Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a treasure, one that starts strong and grows even stronger

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"The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance may be perfect nostalgia...because it never acts nostalgic," says Beth Elderkin of the prequel series to 1982's The Dark Crystal. "It’s a gripping fantasy that expands Jim Henson’s iconic world, challenging viewers of all ages with complex themes, horrifying imagery, and an environmental message we may need now more than ever. Also, it’s a technological masterpiece." Elderkin adds: "The original Dark Crystal was an achievement in the art form of puppetry. Age of Resistance not only continues that legacy, it builds on it. Every scene is teeming with life, from the smallest critters in the corners of the screen to the large, imposing monsters and machines. The characters aren’t just puppets, they’re living beings. Their ears twitch, their lungs expand, their bodies move and sway with the breeze. There are digital effects, including parts of action sequences, scenic vistas, and some puppeteers who’ve been removed in post, but they never feel like they’re taking away from the practical magic. The voice acting is also pretty stellar." Elderkin also praises Age of Resistance for not holding back the scary stuff. "Those parts that made the original movie so horrifying for a generation of children, many of whom now have their own kids, are back...and there’s more of them," she says.

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• The Dark Crystal is wondrously realized, instantly captivating, expertly paced and thrillingly fun to watch: "Age of Resistance checks off a number of boxes that viewers claim to seek in their next favorite TV show, especially that one desire I hear from readers again and again: Is there a show that will take me away from it all? Yes, this one. To be clear, escapism is not the same as being a “mindless” watching experience. Age of Resistance can be as complicated or easy as the viewer wishes it to be, but, like all fantasy tales, it comes on fast and strong with a number of characters, plot threads and all sorts of creatures and cultures to sort through. Unlike so many other sagas, however, the world of The Dark Crystal is ingeniously envisioned; I hope it’s not insulting to those who’ve envisioned it to compliment the pleasurable ease with which anyone can follow the story from the get-go, even those of us who are passive participants when it comes to learning names, following mythologies and comprehending new geography on a planet with three suns."
• The Dark Crystal is a mind-boggling and stunning achievement in craftsmanship: "The 84 practical sets alone are meticulously wrought to mimic bioluminescent caves, dank dungeons, lush forests, or airy throne rooms," says Hanh Nguyen. "Each of these sets are then filled to the brim with details that lure viewers to want to stay and peer around the corner to see what other discoveries could be made. And then there are the plethora of puppets that populate Thra. Remember how moviegoers went gaga when Star Wars introduced the Porgs and whatever those Fish Nuns are into the franchise? Age of Resistance has them beat."
• Watch for the "Wow factor": "Not to mention the How Factor — as in, how did they create that giant spider puppet and make it crawl up the wall and onto the ceiling over a character’s head in the same shot?" says Matt Zoller Seitz. "And how did they make a bunch of the spiders assemble into a mouth shape and speak? And how did they make those pillbug creatures crawl across the floor of that throne room and curl up to form spheres, which then integrate themselves into the 'feet' of an ornate carriage to serve as wheels? And how did they create that gigantic library set that looks to be hundreds of feet long and another hundred feet tall, with puppets standing or walking on various levels and staircases? The answer in most cases would be 'with computers,' but not in this project. Although there’s some obvious CGI work in the landscape shots, and digital compositing to put different layers of an image together and make them seem like they’re all existing in the same space, the Henson Company prides itself on doing practical effects whenever possible, and creating illusions through camerawork, editing, and the idiosyncratic choices of the performers."
• It is gorgeous, multi-faceted but hollow at its center: "Let's get the cheap joke out of the way up top," says Glen Weldon. "Look, if I wanted to watch dead-eyed, expressionless creatures sniping at one another over backstories I can't follow without consulting the Internet, I'd watch Real Housewives."
• What's most immediately striking is how it resembles the original film: "This is an ambitious undertaking that stays true to the visuals and lofty goals of the original film while reworking the world of that film into a new form," says Keith Phipps. "Where the original Dark Crystal played like a fairy tale, Age of Resistance takes its cues from high fantasy, filling out the faraway world of Thra with layers of lore and intrigue. It owes as much to George R.R. Martin as the Brothers Grimm."
• Age of Resistance requires more engagement, and it’s also more rewarding: "The tragedy this show portends may gnaw at knowing viewers, but Age of Resistance rarely feels heavy, and its social consciousness doesn’t really cloy," says Rich Juzwiak. "In fact, the wokeness grounds what could have been a flighty fantasy in less capable hands. I’ve watched the first five episodes, and for the most part, I love this show. Love. Love in spite of its flaws. It’s not perfect. In terms of pacing, Age of Resistance has a tendency to amble along like someone with a hand shoved up their ass, and sometimes the Gelfling-heavy episodes are talky enough to make plastic and foam seem wooden. But those moments never last long. Like the movie, wonders are perpetually unfurling."
• The Dark Crystal gives adult nostalgia its own puppet show
• The Dark Crystal writers' room had two mottos: "One of them was 'no childhood left unscarred,'" says executive producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach. "And the other one was 'It ain’t The Happy Crystal.'"
• Executive producer Lisa Henson and director Louis Leterrier discuss The Dark Crystal's development: "One of the reasons the world of The Dark Crystal is so rich and well worked out is because they had years to work on it before they even really worked out the script," says Henson, Jim Henson's daughter. "The script was one of the last things to fall in place on the original Dark Crystal. Now, we're able to fall back on all that world-building. People talk a lot about world-building now creatively, but to have an exciting fantasy world, you really do have to have a believable and convincing world for it to take place in."