Good Omens

Parents say
Based on 14 reviews
Kids say
Based on 31 reviews
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Good Omens
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Good Omens is a comedy about an angel (Michael Sheen) and a demon (David Tennant) who team up to try to prevent Armageddon. A fiery world-ending battle between heaven and hell is a violent event but the series' tone is comic and light, and violence mostly takes place off-screen. Howerver, some images, like a giant snarling dog with razor-sharp teeth, may still scare younger viewers. Language is infrequent and often has a British slant: "bugger," "bastard," "hell," "s--t." Scenes take place in pubs and bars, and our two main characters like to drink together to the point of sloppiness but also have the power to reverse the process and send the alcohol out of their bodies and back into the bottles it came from. Crowley and Aziraphale demonstrate strong teamwork in their quest. Female characters are underrepresented in this comedy. Adults and teens who enjoy comedy mixed with fantasy and sci-fi in the manner of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy will appreciate this show.
Community Reviews
I believe it's one of the best TV series
Report this review
Amazing show, has some strong language
Report this review
What's the Story?
Adapted by the novel of the same name by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, GOOD OMENS tunes into an Earth just days away from Armageddon. Having grown accustomed to a comfortable life in England, the angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and the demon Crowley (David Tennant) have done everything they could to forestall the coming of the Antichrist, but the wheels are in motion now, the Horsemen of the Apocalypse are gathering, and even God (Frances McDormand) is starting to pay attention.
Is It Any Good?
Appealingly daffy and strange, this imaginative fantasy makes the End Times feel like a whole lot of fun. Tennant and Sheen have a marvelously crackling chemistry that makes it easy to picture the two alternately bickering and grudgingly helping each other out since the Dawn of Time -- which we get to witness in this epic show, along with Noah and his Ark, the French Revolution, and Jesus' crucifixion in the sweeping plot. Heady stuff, but it's all grounded in the uneasy lived-in friendship between Aziraphale and Crowley, who lovably bicker their way through Biblical legends.
The visuals are prime too, like a gorgeous sequence in which a mixup between three newborn babies at a satanic convent is illustrated by a set of celestial hands playing three-card monte. As the convent's nuns dash from room to room conveying the babies to and fro in a farce so goofy it might as well be scored with "Yakety Sax," we understand what Good Omens is really about: the heaviest of topics, given the silliest treatment. Fans of science fiction humor like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (books and movies) are particularly urged to give this one a look -- it has what you need.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why the end of humanity is such a common theme in science fiction. What other books, movies, or TV shows can you name that centered around some type of apocalypse? Why is this a compelling topic to viewers?
Science fiction and fantasy movies are usually dramas, not comedies. Why? Can you name other fantasy/sci-fi comedies? Is this an appealing approach to take when showing viewers fantastic events?
What's the difference between science fiction and fantasy? Some viewers say that science fiction is concerned with scenarios that may be possible through science, while fantasy deals with magical or supernatural events with no basis in science. Do you agree with these definitions? Which one is Good Omens?
How do Crowley and Aziraphale demonstrate teamwork in their quest to halt Armageddon? How do the epic events in this series spark viewers' curiosity about history? Why are these important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date: May 31, 2019
- Cast: David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Jon Hamm, Frances McDormand
- Network: Amazon Prime Video
- Genre: Comedy
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: February 27, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love fantasy
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate