Good Omens season two

It became evidently clear following the release of season one that Good Omens was one for the fans and their support gave the show life. Now season two has arrived and that perception is very much the same. This time, heaven is missing an angel. David Tennant and Michael Sheen reprise their roles as the incredibly likeable angel and demon duo, who now find themselves caught in a predicament when the archangel Gabriel (John Hamm) comes to Earth, but curiously has no recollection of who he is.

The mystery surrounding Gabriel’s amnesia becomes the crux of the narrative and the resounding feeling is that while still harnessing the charm and humour, Good Omens season two is lacking a sense of peril and jeopardy that so effortlessly enveloped the first season. On the scale of things, the first instalment felt larger than this latest season, with a lot of the action taking place in either Aziraphale’s bookshop or through “minisode” storylines that take us back on a journey across time.

There is, however, a feeling that, despite the paper-thin characters that make us the supporting case, this delivery of fan service is not only acceptable but welcomed. Both Sheen and Tennant, who have previously boasted magnificent on-screen chemistry, carry the story and are once again in their element as their characters, despite their development seemingly being reached and fully completed in series one. Although now fully moulded into their present selves, the deeper dive into Aziraphale and Crowley’s relationship history over thousands of years will prove to be a real pleaser amongst the fanbase, as really, that is what is all that is wanted. We also see the return of a number of favourite faces including Hamm and Miranda Richardson, but to the disappointment of many, no Anna Maxwell Martin as Beelzebub who, due to scheduling conflicts, is replaced by Shelley Conn.

Season one may have stuck to the source material like honey on a stick. Still, despite having freer rein as we advance, the key elements and themes of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s original novel are still present, and Good Omen’s season two has heart in abundance. Gaiman has said that this series will act as a bridge between the first and a possibly grander third season plot, and the writers have taken this as an opportunity to indulge a little more in what they wish to explore more in this chapter. Even with this slight change in approach, Good Omens is once again fun, witty and devilishly clever – something the late Terry Pratchett would be very proud of.

Guy Lambert

Good Omens season two is released on Prime Video on 28^th July 2023.

Watch the trailer for Good Omens season two here: