The Sandman

Netflix's The Sandman is a great adaptation of the original comic-books (please don't call them graphic novels, they're comics).

Sadly this adaptation also fails to deliver the most important and strikingly emotional stories from the comics. The fate of the two angels in Hell, The Inn at the end of the world, Barbie's story, and many more.

I understand they've skimmed down the story to the bare minimum and essential to tell the fate Dream. However with it, they have disregarded precisely what the comics are all about, the stories of Morpheus and his Realm.

Hopefully, somebody else will have another go in 30 years.

That been said, the cast is spectacular, the photography is beautiful, and the whole atmosphere captures perfectly the tone and feel of the original comics.

I see some reviews complain about it being slow or too elaborate, ehem, The Sandman is proper mythology and a very deep family drama, not another one of Snyder's mental puke. It actually requires you to THINK.

Season 1 of the show was superb - the world building was incredible; it was complex and grand, it felt rich and full of themes, and so cleverly put together. Despite the many different aspects of the world, the core plot felt focused and all the different characters introduced had relevance that somehow fed back into it. It left me excited to see how season 2 would expand on all of it.

Except then it, kind of didn't. Season 2 wanders around aimlessly for most of it. What new elements it does introduce feel superficial and trivial, and are disposed of as quickly as they are introduced. All the energy from the characters seems to have been sucked out, like they're shells of their former selves. You find yourself wondering what the point of most of what you're watching is, and I'm afraid it never gets clearer.

Season 2 also goes very heavy with LGBT themes and diversity. Season 1 had representation in an almost seamless way that never took the spotlight from the story. Season 2's (numerous) gay relationships and trans character feel shoe-horned in and contrived, attention is purposefully directed to them yet they don't organically fit into the story and so their inclusion feels clunky, forced and jarring in a way that season 1 didn't.

Overall season 2 doesn't do enough to expand on the world built in season 1. Morpheus plods along fairly pathetically and apologetically for most of the season, and the whole season feels grounded in a way that betrays the ethereal, celestial, beings and concepts that inhabit it.

8/10 for season 1, 4/10 for season 2.

I thought the show was really great the first episodes, dark setting and interesting characters. Somewhere along the way I grew bored by the show however. I will probably watch the second season if it ever comes out since I am a fan of the novels. This was entertaining but the stark difference to how it started and how it ended made it less interesting for me. I hope the next season will focus on what made the first episodes so good. I think maybe sandmand will have a hard time to compete with all the upcoming franchises coming out this fall, I hope I am wrong though!

On another note, 600 characters requirement for a short user review is too damn long!

The best thing about the show is that many episodes feel like movies. So much happens with them that time seems to linger. Even with Sandman walking and talking slowly... deliberately, the show packs in a lot in 40-45 minutes.

I was sad to see that there will not be more to enjoy but what was here was very nice. The special effects and scenery were exquisite.

The good: I haven't finished the comics yet but I appreciate that the show attempts to stay close to the source material. There have been a staggering number of adaptations where writers insert their own ambitions into the project and it ends up looking nothing like the original work.

I also appreciate the casting for Morpheus. The actor embodies the character beautifully and is a joy to watch.

The production quality of the show is great and I like the pacing and flow of the story.

The bad: The forced diversity is awful. It's neither subtle nor organic and as a person of colour, it seems like western media thinks diversity is just black and white. Strong, black women lecturing a god and showing the error of his ways is about as ham-fisted as it gets.

Overall, I do enjoy most of this show and I would recommend it. It's just a shame that politics would mar what could have been a great show. Alas, it's just alright.