So this last Friday I spent the day sitting around doing nothing but watching TV and it was glorious. We watched the full season of Sandman, the long waited adaptation of Neil Gaiman's ground breaking, award winning comics series.
I found Gaiman a little late, early 2000s, but since then I have loved most of what he has put his name on. He is a brilliant writer. He was also a very hands on producer with the show because it meant a lot to him which is why it took so long for an adaptation to happen.
The show itself stays very true to the original comics, with some logical changes made that work with the concept being updated, as well as losing all direct references to the mainstream DC universe. At times the scenes feel very much as if they were taken straight out of the comics.
There were some casting choices that got attacked as being 'woke' because they were not identical to what was in the comics, but after seeing the show, I very much believe it when Gaiman said they cast to talent above everything else.
Kirby Howell-Baptiste was perfect as Death. While she is only in one episode in this first season, she nails the role. This idea of Death in this universe is a very non-threatening being, who is actually very kind and has a greater understanding of life and this is very much what we get to see in the show.
Mason Alexander Park, who got the role as Desire by asking for it on Twitter, nailed that role perfectly. Casting a non-binary actor as a gender fluid being was brilliant and works so well. They brought the role to life with a clear love and passion for the character that is reflected in the great performance.
Gwendoline Christie is perfect as Lucifer. She has an intensity that just works with the feeling of something deeper going on there.
Those were the more controversial casting choices, but the all worked so well.
The rest of the cast clearly put their all into the efforts, as there were such strong performances all across the board.
On every level this is the kind of adaptation we need to see more of. It is not surprising that it has been the number one show on Netflix in over 80 countries, breaking several Netflix streaming records.
Sandman is a highly entertaining show that is as true as it gets to the source material, but one does not need to be familiar at all with the comics to enjoy what they have put on the screen. I predict there will be awards coming for the show and enough seasons to get the full story of the comics adapted. It really is that good.
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