The Sandman remains brilliant, but Neil Gaiman's involvement casts a shadow
Gaiman for decades positioned himself as a card-carrying male feminist and ally of trans and gay people. It was as much part of his brand as The Sandman, which tells the story of Morpheus, the moody lord of dreams (based in equal measures on a young Gaiman and top goth Robert Smith of The Cure). But he has gone from nerd hero to villain and cautionary tale after a number of women accused him of abusive and coercive behaviour.
He has rejected the allegations, saying he 'never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone'. Yet despite those denials, his career is effectively over. And with it, The Sandman, which Netflix is bringing to a premature close after a truncated two seasons.
In terms of damage limitation, the decision is a no-brainer. That said, this fantastically unconventional and sumptuously crafted show surely deserves better, with just two (and a bit) of the 10 original graphic novels adapted.
'I'd be crazy to say it wasn't weird,' is how producer David S Goyer characterised the experience of working on The Sandman as the allegations surfaced. He was careful to add that Gaiman wasn't as heavily immersed in the production as in series one.
His lack of involvement is no loss as the story picks up the tale of Morpheus, aka Dream – played with sublime solemnity by Tom Sturridge. He is one of the family of 'Endless' who embody various elements of the human experience. The Sandman has already introduced Mason Alexander Park as Desire and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death (a fan favourite, in part inspired by Gaiman's friend, singer Tori Amos).
This time, Morpheus catches up with Delirium (a brilliantly brittle Esmé Creed-Miles, daughter of Samantha Morton) and the mysterious black sheep of the clan (Barry Sloane). Jenna Coleman is back, too, as Joanna Constantine – a paranormal investigator from Elizabethan England. Ruairi O'Connor, meanwhile, has a small but crucial part as a close relative of Morpheus with a tendency to lose his head. There are also fun cameos by Steve Coogan, Freddie Fox, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Stephen Fry and Jack Gleeson, aka wicked Prince Joffrey from Game of Thrones.
Goyer – and Gaiman, to the extent he was involved – have done a great job of transposing to the screen the stream-of-consciousness tone of the comic books (as per Netflix's custom, the season is divided into two with the final four episodes arriving on July 24). Taking a sort of free-jazz approach to storytelling, The Sandman graphic novels don't have a plot so much as a vibe. In a fitting reflection of the subject matter, they follow a charming dream logic as Morpheus travels the cosmos, embarking on many unusual adventures. These include a run-in with Shakespeare (it turns out Morpheus inspired A Midsummer Night's Dream) and an awkward encounter with a bored Lucifer (Gwendoline Christie).
The Sandman isn't for everyone. This is hardcore geek material – portentous, pretentious and not big on humour. If you enjoy a good cosy crime binge watch then avoid. Especially the bit where a demon has sex with a giant spider lady.
However, even people who like this kind of thing may be conflicted, given the backlash against Gaiman. Though wonderfully made and acted, the allegations against the show's creator have robbed The Sandman of a great deal of its lustre. It's a shame the adaptation is over almost before it began. But for Netflix, you suspect this dreamy tale has become a waking nightmare that can't end too soon.
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