Good Omens Season 2 is finally here and we are excited to make this review for you. We had to wait for the season to finish so that we see the whole picture of it. It was hard to respect that decision and not start writing earlier, but we made it! Before we get into season 2, let’s go on a short run through the source material and Season 1 of Good Omens.
Good Omens Season 1 as a Book Adaptation
Every time we hear that some of our favorite books will be adapted for TV, we get nervous. There are so many disappointing movies and TV shows based on books that we can’t help but worry that TV adaptations would not get even close to our expectations. Fortunately, Good Omens season 1 was an exception, and we are sure that Neil Gaiman’s involvement made the difference.
Photo Credits: Neil Gaiman, Good Omens
Minor modifications didn’t change the essence of Good Omens
Good Omens Season 1 turned out to be very good. Sure, we noticed some differences compared to the book, but they were small and didn’t change the idea of the book. For example, in the book War doesn’t come to the people who are about to sign the peace agreement and she doesn’t make them fight about who should sign first. She brings civil war to the small island where people lived from tourism and have never thought of fighting. However, both scenarios fit the biblical idea and contain elements of humor.
Besides, the woman looks as described in the book, unlike Pollution. But again, it doesn’t make an important difference. A guy with white hair and the face of a Victorian poet who is about to die from tuberculosis from the book and a woman from a TV show are the same character. The same thing applies to red-haired and black Pepper. Although we liked ginger Paper because she reminded us of Pippi Longstocking, we didn’t mind this change because no one messed with her personality.
There are more details from the TV show that are different from the book, but overall, the adaptation follows the source material with high accuracy. There’s even a narrator so the viewers don’t miss all the interesting things that were said in the book.
Of course, those who have read Good Omens felt like too much of a background was missing. Not the things that explain something important, but brilliant humorous paragraphs that only Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman could write. However, we understand that TV and books are different concepts. The dialogues are mostly from the book in its original form which is a good thing. Even the chronology, which is mixed here and there compared to the book, is not an issue. There are a few scenes that are added for the TV Show only such as Aziraphale and Crowley meetings in different times during 6000 years on Earth, and it turned out just fine.
Photo Credits: Amazon Prime, Good Omens
Unnecessary but acceptable changes
The only thing that was too much for me personally is when other angels threaten Aziraphale, as well as some final scenes where, we suppose, the creators wanted to underline the point that the line between angels and demons, Heaven and Hell – is thin. Not that it ruined the show, I just think it was not necessary, we got the point. On the other hand, I don’t know how it feels watching Good Omens not being familiar with the book. Maybe for those who haven’t read the book all this looks perfectly fine.
All in all, if you are aware that it’s a TV show, not a book, you can say that people who worked on Good Omens Season 1 did a great job! I prefer adaptations that follow the book in every detail, like the Russian adaptation of Master and Margarita from 2006. However, I don’t see a reason to reject any changes as long as they follow the idea of the book and don’t change the characters’ personalities as it happened with Earthsea mini-series and anime.
Good Omens Season 2
There’s no book to compare Good Omens Season 2 with. Well, there is an unpublished manuscript that Gaiman and Pratchett made, but we’re not familiar with it. It doesn’t mean we were not anxious about what the sequel would look like. Now we can say that we are not disappointed, although we did notice some things we were not happy about.
Aziraphale and Crowley first meeting
I loved the scenes of Crowley and Aziraphale meeting in the different times of Earth’s history from Season 1. But it’s not just me, or a few people. Many viewers loved these parts as well as the unique relationship between the angel and the demon. So I was not surprised when I saw more of these scenes from the past in Season 2. They go even further – the TV Show begins with these two beloved characters meeting when they both were angels.
It’s a good opening. It explains what we already know, and recalls the idea from the book and season 1 that even angels don’t understand God’s plans but they usually don’t think about it, anticipating that season 2 continues in that particular direction and distinguishing Crowley and Aziraphale from others. I loved when Crowley asked what kind of trouble he can get into for asking questions. Knowing much wiser Crowley who knows very well how big troubles questions can bring, it seemed like seeing him as an innocent child.
Photo Credits: Amazon Prime, Good Omens
Season 1 extensions as a plot base for Season 2
Some things I saw as unnecessary in season 1 are actually the base of season 2. However, not having a source material for season 2 nullifies this problem – there’s no “burden” to carry.
In Season 1 angels are a bit more strict compared to the book where they don’t keep an eye on Aziraphale, they don’t know he meets with Crowley, and they don’t warn him about thinking too much. Also, in the book, there’s no punishment for Aziraphale and Crowley (which they avoid with the help of Agnes Nutter’s prophecy). These extensions were made for TV Show, and Good Omens Season 2 follows that line and develop further the special connection between Crowley and Aziraphale.
The plot is built on Heaven’s and Hell’s exclusiveness with one thing in common – not understanding humans, or Aziraphale and Crowley. The story from the Book of Job represents all this. It was logical choice because Job is an exception. Other God’s favorites from the Bible don’t ask for reasons, just as other angels, with Aziraphale as an exception, don’t bother with any questions about God’s plans and ethical dilemmas regarding humans.
Job suffers because God and Satan placed a bet. Aziraphale is shocked to hear that. He also realizes that angels don’t understand at all what’s wrong with taking children from humans and giving them new ones later. They know nothing about human reproduction either. For them, it’s all simple – they are not the ones who harm people, it’s Hell’s job. As long as someone else is doing the dirty job, they’re fine.
