GOOD OMENS SEASON 2 is a crowd-pleaser, for better or worse

By Johanna Draper Carlson

Good Omens has returned with a six-episode season 2. Fans who’ve been ready 4 years for this sequel ought to be happy, because the followup appears geared to offer them extra of what they appreciated, though “be careful what you wish for” is all the time good recommendation.

In the primary season, primarily based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett and written by Gaiman, the angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and the demon Crowley (David Tennant) crew as much as cease Armageddon. They’ve gone a bit native as a consequence of their time on Earth and don’t need to lose their favourite eating places.

For Good Omens Season 2, archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) exhibits up on the door of Aziraphale’s bookshop. He’s bare and amnesiac, not figuring out who he is (however making fairly the doorway). That offers Aziraphale and Crowley one other naive character to co-parent, very similar to the boys Warlock and Adam within the first sequence.

The form of humor that outcomes from an harmless in as we speak’s world is additionally a reminder that this second sequence has a co-writer, John Finnemore. He’s beforehand finished comedy with a comparable, much-loved “innocent in today’s world” character in his Cabin Pressure radio present.

Crowley and Aziraphale work collectively, teaming up in opposition to all of the celestial and hellish forces to guard Gabriel and one another. As a part of this plot, they determine to make two neighboring shopkeepers fall in love. Maggie (Maggie Service) runs a file retailer; Nina (Nina Sosanya) owns the native espresso store, “Give Me Coffee or Give Me Death”. Maggie is the sunshine-y blonde one, and Nina the grumpy, sarcastic, dark-haired one. As a good friend mentioned, these aren’t simply characters that mirror the primary pair; they’re flat-out copies.

Their storyline is additionally underbaked, with essentially the most critical a part of it (involving problems with consent) principally ignored. And that’s the largest concern with Good Omens Season 2 — it’s a little too easy and cozy in comparison with the primary sequence. It’s a quieter, easier-to-follow premise, leisurely walked by way of. Storylines and scenes are padded, filling out time. Plot factors are reemphasized, in case the viewer missed one thing. Pacing is off, with the opening thriller typically forgotten about for lengthy intervals of time, solely for all of it to be rushed by way of within the last episode.

Oh, there are many cute bits — one in all my favorites was Aziraphale referring to the Bentley as “our car” earlier than he borrows it. Fans will love seeing Sheen and Tennant collectively as angels, making stars, within the time earlier than Crowley’s fall. Aziraphale will get to play at being a magician once more, and Crowley will get drunk. That leads to pointless transformations that a minimum of give fic writers one thing extra to play with.

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Three of the six episodes have substantial “minisodes” included that take up a good half of the operating time. The flashbacks to Aziraphale and Crowley by way of historical past have been much-loved within the first sequence, so now, we get expanded variations:

* Episode 2 – “A Companion To Owls” – written by John Finnemore – tackles the query of Job, and the way God might penalize a righteous man. How a simply god might let kids die is a query additionally returned to (as within the Ark sequence within the first sequence). Job is performed by Peter Davison, Tennant’s father-in-law (and fellow Doctor), whereas Job’s son is performed by Ty Tennant, son of David, so it’s a three-generation appearing household on-screen.

* Episode 3 – “The Resurrectionists” – written by Cat Clarke – set in Edinburgh, coping with body-snatchers and poverty. The setting permits Tennant to voice his pure Scottish (though he typically exaggerates it). The plot, because the earlier does, raises the query of the equity of God’s ineffable plan.

* Episode 4 – “Nazi Zombie Flesheaters” – written by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman – does what it says on the tin in addition to serving as a reunion for The League of Gentlemen. Dyson wrote for the horror-comedy group, which consisted of Reece Shearsmith (right here enjoying a demon), Steve Pemberton, and Mark Gatiss. The latter two reprise their roles as Nazis from season 1, together with Niamh Walsh, solely they’re now zombies.

All of those minisodes collectively present the viewer how the connection between Crowley and Aziraphale has modified over the centuries. The demon tempts the angel to strive meals, query how one actually determines good and evil, lie, and most significantly, to suppose for himself.

Surprisingly, lots of the key modern-day scenes don’t characteristic the 2 leads collectively. If I didn’t know Sheen and Tennant loved working collectively, I’d marvel, as vital moments are staged with different characters as an alternative of one another. It’s probably as a consequence of filming throughout COVID; different scenes characteristic social distancing and even seen masks.

Perhaps that’s why so many scenes really feel spare. There are the required establishing photographs with crowds on the road, for occasion, however many key scenes are two-handers in darkish rooms. There are typically fewer folks round on this glimpse of the world, and fewer occurring. The climactic showdown offers up on visible background altogether. It’s speculated to be mystically spooky, nevertheless it appears like they forgot to insert the background for the inexperienced display.

I additionally thought the costumes seemed cheesier. There are plenty of white robes with gold braid trim, and the general feeling is that they didn’t have fairly the identical price range. The new angel, Muriel (Quelin Sepulveda), one other harmless, has the perfect wardrobe, sporting both a conventional constable’s uniform (solely all in white) or a charming blazer/waistcoat/plaid-lined pleated schoolgirl skirt ensemble.

And for my final quibble: now that Tennant is sporting sideburns, his facial snake tattoo is too low, virtually right down to his chin.

Regardless of this season not being fairly nearly as good as the primary (not a shock, simply the sophomore curse, sophisticated by a worldwide pandemic), it is a lot to be hoped that a third season is authorised and filmed. Although it could seem by 2026 on the earliest, followers don’t need to see their beloved “ineffable husbands” left the place they’re. As an previous, I used to be reminded of The Empire Strikes Back; however a minimum of then, we knew we have been getting a conclusion.

Good Omens Season 2 is out there to stream on Amazon Prime now.