10 Things Everyone Should Know About Amazon’s ‘Good Omens’ [No Spoilers]

What is Good Omens?

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch started as a book, first published in 1990, and written by the amazing duo of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. It’s rather beloved by fans of both writers. Now, it has been made into a 6-episode mini-series that will be available on Amazon Prime on May 31, 2019 (it will also apparently run on network TV in the UK).

What’s it about?

It’s about the arrival of the Anti-Christ, the looming end of the world, an angel who likes rare books, and a demon who drives a Bentley. Also, there are a couple of witches, a whole lot of strangely accurate prophecies, and a very good dog (which is redundant).

That all sounds a bit silly, doesn’t it?

Yes, yes it is. Indeed, it is silly and wonderful in the best tradition of silly British books and shows. There’s quite a bit of Hitchhiker’s Guide and Monty Python-style absurdist humor here (Terry Gilliam was once attached to make it as a movie), and of course Pratchett himself was rather appreciated for his humor.

So, do I need to have read the book to appreciate the show?

Quite wonderfully no. My wife, who has her own geek passions, had not read the book before sitting down with me to watch the advance screeners I was sent. That didn’t matter one whit. She loved it. I mean, she LOVED it. She asked whether there was going to be a second season by the end of the second episode (no news on that, it would seem unlikely since there was only one book, but it is called Season 1 on the website). By the end, she was all happy and sad at the same time, because she had so enjoyed it, but it had come to an end.

Well, I’ve read the book; will I enjoy it?

Oh yes. As I watched it (having re-read the book only a month ago just because I knew it was coming — not the screeners, those were a complete surprise), I kept giggling and smiling and laughing because it was all SO GOOD and kept SO MUCH of the book intact. The dialog is so familiar and enjoyable. And yet, there’s more! There is…