The signs from above and/or below keep coming as Neil Gaiman’s ‘Good Omens 2’ cast becomes a family affair!
Photo Courtesy: Amazon Studios
If anyone is still in need of proof that there is a God (and a Devil, for that matter), David Tennant and Michael Sheen will return as Crawley and Aziriphale while Sir Derek Jacobi (Gladiator) will reprise his role as Metatron.
Reprising their roles that span heaven, hell, and earth for series 2 are the trio from The League of Gentlemen and Psychoville, Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Dracula, Game of Thrones), Steve Pemberton (Whitechapel, Happy Valley), and Reece Shearsmith (Spaced, The World’s End, Inside No. 9). Also returning are Jon Hamm (as in Mad Men’s Don Draper, Jon Hamm), Miranda Richardson (Blackadder, Harry Potter), Maggie Service, Nina Sosanya, Doon Mackichan, Gloria Obianyo, Liz Carr, Quelin Sepulveda, Niamh Walsh and Shelley Conn.
Joining the cast for series two will be Sir Derek’s I, Claudius co-star Dame Siân Phillips (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Smiley’s People, Dune), Tim Downie (Outlander), Pete Firman (The Magicians), Andi Osho (I May Destroy You), and Alex Norton (Pirates of the Caribbean). Interestingly, while both Miranda Richardson Shelley Conn will return for the second series, they will be seen in new roles with Richardson starring in a new role as Shacks, the demon who has replaced Crowley in his role and Shelley Conn takes over Anna Maxwell Martin’s role as Beelzebub. Other cast members from series 1 set to return in brand new roles include Paul Adeyefa (Bancroft, Ransom) and Michael McKean (This Is Spinal Tap, Better Call Saul).
If that’s not enough to get you to clear your streaming calendar (with the exception of re-watching Ted Lasso), series 2 will also feature a star-studded family reunion as David Tennant’s son Ty Tennant and father-in-law Peter Davison (All Creatures Great & Small, Doctor Who) who have been cast, according to reports, with Ty being cast as a character called Ennon, while Davison will play a character called Alistair.
It is with great sadness, however, we must report that Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock and most everything else on Planet Earth) and Frances McDormand (Fargo, Almost Famous, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) won’t be back for series two as Satan and God, respectively.
While Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett did have plans for a second Good Omens novel prior to Pratchett’s death with some of the elements they had discussed having already been featured in Good Omen’s first series, according to Deadline, the new six-episode season will explore storylines that go beyond the original source material to illuminate the uncanny friendship between the fussy, rare book dealer, Aziraphale and the fast-living demon Crowley.
Michael Sheen (L) as Aziraphale and David Tennant (R) as Crowley in Good Omens. Photo: Amazon Studios
Explaining how it’s possible to bring a second series to life that will please fans, showrunner and co-writer of the original novel, Neil Gaiman said, “It’s 31 years since Good Omens was published, which means it’s 32 years since Terry Pratchett and I lay in our respective beds in a Seattle hotel room at a World Fantasy Convention, and plotted the sequel. Terry’s not here any longer, but when he was, we had talked about what we wanted to do with Good Omens, and where the story went next.
Having been on Earth since The Beginning, and with the Apocalypse thwarted, Aziraphale and Crowley are settling in and getting back to easy living amongst mortals in London’s Soho when an unexpected messenger presents a surprising mystery.
Based on the satirical 1990 end of the world novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, Good Omens was a devilishly fun (sorry, couldn’t help it). For starters, there’s David Tennant starring as the rockstarish demon Crawley and Michael Sheen as the angel Aziriphale. The on-screen greatness began almost immediately 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.
Just in case you have forgotten the sheer brilliance of Good Omens, here’s a look back at series 1….
While it may feel like Planet Earth has just been through the apocalypse for the past 3+ years, Good Omens S2, for my money, couldn’t come at a better time! And, that ‘better time’ looks to be somewhere in the neighborhood of Summer 2023!
In: Drama
