How would you react if you learned that the end of the world is next Saturday?
Would you panic? Would you remain unmoved?
Would you let it unfold as the great ineffable plan of God was planned?
Or would you defuse the Apocalypse?
Imagine being a demon or an angel with a comfortable earthly life,
forced to set up the decisive events at this end of the world
without having the slightest desire to kill humanity
and to destroy all the libraries
and all the Queen's compilations lying around in a glove box.
An embarrassing situation for the heroes of Good Omens, isn't it?
We meet again today to talk about the new Amazon Prime show,
released on May 31, 2019.
I obviously want to talk about "Good Omens",
adapted from the Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's novel,
and in which we find, among others,
our dear David Tennant, in a role probably tailor-made for him,
even if he had not even really launched his career during the publication of the book.
So it was... a good omen!
"Good Omens" - the show as the book, since it is adapted quite faithfully -
tells the tragicomic adventures of Aziraphale, played by Michael Sheen,
an angel too kind, even for angels,
bookseller in Soho and fascinated by human kind,
and Crowley, played by David Tennant,
a demon who takes the line of least resistance,
attributing himself the exploits accomplished by humans
to be lathered to the unscrupulous administration of the underworld.
Each of them lives his little life on Earth,
one making pious miracles here and there,
the other pushing humanity to vile temptations,
until the birth of the Antichrist,
son of Satan and trigger to the Apocalypse.
An event that will shake the quiet life of our two protagonists,
each charged by their camp to influence the education of the Antichrist on Earth
to lean towards evil or good before the fateful date of Armageddon.
But what can be done to prevent this Apocalypse that neither Aziraphale nor Crowley want to see happen?
Of course, I will not tell you, it would be a spoiler, my child.
About spoilers, by the way, we won't tell you major parts of the story, only small glimpses and references.
The "Good Omens" novel was released in 1990 in the United Kingdom and in 1995 in France.
Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman had known each other since 1985
and it is quite naturally that they took the idea of writing a modern fantasy novel together,
with Pratchett's absurd and caustic humor and the religious themes Gaiman praised.
Terry Pratchett is an English author best known for "Discworld",
a series of thirty books and a dozen specials in a universe parodying fantasy.
These works take place in a disc-shaped world, landed on the backs of four elephants,
themselves on the back of a giant tortoise sailing through space,
and follow a plethora of incredible characters living amazing adventures.
Neil Gaiman is also a prolific English author, also known for his series of "Sandman" comics,
telling various adventures of Dream / Sandman / Oneiros / Lord of Dreams / Morpheus...
Choose the name you like the most.
He also is the author of novels such as "American Gods", "Stardust", "Coraline", "Neverwhere"...
The guy has not been idle.
Although each wrote some parts on his side, the two authors called each day to debrief
and regularly exchange floppy disks containing the parts written by each of them.
They rewrote, annotated the slightest detail,
to finally obtain a work reflecting the pen of the two authors.
Only the character of the prophet witch Agnes Nutter can be considered as an entire creation of Pratchett.
But even if the majority of the final text was written by Terry Pratchett,
he did not claim to be the main author of "Good Omens".
The ideas were brainstormed and he had the most free time to put their ideas in writing
- he wasn't pressed to write "Discworld",
whereas Neil Gaiman was forced to provide the scripts of "Sandman" regularly,
and didn't always have time to write "Good Omens".
In addition, Terry Pratchett was an experienced novel writer,
where Gaiman was accustomed to Comics back then,
so it was easier for Pratchett to spread their ideas for a satisfying novel.
The novel was a great success and received several literacy awards...
But was not understood by everyone as it should,
that is to say as a novel full of humor and extremely blasphemous.
He was, for example, named in a prize-giving ceremony dedicated to religious fiction,
and was taken by some journalists for a collection of authentic apocalyptic prophecies,
to the surprise of the authors who found these situations most comical.
Soon enough came the idea of adapting "Good Omens".
As early as 1992, Pratchett and Gaiman began working on a screenplay for the production studio Sovereign Pictures,
but quickly realized that the project was a disaster.
Pratchett left the ship
and Gaiman tried to pick up the pieces by starting on a very different story from the novel's,
taking place in the United States and without the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
The two men will be freed from this calamity thanks to the bankruptcy of the studio,
allowing them to recover the rights.
Then Terry Gilliam, ex-Monty Python, director of "Brazil"
or more recently "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote",
decided to make a "Good Omens" film in 2002,
with the desire to cast Johnny Depp as Crowley and Robin Williams as Aziraphale.
Unfortunately, the project fell through, due to lack of funding
and according to Neil Gaiman, due to poor timing.
In the midst of the terror that followed the 9/11 attacks,
producers were reluctant to fund a film sold by Gilliam
as a hilarious comedy about the Antichrist and the end of the world.
For a few years, Gilliam continued to believe in the project, which will ultimately lead to nothing.
Gaiman and Pratchett, both pessimistic about the Hollywood production methods,
that rarely lead to a final product, will start turning to other mediums.
Thus, in 2011, appears a project of TV series
written, among others, by ex-Monty Python Terry Jones
and the writer of "Small Soldiers", Gavin Scott, but the project remained suspended.
A radio adaptation was finally released in 2015, on BBC Radio 4,
with Mark Heap as Aziraphale and Peter Serafinowicz as Crowley.
It includes Pratchett and Gaiman in the roles of two policemen named Terry and Neil.
