How (and Why) Neil Gaiman Finally Adapted ‘The Sandman’ for TV

Re:How (and Why) Neil Gaiman Finally Adapted ‘The Sandman’ f... by tialaramex on Sunday August 07, 2022 @03:30PM (#32379106)

I'm going to guess that a bunch of people don't like the choice for Death. But the thing about Death is that she's such the archetype that from then until now you could never move at a goth club for all the women who are sure they're Death. Like, try announcing from the DJ booth, "Has anybody lost a silver ankh?" and watch like two dozen women glance down between their boobs to check theirs is still hanging around their neck.

In the comic book you can just draw a goth chick, and a million women say "That's me" and you move on. But if you actually cast any of the women who'd like to think that's them it's not going to make anybody happy. She ceases to be "Everyman" well, every-goth-chick and becomes a specific individual.

So I think you probably specifically don't want to cast Death for resemblance to that image, much more than his other siblings. Actually I'd be tempted to cast Brad Pitt, and be like yeah what? But Brad is a bit old and a bit expensive, and that involves rewriting some stuff, so, sure, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, why not? Personally I think Brad's accent would have thrown me off more than Kirby not having pasty white skin.

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Re:How (and Why) Neil Gaiman Finally Adapted ‘The Sandman’ f... by tptacek on Sunday August 07, 2022 @05:14PM (#32379976)

Death is the most faithfully adapted character in the whole show, so if someone's complaining about that, they're telling on themselves. They nailed Death.

I was pleasantly surprised by that; there's a (somewhat well-regarded) audiobook adaptation of the books, with James McAvoy as Morpheus and Kat Dennings (the older daughter in 40 Year Old Virgin, and, by appearances, a straight-out-of-central-casting choice for Death), and Death does not work at all in it.

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Re:How (and Why) Neil Gaiman Finally Adapted ‘The Sandman’ f... by taeric on Sunday August 07, 2022 @08:03PM (#32381148)

I've enjoyed both. Curious what makes the audio not work for you.

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Re:How (and Why) Neil Gaiman Finally Adapted ‘The Sandman’ f... by tptacek on Sunday August 07, 2022 @08:20PM (#32381250)

I thought it was simultaneously kind of over- and under- acted. But I've only gotten through Preludes and Doll's House.

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Re:How (and Why) Neil Gaiman Finally Adapted ‘The Sandman’ f... by taeric on Sunday August 07, 2022 @10:38PM (#32381952)

Certainly fair. I'm guessing I like it more just for how surprised I was that it was a good audiobook.

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Re:How (and Why) Neil Gaiman Finally Adapted ‘The Sandman’ f... by tptacek on Monday August 08, 2022 @12:32AM (#32382407)

Sure, it was interesting how little it turned out to need the artwork!

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Re:How (and Why) Neil Gaiman Finally Adapted ‘The Sandman’ f... by kleer001 on Sunday August 07, 2022 @03:40PM (#32379183)

Huge fan of the comics since they were released and have bought both seasons of the audio dramas and my only complaint is the apparent older age and no-fun-ness of Death in the trailers.

I thought the original author's intention was to have a young and indefatigable character play the embodiment of the end of all things as a light irony and existential cotton candy balance to the grim reality of the job.

But I'll hold my real opinion until I see the whole show.

If I don't hear a bubbly "Peachy-keen!" I'll probably just sigh and roll my eyes. It's only TV. If I want the old thing I'll just reread the comics again.

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