The Sandman’s live-action adaption has been long overdue. 33 years have passed since Neil Gaiman’s renowned and provocative comic book series first appeared, yet a film or television series based on the well-loved works of the British author has never been produced.
Netflix: The Sandman, is both beautiful and a complete dud
There are several causes for this, but one of the main ones is Gaiman’s reluctance to associate himself with the multiple ultimately unsuccessful attempts to adapt The Sandman for the big or small screen.
That three-decade nightmare is finally done. A wistful dream has become a reality with the release of an adaptation for a Netflix TV show, one in which Gaiman is actively involved. However, given the numerous past fruitless attempts to bring it to life, it is an adaptation that has naturally been welcomed with a mixture of enthusiasm and trepidation among The Sandman’s ardent following.
The Sandman on Netflix is as faithful an adaptation as you’re going to see, which will please diehards. For first-timers, it’s a gripping production full of the fantasy drama, morally complicated characters (acted by its all-star cast with true authority and complexity), and a vast, intricate cosmos you’ll desire to get lost in. It has its drawbacks, and longtime fans might object to the creative departures from the original content. Overall, though, Netflix’s adaptation does a commendable job balancing all of The Sandman’s shifting pieces, allowing both devoted followers and newcomers to fully appreciate it.
Bring me a dream, Mr. Sandman:
One of the seven entities referred to as The Endless and the King of the Dream Dimension is Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), also known as Dream, and the title Sandman.
Despite his strength, Morpheus is captured by amateur occultist Sir Roderick Burgess (Charles Dance) on a 1916 visit to Earth to capture The Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook), one of the Dream Dimension’s escaping horrors. Finally escaping after 106 years in jail, Morpheus goes back to his house. However, in his absence, the Dream Dimension has deteriorated and has been abandoned by its inhabitants for a long time, with the exception of a few devoted followers like librarian Lucienne (Vivienne Acheampong).
Morpheus sets off on a mission to reestablish order and rebuild his empire in an effort to find the three objects that give him his power: his sand pouch, helm, and dream stone. But Morpheus quickly discovers that his captivity has triggered unexpected occurrences that might change the course of the universe itself.
Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? Actually, not quite. The Sandman is a complex, multi-narrative story that spans numerous eras, is rife with thematic relevance, and has an almost unlimited number of characters and settings.
The underlying narrative of The Sandman is complex, so newbies might be concerned that it might take ten episodes’ worth of confusion, backtracking, and more reading to completely understand the series’ intricate plot.
Thankfully, the show’s executive producer David S. Goyer (Foundation), and showrunner Allan Heinberg (Wonder Woman) ease fans into the action right away. The first episode of the season serves mostly as a setup, introducing viewers to crucial characters and laying the groundwork for later, more significant plotlines, some of which don’t come to fruition until later in the season. Early installments also do a fantastic job of setting up The Sandman’s other worlds and realms without being unduly explanatory, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in this universe without being overwhelmed by information.
The multi-narrative strategy of The Sandman really shines after its main plot is established. The Netflix version, which unfolds like a real comic book series, alternates between its many narratives, including those focusing on Morpheus, John Dee (David Thewlis), and Rose Walker (Vanesu Samunyai) later in the season, with pleasing regularity. Despite the fact that Morpheus is the focus of the story, the show’s narrative jumping allows it to present more expansive subplots and place its characters’ motivations and backstories in The Sandman’s expansive cosmos.
The show was able to introduce the staggering number of supporting and side characters that are present in this universe because of these alternating stories. Lyta Hall (Razanne Jammal), Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), Johanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman), Lucifer Morningstar (Gwendoline Christie), and other human and ethereal characters add weight, drama, humor, and shock value to the events of The Sandman. Morpheus isn’t the center of this universe either, as shown by the show’s sporadic ability to make him a supporting character in his own story, like in the third episode’s emphasis on Constantine. He is only a tiny component of it, but in the great scheme of things, his decisions and judgment have a sizable impact.
The Sandman begins addressing its primary themes and exhibiting the undeniable talents of its actors after establishing its universe, characters, and major plot threads.
In the end, it is the tale of one person’s arrogance—Morpheus—and their journey to become more modest, truthful, and—as bizarre as it may sound for a cosmic deity—human than they were. This overriding theme is what gives The Sandman its distinctive narrative and what makes Morpheus such a likable character.
You can’t help but root for Morpheus even if he isn’t your usual hero—after all, his motivations for getting his magical treasures back and rebuilding his kingdom are mostly based on self-indulgent ways. Morpheus’ abilities and humanity are put to the test in a novel way by the hardships he faces in order to regain his power-based conduits, whether it’s facing Lucifer in a reality-altering duel or forging a tense alliance with Constantine to help her with a crucial mission.
