...and I am finding it infuriating.
Delirium just stumbling across her missing dog is a fitting metaphor for the entire second half, where none of the characters have agency, no decisions matter, people die or undue for no reason, and literally no one is held accountable, by anyone, for anything. The season started out with such promise, but it turned out it was all just a misdirect - a ruse on us that there were mysteries to be uncovered, or stories of substance, or even just character arcs where people would meaningfully grow (or falter). Nah. Corrinthian is just rebuilt, with his memories intact, but not views or feelings? What the hell is that even supposed to mean - our experiences define us. If he has his memories then he is himself. Whatever, it's just another vapid contrivance so he and Constantine can hook up. I still have one episode to go, but after enduring the last two I'm not exactly keen, which is frustrating because I've been saving this show because of how good it was. What a disappointment.
How are the books? Might I find solace (and substance) in the literature?
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IMHO, the s2 adaptation faced two insurmountable problems.
-1. Timing: The amount of story they were trying to condense into season 2 is... quite literally impossible to adapt in 11 episodes. There's just no way. They were forced to condense and combine and RUSH so much, and so much was lost along the way with the whole "speed along to the end" thing they had to do. (After s1, they were only given one final season to wrap everything up-- due to ratings, how expensive the show is to make, and how audiences didn't like it when Dream wasn't the focus. The Sandman comics are meandering and varied and subtle, and Dream is not always the main focus. The tv show was forced to turn into something that was super condensed, super Dream-focused, and super exposition-filled, which is like... the polar opposite of the comics)
-2. Tone: The comics are much darker; Morpheus is much more rigid and depressed and isolated and emotionally suppressed; and it is commonly held that throughout the final arc, he is (subconsciously?) on a mission to end his existence and to install Daniel as the new Dream of the Endless (because Morpheus is deeply depressed and no longer wants to exist- and can't forgive himself for Orpheus's death- and either is incapable of change or thinks that he is incapable of change- so he thinks that Daniel will be the Dream that he can't be). But again, it's subtle and complicated, especially regarding how conscious or unconscious his plans are. The show, IMHO, does a poor job of subtle and complicated. It also, IMHO, does a poor job of conveying any of this about Morpheus. It makes him about 1000% softer and kinder and nicer and well-adjusted and emotionally healthy than he is in the comics - and then tries to tack on the "Morpheus died so Daniel could be a better Dream" ending with an exposition-heavy speech by Fiddler's Green, as if it makes sense, but to me it just... doesn't.
With the timing stuff- they were fighting a losing battle and it's incredible that they were able to adapt as much as they did, when they just didn't have enough time. But they lost a lot.
And for the tone stuff? To me, they made certain adaptation choices that were just baffling, and it made a lot of stuff kind of thematically incoherent.
I think the acting was incredibly strong (and Tom Sturridge absolutely killed it). And I think when the show was good it was very very good... But it also had a lot of issues. Especially in vol 2.
Thank you for this comment - it puts a lot of things into context for me. Is Tom Sturridge the actor that plays Morpheus? I agree, he did a great job. A lot of the cast did, really, with the notable exception of whomever was playing Lyta Hall. I thought the actress playing Delirium also did notably fantastic job.
In the show it almost feels like "what?" sooo.... I mean.... heh... he died. Okay... so what's the point? I mean.
There's a lesson in the comic book, a slight moral. But in the show he already begins changed. So what moral is there? What lesson? He already had changed, become softer... and kinder from the get go. So they would have had to change how he died, and play that out in another season. Instead we got the ending, that most people feel is abrupt.
And then they built that whole Nuala about to hit Lyta oh no.. They should have either stuck similar to the comics or thought of a different ending/death plan. Don't Game of Thrones it either please.
This!! It was so weird to have Morpheus even still die in the show. Because he was changing and becoming better. And everyone kept mentioning how much he changes. But in the comic he was shit, realizing he was awful, couldn't change and therefore died instead.
I literally felt depressed for two days after I finished it lol Dream deserved better
I'm still depressed.
I’m still depressed too. It was incredibly disrespectful to choose another actor to play the new Dream — it should have been Tom Sturridge.
You mean Tom playing Daniel Hall as well?
It sounds like the original source material does a better job of fleshing out the narrative.
100%. The fact you even were able to tell season 2 sucked comparatively tells me you will love the full graphic novel. It's worth sitting on your bookshelf.
Took me a week to recover
Fr.. the plot had a lot to offer and fumbled it with the most boring and easiest way
The comics are similar in the sense that he dies. But it's clearer that he set it all in motion. He could not change, so he killed his son, to make the Kindly Ones go against him. (Mind you, the son wanted to die... so it wasn't a murder in that sense. But he could have given an eternal dream nonetheless).
He had a choice either he changes, or he lets himself die so Daniel can be the new Dream aspect.
In the book it makes sense because he's more of an asshole. In the show, he's more human, and as such it feels like he himself dies... for.. plot point? To align with the comic?
But in the comic, he hurts people along the way setting in motion the three that ultimately destroy him: Lyta (Mother), Crone (Thessaly the ex that you never see in the comics), and Nuala (the Maiden.. who uses her boon to ask for his love, and although he gives her dreams of his love.. he can't give her the actual one)... and he chooses to go to see her (which is what opens the gates for the Kindly Ones).
And voila.
I enjoy the show but you did nail one thing that didn't translate in it at all. In the books, Dream never feels human. His eyes are like looking at the night sky, he's imposing, he's wrapped in shadow, his perspective is in the realm of eternity, but he has aspects that are human and those are what he uses to connect with people.
In the show it feels like he's a human that has supernatural aspects to him. Also, I love the juxtaposition that Death and Destruction are the 2 most "human" of the endless.
Don't get me wrong, I like Tom Sturridge. Seen him act in multiple projects and he is talented. But I think the writing itself in this show, needed to slow down his humanization. Because by season one, you like him.
At the same time, I understand why it was done. Because people now a days that are not familiar with Sandman will not understand him at all and will not like it. There is a difference in mediums. And this is why sometimes stories don't translate well.
In the show he feels like an eternal somewhat human god, that needs to have 10 therapists. In the comic it's more like 50.
Sounds pretty interesting. I'm in the middle of Licanius, but maybe I'll pick that up next. Thanks!
Dream is a walking disaster, to prep. It is good though. I had to reread my old comics and rewatch the show for my fanfic. Which is probably driving the readers crazy with his psychological issues.
Dream not having agency in his last arc pmo. The fact that Titania basically killed him when actually in the comics Nuala called him and he CHOSE to see her was extremely important.....
Honestly, in the show Dream worked best as a force of nature, not the protagonist.
In season 2 they insisted in making him the protagonist for much of the season, and it sucked. The best episodes of season 2 made the endless powerful forces in the lives of human protagonists.
The last episode was rushed, so much dialogue. I was very disappointed. I’m furious with the writer for ruining everything… Netflix would have lost likely continued it all if it weren’t for his actions