Spoiler
a certain, naughty princess had a goth make-over! :lol: check out the eyeshadow, deep red lips and black accessories!!
Spoiler
She was so extreme in her reverence for the Skeksis she even adopted their questionable fashionsense.
Spoiler
a Gaia-like goddess, a mother-earth type character?
Spoiler
I got strong shaman/druid vibes from her. Someone who can communicate with the gods, not a goddess herself.
She is more an explorer than a scientist, I guess? I was a bit surprised the Skeksis built the machine for her. Either I forgot that part or it wasn't said in the movie who built it (?)
Just a wee question
Spoiler
So they found the Shard that will one day fix the crystal to make it whole
HOWEVER
doesn't the Emperor have a tiny piece of crystal in his staff that he uses to capture some of the energy of the Darkening? Doesn't that little piece need to be reunited with the big crystal to help make it whole, too?
Or am I missing something? Plot hole? :shrug:
...or will they make another feature that continues the story further?
Oh, and...
Spoiler
the demise of the General - um, wasn't he in the movie and succeeded the Emperor as the new leader? Or am I getting my Skeksis mixed up?
Ah, looked at Wiki, Garthim Master is in the movie, not the General. :pout:
I, too, had the suspicion the was the backdoor to a possible second season Spoiler
(along with Deet just disappearing into the forest and holing herself up... and is she infected with the Darkening now?)
Also had to look up all the "canon Skeksis" because I kept mixing them up. One thing is for sure, the Chamberlain usually hates the Generals :lol:
@ Glitterball:
I, too, had the suspicion the was the backdoor to a possible second season Spoiler
(along with Deet just disappearing into the forest and holing herself up... and is she infected with the Darkening now?)
Also had to look up all the "canon Skeksis" because I kept mixing them up. One thing is for sure, the Chamberlain usually hates the Generals :lol:
re: Deet + other stuff:
Spoiler
is a love triangle is happening?
Rian has feelings for Deet - who shied away from his advances (too shy - or - because she saw the darkening appear in her veins earlier and did not want to expose him the effects/contagion of the Darkness to him?)
Princess Brea has feelings for Rian (did you see her drawing of them together in her journal?) or is this a prophecy that they are destined to pair-up and become ancestors to either Jen or Kira?
The blue-faced Dousan named Rek'yr who flew our heroes to the Circle of the Suns - he showed a bit of attention to one of the Princesses (but I have forgotten which one!) T
ETA: I think it was Brea! Ooh that makes things interesting... :devious:
Deet and her visions from the Sanctuary Tree - I saw her with purple eyes and was she sat on the Skeksis throne? [ep 8, 45 minutes in, as she gets power from the tree] Is this a future scene where she tries to defeat the Darkening? Maybe this is the bit where she uses her powers to try to defeat the Darkening but needs access to the tiny crystal in the Skeksis staff, the crystal being the conduit between the Skeksis and Darkening?
Also - scenes of Jen healing the crystal and a mother Gelfling [Deet? Brea?] with a baby [Jen? Kira?] , fleeing the Garthim...
Next series, perhaps? :cool:
ETA: bit about the Skeksis and tiny crystal is in Ep 7 20 minutes-in.
General> "You can control it? "
Emperor> "Not yet. On my sceptre I hold a crystal - much smaller than the Crystal of Truth but gifted with its own unique power. In time I will use this crystal to harness the might of the darkening for our greater glory.
Exposure to the Darkening is not without consequences. It destroys, corrupts my body as it does all of Thra. True power demands sacrifice. "
So - is this little crystal some other crystal or an actual part of the Crystal of Truth? From what the Emperor said, he hasn't explicitly said that it is from the COT. If it is not, then that sorts out the Shard as being the only piece missing. Hmm, where is this little crystal from?
Spoiler
the hunter and the archer died, the archer didn't fade away like the mystics in the movie when their counterparts died?
I'm on episode 8. How come when...
Spoiler
the hunter and the archer died, the archer didn't fade away like the mystics in the movie when their counterparts died?
because...
all will be sensationally revealed in ep 10,
I wondered this too, I don't want to spoil it for you, just keep watching! :cool:
also...
Spoiler
there is a scene at the very start of the series where a certain discussion is made by The Archer with someone about sacrifice... but that's all I'll say for now!
I will add
Spoiler
so glad the Collector died. No disrespect to Nora Lum, but I really disliked the voice acting on this character.
Ok, I'm done now. I tried ssooooo hard to drag it out and make it last. I lasted eight days. So now what am I going to do for a year until next season?
I will add
Spoiler
so glad the Collector died. No disrespect to Nora Lum, but I really disliked the voice acting on this character.
I agree
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at first I thought it was the voice actor for Roz the slug-lady from Monsters Inc! Yes,I found that voice was annoying too.
I am loving it.
But it took time for me to get fully absorbed. I have outright really liked Aughra and the Skesis from the first minute (the skesis are so bloody hilarious and delightfully nefarious in equal measure!), but some aspects of the gelfings took me a while to adjust to. Mostly because of the jokey, corny (and at times, stilted) dialogue in places which honestly, just made me cringe big time. I felt like a lot of the humour (also with regards to some of the podling antics) was a bit overdone.
But having said that, by about episode three I was getting right into the (really good) character development and a lot of that initial awkwardness has fortunately settled. I have found it quite moving in places Spoiler
my gosh, that scene where they sing in that circle re the deaths of the Au Maudra and Rhian's father!! :cry:
So yeah, so far so wonderful. This is easily the most creative and imaginative show I've watched in a long time. can't wait to watch the remaining episodes Spoiler
even though I know it ultimately can't end well!!
Ok, I'm done now. I tried ssooooo hard to drag it out and make it last. I lasted eight days. So now what am I going to do for a year until next season?
I will add
Spoiler
so glad the Collector died. No disrespect to Nora Lum, but I really disliked the voice acting on this character.
I agree
Spoiler
at first I thought it was the voice actor for Roz the slug-lady from Monsters Inc! Yes,I found that voice was annoying too.
Spoiler
I actually liked her voice acting. I didn't recognize her at all until I saw the credits. But I will say that I am glad, too, because the Collector was dis - gus - tinggg...
I can't look at mucus, snot and drool. It makes me feel sick. When his head exploded into a fountain of mucus I was gagging.
I am also glad the Hunter died because that character was too much for me. All that almost-dying, will he won't he, and finally he croaked. I was celebrating.
My fave is the Heretic and I am enjoying the Emperor, too. They did that thing to hjm where a character says "I will never do X" in a prequel and the audience knows he actually will do X. In case of the Emperor he said he will never turn to dust and it made me chuckle. Yes you will be dust, honey. When he took off his nose I gagged again :lol: