Good Omens – Season 2

It should be noted, I have read Good Omens, the original novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, more than some bible-thumping politicians have read the good book. More than necromancers have read the Necronomicon. And possibly more times than Kakashi has read Jiraiya’s smutty romance novels. Why do you need to know that? Context, of course. Equally of-course-inducing, the first season of the Prime Video series sent me into the throes of rhapsody. It was so perfectly aligned with what made the book a fully annotated and utterly ridiculous joy.

On July 28 (only a couple of days away) Gaiman, David Tennant, Michael Sheen, and an amnesiac and literal-minded John Hamm return for a second season; and while it remains delightful and hilarious it’s very different.

Whatever Happened to the Archangel Gabriel?

Good Omens Season 2 feels like a shared world anthology, written by several authors, with a central story arc to tie it all together. To support my thesis, there are minisodes embedded inside 3 out of 6 episodes written by guest writers. Series co-writer John Finnemore takes a turn at “a solo-story set in biblical times,” Cat Clarke writes “a story set in Victorian times in Edinburgh,” and Jeremy Dyson & Andy Nyman contribute a death-defying story “set in London during the blitz.”

Each episode and its minisode flows into the story of that one time the Archangel Gabriel (Hamm) went on some kind of bender and lost his memory AND his clothes (with cheeks fully on display). A number of angels and archangels, including Michael (Doon Mackichan) and Uriel (Gloria Obianyo), and even more demons, led by Shax (a newly recast Miranda Richardson) and Beelzebub (Shelley Conn), show up at the bookshop owned by Aziraphale (Sheen) to capitalize on the absence of heaven’s leading angel. Despite their poisonous past the earthbound angel can’t help but lend a hand to his former boss. And with the lovely Mr. Phale in trouble, Crowley (Tennant) can’t help but get tangled up in the mess too. There it is. That’s the plot. I’m not sure it works entirely, even in its throwback to Monty Python and descendants like Time Bandits, but the jokes remain bright and the charm sustains. Even better, since I’ve only seen 5 episodes I can’t spoil a thing—even accidentally—which I would never.

Ineffable Husbands

However, let’s get more specific. With such a pliable framework, Gaiman and friends provide some fan appreciation, going back in time to tease us with deeper insights into the friendship and the when-the-hell-will-they-or won’t-they relationship between Crowley and Aziraphale. Tennant and Sheen make this work so well you’ll giggle and blush (if you’re still in possession of your soul). Whether it’s spates of jealousy, acts of service, or heroic grand gestures—it doesn’t matter if their love is eros or platonic, as long as it is protected at all costs.

David Tennant is as devil-may-care as the tastiest historical romance heroes, with a gloss of fanfic bad boy. His crimson-haired Crowley is actually a squishy old grump. Which makes sense, the old demons were angels to begin with (it’s those newer demons that make you wish it would rain holy water).

Aziraphale is precious in his quest for goodness. He remains true to his faith, so much so he’s willing to question it. Michael Sheen is sooooo cute and fluffy in this role, you want to snuggle up to him and coo, gently, like an owl.

As a parallel, Maggie Service as Maggie, and Nina Sosanya as Nina (formerly nuns of hell) take on new roles as a mismatched pair who need a little matchmaking. Nina is the fiery one and Maggie is full of grace. See what I mean about that parallel? Are they doomed to dance around each other for all eternity like our OTP? I don’t know, let’s wait and see!

The Gaiman Effect

Sandman the series is likely my favorite Neil Gaiman adaptation but if you’re a fan, Good Omens S2 will make you smile. There are pop culture references throughout each of the time periods, including a bunch of Doctor Who jokes and allusions. Beyond that, a celebration of human culture ties directly into why our main pair loves Earth. There’s the nod to the wonderfully obsessive nature of bibliophiles. And, as you probably know, Gaiman loves hiding intangible things in mundane places, like all of a being’s powers tucked away in a Coke bottle, or a soul in a robin’s egg, or that one time a memory hid out in a matchbox.

_{Mike Marsland/WireImage | Copyright: 2019 Mike Marsland}

This series and the other Gaiman properties, show off his gift for finding the magic and horrors in everyday things and situations. He turns the mundanities we’d never question into pockets of possibility that might delight us or snap at us with unseen teeth.