The Sandman: Season 1 Review
The Sandman follows the adventures of Dream of the Endless, also known as the mythical Sandman. Originally created as a tragic novel by Neil Gaiman, the author has waited years for just the right cast to bring his iconic story to light. And the audience was not disappointed.
Best Performance: Every cast member is at the top of their game in this series. The casting director drew a winning hand as every character, no matter how odd, is taken seriously and fully fleshed out. However one performance does stand out in Tom Sturridge as Dream. Dream is a very understated character. He is not overtly expressive, doesn’t raise his voice, and can be seen as monotone in his performance. However, Sturridge uses this to his advantage. Every movement and word choice he makes is purposeful. Using his body language and facial expression, Sturridge can convey more than he could in words. This is most evident in the first episode where he is naked and trapped in a cage and doesn’t say more than three sentences for the entire episode. But his eyes, the way he moves, and demeanor says everything. This performance carries the show and captivates the audience from beginning to end.
Tom Sturridge and Ferdinand Kingsley as Dream and Hob Gadling in The Sandman (2022)
Best Episode: Episode 6, The Sound of Her Wings, is by far the best episode of the series. By this point of the series, the audience has a firm understanding of who Dream is, and it’s here we get to see him interact with his family, specifically his sister, Death, Kirby Howell-Baptiste. With Death’s help, Dream is able to reconnect with his purpose in life and reconnect with the fulfillment that brings by watching how Death comforts and protects humans as she takes them to the afterlife. The best part of the episode however, is his storyline with Hob Gadling, Ferdinand Kingsley. In this episode, Dream creates a friendship with Hob that lasts centuries. Hob’s love for life and Dream’s curiosity and loneliness is a match made in heaven, and lets the audience understand Dream in a new way.
Worst Episode: While every episode is well crafted, the final episode, Dream of a Thousand Cats, is the least resonating episode. This is the only episode that is animated and stars cats. The episode follows the cat Prophet, played by Sandra Oh, as she shares her vision of a better world, one where humans are subservient to cats. She gets this vision from the cat version of Dream. While an interesting concept, having your characters as cats throws the casual viewer off and does not engage them as much as the rest of the series.
The Sandman is a spectacular blend of fantasy, technical mastery, and top tier acting. No beat is missed and no opportunity is overlooked. With the original author as one of the main drivers of the show, this series is a faithful adaptation with a few twists to keep it interesting. While I do find a few instances to lean toward the woke, the acting skills overwhelm the negatives. I can safely say I am waiting with baited breath for season 2 of this spectacular show.
Tom Sturridge and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Dream and Death in The Sandman (2022)