Good & Evil join forces to avert the Apocalypse in ‘Good Omens’ from Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett


Based on the satirical 1990 end of the world novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, Good Omens looks to be devilishly fun (sorry, couldn’t help it). For starters, David Tennant stars as the rockstarish demon Crawley and Michael Sheen as the angel Aziriphale. The on-screen greatness begins when David Tennant’s ‘Crowley’ says, to Michael Sheen’s Aziriphale, “We need to talk…about armageddon.” What could possible go wrong?

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS RAPHAEL

Considered to be the original representatives of Heaven and Hell on Earth, their paths initially crossed with Aziriphale tasked with being the guardian of the Eastern Gate of Eden while Crawley served as  the serpent who tempted Eve to eat the apple. Given that the both of them have come to really enjoy their comfortable surroundings in England, it’s understandable that both are ‘hell-bent’ (sorry, again) on working together to stop the apocalypse from happening by mistake.

Since Aziriphale and Crawley have become BFF’s (literally forever) despite their decidedly polar opposite views as they relate to the world in general, they decide to work together and keep an eye on the Antichrist, who is destined to be the son of a prominent American diplomat stationed in Britain, and thus ensure he grows up in a way that means he can never decide between Good and Evil, thereby postponing the end of the world. Complicating matters is the fact that there’s a bit of a mixup at the small country hospital on the day of birth causing confusion as to where the actual son of Satan really is.

Oscar winner, Frances McDormand (Fargo, Almost Famous, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) heads an all-star ensemble cast as the self-described “Voice of God”. If that’s not enough to get you to put Good Omens on your binge-watch list, there’s also Jon Hamm (as in Mad Men’s Don Draper, Jon Hamm) as the Archangel Gabriel, Anna Maxwell Martin (Bletchley Circle),  Miranda Richardson (Blackadder, Harry Potter) and Michael McKean (Better Call SaulThis is Spinal Tap). Oh, and shall I mention again that this is from the brilliant mind palaces of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett? Gaiman wrote all six scripts and has been heavily involved in the editing phase of the Amazon Prime production.

While the end could very well be nigh in 2019, hopefully, it looks to be the year that the Apocalypse is officially avoided when Good Omens premieres on Amazon Prime and BBC2.


In: Comedy