Good Omens: Neil Gaiman to adapt Terry Pratchett collaboration for TV

[the shadow]

Prime Premiere | Amazon | Exclusive Offer for Prime Members- Free One-Night-Only Early Screening in Cinemas

Amazon Prime Members get free tickets to exclusive advance screenings of Amazon movies and series plus free concessions, photo ops, and special giveaways.

www.primepremiere.amazon

 

[Btone]

very disappointed in the second season, just didn't seem to work this time

 

[Darujhistan]

I didn't think much to S1, so it doesn't sound like i'll be bothering with this.

Cinema and TV just can't get Pratchett right. The BBC adaptation was an absolute abomination. The SKY shows were far better.

 

[Trig]

Watched this at the weekend..

I've not read the book(s), but was there always an 'air' of gay between Aziraphale and Crowley, or are we just banging in the 'gay' into this season, the women in the shops, both main characters, I mean, has history not taught these show runners that pushing that narrative doesn't go down well...

 

[PlacidCasual]

I'm only 3 episodes in to Season 2, there is a little bit of message but it's not too much of a problem. The show hangs entirely on the charisma of the two leads though who are gloriously over the top.

 

[Trig]

I'm only 3 episodes in to Season 2, there is a little bit of message but it's not too much of a problem. The show hangs entirely on the charisma of the two leads though who are gloriously over the top.

Watch the rest of it, then come back.

 

[Shamikebab]

Watched this at the weekend..

I've not read the book(s), but was there always an 'air' of gay between Aziraphale and Crowley, or are we just banging in the 'gay' into this season, the women in the shops, both main characters, I mean, has history not taught these show runners that pushing that narrative doesn't go down well...

By these showrunners you mean Neil Gaiman...the author.

 

[Rroff]

Disappointed by season 2. There was a few good bits around the middle but the last 3rd especially any semblance of storyline is lost behind a mud slinging contest of messaging of every type imaginable whether it made any sense or not and shaping what was left of the story, which was pretty woeful by that point, around that.

 

[robgmun]

Watched this at the weekend..

I've not read the book(s), but was there always an 'air' of gay between Aziraphale and Crowley, or are we just banging in the 'gay' into this season, the women in the shops, both main characters, I mean, has history not taught these show runners that pushing that narrative doesn't go down well...

It's Neil Gaiman, i think everything he's written/produced has Gay in it apart from Stardust, which is a superb movie and it doesn't have The MessageTM in it.

So generally I avoid anything Neil Gaiman

 

[Rroff]

It's Neil Gaiman, i think everything he's written/produced has Gay in it apart from Stardust, which is a superb movie and it doesn't have The MessageTM in it.

So generally I avoid anything Neil Gaiman

Not directed at you but this is something I have a problem with - his older written work, etc. developed these themes in, they supported or enhanced it - didn't come at the expense of the story - it made some of the characters more interesting, etc., his more recent produced stuff, even when based on his written stuff, is tactless with these elements thrown in, for the wrong reasons, without consideration to how they affect the whole while hiding behind this "this is how his work has always been".

Ultimately people tend to consume entertainment like this as much as anything as an escape from real world problems, even people persecuted by these issues and while it can be a good medium to express all kinds of issues if it stands out oddly against expectations without being established properly and/or at the expense of good story telling, whether social justice, political or whatever, it ultimately just does more harm than good.

 

[Btone]

I had no problems with the gay, funny enough i did have a issue with the one straight relationship, it didn't "seem" right, maby it was the lack of screen time, of why these 2 feel in love, but i didn't buy it

also it seem to me that they were trying to make it on the cheap, and it showed, the lack of locations being one.

they were banking too much on the relationship between Tennant and Sheen (the actors) to carry it,` but for me the chars just didn't work that way

 

[Rroff]

it didn't "seem" right, maby it was the lack of screen time, of why these 2 feel in love, but i didn't buy it

The gap between seasons doesn't help there - I'd almost forgotten some of the setup on that aspect from season 1 albeit it isn't much but it helps a bit - definitely something which would have gained from being developed in more than the space of half an episode or so - but it is kind of hard given the premise of the story up to that point - they'd have needed to develop up the elements of it without fully showing it i.e. only seeing it from one characters perspective indirectly so you could put the pieces together at the end (one of the characters you really don't see/buy the motivations behind having the internal struggles for want of a better way to put it that would develop into that situation and you can't really just write it off as love).

Frankly overall the season felt like a big fat nothing with only the relationship between the 2 main characters kind of carrying it around the middle but even that wasn't done as well as it could have been possibly due to time and budget.

