The Sandman

I have to say I enjoyed The Sandman more than I thought I would. I have to admit I knew nothing of the comic or even heard of it so I had no expectations at all. It is definitely something different and unlike any show I've seen. The closest thing is American Gods but I stoped watching that in Season 2 as the quality of that show fell off after the first season. It has a solid 7.9 so it looks like most people seem to like it. I thought Tom Sturridge did an excellent job as the lead and Boyd Holbrook was just as good as one of the villains the of the story. The creator of the comic book (Neil Gaiman) is an executive producer so hopefully he'll have a big say as to where the story goes. It's already been renewed so I'm looking forward to more of the story.

I thought the show was really great the first episodes, dark setting and interesting characters. Somewhere along the way I grew bored by the show however. I will probably watch the second season if it ever comes out since I am a fan of the novels. This was entertaining but the stark difference to how it started and how it ended made it less interesting for me. I hope the next season will focus on what made the first episodes so good. I think maybe sandmand will have a hard time to compete with all the upcoming franchises coming out this fall, I hope I am wrong though!

On another note, 600 characters requirement for a short user review is too damn long!

It's fair to say I've always been somewhat of a fan of the distinctively whimsical, quintessential eccentricity imbued within famous author Neil Gaiman's writing (ever since - in 2011 - first being introduced to it as a child in BBC1's 6th season of "Doctor Who", with his critically acclaimed episode "The Doctor's Wife") & therefore, as a long-time admirer of his impressive portfolio of work, growing up alongside his growing number of flourishing projects, I'd previously made consistent efforts to acquaint myself with his prior TV adaptations "Good Omens" & "American Gods" but admittedly, had never yet had the pleasure of reading the much beloved "Sandman" graphic novels (of which this series is based upon, widely considered to be his best) before. Hence, I personally went in to this season with no preconceived expectations & thus, I must concede - after viewing the first 3 installments - that this Netflix series has completely blown me away & ironically surpassed even my wildest dreams.

Of course, I can only comment as a casual viewer (& am unable to ascertain the faithfulness to the source material, present within these episodes), but within the first 3 hours, we as an audience are introduced to a rich, layered, enchanting world of pure imagination that is creatively borne, masterfully realised & the sheer scope & scale captured from beginning to end is honestly mesmerising. Indeed, it's no surprise to witness peculiar & cerebral fantastical wonders on screen - in a fantasy constructed from the inspired mind of such a quirky, ingenious scribe - yet nonetheless, I still found myself utterly confounded by the sheer regality & majesty of this grandiose, unconventional & wholly epic tale.

It's a credit to all of the cast & crew members involved, who've respectfully & lovingly brought such a breathtaking universe to life & I'm hopeful the quality established here in the preliminary chapters will continue throughout... Because from what I've seen, I'm seriously floored. It is utterly remarkable, beautifully dark & haunted & unlike anything I've had the opportunity to previously binge on the streaming service, in its history.

There's a palpable sense of history & mythology to it which immediately draws you in & I cannot wait to see more. What a major achievement!

I really liked the comics back then, when they were published. I haven't read them again since, so I forgot most of the things and so also the story for the first season, if it was ever put into the comics. The show is visually stunning and I like the look. The one thing that was probably cut though for budget reasons was that Morpheus should have way more impact on the dreamworld wherever he goes and visually influence it. That wasn't a major point for me. The lead actor was well chosen, even with the hairdo making me wonder when he would sing songs from the Cure. I don't like the actor for the main villain - the Corinthian - so it was good, that he was the villain, but he more a psychopath than a true evil.

What most people might have a problem with was the slow pace the first season had. I personally didn't mind stories like the human Morpheus was meeting in that pub every 100 years. It added to that existential feel of the show.

While I personally don't like the recent gender swapping in respect to source material - I mean, why not invent awesome material yourself rather than say make a show called "Pippin Longstocking" - it was moderately done so in the show that it didn't hurt personally speaking. What I found a bit sad was that they turned Death from the little Goth chick to some black woman. But I found it worse that she had not so much screen time at all.

Overall, I enjoyed it a lot.

I knew nothing of the graphic series before watching this,, so I have no preconceived ideas of what this should or should not be.

It feels dark and gritty like a good graphic novel come to life. As one who enjoys a visual feast, I thoroughly enjoy the sets and details within each scene. I have watched the entire season at least 3 times and notice little things in every episode each time I watch.

I think that Tom Sturridge plays the part in an otherworldly spectacular way. I love the evolution of his character from distant, and godly, to one with a care for humanity. The premise of the "nightmares" is highly intriguing. Boyd Holbrook plays his character flawlessly. I despise him, but, at the same time can't stop watching when he is on the screen.

There are possibilities for growth and change within the series. I can't wait for season 2.