# Good Omens - Amazon Prime adaptation by Neil Gaiman **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, amazon-prime\ **Created:** [May 30, 2019, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796 "2019-05-30T23:26:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/61 "2019-06-05T01:19:14Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Disregarding established rules to follow one’s moral compass is pretty much the textbook definition of Chaotic. Worrying less about doing good in the “right” way and being more focused on just doing good is the textbook definition of Neutral Good. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/62 "2019-06-07T20:18:04Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Just finished. Liked it overall, but I thought the voiceover was kind of kludgy. And if they insisted on having it, it should have been Gaiman. I’ve been annoyed with several aspects. Frances McDorman’s narration is fine, but in several spots she pronounces things in a more British way. I can’t recall any specific examples. Her parents were Canadian, but she was born and raised in the US, so it’s a puzzlement. Mrs. Downing in labor also annoyed me with a Britishism. Her husband was meeting with the President, and she shrieks “You’re MEANT TO BE HERE WITH ME!!!”. An American would have said “supposed to”, not “meant to”. I’m only up to episode 4, so I can’t tell if it gets much better, but Adam comes off as reading from a script, versus actually _being_ Adam. His voice has almost no inflection, even when he’s supposed to be excited. Death’s voice… no. Just no. A gruff, angry-sounding man. Should have been deep, reverberating - maybe like he was speaking from inside a metal chamber or something. Tennant and Sheen together as Crowley and Azirophale, though… hooooooboy, they NAILED it. Possibly the most perfect casting I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Celidin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Celidin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celidin)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/63 "2019-06-07T20:58:36Z")
> [@Fair\_Rarity](#): > > I also think he did the joke about all tapes in cars eventually becoming Best of Queen because he made that joke in one of his other books. I love how that was handled in this. It was never referred to, but almost every time Crowley was driving Queen was on the radio. And in Episode 4 or 5, we see him put in a Mozart CD and have nice classical music start playing. Only to have a CUT to further down the road, and some Queen blaring instead. It made me laugh out loud! I purposely didn’t re-read the book ahead of time either (which worked out since I can’t find my copy), and I was very happy with the adaptation. Props to everyone involved. And did anyone else get the feeling there was a mild set up for a second season/series of it? Maybe based on some of Gaiman/Pratchett’s un-finished ideas for the sequel? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/64 "2019-06-07T22:20:30Z")
> [@Celidin](#): > > And did anyone else get the feeling there was a mild set up for a second season/series of it? Maybe based on some of Gaiman/Pratchett’s un-finished ideas for the sequel? Not really, and I follow Gaiman on Twitter where he has repeatedly stated that this is just the one adaptation and no follow up coming. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/65 "2019-06-07T22:32:57Z")
Neil is being coy. He has also stated in interviews that there was substantial material from a sequel and some of it got folded into this adaptation. I’m quite sure that if Amazon waves enough money at him, he’ll get to writing a sequel most riki-tik. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/66 "2019-06-08T05:29:00Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > I’ve been annoyed with several aspects. Speaking of Americanisms/Britishisms said by the wrong nationality character, the whole “miles per hour” thing took me out of it for a solid 30 seconds. I forget the episode, but Crowley is driving and A says something about going 90 miles an hour, which pulled me out of the show for a bit because I was unaware (until googling just now) that Britain actually uses miles per hour, not kilometers. Learned my something new for the day! ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2019, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/67 "2019-06-08T06:41:23Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Mrs. Downing in labor also annoyed me with a Britishism. Her husband was meeting with the President, and she shrieks “You’re MEANT TO BE HERE WITH ME!!!”. An American would have said “supposed to”, not “meant to”. Not necessarily, since she’s been living in the UK. People “catch” accents and expressions. I had an American accent before I ever lived in the US, of course even more of it after living there; after two years in Scotland, now I sound American to the Scottish, Scottish to the Americans, and “where is that accent from? You don’t sound Spanish” to other people. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/68 "2019-06-10T09:56:41Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Speaking of Americanisms/Britishisms said by the wrong nationality character, the whole “miles per hour” thing took me out of it for a solid 30 seconds. > > I forget the episode, but Crowley is driving and A says something about going 90 miles an hour, which pulled me out of the show for a bit because I was unaware (until googling just now) that Britain actually uses miles per hour, not kilometers. Learned my something new for the day! Yes, Britain is weird like this - distance is measured in kilometres but speed in MPH. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/69 "2019-06-10T15:18:21Z")
