Good Omens is a miniseries adapted from the book, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter Witch, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. It is a well-written show for anyone who likes dry and dark British humour, with witty one-liners delivered perfectly by David Tennant as the demon Crowley and Michael Sheen as the angel Aziraphale. Anyone who has read the fantasy fiction of Gaiman or Pratchett will know that they write about extraordinary phenomena like the four horsemen and travelling trunks. In Good Omens, they write about the bikers of the apocalypse—death, famine, war and pollution. The comedy drama is about two opposing forces—an angel and a demon—coming together to find the Antichrist to prevent Armageddon.
One need not read the book to enjoy the miniseries. Gaiman’s simple writing helps you navigate it. So does Frances McDormand’s narration as God, although readers of the book might find it an oversimplification. The end of the world, the Antichrist and the hell-bound are all dealt with in same casual way as it is in the book.
Good Omens has a star cast—Jon Hamm as Archangel Gabriel, Jack Whitehall as Witchfinder Newt and Benedict Cumberbatch as Satan. The miniseries does fill a few gaps in the book, like giving the backstory of the relationship of the angel and the demon. But certain moments are quite predictable, like Crowley surviving being dunked in holy water or Anathema calling Newt her boyfriend. The cinematography and special effects do justice to the theme. Book to film adaptations often have fans complaining that the finer details are lost in transition. But thankfully, this is not a problem with Good Omens. With each episode spanning around 50 minutes, viewers are pulled into the journey of the demon and the angel. Queen’s songs add a fine touch. Clever one-liners in the book get skillfully converted into dialogue in the series. Overall, a great watch.
GOOD OMENS
Available on Amazon Prime
Rating: 3.5/5