Sandman

I have to say I enjoyed The Sandman more than I thought I would. I have to admit I knew nothing of the comic or even heard of it so I had no expectations at all. It is definitely something different and unlike any show I've seen. The closest thing is American Gods but I stoped watching that in Season 2 as the quality of that show fell off after the first season. It has a solid 7.9 so it looks like most people seem to like it. I thought Tom Sturridge did an excellent job as the lead and Boyd Holbrook was just as good as one of the villains the of the story. The creator of the comic book (Neil Gaiman) is an executive producer so hopefully he'll have a big say as to where the story goes. It's already been renewed so I'm looking forward to more of the story.

As someone who has read the comics - The Absolute Sandman 1-4 and Absolute Death proudly sit on my shelf - I approached this adaptation with cautious optimism.

Season 1 blew those doubts away. From the extraordinary visuals to Tom Sturridge's hauntingly precise embodiment of Dream, it struck the delicate balance of fitting television while never betraying Neil Gaiman's original vision. Episodes like The Sound of Her Wings reminded me why the material was always considered "unfilmable", and why that was wrong.

Season 2 deepened the world. Season of Mists delivered scope, The Song of Orpheus merged Greek myth with tragic inevitability, and the introduction of Destruction and Delirium proved the Endless could thrive on screen. Even side players like Johanna Constantine and the Corinthian elevated the ensemble. For much of the season, it was intelligent, faithful, and frankly cinematic television at its best.

And then came the stumble. The closing arc in Ep 11, and then a needless Ep 12, felt indulgent and oddly slight... a missed opportunity to end with the grace and gravitas the comics achieved. Having loved Season 1 and nearly all of Season 2, this final note was jarringly flat, as if the production lost sight of its own rhythm.

Still, across two seasons, The Sandman remains one of the most ambitious and visually stunning comic adaptations ever attempted. Even with its uneven close, it captured the heart of Gaiman's mythos and gave us performances (Sturridge especially) that deserve to be remembered.

That Netflix has now cancelled it only underlines the melancholy: a dream realised, but cut short.

When "The Sandman" first came out on Netflix, I fell instantly and absolutely in love with everything in the series... the plot was good and strong (even innovative!), the characters were well constructed and the world was built with substance, with a lot of layers. It was indeed a breath of fresh air when it comes to fantasy series or movies that have been coming out this past few years.

The script itself, having a lot of philosophy in it, was also something that attracted me because you could tell the lines were not forced at all. Overall, the series were a 10 out of 10.

But then, season 2 came out this year.

I was excited to see again another story happen in this fantastic world that was built but then... it was just a big, huge, disappointement. The plot is going side ways with no plausible justification on why "x" thing happens in the context of the story and the characters are full with lines that dont add anything relevant and seem unnatural for a certain character to say or act that way.

To make matters worse, how does it make sense to start throwing new characters every episode just to fill holes, when they add almost nothing to the general narrative?

The ending of season 2, was the cherry on top of a badly baked cake. I mean, it just splashes on our faces that they wanted to end the series as soon as possible but didnt even bother to build something that had quality and felt like it was thought over like the first season. It really made me angry to see such good characters (and amazing actors!!!), plot and story just thrown away to the trash literally to end something fast.

It's very sad because then people wonder why we dont have any good series or films with a fresh point of view being made and coming out like we had in the 90s/2000s, for example. Write better and dont waste great potential like in "The Sandman" season 2.

I thought the show was really great the first episodes, dark setting and interesting characters. Somewhere along the way I grew bored by the show however. I will probably watch the second season if it ever comes out since I am a fan of the novels. This was entertaining but the stark difference to how it started and how it ended made it less interesting for me. I hope the next season will focus on what made the first episodes so good. I think maybe sandmand will have a hard time to compete with all the upcoming franchises coming out this fall, I hope I am wrong though!

On another note, 600 characters requirement for a short user review is too damn long!

In an age dominated by 15-second reels, endless TikToks, and the constant noise of social media, The Sandman did something extraordinary-it made me forget the world around me and pulled me into its own. Watching this series felt like being transported back to a time when stories were allowed to breathe, when imagination ruled over algorithms, and when TV shows were experienced, not just consumed.

The Sandman is a rare gem of the 21st century that somehow channels the soul of the 20th. It reminds me of an era when shows were artfully crafted and not built around trends or virality. The pacing, the visuals, the storytelling-everything feels deliberate and rich with meaning. It's thoughtful, haunting, beautiful, and deeply emotional. It's not just entertainment; it's an experience.

What makes it even more special is how uncommon shows like this have become. In today's content-saturated landscape, patience and depth are undervalued. But The Sandman dares to go slow, to build a world, and to ask its viewers to pay attention. And it rewards that attention at every turn.

This might just be one of the most underrated shows of the 21st century. It deserves far more recognition than it's gotten. If you're someone who misses the golden age of storytelling, this show is your time machine.

Highly recommended for anyone who still believes in the magic of long-form, meaningful storytelling.