Just finished watching the series. Overall: I found it quite entertaining. My cousin who is a fan of the book was disappointed in the series. I’m glad I didn’t read the book first. Specific thoughts: 1. The imagery and style of this show was just fantastic and very engaging and entertaining. Loved the opening sequence, and the bookshop, especially. But everything looked great. 2. I love both Michael Sheen and David Tennant and they delivered engaging performances. Tennant looked like a rock star. Is he really as skinny as Mick Jagger? However, I find myself wishing again that they would be allowed to use their natural Welsh and Scottish accents (respectively). I love their natural voices and rarely get to hear them. (Tennant does his own Scottish as the narrator of “Twenty Twelve” and "W1A.) 3. What the heck accent was Michael McKean supposed to be doing? It sounded like some random combination of accents, mostly Scottish and Northern England. Is it a recognizably real accent? 4. Soo many great cast choices–Jon Hamm, Frances McDormand, Jack Whitehall, Miranda Richardson, Nick Offerman, Josie Lawrence, Derek Jacobi … But I was not so crazy about the actor who played Adam Young–not even as good as the other child actors in the scenes with him. And what a wast of a Brian Cox. That could have been anyone with that costume and voice. Also, I didn’t recognize Benedict Cumberbatch. 5. Overall, the plot was predictably “clever.” It was okay, not mind-blowing. Few surprises. Predictably Douglas-Adamsish irony-based humor. The end twist catch me off guard though. It seemed like a good setup for a sequel if the demon and the angel had switched sides. But the switch was a good ending. 6. I appreciate the brevity of six episodes. 7. Nice Easter egg of the guard (with the noticeably fake American accent) reading “American Gods” at his post. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/70 "2019-06-10T15:25:43Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I found it interesting that “Crowley” was pronounced almost “crawley”, because snake. I never got that-- I always pronounced it like the character on \*Supernatural. \* > [@Gyrate](#): > > He **was** named “Crawley” to begin with. He changed it to “Crowley” later. Some of his fellow demons persisted in using the old name though. Yes, beginning as “Crawly,” pronounced like “crawl” (-y) and changed to “Crowley,” pronounced like “crow” (-ly), the bird. Had I read the book, I probably would have thought of “Crowley” as being pronounced like “now” or “wow” (-ly). ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/71 "2019-06-10T16:43:23Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > 1. What the heck accent was Michael McKean supposed to be doing? It sounded like some random combination of accents, mostly Scottish and Northern England. Is it a recognizably real accent? It helps if you’ve read the description in the book: > [@Good Omens](#): > > Mr. Shadwell’s accent was unplaceable. It careered around Britain like a milk race. Here a mad Welsh drill sergeant, there a High Kirk elder who’d just seen someone doing something on a Sunday, somewhere between them a dour Daleland shepherd, or bitter Somerset miser. It didn’t matter where the accent went; it didn’t get any nicer. I think McKean was going with “deranged, vaguely Scottish Speaker’s Corner orator” for the most part, but weirdly I think he ended up as close to the book description one can get without going over-the-top about it. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/72 "2019-06-10T16:54:42Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > It helps if you’ve read the description in the book: > > I think McKean was going with “deranged, vaguely Scottish Speaker’s Corner orator” for the most part, but weirdly I think he ended up as close to the book description one can get without going over-the-top about it. That’s pretty impressive then. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/73 "2019-06-11T15:04:49Z")
Mrs Magill and I finished it up last night. We both enjoyed it immensely. A couple of observations: [ul] [li]After hearing Christopher Lee as Death, not even the great Brian Cox can compare.[/li][li]I missed the Additional Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but they would have broken the flow leading up to the climax.[/li][li]I bet Hastor does smell like poo.[/li][li]Holy Moley - Michael Sheen. This is probably the first time a twist had been spoiled for me by an actor doing a phenomenal job. Sheen _was_ Crowley imitating Aziraphale.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/74 "2019-06-13T20:47:26Z")
What books are in the shop when it is resurrected? The ones that Aziraphale says “Those are new”? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/75 "2019-06-13T21:41:19Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > What books are in the shop when it is resurrected? The ones that Aziraphale says “Those are new”? They are the “William” series by [Richmal Crompton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmal_Crompton) which was apparently an inspiration for this story. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/76 "2019-06-13T23:40:58Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > they are the “william” series by [richmal crompton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/richmal_crompton) which was apparently an inspiration for this story. thank you! ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/77 "2019-06-14T10:03:32Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Not necessarily, since she’s been living in the UK. Not necessarily, since the US has a bunch of accents. I noticed it, but wasn’t bothered as I would’ve probably have said the same. In my head a heavily emphasized “MEANT” said with a lofty scrinch of the nose brings with it images of things more important than mere politics, like wedding vows. YMMV > [@Acsenray](#): > > 1. I love both Michael Sheen and David Tennant and they delivered engaging performances. Tennant looked like a rock star. Is he really as skinny as Mick Jagger? Yes. > [@](#): > > 1. What the heck accent was Michael McKean supposed to be doing? Squatney. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/78 "2019-06-15T16:18:31Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Tennant looked like a rock star. Me to the missus: “He walks like Jim Morrison making fun of Mick Jagger.” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/79 "2019-06-15T16:55:48Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Me to the missus: “He walks like Jim Morrison making fun of Mick Jagger.” Excellent! ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796/80 "2019-06-15T18:10:33Z")
I’m sorry to barge in and being contrarian to this love fest, but I turned it off halfway through episode one, as I did with **American Gods**. And I’m on my second copy of **Good Omens** , having read and re-read it so many times. I’m not going to list all my gripes\*, because that would bring this close to a thread shit, but I really, really think Gaiman should have been kept away from any part of the production, as he should’ve been with AG. He’s too close to the source material and even though I think he’s a fantastic writer, as for screen writing, not so much. The series is way too close to the book and that hampers it in a serious way. - Apart from this: I love Tennant, but when I saw the first stills from production, I knew we were going to be treated to some serious scenery chewing. Crowley is much, much more subtle than what Tennant brought to the table. Again, I blame Gaiman, as Tennant can do subtle [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-omens-amazon-prime-adaptation-by-neil-gaiman/834796.md?page=5)