The Sandman [Netflix]

Brief_Lives

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119161189#Comment_119161189

Such a photo...

Not crazy about patton Oswalt as Mathew... that's a network choice if ever...

Agent Coulson

Drops August 5th

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWJTB6FPVaA&ab_channel=Netflix

Brief_Lives

https://bleedingcool.com/tv/the-sandman-jenna-colemans-johanna-is-constantine-upgraded/

Interesting read

youngblood

Does it all feel a bit cheap BBC Saturday night once off thing?

EoinMcLovin

https://youtu.be/83ClbRPRDXU

_____

pixelburp

Certainly looks like a big swing by Netflix, will be interesting to see if this gets pushed hard by them. Expensive looking

gmisk

That trailer looks promising to me...the comics have a big following..so not surprised they throwing money at it

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119379515#Comment_119379515

Worry is Netflix are such chaos ATM I'd not have faith this thing lasts. Their hits have tended to be dark horses than expensive "this is your new obsession" attempts.

Slydice

It has a feel to it like it's trying to leave bbc / sky home made tv shows behind and be done not-crap... I dunno if they've managed it.

Sure looks like they've tried.

pixelburp

A small feature popped up, to explain more of the world and background, for those not familiar with the work.

https://youtu.be/0Fyja48qK2g

Greyjoy

All the previews so far look good. Though I have a small niggle that Dream having normal human eyes instead of the black eyes from the comic just looks...wrong. It makes him look far too normal. I'm also not a fan of the actor cast as Death - nothing to do with her being a POC but rather I saw her in The Good Place and she did *not* impress me in that at all (although to be fair that could be partly due to her attempting an atrocious australian accent in that show).

pixelburp

The series dropped today; 10 episodes in total.

fritzelly

Is it me or is the aspect ratio off on this show?

spookwoman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119434722#Comment_119434722

I thought so too but it seems to be maybe the type of lens they used that gives the faces a stretched look.

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119435771#Comment_119435771

I only watched the first 2 episodes but I need to rewatch them because it was so distracting - the faces are definitely elongated vertically

spookwoman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119435781#Comment_119435781

I have it set to cropped to 1.85:1 which makes it a little less distracting.

Watched the first 2 episodes and it's bloody weird, Sandmans body reminds me of Dogma and Corinthians eyes are twisted.

Vestiapx

Aspect ratio is off but I believe it's deliberate, the audible play is still king as an adaption but I don't hate this show.

Gilbert is perfect

Sound of her wings is always my favourite and continues to be. I thought I wanted a pale goth but it works. Gaimen's philosophy and writing shines through.

somuj

Very strange. On episode 5.

Aspect ratio is very annoying.

Brief_Lives

Ihad no issues with aspect ratio..

Just finished the series. Spectacular stuff..

Excellent casting...

Desire was always going to be tricky, but she was Annie Lennoxy enough..

Dreamwas good casting.. F only they could stick some stars for eyes..

pixelburp

No aspect ratio issues here.

Watched the first episode and it was a rich, baroque epic. Definitely intrigued to carry on with this. Very fantastical and ethereal in its own way and if you didn't know, you'd absolutely guess if this was a Neil Gaimen story.

Mind you, this being a joint Netflix and Warner Bros production does nothing for my faith it'll get a renewal (unless it's a miniseries).

Slydice

Alright, another show.. let's roll! 🙂

I posted earlier about thinking it looks like the production would feel a bit better than Sky/BBC and after one episode.. it does look that way.

1: This felt like it introduced the universe, set the current story up and gave some characters to get to know. Felt like a decent enough hook at the end. I am guessing the episodes will be following Dream .. who I'm guessing is The Sandman of the title.

Spoiler Warning

Let me see.. seems to be Magic and Gods.. did I heard right.. maybe Reaper is at the centre of the bunch who include Dream, Desire, Destiny, Despair.

I'm guessing there will be creatures controlled by each, this Corinthian being one of Dreams creatures. That season one is gonna be Dream chasing after a bunch of them to bring them back to the Dream Realm (TM).

sydthebeat

i binged this over the last 2 days... absolutely loved it, right up my street. And no aspect ratio issue for me either.

the ending was a little underwhelming, but probably because they didnt introduce a "watch for next seasons even badder bad guy" which a lot of these series tend to do.

