Requiem for a Dream

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Warning: This discussion may contain spoilers for the second season of “The Sandman” which can be streamed on Netflix starting from July 24.

In the latter part of Season 2 of The Sandman, Morpheus, one of the Endless, is repeatedly informed that he has changed. As the Master of the Dreaming, Morpheus has been responsible for countless dreams throughout the centuries he’s held this position. He takes his responsibilities very seriously and can be quite gruff, working tirelessly, possessive in love, and adhering to a rigid hierarchy. However, he doubts his ability to change. His family, allies, and friends, however, argue that he has, using the past 11 episodes as proof: He’s become thoughtful in his former relationships, a better parent and sibling, a proactive caretaker of his domain. He’s even apologized for past wrongs!

Despite repeated efforts by Morpheus’ allies to persuade him that he had evolved and transformed, he consistently failed to convincingly portray the central character in this adaptation. Frequently in “The Sandman,” he served more as a link between more intriguing and dynamic characters, and between narratives that were more captivating and tense than his own. He was like a formal ’90s Trent Reznor look-alike at the intersection of these stories, a perpetual scowl with sharp cheekbones connecting them – and somewhat dull.

As the second season’s latter half adapts “The Kindly Ones” and “The Wake” comic collections, it kills off Dream, gathers most of the series’ cast for his funeral, and this disparity between Morpheus as portrayed in “The Sandman” and how he appeared onscreen is at its maximum.

In simpler terms, a creative individual with a complicated personality. Now that these accusations have come to light, it’s awkward, at the very least, to watch Morpheus being praised and mourned in the final episodes of this adaptation. However, it also shows how powerful “The Sandman” can be when it explores themes beyond Dream.

Initially, things weren’t quite as described in the first season of The Sandman. The storyline started by presenting Morpheus as Dream, who had been imprisoned on Earth for a long time, and followed his journey to freedom and reunion with his colleagues in the Dreaming. Experiencing this ancient character regain his position was like stepping into a fresh, imaginative world filled with occult references, Gothic aesthetics, and a touch of the macabre. At times, the visuals appeared overly reminiscent of Halloween decorations from Party City, but Dream’s anger had an undeniable grandeur that kept viewers hooked. The second half of the season delved deeper into human aspects and was somewhat hindered by subpar child acting. However, it offered a clearer understanding of how the Dreaming operates, how it mirrors and magnifies feelings from desire to fear, and disseminates these emotions into the “waking world.” In doing so, it pivoted its focus from Dream, whose characterization became rather static, to his creations or adversaries, who were most intriguing in their opposition to him.

Tom Sturridge’s character, Dream, predominantly found himself confined within a narrow emotional spectrum, transitioning slightly from scowling and stoic to scowling and angry. In contrast, the characters surrounding him exhibited greater fluidity and complexity: The Corinthian, portrayed by Boyd Holbrook with an unnerving allure, whose eyes were teeth; Lucifer Morningstar, a charismatic demon in silk and chiffon, exuded a sharp menace courtesy of Gwendoline Christie; the humans Johanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman) and Hob Gadling (Ferdinand Kingsley), who shared a friendship with Dream but possessed rich lives beyond their encounters with him. While Dream struts around in his elegant coats, casting glares at whoever dares to confront him. Indeed, he does so with intensity! However, one might argue that this behavior is rather foreseeable.

It’s true that the narrative structure of The Sandman resembles the fact that Dream, being rigid in his ways, is reluctant to change while others are more flexible. However, as the series progresses into its second season, Dream begins to soften and reassess himself. Unfortunately, this transformation follows a repetitive pattern that becomes dull.

First, Dream acknowledges his mistakes, such as when he condemned his human lover Nada (Umulisa Gahiga) to 10,000 years in Hell for defying him or abandoning his son, Orpheus (Ruairi O’Connor), who went against Dream’s wishes and was cursed with eternal life. Later, Dream seeks out the individuals he wronged. He rescues Nada from the demon Lord Azazel (Wil Coban) and locates Orpheus on a secluded Mediterranean island. Dream expresses remorse, is forgiven, and praised, despite the fact that those he harmed endured for centuries because of his initial harshness. This recurring pattern gives the impression of monotony, which is amplified by the series’ condensed adaptation from its original source material, making Dream’s shallow development feel overly self-congratulatory and unfulfilling.

