Netflix’s highly-anticipated adaptation of The Sandman premiered this weekend, and fans are not disappointed. The screen take on the seminal 1989 comic book has received rave reviews, and has stirred up a glowing conversation on social media. After years of calling this franchise “unfilmable,” many fans are either surprised or vindicated.
The Sandman centers around Dream — the personification of dreams known by various names, but mostly “Morpheus.” It introduces fans to his kingdom, “The Dreaming” and to the other six “Endless” beings including Death, Destiny, Delirium, Desire, Despair, Destiny and Destruction. The story is surreal and full of references to the occult and arcane. Filmmakers have tried to figure out how to bring it to life on screen for years, and until now some believed it was simply impossible. Thankfully, they seem to have been wrong.
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Netflix’s Sandman series stars Tom Sturridge as Morpheus. Other prominent cast members include Patton Oswalt, Stephen Fry, Gwendoline Christie, Mark Hamill, Boyd Holbrook, Vivienne Acheampong, Razane Jammal and Sandra James-Young. Gaimain helped adapt the show with David S. Goyer and Allan Heinberg.
The Sandman is a hit by every metric we have, although Netflix’s exact ratings are still a mystery to those outside of the company. Still, it seems like a victory well worth celebrating. Here’s a look at some of the top commentary about the series so far on social media.
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Fans raved about The Sandman on social media, and many hoped that the creators of other TV adaptations in similar genres would take note.
Favorite Characters
Many fans posted about their personal favorite character, or about the casting choice they were most excited to see in action.
Emotional
Fans also posted about the most emotional moments in the series, often comparing them to the same beat from the comics. In most cases, fans were good about avoiding spoilers.
Adaptation
Gaiman has been relatively lucky when it comes to screen adaptations of his work, most of which are good. Some fans remarked that this was their favorite yet, or that this stood out among the others for one reason or another.
Backlash
Over the last year or so, some people have made angry comments online about casting decisions in this show — particularly the decision to cast Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death, a character who was depicted with white skin in most of her comic book appearances. With the release of the show itself, many fans felt vindicated and the outrage seemed to fall into the minority.
Easter Eggs
Gaiman is active on social media, and he spent some time this weekend interacting with fans, answering questions and dropping Easter eggs about the show.
Success and Renewal
Finally, much of the commentary this weekend revolved around the show’s apparent success and the hopes of another season. So far, Netflix has not commented officially on whether the show will be back.
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'The Night Agent.' Credit: Netflix
