After losing the Antichrist and harbouring the angel Gabriel, our favourite angel-and-demon duo are back for one last outing, and this time… there’s Jesus. Yes, after their on-screen debut back in 2019, David Tennant’s Crowley and Michael Sheen’s Aziraphale have returned for one final adventure.
An adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s 1990 novel of the same name, Good Omens has told its biblical retelling over 12 episodes. However, after recent allegations made against co-creator Gaiman, the decision was made to cut the series down to a 90-minute finale, giving the story the ending it deserves.
With stories of biblical proportions, I wasn’t sure what they would bring this season. The answer? Another end-of-the-world plotline and the second coming of Christ. As a fan of the last two seasons, I found this story somewhat underwhelming. With only 90 minutes to play with, the pacing is odd, taking too long to reunite the pair. The mystery central to the plot is clear as day, even to the characters, who solve it after about 10 minutes. And, I can’t believe I’m writing this, but Jesus feels weirdly underused.
The Son of God himself is billed as a key player in the concluding chapter of this story. Instead, he wafts around Soho, barely interacting with the two leads. In previous seasons, a character like Jesus would have been given lots of space to grow, interact with multiple key players in the story, and develop a greater understanding of the world he was set to save. Instead, he often feels like he belongs in a completely different programme.
I understand why this story is weak; production undoubtedly had to make a massive U-turn to get this finale out into the world. But watching this felt akin to chewing something and waiting for the flavour to arrive. Where the show picks up is in its direction. Doctor Who alum Rachel Talalay brings a flair and wit to the direction that injects as much colour as possible into the dull story. While the special effects may look cheap at times, it is clear that both Talalay and the rest of the creative team poured everything they had into giving the show the send-off it deserved.
It’s not surprising that where the show truly shines is in its leads. Both Sheen and Tennant sparkle on screen together. Their chemistry and understanding of their roles allow for a sense of play that continually draws you in, even if the story they’re telling is somewhat weak. It also seems that the show is aware of this, favouring sequences of the two engaging in side-quest antics or simply talking, giving fans the much-needed time to properly say goodbye. At times, it even drops the plot entirely just to give us what we all want: more time with them.
Season Three of Good Omens had a heavy burden: concluding a much-loved, massive story in a satisfying 90-minute TV movie. While the great direction and stellar performances shine, it’s hard to make a weak story twinkle. They tried their best, but the best I can say is that it’s simply okay. If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll have fun, but if you were considering using this as a jumping-on point, I would suggest getting a big bag of popcorn, getting cosy, and going back to where it all started: in the Garden of Eden, when a white-haired angel first meets a red-haired demon and a millennia-long story begins.
★★★
Streaming on Amazon Prime May 13th / David Tennant, Michael Sheen / Dir: Rachel Talalay / BBC Studios Productions, Amazon MGM Studios
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