Good Omens
By Joyce Slaton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Good and evil team up in zany, teen-friendly fantasy/sci-fi.
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Good Omens
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Based on 17 parent reviews
I believe it's one of the best TV series
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Amazing show !
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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
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