GOOD OMENS: The Best Cast Since Harry Potter

Good Omens was a very (at least for me) eagerly anticipated series. A superb literary source material, a fantastic cast, and Neil Gaiman himself as screenwriter—all of this promised a truly major event. Were those expectations too high? Unfortunately, yes, but not entirely. Sadly, first season suffers from the same flaw as Game of Thrones’ final season. It turns out that less does not necessarily mean better, even though Neil Gaiman’s brilliant script can compensate for the hasty jumps between storylines, a number of plot holes, and—most importantly—the terrible CGI, which at times is so horrifying that the viewer cannot help but look away.

The story is extremely simple. The end of the world eagerly awaited by both Heaven and Hell is approaching. Yet two unlikely friends— the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley—are trying to prevent the catastrophe and stop the Antichrist. The problem is that nobody knows where he is. Add to that a mysterious prophecy book, witch hunters, and the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Without question, the greatest asset of the adaptation of Pratchett and Gaiman’s novel is the cast.

One might even say it is the most British undertaking since Harry Potter. Let us begin with the two leads: Aziraphale, played as always by the excellent Michael Sheen, and Crowley, portrayed by David Tennant.

As for the demonic incarnation of the Tenth Doctor (of Doctor Who, of course), I must say I have not seen an actor have so much fun with a role in ages.

I still believe that if you asked him to play milk, he would deliver a performance we would never forget. Tennant is a chameleon of an actor who becomes the character rather than playing him—and it shows here. Crowley is cynical, malicious, at times terrifying, yet he cannot imagine life without his best friend. He is a rock lover, a man of impeccable style, and a car enthusiast. It was pure delight to watch his madcap antics on screen.

Michael Sheen, too, rises to the height of his powers, creating a character who is measured and fundamentally good—who realizes that friendship is more important than blind devotion to the “greater good.” From his first moments in the Garden of Eden, we see a thoroughly good character who can get into trouble over crêpes (that is, pancakes). At times the viewer is moved to tears by him, but more importantly, we root for him from the very start, witnessing his transformation.

The supporting cast also shines brilliantly. We are treated to a veritable who’s who of British actors: the ever-wonderful Reece Shearsmith as William Shakespeare; Mark Gatiss and—fresh from a BAFTA win—Steve Pemberton as occultist Nazis; and Jack Whitehall, known mostly as a comedian, who here proves he has the makings of a fine actor. The only misstep, for me, was Benedict Cumberbatch. Loudly promoted, he lends his voice for only a few seconds—and it is not his best work. It is a squandered opportunity that the creators could have used but did not.

An important element of the adaptation is the humor, which at times is painfully cynical and at others brings a smile to one’s face, as when Queen songs are paired perfectly with particular scenes.

Above all, however, it is intelligent humor that relies on associations, not the crass jokes of an Adam Sandler film. After all—what else could one expect from Neil Gaiman, coauthor of the novel on which the series is based, and screenwriter himself?

In truth, the Apocalypse everyone tries to avert turns out to be far less compelling than the story behind the friendship of our two heroes. We witness their first meeting in Eden and the events that followed, leading to the greatest threat: the declaration, I will never speak to you again. It seems to me that the portrayal of that friendship is a far more important thread than the end-of-the-world plot. Yet without it, we would not have all those wonderful verbal sparring matches or shared lunches.

It is also worth mentioning the visual style, courtesy of director Douglas Mackinnon. Although I had expected something entirely different for Heaven and Hell, the minimalism in both settings fulfills its purpose brilliantly. Hell appears as the worst place on earth, while Heaven is essentially an Apple Store. London’s locations are, as always, beautiful—but perhaps my admiration stems from my own fondness for that city’s atmosphere.

On the downside, the series suffers from truly terrible CGI. We live in an era when television special-effects artists can conjure miracles, but here it is painfully clear that most of the budget went to the actors, leaving nothing for the computer effects. And they are sometimes dreadful. I was grateful that Crowley wears dark glasses most of the time, as his demon eyes looked so awful that I suspected the new Sonic team had a hand in them.

Unfortunately, the production often telegraphs its jokes to the viewer in advance. Many scenes feel repetitive. But most irritating is the habit of narrating what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen. I realize Frances McDormand’s voice—narrating as God—is endlessly listenable, but here that method of exposition left me frustrated.

As mentioned, many storylines are treated superficially, with no explanation of the characters’ actions—unacceptable when dealing with those behind the Apocalypse.

The whole feels rushed, likely because the season runs only six episodes. Devoting an entire episode to the Horsemen would have given the tale greater depth; instead, we have flashy figures with nothing behind them. The same goes for the Antichrist and his friends. The script races forward, leaving no time to understand Adam’s transformation, which occurs over mere minutes. A pity.

To be completely honest, I struggled through the first half of the season, saved only by the Sheen–Tennant duo.

Yet it is worth enduring that minor chaos to reach the second half, which proves much stronger. The season is uneven, and some plots are too cursory, affecting the overall quality. Is it a bad series? No. Is it a good series? Rather middling and by no means groundbreaking television. However, it provides entertainment at a sufficient level, building momentum with each episode up to a grand finale.

Read about the second season here.