Should you watch the new series connected to Netflix’s flagship series The Sandman?
For years, Dead Boy Detectives was in development hell. It started its path as an HBO Max project before ultimately finding a home at Netflix, where it was able to become something more — a series set within the same continuity as The Sandman. Was it worth the wait? Here’s our SPOILER review.
For those who are unfamiliar with Dead Boy Detectives, the show centres on the late Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland, who choose to stay on Earth as ghosts and devote their time to unravelling various paranormal mysteries rather than pass into the hereafter. The two main characters in an issue of the Season of Mists story arc first appeared in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman comic. Later on, they would get their own comic book runs by a variety of authors, including Toby Litt and Ed Brubaker.
Note that there is no connection whatsoever between this series and the Dead Boy Detectives (Ty Tennant and Sebastian Croft) that appeared in Doom Patrol. Set in the Sandman Universe of Netflix, the series is entirely unique. That being said, Doom Patrol is still referenced in the new series, with one character even donning a Doom Patrol jersey. This means that the show never forgets its past.
Edwin Paine (George Rexstrew) and Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri), the two series’ titular characters, are outstanding. They are the centre of attention and the ones who play the parts, giving the characters a distinct personality. To be sure, I didn’t miss the performers who had played them. They make a comical pair that complements each other like chalk and cheese. There are many instances that will make you laugh aloud, but you also feel sympathy for them. There is the ideal equilibrium.
Additionally, their clairvoyant, living friend Crystal Palace (Kassius Nelson) joins them for numerous investigations. With her lost memories and having to fight an evil demon named David (David Iacono) mentally throughout the season, Nelson was a true highlight of the show. She exuded energy and carried a lot of emotional weight. She is an equally important character as the titular duo because a large portion of the plot is portrayed from her point of view. Niko (Yuyu Kitamura), a recurrent character that rounds out the core cast, is another one I enjoyed. In a way that other characters are unable to, Niko’s eccentricity and humour serve as a great source of comic relief throughout the series. A standout moment is her back-and-forth debate with two opinionated spirits.
As Jenny the Butcher, Crystal’s renter, Briana Cuoco was a noteworthy actress among the supporting cast. Ruth Connell, who played the Night Nurse and was in charge of the afterlife’s lost-and-found division, was also entrusted with locating Charles and Edwin. The main antagonists of the show were a mixed bag. Max Jenkins’ character, the Cat King, seemed a bit undercooked to me; he was more of a constant annoyance than anything else. Though there is some overlap with Sandman’s Dream of a Thousand Cats tale arc, I did enjoy the talking cats. In the meantime, the Detectives were a worthy match for Esther, the bad witch. It’s entertaining to observe her dual personality—sinister yet vivacious.