I read the SANDMAN comics when they first came out individually, waiting a month between issues. I collected all the trades and even some special editions. I have reread the series quite a few times over the years and love it a bit more each time. I’m a fan of the comics and the universe created around them.
When I heard someone was finally going to do a TV show based on them I was excited and skeptical, a feeling any fan of a book or comic can relate to. When you love the original material it’s always a crapshoot to see it adapted. This time out, as a fan, I feel like this show has succeeded. Made by fans for fans, and of course Neil Gaiman being involved was a great relief.
A Little Background on The Sandman
Dream, Morpheus, King of Dreams. He’s our main character. He is part of a family known as The Endless. Morpheus is responsible for the unconscious of mankind while they sleep, and of course dream. His brothers and sisters are; Destiny, Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium (formerly Delight), and Destruction (also known as ‘The Prodigal’). They have been around a long time.
The comics brought in characters from DC Comics horror titles, including Cain and Abel from House of Mystery and House of Secrets. The sisters from Witching Hour appear, other characters who used the name Sandman over the years show up, and of course we see characters from the other horror themed titles.
The Show
The show starts much like the comics did. Morpheus is imprisoned. Upon his release he seeks to repair what went wrong in his absence and also seek revenge on those who captured him. The series brought in story arcs that were in a bit of a different order in the comics, but the series does a great job of making it all flow together seamlessly. By the end of the first season we have met many denizens of Dreams realm. As a fan of the comics, I was elated to them. But for those who are coming in fresh, no background needed, they let you know who is who. By the end of this season, we get a glimpse of the next season, which will be fun to see. I’m being vague because I don’t want to give much away.
We meet a couple of the Endless. Dream spends a nice day with his sister Death, and I loved the portrayal of her. We also meet Desire and briefly meet Despair.
The casting was wonderful, and it felt like the actors were really into their roles. Tom Sturridge as Dream was perfect, soft spoken, and sometimes distracted he really brought the character to life. Vivienne Acheampong as Lucienne really made me happy, she stole every scene she was in and her body language and expressions portrayed the character perfectly. David Thewlis as John Burgess / Johnny Dee, Jenna Coleman as Johanna ,Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer, Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death, Ferdinand Kingsley as Hob, Sandra James-Young as Unity , Kyo Ra as Rose Walker / The Vortex ,Razane Jammal as Lyta , Eddie Karanja as Jed Walker / The Sandman
I absolutely loved this first season and can’t wait for more.