It helps that Sturridge does a suitably captivating job as Morpheus. The Irma Vep alumna portrays Morpheus’ comic book counterpart with all the brooding appeal and haughtiness the character possesses, while also adding just the perfect amount of heart and poignancy to scenes as needed. Morpheus’ path is so interesting to observe because of his complicated nature and psychological struggle to go from an evil ethereal entity toward humanity — especially in light of his interactions with the Burgess family.
The supporting cast in The Sandman is excellent, and a leading actor is frequently only as good as that cast:
Christie’s Lucifer is devilishly frightening and more in line with the depiction of Hell’s ruler in comic books than the Tom Ellis version we’ve previously seen. Thewlis’ Dee is a nicely cruel, cunning, and vengeful antithesis to Morpheus, and the relationships between the two show Sturridge’s protagonist’s vulnerability and at times naiveté as he looks for his garments.
Other aspects of Morpheus’ personality can be explored through the main characters of the program. The chemistry he has with Coleman’s Constantine, the close-knit but direct sibling bond he has with Howell-Death, Baptiste’s, and the Batman-Alfred relationship between Morpheus and Lucienne are just a few fascinating examples of how The Sandman fosters real, human-like relationships despite its grim fantasy world. Morpheus’ brusque interactions with Holbrook’s Corinthian and his humorous conversations with Michael (Patton Oswalt), his raven messenger, are just two examples of countless others that are just as exciting and thrilling, but analyzing them all would require another article.
Sands in flux:
Fans of The Sandman will be pleased with how faithfully Netflix’s TV series adheres to the original work as far as adaptations go.
One example is how specific graphics in the series are straight from the comics. Netflix’s live-action adaptations of famous Sandman panels are admirably accurate, from Morpheus escaping captivity and Death reprimanding him to the latter’s showdown with Desire (Mason Alexander Park) and that lengthy cafe scenario with John Dee – if you know, you know. In reality, the show’s chief creative team should be commended for their meticulous efforts to stay true to the original content. For the purported benefit of their runtime, other adaptations, especially those in the movie format, would have removed important parts of the plot.
This is not to suggest that the TV adaptation of The Sandman is flawless. Undoubtedly, some changes have been made to better reflect the world today. Despite the puzzling criticism these castings received, the non-traditional casting of Christie, Coleman, and Acheampong’s characters, as well as the choice of Howell-Baptiste to play Death, are welcome deviations from how these people are portrayed in the original work.
While those inventive decisions should be praised, there are other changes that may annoy devoted followers. One is that some superheroes or people who appeared in Gaiman’s graphic novels as cameos cannot be used in Netflix’s The Sandman due to license and copyright agreements with select DC comic characters. Therefore, those expecting to see Mister Miracle or Martian Manhunter in the TV adaptation—or even hear John Dee’s supervillain alias—are sure to be let down.
Other subplots have either undergone major change or have been altogether eliminated. The events surrounding Lyta Hall and Jed Walker (Eddie Karanja), as well as one minor story thread that followed Morpheus’ escape, have been changed to fit the TV show’s narrative without giving anything major away. These and other changes aren’t deal breakers, but they nevertheless represent substantial differences from the original work and may annoy ardent fans.
The evolution of The Sandman has not just been marred by departures from the comics. The show’s VFX and CGI effects are visually stunning overall, as you would anticipate from a production of this size and spending level. The Sandman’s aesthetics occasionally appear a little shoddy because of instances in which the use of green screen technology is startlingly visible.
At the halfway point of season 1, anyone who is not familiar with The Sandman comic series is guaranteed to be taken by surprise. No spoilers here, but episode 5 serves as the conclusion of one significant plotline and the start of a new one, which really starts with episode 6 and continues with the season 1 finale.
These storylines are inextricably intertwined, just like in comic books, but for viewers who haven’t read the graphic novels, it’s a sudden end to one that had been developing. The show’s rhythm is disrupted by the subsequent stop-start nature of season 1’s halfway point, a problem that impacts the pacing of its next back of episodes. The pacing problem might have been resolved and the two primary stories of The Sandman could have coexisted simultaneously if it had followed Stranger Things season 4’s example and been released in two parts.
Our conclusion is that Gaiman’s well-known and complex comic series has been faithfully and compellingly adapted in The Sandman. The Sandman universe is expertly explored in this lavishly detailed live-action adaptation, which will surprise longtime fans and delight newcomers with its heady blend of fantasy, drama, horror, and noir thriller genres.
There are several flaws in the work. Beginners may have trouble with Sandman’s pacing and somewhat complex lore, while aficionados may get irritated by what they view as unneeded departures from Gaiman’s earlier works and occasionally excessively detailed storyline explanations. We definitely could have done without two instances where a character says “our dreams really are coming true,” since some of its dialogue is a little too obvious.
Gaiman, Netflix, and the company have shown that The Sandman could have been adapted despite longstanding misconceptions to the contrary. The Sandman on Netflix is not perfect, but given the challenges it faced, it is a respectable adaptation of Gaiman’s renowned comic novel series.
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