The Sandman

One of my favorite parts of The Sandman season 2 is how much more lore is chronicled and how much time Dream spends with his family, in whatever form this takes. While it would have been fun to see more of Death (Kirby), one of the most level-headed of Dreams' family, learning more about his other siblings was interesting and kept The Sandman season 2 fresh.

Watching Dream journey through multiple realms and eras, earthly and otherwise – while interacting with other supernatural beings who know what it’s like to live for thousands of years – lends some weight to this wildly imaginative fantasy-horror story.

As the series begins to challenge the very nature of the Lord of Dreams, it also challenges its audience with a show that becomes increasingly provocative with each episode. By the end of Volume 1, “The Sandman” has proved that despite this being a path to the end of the series, it will end with a bang instead of a whimper.

The second series of Netflix’s adaptation of cult graphic novel The Sandman is a brilliantly surreal, escapist fantasy that has all the makings of a substantial hit.

To its credit, the show manages to shape these disparate pieces into a fairly straightforward, linear story, one that’s probably a bit easier for viewers to follow than parts of its first season might have been. .... In the end, however, this season (and, really, this show) belongs to Tom Sturridge.

While the beginning of The Sandman‘s final season is a bit of a exposition-crammed slog, it does show Dream entering a story that feels like it’ll have a lot of possibilities.

This first set of episodes does make strong strides in character and world development, substantially expands our understanding of The Endless and the various powers that populate the world, and provides top-notch character work. It isn't The Sandman's overall best, but it might ultimately be a key component of an exceptional finale after the second part drops.

With more difficult material to adapt, this half-season suffers in comparison to Season 1, but there’s just enough quality to keep you on board for the final volume.

It’s a passable version of something you’ve long enjoyed, with familiar beats that are comforting—even if nothing new or original has been added. And for newbies, there is still enough left of the original’s imaginative world to entertain.

Season 2 is more heavily serialized, unfurling a longer arc about the search for a missing sibling. Whether that carries the same appeal might depend on a viewer’s affection for Dream’s eccentric clan, combined with a curiosity about the politics and jurisdictions of the show’s various independent realms.

Most of the show, instead, is a combination of Dream’s portentous proclamations and trippy imagery that make the plot hard to follow. It leaves The Sandman feeling inert; a fan service project without a fandom to serve.

The Sandman is not short of ideas, but it smothers them all in a fug of pretension, missing every opportunity it creates for itself.