In the second season, The Sandman delved deeper into life’s complexities by posing thought-provoking questions through various characters and their introspections. Dream’s stern and distant parents, Time (Rufus Sewell) and Night (Tanya Moodie), show no interest in assisting Dream with his mission to aid Orpheus, instead focusing on their unique tasks, which create some of the most striking visuals through their dark, inky realms and vibrant jungle greens. The final episode of season one hinted at an impending conflict between Lucifer and Morpheus, but when season two commences, Lucifer has unexpectedly abandoned this plan. Instead, Lucifer is now weary of ruling Hell and abdicates, a decision that perplexes Dream yet is conveyed through Christie’s performance – her regal demeanor, flirtatious smile upon handing Morpheus the key to her realm, and later carefree attitude on the beach. This theme of supernatural beings shirking their responsibilities and raising questions about free will continues with chaos twinks Puck (Jack Gleeson) and Loki (Freddie Fox). In a departure from the comics, they share a romantic relationship, which adds complexity when Puck wishes to adopt Daniel Hall, a baby conceived in the Dreaming whom Morpheus considers his heir, while Loki desires to kill him. However, before this conflict arises, Fox’s irritated demeanor during Loki’s recounting of her children to Puck – a giant serpent, an eight-legged horse, and a son who killed another son – offers a delightful contrast to Dream’s somber approach with Orpheus, and Fox’s “Children are terrible” may be the funniest line delivery of the series.

Among all characters, Holbrook’s portrayal of the Corinthian stands out most notably. Originally obliterated by Dream in the initial season, he is now reincarnated as a comical hero, using his unique teeth-eyes for detective work and charming Johanna Constantine relentlessly, even managing to win her heart by suggesting they date within dreams. The dialogue between them regarding the possibility of a relationship is surprisingly romantic and deeply heartfelt, creating an emotional depth that few other conversations this season can match. The implications are real, as Corinthian’s transformation into a good-hearted character and Johanna’s willingness to lower her defenses are at stake. This dynamic carries weight, in contrast to Morpheus’s predictable journey towards self-sacrifice.

In simpler terms, it’s satisfying that Morpheus dies in the second last episode “Long Live the King,” not only because the show heavily hints at this outcome, but because it paves the way for a fresh start for Dream and his realm in the series finale. The actor Jacob Anderson portrays a grown-up Daniel who is chosen by Morpheus to take over, and he struggles to find his footing in the final episode. This journey of Daniel learning how to become Dream – deciding which aspects of the realm to preserve and which to change, which allies to trust and let go – gives the character depth that Morpheus often lacked. Anderson excels at portraying a young immortal, having played one for two seasons on “Interview With the Vampire.” He brings authenticity to this new Dream with a blend of rigidity and uncertainty, maintaining an upright demeanor while delivering emotional lines vulnerably. It’s disappointing that Morpheus had ten episodes to brood, while Daniel only got one to grow, as the death and rebirth of Dream are supposed to be significant events. However, “The Sandman” doesn’t give us enough time to fully absorb these transformations.

David Goyer, one of the creators of The Sandman, previously stated that the series was always intended for two seasons. However, considering the number of canceled projects by Neil Gaiman, it’s questionable whether this is entirely accurate. If true, it’s unfortunate that The Sandman, in its final run, didn’t provide a longer screen time for Anderson or structure the plot to showcase the ensemble surrounding Dream more effectively. While this might not align with Gaiman’s comics, it could have resulted in better television. As Morpheus’ librarian, Lucienne (Vivienne Acheampong), tells him when he realizes his end is near, “The time you have left may be limited, but you get to choose how you spend it.” The Sandman would have been wiser to follow this advice and offer less of the familiar Dream and more of the unexplored aspects.

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2025-07-25 00:54