Slydice

2: A wild David Thewlis appears! 😀 Looks like my earlier guess was a bit ahead of itself. Maybe then season one

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will just be for getting back the tools, not getting all the creatures back.

The creatures and wider magical universe might be for future seasons then I guess.

At the moment, I'd be guessing the ruby must be the most powerful tool and so one of the final showdowns will be to take it back.

Slydice

3: Yes! Let's go to ..

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Hell! I was like.. bird.. it might be hot in hell! 😁Though since it's Patton Oswald.. I assume most of his scenes will be comedic.

Seemed like they didn't do much with Constantine.. not much direct and seemed to be saving money on special effect. I'm guessing there will have to be another appearance this season.

Thewlis .. seems to have a line of plot open to not turn into a baddie.. but the plot just seems to be car crashing him in that direction.

Fully on board this now. I wasn't expecting much and hated the trailer. Do love the book.

Slydice

4: Ah I thought that was clever!

Gwendoline Christie really did some good face acting there. She works so well in roles suited to her. Hard to believe how little work she's been in.

Spoiler Warning

The fight being based on the descriptions given by both. At first I was like.. oh no.. not chess! 😁

on a separate note I did like that Thewlis and Rosemary story. It could easily have been filler but it wasn't. It explored lying and feelings and I was glad he didn't do anything bad to her.

It did seem in that episode like the budget was stretching at the seams but I think they pulled it off. Mixes of practical effects and computer effects were noticeable but they kept it moving.

Slydice

5: Well... blood .. gore .. so much blood and gore 😲

Spoiler Warning

Kinda glad the diner wasn't the be all and end all though.. the storylines felt a bit simple.

The actress playing Bette put in a good performance. Google says Emma Duncan. Looks like she's at early days in her career so far:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7356566/

Seems a proper break-point for a binge..

Spoiler Warning

Sandman is back to fully operational battle station (TM) and a new ominious looking type has emerged.

Thewlis did good in his role. I'd say there must be potential to have him reappear. His pressence brings a lot to the shows he is in.

Penn

The aspect ratio or whatever type of lens they used for filming definitely feels off. It feels like they maybe did it to give Dream and some of the other characters a more gaunt appearance, but it looks really off with many other characters and scenes.

6 episodes in, but f*cking loving it so far. Never read any of the comics or anything, but know enough of Neil Gaiman's work and reputation to know this would be good. A show I'm trying not to binge, as I want to try savour it. Episode 6 was incredibly well done; beautiful, depressing and funny in an amazingly well-balanced mix.

Slydice

6: Ohhhhhh but that was fun! This new character definitely grew on me.

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Also I'm imagining that having an immortal as a friend won't hurt for Dream since it looks like this new OMINIOUS ENEMY (TM) is in-fact.. the time immemoriable.. sibling rivaly 😁

I think the saddest moment for me was

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the baby being taken. I'd seen and heard enough of the mother for my imagination to keep the events going after the scene switch 🙁

Re-reading my two bits above.. hard to believe it was all one episode! Well done the director.. *googles for name*.. Mairzee Almas .. it was her only episode. Looking at her imdb.. experience from just lots of shows including: Smallville, iZombie, The 100, Impulse.. Marvel Netflix (Jessica Jones, Iron Fist), Locke & Key, Paper Girls: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0021772/

Just no film or bulk of a series of her own... Nothing much extra on her wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mairzee_Almas

DrZeuss

2 episodes in and the aspect ratio or stretching or fish eye or whatever mix of lenses and after effects they added is very distracting. It appears to be intentional too which makes it even more odd.

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119455565#Comment_119455565

Read Netflix response today - it was a "creative decision"

Slydice

7: Ah! A wild Stephen Fry appears! 😀

This episode felt a bit of a relaxation from episode 6. It did need it though since it was pretty much introducing a new story and tying it into the existing one.

I did like the bit when

Spoiler Warning

Rose turned up in the dream realm/world. Her powers do look like they'll allow her freedom in it anytime she sleeps.

I'm guessing the pumpkin head character must be a nod to the books but the look and feel doesn't fit for me as well they might want it. Maybe down to their budget again. A little immersion breaking but it was only a few minutes of screen time I guess.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119459342#Comment_119459342

pumpkin guy is mark hamill. i agree with the 'oddness' of the look, but in the overall context "odd" kind of encapsulates the whole show.

