The Sandman: A Rare Faithful Adaptation
The Sandman, the genre-defying Netflix series based on Neil Gaiman’s comic series is a faithful adaption that transports viewers into a fascinating mythical world. The series is an intriguing, dark, humorous fusion of myth and magic in the modern age that is filled with alluring and dangerous supernatural beings in a beautifully interwoven universe of fears and desires.
Adapting The Sandman into television was always going to be an ambitious project. Even though the comic is highly known and adored, its premise, design, and protagonist make it far more difficult to sell than any other DC or Marvel superhero series. While it may come as surprise to some, The Sandman is a DC property and is part of DC’s Vertigo Imprint.
It’s common for adaptations to come across as a little cynical, but it’s obvious that this series was created with a genuine affection for the source material and the worlds that Morpheus inhabits. The 10-episode series comes with a bonus 11th episode that was released around 2 weeks after the series premiere.
Tom Sturridge’s portrayal of Morpheus is a bit different than the one in comics but he helms the series with necessary seriousness and an incredible dreamy voice that keeps viewers interested
Time moves quickly and slowly throughout the series as we jump between many eras, towns, and universes. Even though it may seem a bit confusing, it’s easy to understand the stories that we are being shown. The worlds of the show, which range from the dream world to Hell itself, are so richly detailed that even the small characters manage to create a sense of mystery in them.
According to Nielsen’s streaming rankings, the show received more than a billion minutes of viewing time in the three days following its August 5 premiere. Considering that the show is dominating Netflix’s “most popular” list and has a rapidly growing fanbase, it’s almost certain that we’ll get a second season of The Sandman even though nothing has been officially confirmed yet.
While The Sandman adaptation isn’t a page-by-page adaptation of the comics, it keeps the most crucial elements of Neil Gaiman’s novel while giving its fragments new life.
Final Verdict: 3.7 stars (out of 5)
