What you need to know about "Good Omens" - new series Neil Gaiman
Educational Program Cinema / / December 19, 2019
On Amazon Prime was released a joint project of the streaming service, and BBC Studios, based on the book by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Complete story consists of only six-hour episodes. And with such a small timing plot may seem lengthy. There are objective reasons. Yet the advantages of the series repeatedly overlap its shortcomings.
The plot tells of an angel and the demon Crowley Azirafele who are friends for several thousand years. They learn that the world happens the apocalypse, and Crowley must personally deliver the Antichrist baby in a foster family. But friends have become so accustomed to the creature comforts that they want to save people's lives. And so they begin a dangerous game, which does not endorse either in heaven or hell.
This is an exact adaptation of the book. too
The first thing you need to know about the show: for teleadaptatsiyu meets one of the authors of the original novel by Neil Gaiman. He has repeatedly said that the book still belongs more Terry Pratchett
(This can be felt and the writing style). And that he was once asked to do an adaptation of Gaiman personally, if it takes place.That's why the show is absolutely carefully moved the whole plot of the novel - with only minor revisions by time. Too often adaptation Only repelled from the original source, and then go in a completely different direction, leaving books at a loss experts. Here at Pratchett fans may feel that they are watching an illustrated novel.
Gaiman even introduced offscreen voice of God (his, her or rather, the voice of Frances McDormand), reads out whole passages from the book. But if the background text merely adds literary humor and wordplay, the desire to fully transfer all the characters dialogue is sometimes too slow paced. Characters can just sit and talk for a long time, the scene does not carry any load cinematic - is only relevant text.
In the same way the author treats the lines of the minor characters and scenes side: the audience talk in detail about the everyday life of many of the characters, even if they do not affect the plot.
But this can be a disadvantage, but if you wait on "Good Omens" typical American story with many plot twists and dynamics. Twists here too will be, for the sake of even a little tweaked final. But they are diluted by British slowness, humor and focus on the simple lives of the characters.
It's a theater of two actors and a large crowd
From the first episode it is clear that the main advantage of the series - playing the main roles. David Tennant in the role of a demon Crowley and Michael Sheen in the form of an angel Azirafelya great hold on itself all the attention, and every scene with them turns into a real spectacle of acting.
By exploring the characters came with all the heart and not just put them accordingly into a black and white clothes, and showed two exactly opposite character. On the image of Crowley is clearly given off stylists and hairdressers. Demon over the years, changing hairstyles, sometimes reaching full absurdity is stylish sunglasses even at night, rides his black car and generally behaved insolently.
Tennant for the first time since the days of the legendary "doctor Who"Give full turn in the facial expressions and movements: he walks, wagging her hips, hamming, shouting and waving his arms. The scene where Crowley threatens their favorite colors penalty if they do not grow well - a real one-man show (although it relates to the items that can be removed from the script painless).
Azirafel, on the contrary, always dressed the same, contains a bookshop and behave modestly, as befits an angel. In addition, he was always very embarrassed and afraid of everything. In this comical absurdity Michael Sheen is often reminiscent of Simon Pegg, but plays differently. His stuttering and inconsistent it perfectly contrast with the assertive Tennant.
Yet the two are friends. Their dialogues and clashes perfectly capture the relations between the two close friends who sometimes irritate each other, but always willing to help. According to the classical principle of such stories, they swear at each meeting, and then put up again, cursing.
But from such scenes can not be tired, because the actors alone, facial expressions and gestures are already creating great comedy, and text and situational humor only adds their brightness.
You can not say about some other characters. Young Buck Sam Taylor, who played the child-Antichrist named Adam, though, and tries, but his long monologues sometimes look too boring. But in the last episode he has a big dramatic role, and even in the style of the recent horror "Fueling the fireยป.
History of meetings witch descendant Anathema and Newton Pultsifera inquisitor looks nice, but always lost in other storylines. And the rest of the angels and demons, which, incidentally, played a great actor, just do not have time to unfold - they have a funny, but very same type of role.
Like it or not, they are extras in the background of the main characters. Although an important part of the plot centered around Adam and Anathema, you just have to wait for the screen to reappear Crowley and Azirafel to enjoy the witty dialogue.
This is a typical British TV series with all its shortcomings
The series "Good Omens" was released in the US Amazon Prime streaming service, and served as the original draft platform. This can cause false expectations, because all have become accustomed to such big-budget TV series from Amazon, as "The Man in the High Castle" or "Jack Ryanยป. Yet "Good Omens" - apparently a British product.
Many of the scenes filmed debt plan, without a dramatic installation, therefore, the action seems to be very calm. Color correction is made in a soft colors, familiar to British television. Here, even the screen saver is very long, and the music is a bit like a tune from "Sherlockยป.
In the first and last series, probably in the eye rush weak level of special effects. This emphasizes the point that the explosions and demonic beings is not the goal here. Yet behind the schedule of many modern series.
But "Good Omens" and avoid the typical problems of essential projects in the US: the episodes do not end with unnecessary twists and turns, the first and The latest series is not knocked out of the rest of the atmosphere, and the story itself looks completely integrated - as a six-hour movie, cut into part.
Component of the story here is built on the principles of drama or even a detective all the disparate story lines gradually converge at one point and is supplied to a head. And so, even if the beginning seems to be too slow, to the final it will be clear why all this was necessary.
Here every viewer will decide that this is good and what is bad. For example, "American gods"The same Gaiman turned into a standard American project, and he lost a significant part of the original idea. "Good Omens" retained its authenticity, but partly lost in the dynamics and entertainment.
Therefore the series in the first place will appeal to those who love the name of the British comedy with their slowness, simple and beautiful filming dialogues. Just do not look here for a blockbuster.
It's a great sense of humor, sometimes to the point
And Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman has long been famous for its vivid jokes and often provocative themes. And if we are talking about the plot, where the center of all religion, the humor is sometimes on the verge of acceptable.
The authors are not afraid to show a bunch of bureaucrats Paradise (which clearly suggests a clear hierarchy of angels) and put into the mouth of God, a lot of jokes. The nuns here worship Satan, the horsemen of the apocalypse ride motorcycles, and failures in the mobile communication and traffic jams - the tricks of the demons. The latter, incidentally, Gaiman has added from itself to bring the action to today's realities.
In this sharp social humor mixed with a completely absurd kind of obsession with counting nipples in the man assumed names or even visiting aliens.
This combination gives the space for permanent surprises. From "Good Omens" logic does not need to wait at any moment everything can change through the intervention of a higher power, the next prophecy, or just stupid things. And because the jokes are almost always triggered.
And behind it all lies a major irony that morality and becomes a major series: whatever the original purpose, it all depends on the person, his upbringing and a succession of accidents.
Such simple and clean "earth" of the truth is very characteristic of Terry Pratchett - they are relevant at all times and are served in a light joke.
Perhaps, "Good Omens" - not the most entertaining and dynamic show. But if you feel the unhurried plot and vivid humor writers, the six o'clock you will pass by unnoticed. After all, here you can truly feel for the characters, and in parallel to laugh at the absurd twists.
see also๐ฅ๐๐
- "Most small lie": a review of the controversial, but the emotional Season 2
- "Chernobyl": what ended the worst episode of the season
- 3 lessons that we have learned from the fifth season of "Black Mirror"
- 20 major series in June: the return of "Black Mirror", "Great little lie" and "The Handmaid's Tale"
- 7 nightmares of "The Handmaid's Tale", among which we live