#good omens rambling thoughts

[crowleysgirl56]

Ok, so here are some of my rather long rambling thoughts. I’ll start off with some pros and cons and then provide some speculation:

My initial negative reaction:

- Compressing 5 hours worth of content into 90 minutes feels like things will be rushed and we won’t get a good story.

- HOW do you take a month to rewrite six 45 minute long scripts into a movie length feature and have it still be good?!

- the compression of the story means we will likely not get any more flashback sequences. Admittedly I actually thought we probably wouldn’t get more flashback scenes in season 3 anyway, but this definitely proves the case that we won’t. There won’t be time for it.

- who has re-written the script? Because here’s the thing about Pratchett adaptations. They’re fucking shit. No one (in my opinion) has been able to successfully transfer that man’s unique sense of humour and writing style onto screen. Every single Discworld adaptation has been on a scale of awful to kind of meh. EXCEPT for season 1 of Good Omens. As much as we hate him now. As vile as he has become in our hearts, the thing about NG is that he understood Terry’s unique style. He understood what worked and how to transfer that to the screen. And that breaks my heart on so many levels. Because he was all we had. And we certainly didn’t want him any more. But still, who THE FUCK has written the finale script now?

Now here are my positive thoughts on the situation:

- NEIL GAIMAN GOT HIS SORRY ASS FIRED! GOOD!

- Consequences. The industry has signalled consequences. Finally!

- We are getting a conclusion! It could very well have been cancelled and we would have been left with the final 15 forever. We get to see them again. That deserves a Wahoo!

- thinking back over season 2, which I enjoyed, I actually do have to say a lot of it was kind of unnecessary filler. The flashback sequences were great. But the actual core of the season’s arc involving Gabriel was just a bit boring. I’m forever grateful for it because we got to spend almost 6 hours watching Aziraphale give Crowley heart eyes and Crowley do beautiful acts of service proving his love back. But the meandering stuff with Nina and Maggie and trying to work out why Gabriel lost his memory wasn’t all that interesting. I was here for A&C.

- so I think MAYBE that means the compression of what had already been written for season 3 means it’ll cut out the plot bits that drag. Hopefully this means it’s faster paced and tighter and more focused on A&C.

Speculations:

Thinking back to the last time NG interacted with the fandom, he had confirmed the first three episodes were written and were with Amazon for approval, episode 4 was almost done, the last part of episode 6 had been written, and he had started plotting episode 5. We never got a confirmation if he ever finished them. So this maybe indicates that the finale is lifted exactly out of these scripts. My assumption is they’ve brought in a script doctor to edit what they’ve already got and wrap up plot points. In which case, on the one hand it gives us close to the story and idea of what Terry imagined. On the other, the far more negative connotation, it’s still NG’s work. The articles that have all come out so far merely states “Gaiman is not involved with the production and the finale is based on his work”. This could be Prime distancing themselves without actually confirming how he’s contributed. Which is still largely disappointing.

So, once again I feel very conflicted. A lot of the fandom have been very adamant about not wanting to support the show if Gaiman was involved, and in the end he wrote the show. Even if he had been removed as producer and showrunner and wasn’t allowed on set (thankfully it seems all three of things have happened), I know that wouldn’t have been enough for some fans because he would still have ultimately been responsible for the product that we eventually see. And I don’t know how to feel about that.

I’m happy he’s gone, I’m disappointed the show has been gutted, I’m glad we get a conclusion, I’m sad it won’t be exactly what we wanted.

I’m SO THANKFUL that the women get some semblance of justice, that there is a consequence for a perpetrator, that a big ass company is finally listening to fans and moving with the times and signally this kind of behaviour isn’t appropriate and that repercussions can and will be felt.

Finally, I’ll remind everyone that there are going to be a lot of different and conflicting feelings from the fandom. I would ask that everyone try to be nice to one another. If you have a differing opinion, maybe rather than debating it you just allow that person their feelings and move on. Do not go after someone if you feel like they’re not reacting the “right way” to the situation. Just be kind please. It’s what Terry would have wanted.

[cryptic-queer-cryptid]

it's so fucking insane to me that it's impossible to discuss crowley without also discussing aziraphale and vice versa. their existences are so intertwined that you literally cannot separate them because so many things that defined and shaped them have included each other. that's at least part of why i feel so much about them.

like have you considered they've had nothing and everything but each other for 6000 years? they've only had each other, they're constants in each other's lives, and at the same time they have been able to indulge in music and sleep and food but not each other because it's too dangerous. they are all each other has and they can't have each other.

they rely on each other to a degree that's definitely incomprehensible to the human mind but at the same time, they can't rely on each other because if they get caught it's curtains for both of them. have you considered they live and breathe for each other, that they're absolutely essential to one another? just. fuck, man.

