Ah yes. Finally. Something I truly hated to help prove that I don't simply love everything I watch. Typically I just have a pretty good sense of what I will or will not like so I tend to avoid the bottomless cesspool of hot garbage content. But every once in a while, something slips through. You know, kind of like sand.
Well this one totally got me. But it is not totally my fault. I watched season one a couple of years ago and actually liked it. My wife has been a fan of teh comic books since their original release. She talked about it quite a bit when we first met and I bought her lots of Sandman merch when we first started dating (I'm Industrial, she's a bit Goth). So when the show hit Netflix, I was eager to watch with her.
The first season was very entertaining. From the first moment it came on, I knew this was one where the visuals were going to play a major role. We are lucky enough to have a large Dolby TV so I closed the curtains and turned off the lights so I could really enjoy the visuals and special effects. They were absolutely stunning. So even when the show slowed down and could have been boring, I had teh visuals to keep me glued to the screen.
But the first season did not have many moments like that. There was a clear goal for the season. The Sandman (who is the master of Dreams) returned from being imprisoned. When he returns, he finds his weapons and armor are missing. He must hunt and finds them. This search takes him to different realms including our "waking world". The show introduces a ton of interesting characters including his siblings: Destiny, Death, Destruction, Desire, Despair and Delirium. They also introduce a few humans from Dream's past. Of these characters, I loved Death, portrayed by Kirby Howell-Baptiste, the most. I absolutely despised Desire, portrayed by Mason Alexander Park. But that was actually a good thing. Park did an amazing job of playing this role. The fact that I hated the character so much was a testament to their acting chops. There were some exciting scenes and interesting dialogue. I thoroughly enjoyed the first season.
But wait. Isn't this supposed to be about season two? Why so much about season one? Well that because there is almost nothing to say about season two. I honestly couldn't even spoil it if I wanted to because nothing happens. Some people die and some others get kidnapped. But because I did not care about a single character, it didn't even really matter. One of the first episodes is about Dream going to Hell to take it over. We hear of the thousands of demons ready to fight. But when Dream shows up, he and Lucifer have a melancholy, emotionless chat and Lucifer just retires. That's it. Nothing happens.
Imagine he is talking slowly, seriously, and quietly to this bird about absolutely nothing. There you have just seen Season 2 of the Sandman.
I can say that about every single episode. They all seem to be setting something up... and then nothing happens. I stuck with it for about three episodes. Then I spent another one just enjoying the visuals. But after that, I watched it as a chore. I figured I'd come this far and should finish it. But over the remaining seven episodes, I spent 90% of the time scrolling or playing Euchre on my phone. It was simply awful. Sadly, I don't think I missed a single thing... because nothing happened.
You would think with so much boring and endless talking, a lot of story would unfold. But no. It was all start a plot (I use the word "plot" loosely) and immediately wrap it up in a very confusing way. I have never seen so much... nothing... in all of my life.
Wait there was one redeeming factor. Esme Creed Miles as Delirium was absolutely delightful! She was so spacey and fun. I think hers were the only scenes I watched. I really wish they would have just edited out every other pointless scene and just showed her running around. That would have made for a nice one our episode. And then just freaking end it.
Delirium is the only redeeming quality of this season.
If I am not being direct enough, the second season of The Sandman was a flaming dumpster fire of hot garbage. Wait no. That would be too exciting. It was an empty dumpster just sitting in a strong wind making a whining noise as the wind blows through its cracks.