After several failed attempts to adapt The Sandman, Netflix surprised us all by delivering a faithful take on Neil Gaiman's seminal comic series that seems to have been embraced by the majority of fans, and gained quite a few new ones.
Though The Sandman already had a large, dedicated fanbase, Morpheus and his family are not exactly household names, so there were some concerns that this often surreal, relatively action-free fantasy drama might struggle to find an audience.
Now, Forbes is reporting that The Sandman has spent seven consecutive days in the first-place position on the Top 10 charts, making it Netflix's top show in 89 countries.
"It’s pretty rare for a brand-new show to do it in the first season," adds the site. "And it’s even rarer for that show to complete a perfect week in its first seven days available."
Netflix has gained a bit of a reputation for cancelling shows before they've really had a chance to find their footing, and while The Sandman's future is far from secured, these numbers do bode well for at least one more season.
Have you guys finished The Sandman yet? If so, what did you think? Have a read through our review here, and be sure to drop us a comment down below.
"There is another world that waits for all of us when we close our eyes and sleep — a place called the Dreaming, where The Sandman, Master of Dreams (Tom Sturridge), gives shape to all of our deepest fears and fantasies. But when Dream is unexpectedly captured and held prisoner for a century, his absence sets off a series of events that will change both the dreaming and waking worlds forever. To restore order, Dream must journey across different worlds and timelines to mend the mistakes he’s made during his vast existence, revisiting old friends and foes, and meeting new entities — both cosmic and human — along the way."
The Sandman also stars Kirby Howell Baptiste as Death, Boyd Holbrook as The Corinthian, Donna Preston as Despair, Stephen Fry as Gilbert, Mason Alexander Park as Desire, Charles Dance as black magician Roderick Burgess, and Sanjeeve Bhaskar as Cain. Joely Richardson will play Ethel Cripps, while David Thewlis will take on the role of her son John Dee, aka the deranged Dr. Destiny.
The 10-episode first season of The Sandman adapts the first two arcs of the Vertigo comics series, "Preludes and Nocturnes" and "The Doll's House."