P H A N

Great fun. Slightly lighter in tone (not the metaplot, though, but the self-contained short stories) than the rest of Flanagans' shows on Netflix, which is to be expected, given the young adult setting. By adapting Christopher Pike's work, the series offers great opportunities to discuss the death, hope, and faith from multiple angles (as is Flanagan's signature). The cast did a magnificent job. Ruth Codd, in particular, was superb.

The production design was beautiful. The cast did a great job, as well. As with many other things, a vocal minority of "fans" with archaic views were excited to see this show fail because it doesn't replicate their personal fantasy. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they captured the tone and essence of the books, with a sense of gravitas that gave way to a grittier reality with more adult themes. In that sense, this is a bit of a throwback while also remaining visually updated and independent, presenting a new vision. I am definitely intrigued, wondering how the storylines will converge later on. I feel right back in Middle Earth :)