I loved the series - I'd rather have a Milton fanfic than almost any YA fic written recently. At least there's religion in the story at all - better than the stories where it's all been whitewashed away. Kidman was miscast, though. The Mrs Coulter part should have been a beautiful dark haired lady to play off Lord Asriel's blond. The James Bond cast (with the bond-girl not as the witch, as Mrs C.) would have been perfect. Judy Dench could have played the evil angel. It would have been great.