The Sandman season 2, Vol. 1 is now streaming on Netflix, and critics have been sharing their verdicts on the first six episodes of what will be our final visit to The Dreaming since the embargo lifted earlier today.
After initially generating a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score when the first few reviews hit, Vol. 1 has now dropped to 75% based on 16 write-ups. That score is likely to fluctuate, but the consensus seems to be that this adaptation of the later storylines from Neil Gaiman's seminal saga doesn't quite match up to the first season.
Mileage is almost certain to vary depending on whether you're a fan of the source material, which some of the more negative reviews pretty much use as the basis of their criticism.
You can have a read through the reviews and reactions at the links below.
An updated synopsis reads: “After a fateful reunion with his family, Dream of the Endless (Tom Sturridge) must face one impossible decision after another as he attempts to save himself, his kingdom, and the waking world from the epic fallout of his past misdeeds. To make amends, Dream must confront longtime friends and foes, gods, monsters, and mortals. But the path to forgiveness is full of unexpected twists and turns, and true absolution may cost Dream everything. Based on the beloved award-winning DC comic series, the second season of ‘The Sandman’ will tell Dream’s story arc in full to its thrilling conclusion.”
We had assumed that the recent accusations against Neil Gaiman might lead to the show being cancelled, but Variety claimed that "the second season was intended to be the last prior to filming."
Whether this is accurate or not, fans of the acclaimed series are not happy. While it's true that excluding elements of the comic run that don't focus specifically on Morpheus would allow them to adapt more of the story, it'll be difficult to do justice to the later arcs with just one more season.
Season 2 stars Tom Sturridge, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park, Donna Preston, Esmé Creed-Miles, Adrian Lester, Barry Sloane, Patton Oswalt, Vivienne Acheampong, Gwendoline Christie, Jenna Coleman, Ferdinand Kingsley, Stephen Fry, Asim Chaudhry, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Razane Jammal, Ruairi O’Connor, Freddie Fox, Clive Russell, Laurence O’Fuarain, Ann Skelly, Douglas Booth, Jack Gleeson, Indya Moore and Steve Coogan.
Have you watched The Sandman yet? You can check out our review of the first season here.