Crowley, whose role is to do the dirty job, understands all these things. That’s why he says to Aziraphale that he’s not on anyone’s side, he’s on his own. After everything that happened with Job and his family, and after he had lied for the first time, Aziraphale understood what Crowley’s words meant. “You’re just an angel that goes with Heaven as far as he can“, says Crowley. It was the moment when Aziraphale realizes he was on his own too.
Photo Credits: Amazon Prime, Good Omens
Gabriel in Good Omens Season 2
We know Gabriel from season 1 where we saw him as a self-confident jaunty Archangel with no problem with taking sides. In Good Omens Season 2 Gabriel shows up at Aziraphale’s bookshop naked with an empty box. He doesn’t know who he or Aziraphale was, or why he came.
It turns out that no one in Heaven or Hell doesn’t know where Gabriel was. They search for him. That’s the end of Aziraphale’s and Crowley’s peaceful existence. The first one can’t refuse to help Gabriel and the other one can’t refuse to help his friend, although he hates Gabriel. While they hide Archangel and try to find out what happened, Heaven and Hell keep an eye on them. The demon who replaced Crowley, Shax, figures out that Archangel is in the bookshop.
Although Gabriel initiates the plot, we don’t see him often. It’s like he’s in the show only to put Aziraphale and Crowley in focus. Even in the scenes where we see him, his presence is just a background for these two. Gabriel has our full attention only in the last episode before Crowley and Aziraphale steal it again. We almost forget about such a huge thing as love between Archangel Gabriel and Beelzebub when Crowley and Aziraphale finally start to talk about their relationship.
Photo Credits: Amazon Prime, Good Omens
The most important question is how and why Gabriel completely changed his mind about Armageddon. Gabriel suggests that the answer lies in the fact that the previous plan for Armageddon was an epic fail. But that’s not enough.
Like all angels and demons, Gabriel wanted the final war. It was the war to win, not to avoid. That’s why he hated Aziraphale and Crowley so much and wanted them dead. They were the only ones with different opinion and they dared to do everything they could to stop the war. They spoiled something Gabriel was waiting for 6000 years, something that he lived for. No one understood why our beloved duo wanted to stop destroying Earth and killing all people in a war that was planned from the beginning and supposed to end the existence of Heaven and Hell and leave only one side to enjoy the Eternity.
Now we find out that Gabriel decisively refused to allow the war to be started again when other higher angels opened the question of Armageddon that was postponed thanks to Crowley and Aziraphale. All of a sudden, it was not postponed for Gabriel, it became something that should never happen. A huge part is missing. Changing opinions so radically is a process, or it happens fast if there’s something to make you realize you’ve been wrong all the time. We haven’t seen or heard about either of those. It is fair to mention that a lack of consistency in Gabriel’s and Beelzubub’s characters is a problem in Season 2.
Photo Credits: Amazon Prime, Good Omens
Aziraphale and Crowley
In Season 1, the friendship between Aziraphale and Crowley is more emphasized compared to the book. So we expected from Good Omens Season 2 to develop this relationship further, particularly because they didn’t need to hide anymore. After they messed with the plans for Armageddon together, their cooperation was not a secret.
Cooperation turning into something more than friendship was also to be expected. With Maggie and Nina, we could see it getting closer. But going completely separate ways? We didn’t see that coming!
However, unlike Gabriel, Aziraphale and Crowley are consistent.
Aziraphale
The angel was on his own because he could not understand what was right in some of Heaven’s decisions, but he always wanted to belong to the side of good. Aziraphale regretted the fact that Heaven didn’t align with his ideals. When he got the chance to change something as the Archangel, he was happy to take it. He was even allowed to keep Crowley by his side.
Aziraphale is an optimist. He believes he can make a difference. His heart is broken because Crowley refuses to go with him. However, he feels the duty to accept the position that would give him a chance to do good on a higher level.
Crowley
Crowley has never been an optimist. He doesn’t believe that anyone or anything can change things that much to make him satisfied. Minor changes are possible, that’s why he never minded his own demonic business but acted as he thought it was right even when he knew he would get in huge trouble for disobedience and betrayal. But making a big difference and changing the way Heaven and Hell work? Crowley can not believe that possibility.
He refused the offer for the highest position in Hell, and the opportunity to be an angel again is not much different for him. He wants freedom, and he can’t have it if he chooses one side. So it is logical he chooses to stay lonely on his own side despite the love he feels for Aziraphale.
Photo Credits: Amazon Prime, Good Omens
Final Thoughts About Good Omens Season 2
There are things about Good Omens Season 2 we were not happy about. Inconsistency regarding Gabriel’s character, and the angels’ and demons’ inability to think smarter are just some of the examples. Sending Muriel, who doesn’t know anything about Earth and humanity, to keep an eye on Aziraphale completely unprepared is hard to understand.
Also, Season 2 brought nothing new. The idea is the same one from Season 1, which wouldn’t be a problem if we saw a more dynamic plot and more strong characters to represent it. Instead, everything happens in the last episode, while Crowley and Aziraphale practically carry the show all the time. Luckily, David Tennant and Michael Sheen did a great job. We didn’t expect less. Despite all this, we really enjoyed the show, particularly its brilliant humor. We believe there’s no need to make this article even longer by talking about the scenes we loved. We’ll just say that we need more meaningful TV humor.
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