Netflix's adaptation of Neil Gaiman's classic graphic novel series The Sandman has been available to stream for a week now, receiving extremely positive reviews from critics and comic fans alike, and debuted at #1 on Netflix in its first 7 days. The series, which stars Tom Sturridge as Dream of the Endless, follows the titular Sandman as he embarks on several journeys; first for revenge, and then seeking renewed purpose.
The series' success is a bit of a surprise given Hollywood's difficulty in adapting Gaiman's comics over the years. The first attempt at a live-action The Sandman adaptation began while the comics were still being released in the 90s. It seems that a story such as this required the benefits of a 10-episode season and the creative liberties granted by streaming services to be successful. Here are all the things The Sandman gets right in its first season.
8 John Dee (David Thewlis)
The character of John Dee in the Netflix series is a departure from how he is presented in the comics, but it gives the character a lot more agency than he previously had. Where in the comics Dee is given Dream's ruby by his mother in her will, in the series Dee had already been using the Ruby for years, but was dispossessed of it when he was locked away (presumably in Arkham Asylum, although the series never states as much).
Another major difference is in Dee's characterization. In the graphic novel, while his actions are mostly the same, John Dee is presented as a super-villain through and through. He murders for fun, invents machines to force the world into submission, and even takes on the persona Doctor Destiny. In the Netflix series, David Thewlis adds some much-needed nuance to Dee's character, giving him a clearer and more relatable motivation, and while his methods may be deplorable, his goals are not nearly as selfish, and the reasons behind them are easily understood.
7 The Dreaming
The realm of the Dreaming takes on many forms, based on the whims and needs of its Lord and the souls whose unconscious minds wander within it. In the comics, the Dreaming itself is a constantly shifting and changing place that seems to have no beginning and no end, but the Kingdom of the Dreaming remains relatively the same while Dream himself is present
From the glimpses we get of it in the series - particularly in episode 2 "Imperfect Hosts" - the Kingdom of the Dreaming is designed to faithfully represent its comic book roots. While Dream's palace is not shown to any great extent, the grounds and throne room are as darkly beautiful as what Gaiman and artist Sam Keith imagined back in 1989.
6 Lucifer (Gwendoline Christie)
Netflix had a challenge on their hands in trying to cast this iteration of Lucifer yet again, given that they had already produced a successful series featuring Gaiman's take on the character which had Tom Ellis in the role. The Lucifer series had a devoted fanbase and ran for 6 seasons, half of which were Netflix exclusives. The recasting of this character was no small matter.
Thankfully, The Sandman hit it out of the park with their selection of Gwendoline Christie. Christie's imposing presence and androgynous yet cherub-like features are a far more accurate depiction of the angelic, blonde character from Gaiman's comics. While she doesn't possess the same "Devil-may-care" attitude that Ellis brought to the part, it's hard to imagine a more accurate depiction of a fallen angel.
5 Hob Gadling (Ferdinand Kingsley)
The man referred to as Dream's "little experiment," Hob Gadling is a 14th-century soldier who declares that he has no intention of dying while unknowingly in the presence of Dream and his sister, Death. Lady Death decides to grant Hob's wish on a wager with her brother, who believes it impossible that any human could actually want to live forever.
Dream and Hob meet in the same tavern once every hundred years, with Hob sharing the ups and downs of his endless life; the joys of success and family, and the sadness of watching it all slip away while he lives on forever. The two have a falling out when Hob suggests that they may actually be friends, and it takes Dream nearly 150 years before he realizes Hob was right. While their story takes up only a portion of episode 6 "The Sound Of Her Wings," it's an extremely affecting and memorable relationship that demonstrates how Dream does not always consider himself to be "better" than the humans he rules over.
4 Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste)
The casting of an actor of a different race than their character's source material will always rile up the keyboard warriors, but there are few things more satisfying than when that actor's performance immediately silences all of that undue criticism. Such is the case with Kirby Howell-Baptiste and her embodiment of the character of Dream's sister, Death.
Death is an important figure in The Sandman comics, and Gaiman's unique and refreshing take on a figure typically presented as frightening and evil is beloved for good reason. Howell-Baptiste captures everything that makes the character special: her empathy, compassion, and soft touch when guiding souls to the afterlife, and her firm criticism of Dream and his neurotic stubbornness following his century-long imprisonment. While Death's "punk rock" aesthetic was toned way down in the series, after seeing Howell-Baptiste's work it's hard to imagine anyone better suited to the role.
3 Dream's Tools
Much of the first half of the Netflix series - as well as the first volume of the graphic novels - is centered around Dream seeking out his tools, which were stolen from him while he was imprisoned by Roderick Burgess. These tools are powerful items imbued with a portion of Dream's power and are not meant to be in the hands of mortal humans.
While the purpose of those first episodes is for Dream to learn that he doesn't need those tools to fulfill his duties, their powers are still represented faithfully and are given a visual flair that one would expect from a live-action adaptation. Dream's sand billows and swirls, his Ruby is as potent and dangerous as expected, and while his helm doesn't receive nearly as much focus, it is still visually striking (and terrifying) when Dream puts it on.
2 The Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook)
Arguably the trickiest character in the entire series to portray without being overly cheesy is The Corinthian. A former nightmare who escaped The Dreaming and roams the waking world subverting Dream's efforts to re-capture him, The Corinthian is a horrific character in the comics, but he could have easily been a schlocky, one-note villain when played by a lesser actor.
Luckily, Boyd Holbrook was a near-perfect choice for the role. Known for his work in Logan and Narcos, Holbrook's Southern drawl and Americanized swagger add a twist of charm to The Corinthian's terrifying nature. He comes across just nice enough that it's easy to imagine how he could seamlessly integrate himself into the waking world without any humans batting an eye. Until it's too late, that is.
1 Dream (Tom Sturridge)
Speaking of near-perfect casting, the choice of Tom Sturridge for the lead role of Dream was a hot-button issue when it was announced. Many fans of the comics had their preferred actor for the role picked out long ago, and it likely wasn't Sturridge. While Sturridge had his fair share of roles in series prior to this, The Sandman is his first major leading role, and his first major franchise to boot.
So much the better. Sturridge is clearly a fan of the source material, as he managed to capture Dream's character in his quiet moments as well as when he speaks, something not easily done but critical to the role. There are scenes in the series where Sturridge looks like he was ripped straight out of the pages of the comic books, appearing both human and decidedly non-human at the same time, dark and brooding but also wise and caring. While it's impossible to please everyone, it's hard to complain about these results.
The Sandman premiered on Netflix on August 5th, 2022, with all 10 episodes now available to stream. An 11th episode is expected later this year.