The Sandman Season 2 Review
The Sandman is an American fantasy drama television series based on comics book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. The Sandman premiered on Netflix on August 5, 2022 and was renewed for a second season, which premiered across two volumes in July. The second season is billed as the final season.
The premise of the show follows the story of Morpheus, the personification of dreams and one of the seven Endless; Dream Of The Endless. In Season 1 Dream is captured through an occult ritual from which he must escape and restore order to his realm, The Dreaming. Season 2 continues this story, as well the consequences of actions taken in the past and present and how that forges change, fate and hope….
The Good
Season 1 may have introduced The Lord Of Dreams, but Season 2 expands his story arc and even includes a bit of insight into his siblings, who hardly get screen time in season 1.
The Endless offer quite a colourful cast, each bringing their own unique traits and personality which spins the plot in various perspectives.
Morpheus’s story arc is less reactive and more intentional, he’s changed, and no longer some goth and broody egoist, he’s a goth and broody being, coming to terms with consequences of his actions. Tom Sturridge displays an entrancing range as Dream Of The Endless, who isn’t a very expressive character, but draws you into their broody silences and brevity of expression.
The visuals and cinematography dazzle, with their capture of surreal and haunting landscapes that capture the fleeting quality of dreams…. and nightmares.
Its fascinating to see how the show drew inspiration fro various figures in Greek Mythology and beyond, and how all the pieces fit together on an endless ride into the eternal.
The Bad
Season 2, was split into two volumes while the first set of episodes follow an upbeat arc, the other half of the episodes are a tense and anxious apology tour, the fate seems pretty much spelt out and yet…. you are strung along with a hope that no story is written in stone…
The last couple of episodes seem to draw out an inevitable ending, which gives it a rather claustrophobic feel that derails the storytelling, like watching an inevitable train wreck and maybe even ends up ruining some characters for worse and worser…
The Kindly Ones are difficult to make sense of, except that its unkind to call them The Furies… and we never quite get a look into their motivations or why they are the way they are… Mother, Maiden, Crone…
The Ugly
While the show seemingly advocates for us to make the best of the time we have alive, it kinda gets lost in destiny which seems inescapable, despite our agency… things happen how they will
An aspect of vengeance in the series is difficult to rationalise, as if there is no redemption from that path.
The show subtly hinges on religious themes which some may find offensive, the nature of hell, angels, dieties, free will and fate though presented in a philosophical discourse.
Final Thoughts
The Sandman Season 2 is a two part volume that concludes The Sandman Series. This edition gives a graceful ending to the eternal story of Endless as all stories must, come to an end.
Have you watched The Sandman?
Becoming The Muse 
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