GOOD OMENS (Season 2) -- Sometimes It's Best to Stick to the Source

7/26/2023

Review by Tatiana Miranda

Based on the best-selling book of the same name, Good Omens follows angel Aziraphale and demon Crowley as they deal with humans and supernatural beings in modern-day London. Season 1 of the comedy series, which premiered in 2019, followed the plot of its source material, as Aziraphale and Crowley worked together to stop armageddon. In season 2, co-author of the book and co-showrunner Neil Gaiman takes inspiration from unwritten storylines he and the late Terry Pratchett had previously come up with.

Along with the primary plot of the season are a handful of "minisodes" intertwined with the main episodes. These vignettes give a glimpse into Aziraphale and Crowley's past together, including depictions of historical moments such as WWII and biblical references such as the story of Job. While season 1 of Good Omens had similar storylines that featured the backstory of Aziraphale and Crowley's relationship, the minisodes in season 2 feel a bit overpowering as they take up a good chunk of the episode's runtime and distract from the main plot at hand.

Even after the finale of season 1 left room for a continuation of Good Omens, season 2 doesn't seem to know where it wants the storyline to go next. The first episode opens with archangel Gabriel arriving at Aziraphale's bookshop with no knowledge of who he is or why he is there. Over the following episodes, Aziraphale and Crowley must keep Gabriel hidden from Heaven and Hell as they try to discover what happened to him.

This storyline remains on the back burner for most of the season, though, and only begins to answer the mystery in episode 5. Meanwhile, other storylines — such as a romance between two local shopkeepers — are more prominent and act as a driving force for a lot of Aziraphale and Crowley's actions. Compared to the romance subplots in season 1, this storyline comes across as distracting and unnecessary.

Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments of season 2 is the misutilization of Aziraphale and Crowley's contrasting motives and their growth as characters. While the two aren't necessarily good or evil, a lot of season 1 dealt with the two working to further the agenda of either Heaven or Hell. Since they are now deemed traitors, both Aziraphale and Crowley are working based on their own motives, rather than what their higher-ups tell them to do. Although this has always been the case, as Aziraphale and Crowley regularly go against orders, their new position as outcasts would have made for some interesting character development, especially as they go against Heaven and Hell in their attempt to protect Gabriel.

Overall, season 2 of Good Omens is a disappointing addition to an entertaining and well-loved show. Even with some humorous moments here and there, the disjointed nature of the plot and lack of interesting character development makes it an underwhelming season.

Season 2 of Good Omens releases on Prime Video on July 28. Five out of six episodes reviewed.

Rating: 2/5

1 Comment

Emily

7/29/2023 01:09:01 pm

Thank you. It felt disjointed to me as well, like nostalgic fan fiction that was trying to fuse/string together disparate elements, but doing so quite clumsily. Perhaps too many cooks in the kitchen, not enough Gaiman? I recall reading that he intended to step down as show runner for season 2 and, while I understand boundaries are important, I am disappointed that the overall quality of the project suffered.

Perhaps it was that the whole piece has too little Pratchett? I felt like he was a big part of the Book of Job subplot but his hand in the work is sadly ethereal. I’m one of the odd fans that has read a little Prachet, seen a few movies, and I tend to like his fans as people, but I’m more into Gaiman overall and have been since I stumbled upon Sandman’s “World’s End” in a friend’s apartment in my teens.

Gaiman seemed almost overwhelmingly present in the Victorian body-snatching vignette and the WWII zombies bit.

I don’t know, I’m not a writer, just a support-adult for small children m. And like one of my preschoolers, I can tell you something was off about this installment, but not precisely what it was.

While I was happy to laugh, I think it was a problem that my biggest laugh was for Crowley’s ongoing tendency to just chuck books instead of putting them down nicely ANYWHERE in the bookshop. The absurdity got me and I loved that piece. Also all his costume changes? Tennant looked so at home in everything and that felt wonderfully in character to me.

GOOD OMENS (Season 2) -- Sometimes It's Best to Stick to the Source

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