His Dark Materials and 4 Other Adventure TV Series to Binge Over the Holidays

His Dark Materials and 4 Other Adventure TV Series to Binge Over the Holidays
Image credit: HBO

From cozy, family-friendly options to projects designed to explore the complexities of human nature.

Rebels and daredevils are the typical main characters of adventure shows. They conquer or save the world, travel through time and space, risk their lives while the audience sips tea and watches their heroic deeds.

If you want to join the adventure, we offer a list of TV series for every taste.

1. Marco Polo, 2014-2016

The second half of the 13th century. The Mongol Empire stretches from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe, seeking to subjugate various civilizations and cultures. A young Venetian merchant, Marco Polo, finds himself in this world of intrigue and conflict.

Captured by the Mongols during a journey along the Silk Road, the foreign guest is forced to prove his worth in order to save his life at the court of Khan Kublai.

As time goes by, Marco becomes more and more important: the man is drawn into political and military games and becomes a witness and participant in the rise of one of the most powerful rulers in history.

2. The Lost Room, 2006

Imagine urban legends turned out to be true: a key that opens all doors, a pen that shoots lightning, and other incredible artifacts actually exist.

Detective Joe Miller has never been interested in such things, but one day he gets his hands on just such a key – and immediately trouble begins. First, those interested in obtaining artifacts start hunting him, and then his daughter disappears. To put things back in order, Miller must get to the bottom of what happened and find the key.

3. Beforeigners, 2019-...

Something strange is happening in the world: guests from the past are appearing and disrupting the usual course of things. The aliens come from different eras – the Paleolithic, the Stone Age, the 19th century – and stubbornly refuse to adapt to new technologies.

After several years of difficult coexistence, the Viking Alfhildr joins the police and tries to find out what caused the strange disruption in time and space.

4. Tales from the Loop, 2020

A series that has undeservedly flown under the viewer's radar. Tales from the Loop is an adaptation of art books by Simon Stålenhag, who loves to depict various robots and incredible sci-fi structures against the cold landscapes of rural Sweden.

Each episode is a separate story about one of the locals who has encountered something strange and unknown. This is a catalog of small plots that together create a unique picture of a godforsaken place where you can swap bodies for a day or travel to a parallel dimension.

5. His Dark Materials, 2019-2022

An orphan and resident of Jordan College, Lyra Belacqua's life is turned upside down when she discovers the existence of Dust – a mysterious substance that links parallel worlds and holds the answers to questions about the nature of the universe.

Her adventure begins with the disappearance of her best friend, but soon turns into an epic journey through parallel realities. Along the way, the girl encounters powerful enemies, finds unexpected allies, and realizes that her destiny is the key to saving all of humanity.