The Sandman Season 1 Review – Enter The World Of Dreams and Nightmares

Int he world we live in right now, comic book adaptations are almost a dime a dozen (especially after what Marvel revealed at the recent Comic-Con…), and just as important is that many take liberties with the source material in order to tell their own narrative, often frustrating fans in the process (as I noted in my recent Thor Love and Thunder review). When it came to The Sandman, the creator of the story, legendary author Neil Gaiman, knew that it had to be told the right way, or else. Fast forward to now, and as this The Sandman Season 1 Review will tell you…Netflix did it the right way.

To be upfront with you, I have not had the pleasure of reading the original comics by Neil Gaiman, but now I want to because of how grand this adaptation was in its scale, scope, and the honest tone it gave to its viewers. For those like me who haven’t read it, the story is about The Sandman…obviously. Also known as Dream of the Endless, or Morpheus. As we start the show, we get to see his wondrous realm known as The Dreaming, and we witness just how grand it is, and how it is to be protected…especially when everything goes wrong.

Because in episode 1, Dream is captured by a mage, and for the next 100 years he is held captive, only able to escape due to dumb luck and chance, and he makes the most of it…only to realize all he’s lost and how he must get it back…no matter the cost at some points.

One of the things I really loved about this adaptation was their showing of how important dreams are not just on a philosophical level, but a physical one. Whether we understand it or not, we NEED to sleep, and dreams are powerful things that influence us to our core. We see that in various ways throughout the story, including how when Dream is captured, many people can’t sleep, others are in a constant sleepwalking state, and others enter a dream they can’t wake up from. So having a “Lord of Dreams” around to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen is very clear from the outset.

Tom Sturridge plays Dream, and he does a great job of not just evoking the comic in how Morpheus acts, but showcasing the terrifying nature of him at times without having to invoke comic-style imagery. There are times when he is kind, and times when he was downright ruthless to the extent that people are put to sleep forever in his presence, or in the season finale, he convinces a bunch of VERY bad people to feel all the pain they’ve inflicted, which causes many to kill themselves. Not that he would care given the choices they made.

This is not a superhero, this is a god, or god-like being, and they have a “higher purpose”, and that allows them the leeway to do certain things just because they can or want to or need to. Yet Sturridge makes it clear that Dream isn’t a bad guy, he’s just complicated, and at times, a little hesitant to change given what happened in his incarceration.

The season is ten episodes, and the first 5 deal with Dream’s capture, escape, and attempts to get his “tools” back so he can be at full power. These episodes are great in a variety of ways because of the characters we meet outside of Morpheus. We meet Johanna Constantine (played perfectly by Jenna Coleman), a gender bend of John from DC Comics/Vertigo (due to them not being able to use the DC Comics lore unlike in the comics), we get to see the Fates (who were equal parts fun and creepy), and of course, we get to see Lucifer Morningstar. Who in this case is played by Gwendoline Christie, and despite her somewhat limited screentime does magnificently and will make you forget about how poorly Star Wars treated her (especially since she’ll likely have more screentime in Season 2 given the final scene!).

The worldbuilding of this first season cannot be ignored. Not the least of which is that they tease a lot of what’s to come, and characters we haven’t met, and ones that we only lightly got to see. As someone who doesn’t know where the story goes, it’s honestly exciting to see what Lucifer is going to do next, or the next plot that Dream’s “brother” in Desire has for him, and who “The Prodigal” is, and whether we’ll meet Destiny or not. We also learn more about the “other forces” in the world like that of true magic via Constantine, or the “arcana” that inhabit Dream’s realm, and more “natural” machinations like with the Dream Vortex. There’s so much to look forward to going forward and I definitely want to see it.

Certain performances absolutely standpoint, including in Episode 6 where we meet Death played beautifully by Kirby Howell Baptiste. Who brings an emotional and touching side of death that we honestly don’t get to see in many adaptations. She commands the screen when she’s on it, and her playful banter with Dream is something I hope to see more of.

Then…there’s the Corinthian.

Dear gosh,  Boyd Halbrook plays this man perfectly whenever he’s on screen. He’s charming when he needs to be, is willing to “have fun” in various ways that pleases him, and is absolutely vicious in a way that will creep some people out. You’d never know that behind those glasses is a monster…until it’s too late of course.

One of the reasons why Neil Gaiman wanted to greenlight whatever adaptation came out was because he knew it had to look a certain way, and Netflix definitely put a big budget on this. From the looks of The Dreaming, to the other key areas that definitely required CGI, to some of the more wacky-looking characters, to the outfits and so on, everything was done with clear care and reverence to the source material. There are honestly scenes in here that I would wager look much better (or more chilling) because of the use of special effects as they wouldn’t be able to render them fully within the comic pages (though I do know they look beautiful to be clear). There were honestly only one or two shots that I felt looked “off” and everything else was grand, especially when you saw the other realms and the dreams that Morpheus and others went to.

I also appreciated how the season wasn’t technically one long story, but mini-arcs. As noted, the first five was about Morpheus getting free and tracking down his tools. Episode 6 was honestly an interlude as Dream tried to understand all that was going on within him (hence him needing Death’s guidance) and then the last four episodes deals with a young woman named Rose Walker who might be the death of Dream if she and others aren’t careful.

Personally, episodes 5 & 6 (“24/7” and “The Sound of Her Wings”) were the best because of how they portrayed things like humans without the ability to lie, or the many scenes with Death. 24/7 I honestly felt was one of the best episode of TV I’ve ever watched just because of the simplicity and the haunting truth behind the madness that we got.

At this point in The Sandman Season 1 Review, you might wonder what I thought wrong with it. Well, there are a few things. Just based on my personal take on how I viewed events. Mainly, while each episode was important in its own way (and had a lot more connections between them than you’d think at first), there were times I thought the episodes dragged, especially in the last four. Not to mention how some of the characters acted in certain scenes did feel fake and “for the plot” versus how other scenes felt very beautiful and natural and realistic.

What’s more, and while not a negative thing in my mind, this is a show that wants you think and understand and believe and dream about various things that happen. It’s a show that requires you to see it all so you can experience it all and then ask good questions afterward. This is a far crime from other “popcorn films” in the superhero genre and such where you’re just there to “have a good time” and then be done with it. If you watch it properly, you won’t want to be done with this world and these characters, you’ll want more. But for those who want a more “simplistic show”, this won’t be for you.

Still, The Sandman did a great job of bringing Neil Gaiman’s world to life, and he himself couldn’t help but praise everything that was done. He said that Season 2 and spinoffs could come, and if it does? I’ll be here waiting, and dream of it in the meantime.