‘Good Omens’ the Series: Is it Better than the Book?
“Good Omens” is a wonderfully witty, cleverly constructed, and beautifully tender show about an angel and a demon thwarting the end of the world. As a story about the ineffable workings of the world, the necessity of empathetic imagining, and the impossibility and tragedy of love, “Good Omens” stands on its own as a work of art with intense emotional and artistic appeal. Yet the central question of any adaptation looms above the series: Is it better than the book?
Of course, this question opens a chicken-and-egg discussion: The book, published in 1990, obviously became the source material for the subsequent TV series. Yet the question becomes troubled when considering the varied inspirations for “Good Omens.” The series is a matryoshka doll of adaptation and retelling: The book takes inspiration from parts of the Bible like the temptation of Eve in addition to drawing on the story of “The Omen,” a 1976 film about the Antichrist; the first season is an adaptation of the book; and the second season is a derivative, yet wholly original, conversation with — and continuation of — the original text. There is even a 2015 BBC Radio 4 Dramatization, including behind-the-scenes clips from authors Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
My purpose in this article, then, is not purely comparative. It would be especially unproductive, perhaps even disrespectful, to declare any one better than its counterparts. I hope to unpack the merits of each adaptation, particularly the book, Season 1, and the newly written Season 2, as a case study in the generative potential — and pitfalls — of the journey from page to screen.