Amazon’s six-part mini-series ‘Good Omens’ is a fun end of the world adventure. Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, the series is a comedy adventure starring Michael Sheen as Aziraphale, a well-mannered angel living on earth, and David Tennant as Crowley, a rebellious demon compatriot/frenemy/best friend, also living on earth.
Whereas heaven and hell prepare for the upcoming apocalypse, Aziraphale and Crowley sort of want things to stay the same. As they enjoy the way things are.
The NYCC 2018 panel was a unique experience. More like a concert than a panel in the large Hulu theatre in Madison Square Garden, it opened with an anthem of Queen in the backdrop – fans raising cellphones and rocking out as the participants came on stage. Moderated by the phenomenal Whoopie Goldberg, she discussed the long-awaited series with showrunner Neil Gaiman, director Douglas MacKinnon, and an all-star cast of Michael Sheen, David Tennant, Miranda Richardson, and Jon Hamm.
Here are some highlights from Saturday Morning’s exciting panel:
- Utilizing Queen (which was in the trailer) was an inside joke between Neil and Terry. As they joked that any random cassette left in a car over a long period of time, inevitably turned into the best of Queen. That there was something appealing about Bohemian Rhapsody turning into the literal voice of hell.
- Much of the panel were fans of Neil’s previous works, but the sheer boldness of the script just compelled David Tennant and Miranda Richardson.
- David Tennant was also very excited to be “Ginger”.
- Tennant mentioned in the QA, what was fascinating to him about the show was the tone of the series. How the bizarre and extraordinary crashes into the mundane.
- Michael Sheen likewise agreed, mentioning that in the middle of the story is two extraordinary beings trying to be human, when it’s evident, how they’re not.
- Tennant and Sheen’s chemistry on screen and in-person is magnetic. With both agreeing that one of their favorite episodes to work on was episode 3, where see the duo’s relationship build throughout the entirety of all of time itself.
- Jon Hamm’s approach in playing the angel Gabriel: “To be a boss so certain of his correctness even though he was wrong… something we can all relate to today (referring to our political administration).”
- Throughout the morning, Hamm unabashedly joked several times “I did this for the money”. Going so far as to admit his favorite part about shooting “Was the paycheck! Amazon are Rich!”
- This was also Hamm’s first comic con. Hamm was later asked in the QA about his potential running to portray the next Batman – to which, Gaiman and Hamm playfully redirected the question.
- Several clips from the show were played for the panel. The first was some cinematic shots and some riffing between Aziraphale and Crowley on music tastes. The second, was Hamm as the Angel Gabriel at a library, completely misconstruing human behavior, and asking for the pornography – because that’s what humans do at libraries, according to ill-informed right hands to God.
- One of the noted changes from book to screen was the footnotes, as the TV can’t feature them. What the series does to compensate, is explain things through the voice of God (Played by Francis McDormand).
- One of the reasons Gaiman adapted the series into a tv show was that it was one of his good friend and co-author, Terry Pratchett’s final wishes. Pratchett sadly passed in 2015 from complications of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
- Finally, the panel concluded with the trailer which you can see here.
Good Omens Will Debut in 2019 on Amazon Prime
