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Review of Good Omens - polemic and delightful


Good Omens - S1


An unlikely friendship between an angel and a demon with Queen songs as background? I’m in! 

The show is based on a book that I unfortunately never read - nor did I know that there was such a book (yes, shame on me).  

This show was surrounded by some polemics that I never fully understood since I didn’t find any logic in what I read. Perhaps it was a matter of some British humor that doesn’t translate well to Americans, as the Queen themselves found out in the 80s? 

No, it was probably more ridiculous than that. There was a petition (sent to the wrong place, by the way) asking to cancel the show because it normalizes satanism. Absurd? Now, join the fact that 20 000 people signed it! Well, Good Omens make us laugh even outside the screen.

Okay, let’s talk about the show now.

Absurd, hilarious scenes


(Yes, it has spoilers.) 


Full of what you could call dark humor, Good Omens has plenty of moments that are both funny and an absolute surprise that will make you laugh. 

The hell hound is a cute puppy! (Very sweet by the way.) Pestilence, one of the horsemen (that now are riding motorcycles - due to evolution, I suppose), retired, and his substitute is pollution. And the demon screams at his plants to put the fear of God on them. Yet, none of these are critical to the evolution of the story, just tiny details, absolutely hilarious.

Good Omens is, in fact, a comedy about the absurdity of heaven and hell, basically the bases of much of Western culture and the Christian religion. So, depending on your vision of those beliefs and the seriousness behind them, you may find the show absolutely delightful or genuinely offensive.

Together against all the higher purposes 


You have an angel and a demon that are best friends. They stick together against heaven and hell to avoid the Apocalypse. Weird? Maybe you should also know that their motivation is to keep enjoying earthly pleasures, such as food or music. 

Absurdities aside, their relationship is lovely. They both bring out the best in each other. Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), the innocent, sweet angel, makes the demon reveal his caring, nicer side. 

Crowley (David Tennant), the sharp-tongued demon, tries to make the angel bolder and riskier (and a lot funnier).

In fact, I would go so far as to say that their relationship is what really makes the whole show.

Criticisms


I read so many absurd criticisms about this show… “It’s full of nudity.” Really? Are you sure we watched the same show? “It’s a gay show.” Wait. What?!

The only one that makes sense to me says that apart from the two main characters, all the others are “tissue-paper thin.” I tend to agree. Without Crowley or Aziraphale on the screen, everything seems… flat. When none of them were on the screen, I was basically waiting for their next appearance.

Other than that, the only thing I could possibly criticize was the unnecessary amount of time spent in the first episode switching the babies.

It is worth it! 


Good Omens was a recommendation from a close friend who knows my kind of humor very well and what type of show I enjoy. Obviously, she was absolutely right with this one. 

I didn’t regret watching it, not even for a second. It’s pure entertainment.

Check out the Season II review.

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