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‘Good Omens’ Review: “One Hell Of A Ride…”

Episodes seen: 2
Release: 31st May, Amazon Prime Video

Neil Gaiman is a legendary name within the world of fiction. A name that would have left many square-eyed film fanatics scratching their heads a little over a decade ago. Fortunately, as the world of media has evolved, originality within the confines of Hollywood has all but dissipated. This has lead to a golden age of television, and a multitude of Gaiman’s gloriously bonkers novels to receive their long-awaited jump to the screen. Between Stardust, Coraline, and Amazon’s own American Gods, the man has firmly secured himself as one of the modern godfathers of dark, subversive, fantasy.

Some might call this the perfect time then, for a modern classic about the impending apocalypse, drenched in meta, sarcastic humour and political satire, to be adapted for modern audiences. The original 1990 novel, co-written by the equally legendary Terry Pratchett, has remained a firm favourite among the literary community since its initial publishing. Now, after years in (development) hell, the project has finally seen the light of day.

Clearly ripe for immense social and political commentary about the end of the world, Good Omens takes place in the present day. It tells the story of an angel and demon who have to work together in order to avert the upcoming battle between heaven and hell, in an Armageddon, brought on by the Antichrist himself.

Before even laying eyes upon this lovingly crafted adaptation, the immediate draw is undoubtedly the shows all-star cast. Few writers possess the power to attract such a talented and in-demand cast of actors for a television limited series, once again demonstrating the weight Gaiman carries in the industry. While some characters are given far less screen time than others, it’s probably best to mention that press were only screened the first two episodes of the series.

David Tennant is an immediate scene-stealer as the flamboyant and reckless, Crowley. This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise given his back-catalogue of eccentric characters. Clearly having the most fun of any of the cast, it’s looking very likely that this may be the role to finally shed him of the Tardis-sized shadow looming over his career. Michael Sheen is a fantastic mirror reflection of Tennant, in a typically well mannered and sophisticated performance that fans of the Frost/Nixon star will have come to expect. Despite playing to their strengths, these two are both excellently cast. As the anchors of the entire show, together they create a beautiful, poetic, and often hilarious dynamic that could even give Charles and Eric a run for their money.

Related: Must watch: Good Omens music video

Sticking closely to its source material, Gaiman adapts his own property effortlessly in an appropriately meta and prophetic manner. Some casual viewers may find the depth and scope of the series slightly overwhelming, while some of the slightly dryer moments of humour may not be to everyone’s tastes. The first episode is admittedly slow-paced, but this isn’t uncommon for an opener tasked with the heavy lifting of introducing multiple large scale concepts in quick succession. Viewers familiar with the source material will likely get to grips with the style and strange pacing of the series quicker than others. But, with the deeply layered and highly sharp-tongued dialogue on display, there’s still plenty for audiences to sink their teeth into.

With larger roles for the underutilised, but always excellent, Jon Hamm and Michael McKean on the way (as well as guest roles for Brian Cox, Derek Jacobi, and Benedict Cumberbatch) there’s certainly a lot of exciting binge-watching potential. Boasting some truly unique, vibrant, and eye-catching imagery, director Douglas Mackinnon has also found an interesting way of adapting both the original book and its biblical roots. Between these beautiful visuals, and Gaiman’s quirky, signature high brow humour, Good Omens will quickly become an instant classic in a show destined for repeat watches after its debut. One thing is definitely for sure, we’re all in for one hell of a ride.

GOOD OMENS is released on Amazon Prime Friday 31st May. 

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