In 1990, beloved writers and masters of fantasy, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, published “Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch” and instantly became a cult-favorite.
The book has remained incredibly popular and the hype has been just as real for Amazon’s new six part mini-series, “Good Omens.” The show marks Neil Gaiman’s debut as showrunner and boasts one of the most exciting casts in recent memory.
TV Synopsis
A tale of the bungling of Armageddon features an angel, a demon, an eleven-year-old Antichrist, and a doom-saying witch.
The all-star cast is led by Michael Sheen, David Tennant, Jon Hamm, Brian Cox, Benedict Cumberbatch and Frances McDormand to name a few.
“Good Omens” received a warm welcome at SXSW 2019, getting the full treatment of panels and red carpet moments, as well as an immensely popular “Garden of Earthly Delights” fan experience.
As a lifelong lover of Gaiman and especially “Good Omens,” to say that I’m excited for the show to drop is an understatement. But, for now, here are the five things in “Good Omens” I’m most looking forward to!
The Hell Hound
One of the best moments of the “Good Omens” novel was when a ferocious hell hound took the preferred form of his anti-Christ master… a precious little terrier pup.
Trailers for “Good Omens” have already teased at both forms of the Hound, cute fur baby riding in a bike basket and snarling beast. Every show can use an adorable animal sidekick and the Hell Hound is sure to be just as much a delight to watch as he was to read.
The Four Horsemen
When I think of the great badass images in literature, Gaiman and Pratchett’s depiction of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as a motorcycle gang ranks pretty high!
A hallmark of “Good Omens” was how seamlessly the novel incorporated ancient concepts and characters into the contemporary landscape. How would harbingers of the end times get around nowadays? On a goddamn hog, that’s how!
Beyond just being a cool concept, the Four Horsemen are given absolutely fabulous introductions that I hope are repeated in the series. War (played by Mireille Enos) is definitely one to watch!
The Cast
“Good Omens” and its characters are larger than life and it takes a cast of Biblical proportions to bring them to life.
We’re talking Michael Sheen and David Tennant as an odd couple, angel and demon duo. Jon Hamm as the Archangel Gabriel (he’s already an angel, to me). Frances McDormand as the VOICE OF GOD, HERSELF! Too much talent to list in one place.
The snark levels are going to be off the charts.
The Battle Between Heaven and Hell
As I mentioned, previously, one of the coolest elements of “Good Omens” is seeing the supernatural world adapt to the contemporary. We’ve seen glimpses of Heaven as a sterile professional setting.
We also know, from the trailers, that shit goes down! With so many wild and powerful characters, in play, it’s sure to be an exciting climax.
SATAN
Benedict Cumberbatch lends his voice to the Dark Lord, himself. Enough said.
Any fans of the book out there? What are you most looking forward to, out of the series?
“Good Omens” arrives on Amazon Prime streaming on May 31, 2019.
Caitlin is a lean, mean writing machine based in Austin, TX. Her love of film began when she was shown “Rosemary’s Baby” way too early in life. Bylines include The Financial Diet and Film Inquiry. Caitlin is a member of the Online Association of Female Film Critics and the Women Film Critics Circle.
Thank you for this glimpse– I am adding this book to my TBR list, and I will keep an eye out for the show.