The long-awaited adaptation of the comic book series The Sandman by English author Neil Gaiman is finally available to watch on Netflix. The show has ten episodes and tells a dark fantasy narrative that revitalizes the importance of dreams and stories. The Sandman has been highly acclaimed by critics, even if some fans criticized changes from the source material, calling it 'woke.' The author firmly denies this, claiming that all the diversity presented in the show was already a part of the comic books.
The Sandman tells the story of an eternal being called Dreams (or Morpheus). He rules the kingdom of dreams, a fantastical place he calls Dreaming. He is trapped on Earth for a century by a group of black magic occultists. When he escapes, he finds that his realm is destroyed and his most precious possessions were robbed. He goes on the journey of trying to make things what they were, only to encounter even more crucial quests.
What various people thought was 'an unadaptable story' is gaining fans worldwide. With many different important themes, such as the inevitability of change, The Sandman nonetheless has a central idea: the importance of dreams and stories. Here is how they are explored in the series.
Storytelling in The Sandman
There is no way to deny that Neil Gaiman has the power to hold the reader's attention instantly. He is also always reiterating the power stories have, especially in the mythologies and religions we create, whether in his novels or in interviews. So it is no surprise the importance that this central theme has in The Sandman and, therefore, in the adaptation.
Morpheus (Tom Sturridge) meets with a young man who wants to be a writer in a tavern in the 1500s. He is instantly intrigued because the man wants to create stories for others to dream about even after he dies. Morpheus then strikes a bargain with him once he asks if he wants to give people dreams while they are still awake, and William Shakespeare says yes. This is a small part of the series, but perfectly exemplifies why storytelling is so important: stories give people the ability to be transported to different places and live impossible adventures, such as when they are asleep and dreaming, while still awake.
Storytelling and stories have been a part of humanity since the beginning. This need for stories has been intensified nowadays, with streaming services providing a literally countless amount of possible stories to watch every day in response to the miseries of life and the hopeless, burning world in which we live. People need stories to be entertained, but most importantly, to survive.
Shakespeare was not wrong when he claimed (in the series) to make people dream long after he is dead: a good story (which needs a great storyteller behind it) never loses its power. From classic Greek plays to streaming platforms' weekly new releases, stories have the power to change people forever. How many have been inspired to live life differently by reading a book or watching a play? Or by simply listening to someone telling what they have been through?
Dreams In The Sandman
In episode four, Morpheus goes to hell to try and retrieve one of his artifacts. While there, he has to face Lucifer Morningstar (Gwendoline Christie) in an epic game of storytelling, in which one pretends to be something and tries to defeat what their opponent chose. But, since this is a Gaiman story, it's not so simple: they feel the attacks of the other person. For example, Lucifer starts as a dire wolf (a Game of Thrones nod? Maybe, maybe not), so Morpheus chooses a hunter. Therefore, Lucifer felt when the hunter's arrow went through the wolf. In the end, the protagonist can beat the ruler of hell by being hope itself, something that is unkillable. Lucifer then threatens not to let him leave, because what power do dreams hold in hell? Morpheus tells her that he has all the power there, for what is the power of hell itself if the demons don't dream of heaven?
This is only one example of many moments in the series that depicts how dreams and hope are intertwined, and how much power they indeed hold. The series plays with the actual definition of a dream (when a person is sleeping) along with metaphorical nature of a dream, someone's aspirations and wants. In a gory episode later in the season, a character is faced with what happens to people who get their dreams taken away from them - and it is not pleasant to watch. Gaiman shows that dreams and aspirations are some, if not the, most important thing in a person's life: what keeps them alive.
Beware of Dreams and Stories
While The Sandman spends the majority of the ten episodes reminding and showing the audience the importance of dreams and stories, it also warns it about them. After attending a serial killer convention, Morpheus rips the attendees' dreams and makes them face reality: the stories they told themselves of being the victims, the excuses they had to impose their desires and dreams onto others, the pain they caused so many people; the king of dreams makes them feel everything. It is necessary to understand that while these things are what make people feel alive, their power can be too grand and terrible; they can be manipulated by powerful forces, or they can delude people into false realities. They are sometimes something to be aware of and even feared.
Neil Gaiman's Adaptations
If you have already binged watched The Sandman but still want to be immersed in a Neil Gaiman story, there are various adaptations of his works available to watch. Good Omens is a miniseries on Prime Video based on a book by Gaiman and Terry Pratchet, another renowned fantasy author. The story is a bit more uplifting and has more comedic aspects than The Sandman, mainly due to Pratchet's touch. American Gods is a great series from Starz, but unfortunately, after three seasons, the series was canceled. That being said, it is still worth the watch because of the glorious imagery and interesting characters.
The Sandman is a very good adaptation that really incorporates what Gaiman's stories are about. The special effects, the acting, and the well-constructed story combine with the themes to make you look at life differently, and exposes the way we rely upon stories and narratives to survive. There is no reason not to binge-watch it right now and embark on this adventure on the realm of dreams.