‘THE SANDMAN’ REVIEW

Don’t sleep on Gaiman’s most recent adaptation –

It’s more indulgent than you think.

Words by Leah Braham

It’s no secret that Neil Gaiman is one of the greatest writers to emerge out of the 20th century. Known for his works such as American Gods, Coraline and Good Omens, Gaiman’s most recent adaptation, The Sandman, may just be his finest yet.

Developed for Netflix by Gaiman, David S Goyer, and Allen Heinberg, the first season of The Sandman is made up of ten delicious episodes, each clocking in at just under an hour runtime. The first six episodes follow the titular Sandman, also known as Morpheous (played by Tom Sturridge), as he attempts to restore his realm and power after being imprisoned for one hundred years.

These early episodes introduce a delightful collection of memorable, complex characters, with an extremely talented cast of actors; Charles Dance, David Thewlis, Jenna Coleman, and Gwendoline Christie, just to name a few. The star studded cast truly bring to life characters which Gaiman uses to build an indulgently dark yet beautiful world.

The second half of the season takes a turn, focusing the narrative on the young Rose Walker, played by Kyo Ra in her debut major role. The change in pace and flavour is sharp, and those who are fans of the original DC comic series will recognise the transition to the second book. Purists might dislike the changes made in adaptation from the source material, however I would argue that the production team have done a great job in turning a comic book into a TV series, which arguably would not have been a viable project fifteen years ago, before streaming services. The formatting fits perfectly though, adapting a series long considered unfilmable.

While Gaiman’s comics were already leagues ahead of everyone in the 80s for their depictions of race, gender and sexuality, the show takes this to the forefront, with an extremely diverse cast, gender swapped characters, and many LGBTIQ+ characters. Again, source material purists may dislike the changes, but with Gaiman onboard writing and producing the show, it’s difficult to argue that it hurts the plot. If anything, the changes fit the flavour of the world so well that it’s hard to imagine what the story would be like without them.

Thematically, the beautiful interpretations and visual representations of biblical references that Gaiman does so well brings life and depth to the story world. The viewer is treated to haunting cinematography. A personal highlight was from episode four, as the characters walk through the gates of hell, and the entangled and rotting bodies that build the entrance, like tree roots, reach after them, skeletal arms like waves. The beauty of the show comes through in its variety – shifting from period piece to gory horror to high fantasy with ease.

The highlight of the season, and potentially of any television show ever made, is episode five, ‘24/7’. The show flexes its themes and creative muscles with a tightly written and impossibly haunting episode, which takes place entirely inside one diner. Combining dark fantasy with an exploration of the human psyche, this episode slows down the pacing and perfectly captures, on a micro and macro scale, the importance of dreams and humanity. If you aren’t going to watch the whole series, just watch this episode. It’s a masterpiece on its own.

So if you’re enjoying the fantasy genre explosion online, or have loved Gaiman’s other work, or need something new that’ll have your eyes fixed on the screen, watch The Sandman. All ten episodes are available on Netflix for streaming now.