Television viewers, alienated in the past decade from multiplexes by the overwhelming dominance of the comic-book movie, have long sought refuge in the intelligent programming offered by the small screen. But as the years have crept on, the dream of “Peak TV” has been invaded by heroes and villains, sci-fi and fantasy. Now, in 2022, every other big new TV show seems to be a comic-book adaptation, desperately trying to ferry viewers over from cinemas like Charon on the River Styx. The latest in this trend is DC’s mega-budget collaboration with Netflix to adapt The Sandman, after 30 years stuck, fittingly, in development hell.
At its heart is Tom Sturridge’s gravel-voiced emo, Dream, the king of dreams and nightmares, who is accidentally imprisoned by an occultist (Charles Dance, of course) for a century. During this time, the fabric binding the waking and sleeping worlds begins to fray. “When the waking world leaves you wanting and weary,” Dream informs us of his realm, The Dreaming, “sleep brings you here to find freedom and adventure.” Standing in the way of him rebuilding his kingdom are Ethel Cripps (Joely Richardson) and her son John Dee (David Thewlis – yes, that age difference makes sense by the show’s logic) who have traded away or hidden Dream’s “tools”. That’s not to mention the rogue nightmare, Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook) who’s enjoying his new freedoms. “I’m not gonna stop until I’ve reshaped this world to look just like me,” Corinthian announces, but Holbrook is so chiselled that the “world” can have few complaints.
