Good Omens (TV Series) The Doomsday Option (2019) User Reviews

Dealing with the consequences of their own actions

[ganymedes1985 · 9/10 · 26 June 2019]

For 2 "minor" representatives of their team, they sure have done quite a number of things over the millenia, some of them they now find themselves confronted with, and a very unpractical time will be had by all.

What!!!!!

[moviesfilmsreviewsinc · 10/10 · 2 August 2023]

The issue with on-screen chemistry in TV shows is that people notice when it's absent, making the lights dim and the audience irritably wave away anything else. This is a nice problem, but some TV shows can only dream about a successful double-act like Crowley and Aziraphale. Good Omens' central pairing is so fun that it's unavoidable for other characters to fall short. In this six-part series, the characters like Adam, Dog, Anathema, and Tennant feel underdeveloped and undeveloped. Adam, described as the sweetest boy in the village, is portrayed as a human drawn to evil, while Dog's terrier side outstripped his hellhound side. The character's peculiarities and reversal from world-destroyer to world-savior are difficult to grasp. In episode five, Adam exerts his powers like a tyrannical beast, but the bonds of friendship he's forged over 11 years of living in an idyllic English village bring him back to humanity. The post-coital scene lacks laughs and emotion, while the Four Horsemen are diverting but lack a spark between them. Aziraphale and Crowley's interactions are minimal, and Tennant and Sheen are the main characters. Miranda Richardson's performance as Madame Tracy is excellent, and the possession scene and celestial scooter scene are riotous. David Tennant's snake-eyed performance as Crowley's transport provides a visceral thrill, and the character's uninhibited grief over the loss of Aziraphale and the use of Somebody To Love on the soundtrack is a new level of energy for television. The Victoria Sandwich series lacks emotion, excitement, and laughs from the characters. In the penultimate episode of Good Omens, Crowley finds himself in Hell after killing Ligur and seeks solace in alcohol. Aziraphale demands to be put back on Earth, but despite angels' advice, he steps over to the giant globe and touches England, disintegrating into it and returning to Earth. He appears as an apparition, instructing Crowley to head to the airfield where the end of the world is supposed to take place. After sharing a body, he fades out in search of a host. In the final hour of the world, Aziraphale inhabits Tracey's body, while Crowley faces a massive traffic jam. Hastur escapes from the phone and appears next to Crowley in his car, telling him it's over. Aziraphale shares information about the Antichrist with Sergeant Shardwell. Adam scares away his friends and dog, but realizes he needs them again and launches himself into the sky. He grabs Dog and others and tells them to go to the end of the world with him. The four horsemen arrive at Tadfield airfield, controlling the apocalypse and preparing nuclear warheads. Adam arrives and waits patiently at the gates with Shardwell. Crowley arrives in his flaming car, making a grand entrance as the four horsemen catch wind of the Antichrist's arrival. Good Omens prepares for a showdown between the two forces, with Crowley being the real winner and the constant bursts of Queen filling the airwaves. The episode delivers a tantalizing finale, with a climactic showdown in the finale looking like a tantalizing prospect.

A gripping adaptation that preserves the best spirit of the book

[kasijackson · 10/10 · 20 February 2024]

I loved the excitement of this episode, especially the scenes of Crowley driving the flaming Bentley, Aziraphale's cursing as he is discorporated is well-played and hilarious (Sheen is delightful throughout the series, especially his quirky facial expressions). The Them and the hellhound were one of my favorite parts of the book and this series does these characters justice. It is an ensemble piece contrasting the idyllic childhood experienced by Adam and his cohorts with the impending doom represented by the Four Horsemen. Though I knew what to expect from reading it, this adaptation keeps things fresh and lively. It is an excellent example of a translation from one medium to another that captures the essence of what is important and significant. The adaptation stands on its own and takes things further, especially here in the heartbroken reaction of Crowley (excellently delivered by Tennant) to his perceived loss of Aziraphale. This episode really puts poor Crowley through it, with the loss of the Bentley throughout!

Sigh!

[injury-65447 · 6/10 · 3 July 2020]

At this stage it just feels like the show is going through the motions to get the story over. A shame because I was hoping it would get more exciting as it reaches the conclusion.

Where's the joy? Where's the love? A lot of the acting is very boring and flat. Most of the humour doesn't work. The show is overstuffed with characters and plot points which have no time to be developed properly! It's about the end of the world but I couldn't care less about the fates of these characters.

I think the highlight was the seance scene. That worked well for me.

I feel that this is a pretty poor example of a book adaptation and shows the dangers in trying to stick too rigidly to a certain narrative when a different medium requires a different approach.