But Terry Pratchett never abandoned the idea of adapting "Good Omens" on screen.
Neil Gaiman was not opposed either, on the condition of writing this adaptation with Pratchett.
Unfortunately, Pratchett's health was declining rapidly.
Reached with Alzheimer's disease and unwilling to continue to live once his mental state reaches a critical stage,
he tried to educate the general public about assisted suicide.
He died on March 12, 2015 at the age of 66, of natural death caused by his illness.
Neil Gaiman then had a complicated responsibility.
Shortly before his death, Pratchett had wrote him in a letter
that he wanted "Good Omens" to be adapted,
and that Gaiman himself will take care of it,
because no one else could understand the love that Pratchett had for their work.
Gaiman promised him that he would respect his wishes.
On the plane that was taking him home, in the state of New York,
after Terry Pratchett's funeral, he began to write this famous adaptation.
It was inconceivable for him to write the scripts for this show,
so important from a personal point of view, and then to leave it to anyone.
He will be the showrunner of "Good Omens", and that's it.
He sidelined his other projects to dedicate himself fully to this one.
He relied on his own contacts for the cast:
David Tennant, which seemed obvious to him, as Crowley, Michael Sheen as Aziraphale,
Frances McDormand as God, Benedict Cumberbatch as Satan
or even Jon Hamm as Archangel Gabriel, a character not present in the book
but which was supposed to appear in the never written sequel.
He incorporated several ideas developed by Pratchett and himself for the sequel,
such as paradise, a great immaculate hall overlooking a sublime city from which rise impressive skyscrapers,
and hell, narrow basement and poorly lit where no one wants to hang out.
Rewriting a work he started 30 years ago also made him realise that,
where Pratchett and himself originally found it amusing that the early 90s,
an era of relative peace and widespread awareness of protection of nature,
was the starting point of the Apocalypse,
it seemed henceforth to have never been so close to the Apocalypse.
As if what was a joke for them turned out to be now truthful,
giving after all to "Good Omens" a much more bitter and plausible taste.
Also, he found that the political satire present in the book was also increased tenfold today.
Without mentioning specific political parties, it can be found, in the links between angels and demons,
all the drifts, at the time of the book, in the political world and still as much in our time.
The inability to admit faults, the will to put one's interests at the expense of others,
the manipulation of good and evil, making these concepts lose all meaning.
A bitter but unequivocal analysis for him: "Good Omens" has never been more relevant than it is today.
But even if these messages are included in a part of the work,
Gaiman does not want to teach a lesson.
His goal is not to create a unifying work either.
If people like the rendering, great. If they don't, too bad for them.
If they grumble because the series is only six episodes long and will have no second season, that a shame for them.
Because "Good Omens" exists as a tribute to Terry Pratchett,
and this is why it's so faithful to the basic material.
Neil Gaiman knows it, Terry Pratchett was not a believer,
he is not a ghost hanging out on Earth to watch the show,
but this show remains for him the last tribute to his friend.
Last tribute emphasised by references here and there to Pratchett,
including his famous hat and scarf trailing on a set and in a newspaper ad.
Moreover, many and varied references can be found in the show:
"All Creatures Great and Small", "American Gods" - the other work of Gaiman adapted by Amazon Prime Video -, a song by Tori Amos,...
But Doctor Who, for which Gaiman wrote two episodes: "The Doctor's Wife" and "Nightmare in Silver",
wins the highest number of references:
tie with the colors of the fourth Doctor's scarf, Crowley consulting Gallifrey's record in his encyclopedia astronomical,
the license plate "SIDRAT" in reference to the ship of The War Games - or just in reference to TARDIS upside down perhaps,
Brian declaiming "EXTERMINATE",...
In the end, the final product is a very nice tribute to the work it adapts.
Aesthetically, we find the kitsch and vintage aspect from the book
- although some SFX are sometimes beyond kitsch.
The comical moments, taken as they are from the book, lack sometimes some explanations,
leaving the novice on the sidelines,
but satisfying the fan of the book who's happy to have his small references,
because he knows that houseplants grow better under threat
and that any tape forgotten several days in a glove box magically becomes a compilation of Queen.
It's a shame, but it's all about details, and the main plot is crystal clear for new watchers.
In the end, the show is affordable for neophytes and a genuine memory trigger for fans.
A good compromise, then.
Well, personally, I always find the end a bit disappointing, despite some nice additions in the show,
but this is only my humble opinion.
What matters to me is the care given to the characters and scenery,
retranscribing almost exactly what I imagined reading the book.
"Good Omens" could hardly have been adapted more accurately.
And it would have been hard to find better performers
for Aziraphale and Crawley than Michael Sheen and David Tennant, whose duo works so well
we would like to watch a show of 25 episodes dedicated to their meetings throughout history.
So, to see the same thing, rather read the book?
But why not both? I can not recommend too much to read "Good Omens",
which is one of the books I preferred to read as it is funny, irreverent and exciting.
And I can not recommend too much to watch "Good Omens" for the same reasons.
If you like British humor, corrosive characters and offbeat ambiances, go for it!
Go ahead, read and watch "Good Omens"!
And go back here to tell us what you thought about it.
Feel free to share this video around you, to your friends fans of Pratchett, Gaiman or Tennant,
or just anyone to make him/her discover the fascinating work of "Good Omens".
And for Doctor Who fans who have landed here, don't forget to subscribe to the channel.
For now, I make you big kisses, and see you soon!