TheWonderLlama

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119449886#Comment_119449886

He is just reprising his role as Varga in Fargo. No difference.

CastorTroy

Seeing Jenna Coleman as Johanna Constantine made me wonder if we'll get a Hellblazer series with her.

Overall I enjoyed it. Only finished the comics fairly recently.

Ending kinda spoilers

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Seeing Dream building the new Nightmares/Dreams at the end reminded me of one of Gaiman's other works, MirrorMask.

Slydice

8: Oh.. I'm not sure about the baddie for the next two seasons.. especially with the power levels I've seen so far..

Spoiler Warning

Desire.. being another endless.. sure.. but if it's just the Corinthian... it kinda feels like Morpheus will just sand or shadow him out of it. At a guess.. the Corinthian wants to use the Vortex to take out Morpheus.. maybe by threatening the brother.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119459534#Comment_119459534

Thewlis feels like much the same character in most shows I've seen him in recently! Maybe he's vying for the baddie role in a reimagining of Die Hard 😀

Potential-Monke

I didn't know mich about this before I jumped in, and I don't know if if it was for the better, but that was thoroughly enjoyable. I was hooked from the beginning. The story, the settings, characters, I loved it all.

My only complaints were Dream was a bit too emo pouty, putting Zoolander to shame, and Patton Oswalt. I feel the character could have been better with a different voice.

I don't know what the comic versions of the characters are like, so no comparison. I thought they all did well, especially Thewlis, but he's fantastic in everything. Some casting choices felt... for want of a better word, woke. But again, no idea if its accurate to the comics (although I did see a comment about Death above, so some changes at least). But they all did well I think.

Fantastic world building, and it has me. I want more. Exactly what I like.

Dufflecoat Fanny

It's 4th rate dark boring over produced shite typical of netflix.

Falken1

It was a cracking first season. The casting for the most part was spot on.

Tom Sturbridge as dream was spot on.

Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer was amazing.

Favourite episodes were episodes 5 & 6.

However I thought the acting from rose, Lyta and Jed was meh. Jeds story line was a filler unless someone can tell me otherwise as I don't know much about it. I did think the second half was a bit rushed. The first 6 episodes were so good.

Overall a really good season.

whisky_galore

Watched 3 or 4 episodes.

Some awful characters I couldn't care less about. Boring.

I'm out.

fritzelly

After starting from the beginning again I'm loving this show - up to episode 5 and it was great episode

Ep 6 was so lovely

Slydice

9: Well then! That was a proper penultimate episode cliffhanger! I was thinking Stephen Fry

Spoiler Warning

might have been this mysterious Family Man who didn't turn up to the convention.. but he's from the dream realm.. still could be Family Man I guess.. although surely one of the other attendees would have spotted/known him.

So.. next up then.. a show down with Dream/Rose/Corinthian and some sort of Dream/Rose winning and allowing Rose not to die somehow.. maybe.. maybe not

is_that_so

Watching this very slowly, as it's all a bit slow for me and also because I expect new characters to show up all over the place. Absolutely no knowledge of the source material at all so maybe this does influence the viewing experience. That said, it is watchable and aesthetically looks very good but not one I would binge.

Slydice

Finished! Overall it was alright. Definitely felt like it divided into three.

A strong opening five episodes story. Then a really well put together episode six.

Then.. like.. more closer to a sky/bbc production episodes seven to ten. Ten had a strong enough ending to hint at a season two all the same.

10: That felt very much by-the-numbers. The ending parts looked cool enough and like it was setting up well for a next season.

Spoiler Warning

Yep.. Corinthian gone, Rose got sorted.

The bits about the endless and the demons does suggest some kinda battles/war in the future. I'd how it is done could be depending on budget. Though they could represent it affordably if they went kinda like how Legion did it.. though that might push away the audience.

Well that was kinda an easy call about how it would turn out..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119470872#Comment_119470872

Future: Well.. the ending of episode ten definitely suggests a future in mind..

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where I'm guessing it will explore the non-human world a bit more.