I really wanted to like it but for me it was largely forgettable.

 

[casper_uk]

Very enjoyable. Great bit of TV and would love a season 3. I couldn't give two hoots about The MessageTM or it having Gay in it. It's a TV program made for entertaining, I don't need to try and find (or invent) some hidden motive/agenda. After all, maybe it's all part of God's Infallible Plan?

 

[Rroff]

I don't need to try and find (or invent) some hidden motive/agenda.

You don't need to either - it is out in plain sight nothing hidden about it.

 

[casper_uk]

You don't need to either - it is out in plain sight nothing hidden about it.

Would you mind explaining what it was then?

 

[Trig]

By these showrunners you mean Neil Gaiman...the author.

One of the authors, yes, so it seems..
A lot of poeple are 'bending the knee' to certain agendas these days, perhaps thats the only way they can get show or seasons greenlit, but writing things to tick boxes never works when its at the expense of what has come before or the actual telling of good stories...

 

[Shamikebab]

One of the authors, yes, so it seems..
A lot of poeple are 'bending the knee' to certain agendas these days, perhaps thats the only way they can get show or seasons greenlit, but writing things to tick boxes never works when its at the expense of what has come before or the actual telling of good stories...

Nope, that is how Gaiman (and Sir Terry was the same) have always been.

 

[Trig]

Not directed at you but this is something I have a problem with - his older written work, etc. developed these themes in, they supported or enhanced it - didn't come at the expense of the story - it made some of the characters more interesting, etc., his more recent produced stuff, even when based on his written stuff, is tactless with these elements thrown in, for the wrong reasons, without consideration to how they affect the whole while hiding behind this "this is how his work has always been".

Ultimately people tend to consume entertainment like this as much as anything as an escape from real world problems, even people persecuted by these issues and while it can be a good medium to express all kinds of issues if it stands out oddly against expectations without being established properly and/or at the expense of good story telling, whether social justice, political or whatever, it ultimately just does more harm than good.

^^^This, is certainly more articulately put than I can be arsed to put it...

My issue isnt with anyone, I'm very much in the 'dont be a ****' boat, I don't care who you are, where you're from or who you lay down with, but when shows suck, and have large chunk of 'The MessageTM' and little else, and then their failure is blamed on people being anti-XYZ then thats just BS, a crap show is a crap show...

 

[Rroff]

Nope, that is how Gaiman (and Sir Terry was the same) have always been.

Can't agree with that - it is a very indiscriminate take on it. The Sandman for instance originally such themes were utilised with deftness, they made certain characters interesting, in the TV series it is just slapped in all over the place diluting some of the characters from the original material. I'm still laughing at the convoluted justifications for the changes to Lucifer and I'm even while maybe not a fan someone who generally enjoys Gwendoline Christie performances.

Though I think that is some of the problem - those who are activists for this kind of stuff don't want it to be deft and well done, they want it slapping people in the face to be noticed and don't realise or care the harm that does.

^^^This, is certainly more articulately put than I can be arsed to put it...

My issue isnt with anyone, I'm very much in the 'dont be a ****' boat, I don't care who you are, where you're from or who you lay down with, but when shows suck, and have large chunk of 'The MessageTM' and little else, and then their failure is blamed on people being anti-XYZ then thats just BS, a crap show is a crap show...

I wish I was able to be more articulate about it.

 

[VonScar]

I have watched the first episode of the second series. That was one episode too much.

The first series was faithful to the original book written by Pratchett and Gaiman, which came out in 1991 (just at the end of the Cold War). So a large part of that book reflected the Cold War era and the 70's/80's.

It was also a satirical take on the film, The Omen from the 1970's. About the anti-Christ. As I am sure many already knew. Oh and religion, the M25 etc.

This series (series 2), seems to be a blatant cash-in by Gaiman to get money from Amazon Prime and keep Sheen/Tennant onboard. The story just does not interest me. Who wants to watch a naked angel (Gabriel) walk down an artificially overcrowded fake London street? Not me. With the convenient story trope of Gabriel losing his memory.

I preferred Carnival Row, and that had the sense to end after two series.

To conclude, this should never have had a second series, one series and done would have made me happy. Terry Pratchett, who has sadly departed had apparently no input on this series 2 and it shows. The original was a satirical, funny, and referenced many things of the time. I see none of that wit in this series (series 2), because it was rushed out of the door. Instead we get virtue signalling from the production that has been done so many times - it is boring. I am amazed that this second series has such high ratings on Prime now. It reminds me of his American Gods, first series was OK (based on books?) then the ratings dropped off the cliff and it was thankfully cancelled.