Miniseries Good Omens premieres May 31st on Amazon Prime Video.
[Ed. Note: Being that TV and City is on a bit of a hiatus, this article has not been edited.]
By Ariba Bhuvad
If David Tennant and Michael Sheen would be spearheading the end of days as they do in Amazon’s Good Omens, then I think we would all be on board. There would be no fear or question in our minds because this duo actually makes us believe the apocalypse could be delightfully entertaining. I know that sounds odd and strange, but after you watch Good Omens, you’ll understand exactly what I mean.
Based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s 1990 novel, Good Omens follows an angel named Aziraphale (Sheen) and a demon named Crowley (Tennant) as they (against all odds) work together to save the world from the end of days. Individually, I absolutely admire both Sheen and Tennant, so I imagined their pairing in this series would be absolutely amazing. Well, even my expectations were surpassed by just how perfect they were in Good Omens.
What stands out about Good Omens is that it doesn’t spend too much rehashing the origins of its story in a convoluted way. Instead, it takes the talents of Sheen and Tennant to present a comical representation of the story in a fast-paced manner, but not so fast that we miss the message altogether. After spending millennia together, Aziraphale and Crowley have formed an odd bond between one another and the people of the world. Unfortunately, being on opposing sides of the apocalypse, things prove to be rather difficult. Angels and demons aren’t exactly the best of friends, but seeing Tennant and Sheen come together as Crowley and Aziraphale is the highlight of the series. Does this really have to be just a mini-series?
Good Omens is an entertaining watch which possesses a fairytale-like vibe about it. It’s full of magic, wonder, and of course, Armageddon. But the creators do a phenomenal job with focusing on the plot while not digging so deep into the lore of it that it turns people off. And while Sheen and Tennant are the heart and soul of the show, the supporting cast brings everything to the next level. We’ve got Jon Hamm as Archangel Gabriel, Frances McDormand as the voice of God, Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of Satan, plus many, many more that add their personality to this hilarious journey towards Armageddon.
You’ll laugh, not likely cry, and perhaps walk away a bit frightened by the haunting sentiment of Good Omens, but I can promise you that this is a series worth watching, and one that you’ll thoroughly enjoy.
I give Good Omens a B+.
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