I think I spotted the names of six of the seven endless.. Dream, Death, Destiny, Desire, Despair, Delirium.. and the seventh is the one I'm guessing who is "missing" (TM). I assume the missing reason will be some kinda 'awe gotcha' on the audience given the feeling of the show so far.

conor678

Superb show. Excellent done with great depth and thought provoking themes and references. Haven't read all the comments as I am on episode 6 and don't want to ruin it for myself

pixelburp

Episode 2 and man, this show is so lush. No idea how high or low the budget is but it looks so good. Not overly showy, but still so rich and dreamlike ... which yeah, is probably apt, lol. And so far has been a show with faith in itself and its world not to have action for its own sake, or a hyperactive pace lest it seem dull. I can see why some compared it to a BBC production.

Tom Sturridge's voice may grate after a while; but for now it's the right side of tortured-whisper. Affected but doesn't call too much attention to itself.

Poor Gregory though.

seraphimvc

Binged this last weekend ha. I'd say 'ok' overall - a good watch for the DC fans. I read the comic briefly many years ago, I am not really big fan but i appreciate the work and I can understand that it has quite some fanbase.

There are a lot of good things to say for this show but I think they put too much salt and peppers to this fine dish (good source material), that it could have been a big hit if they didnt do that...

Funny yes i thought the same the first 5/6 episodes are excellent, the production, plot and the characters acting/accent are spot on - highlight has to go to the harry potter Lupin actor guy, this psychopath son John is one of the best performed villains from recent years I am sure ha.

Now, the 'too much salt and pepper' that i felt (and family too) after episode 6, i am pretty sure it would be seen as 'too much woke'. I remember the comic is quite edgy and obviously they changed up abit (genderswap Lucien etc), that i thought 'oh this team actually did a great job on whatever these changes they made' - it felts organic/natural that these characters don't feel forced/out of place for the first 6 episodes.

And then to me it gets 'too much' by the time we reached the next arc (basically episode 7-9). Virtually most characters/couples in the show at this stage are either bisexual or gay or queer etc - while I couldn't care less but ya since they went heavy on that, they diluted some characters like Hal (the landlord, i actually remember this character has a good story from comic, he is actually a drag queen) and Desire, and the Corinthian to certain extend.

So ya all those never go well with the casual audience lmao. Speaking as a viewer who has many friends from LGBT circle and someone who enjoys Rocky horror show - I really don't understand why there is a need to enforce so much of these changes that do nothing to the show. A pity really it would be a higher scored show. Overall I like it, the first 6 episodes are just good stuff.

dorothylives

I enjoyed the last 5 episodes more than the first. While it was entertaining, the forced character alterations were very distracting. There were so many changes to the characters that it ended up being just plain absurd. Why the need to make so many male characters female? Why did John Constantin have to become a woman in a mixed race lesbian relationship? Why the need to make so many characters brown/black/gay/gender fluid? I wonder if LGBT people find it patronising? I had been optimistic about it but sadly disappointed.

The problem wasn't that there were LGBT or ethic minority characters in roles that had been written as white and straight, it was that it seemed as if the vast majority of the characters were LGBT ethnic minority characters. It's a shame really that it took so long to bring to the screen and was hijacked by Netflix to carry The Message. I'd only subscribed to Netflix to see Stranger Things and The Sandman and I've cancelled my subscription now. It's no wonder that they're going broke. Absolutely include LGBT and ethnic minority actors but don't keep making programmes as a vehicle to promote a message that is backfiring.

Pawwed Rig

I am on episode 3. Not completely sold yet. I thought the Cain and Abel characters were a little ridiculous.

Will give it a couple more episodes.

Does anyone know why it is rated 18s? It seems a bit tamer than a lot of the 15s series I have seen.

dorothylives

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119488899#Comment_119488899

Yeah, I was very kind of meh about the first 5 episodes. I think that the 18 cert is probably about the content later on. I don't really want to say much as it would spoil things. For me, one thing that really annoyed me was how downplayed the sleeping sickness is. It barely gets a mention. The first 5 episodes seem more about introducing characters. In the comics Death was pretty much a David Bowie look alike so Brienne of Tarth was taking it too far. The Joanna Constantine role wasn't just bizarre it was really really badly acted but it was badly scripted so maybe that's why.

Agreed on Cain and Abel, also the wife of the actor who played Cain played the priest in Sandman. There are some poignant and enjoyable moments and it's worth watching. I have to remind myself that most of the audience weren't alive when the comics were written and the Netflix version is written for them and not for the people who read the comics.