[ineffableteeth]

The fact Crowley decided to fight off his fear and anger in a heartbeat because he found out Aziraphale could be destroyed is still so heartwarming to me

He didn’t HESITATE to drive back to the bookshop, ego be damned, he was going to face Gabriel head on, he was going to protect Aziraphale with his life

He even stepped up to Gabriel without knowing if he actually lost his memory and when he did he didn’t even mention himself, his first priority was Aziraphale, despite the fact he knew full well Gabriel could “Smite” him

[cat-clawz]

[crowleyholmes]

The thing that gets me so much about the kiss though, among many other things but this one i just never stop thinking about (and i'm sure it's one Crowley doesn't stop thinking about either), is how despite how shocked Aziraphale was by it and how scared and overwhelmed he was and how dangerous he knew it was (because he knew the Metatron was most likely watching), and despite the fact that he Forgives Crowley for it afterwards and breaks his heart, he didn't pull away. He didn't push Crowley away, either. And he easily could have, I'm 100% sure. Sure, Crowley was holding him in place by his coat lapels but still. Aziraphale could have turned his face away, could have pried Crowley's hands off, could have pushed him by the shoulders, could have verbally protested... but he didn't. In the end it's Crowley who ends the kiss and lets him go. Aziraphale wanted it just as much as Crowley did. But he was scared and confused and completely overwhelmed, and of course he falls back into old patterns. Plausible deniability!! Put on the front of the Good Angel! What do good angels do? Oh yeah, they forgive! It's their favorite thing! The good angel forgives the evil demon, look, Metatron, we're both doing exactly what we're supposed to be doing!!! Aziraphale is - stupidly? pointlessly? maybe!! - throwing up this facade, this ancient front they have always been forced to hide behind, to keep them both safe!!!

But at the same time, he IS angry. There is definitely some sincerity in that "I forgive you" he spits at Crowley. Because if there was one thing he never wanted to say in response to Crowley finally, finally kissing him, it's "i forgive you". It's pushing him away and breaking his heart and breaking them up, to keep them both safe. To give them a chance to do what they have to. But Crowley forced him to. And he doesn't even see it. Of COURSE Aziraphale is fucking devastated.

[redshoes-blues]

I’ve seen so many people saying that “of course the straight couple get the happy ending” (meaning ineffable bureaucracy), am I missing something? I thought Beelzebub was nonbinary ? Did I make this up in my head, or have people just forgotten because of the actor swap?

[inefffablle]

do you think aziraphale and crowley used to dance in the bookshop in the cozy evenings?

spinning vinyl or listening to the radio or even listening to performers outside?

spinning and laughing and clasping their hands together?

and do you think aziraphale still dances, alone now, to try and fill the void he has?

[tikister]

I remember when that one guy (side eye) said how Aziraphale and Crowley really weren't the type to celebrate holidays. Because screw him and also why not I like to think that once Aziraphale and Crowley get back together, they learn to appreciate holidays with each other more. Like yes, Aziraphale and Crowley are celebrating National Donut Day(even though that's an American thing,) how is this even a question ????🤨🤨

[elinordash]

now if only he could get the 90-minute equivalent of justice for his actions huh

[paperclipninja]

Seeing everyone's reactions to the Good Omens news, I think I'm feeling some version of them all concurrently. And I know throwing my 2c into the basket is neither here nor there, but I've popped some rambling thoughts under the cut.

First off I want to be really clear: obviously the people truly impacted are the victims of NG's behaviour and that is first and foremost. This is not intended to erase or diminish that, I am distinguishing broader impact from impact on the show here intentionally, even though they are inherently entwined, but want to acknowledge that right off the bat.

This whirlwind of finding out about the allegations, to hearing that the show was paused, to assuming it was cancelled, to wanting it not to be cancelled but not wanting NG to be a part of it, to not being sure how that would happen, to being hopeful, to hearing it is back on sans creep but a movie, to hearing it's a series, to getting confirmation it's a 90 minute movie, to finding out that not even a month ago we were, in fact, getting nothing. It's been a lot.

And I managed to convince myself that if it's cancelled, well then the fandom will live on forever - creating, imagining and determined to continue this story and give these characters the varied and many endings and stories they deserve. Believe me, nothing binds a fandom like an unfinished story.

And then I heard that a movie, then a third series, was going ahead and took that to mean NG was no longer involved and thought ok, it's going to look a bit different probably but that's ok. We will still get a 6 episode resolution on screen, an ending that is canon and ties up all the things and we can enjoy that and all it brings and then, probably have lots of mixed feelings about how it's all tied up, then eventually, probably, start to move on.

And now we have actual confirmation that it's a 90 minute movie, NG properly removed other than some script contribution and it's somehow more than I expected and not enough, and a relief and heart-breaking all at once.

And I have been reflecting and thinking about it all morning and realised that for me, this is a funny, bittersweet kind of middle ground that sort of allows two things to happen: we get a resolution on screen, we get to see these characters we love so dearly together once more and for their story to play out to some kind of conclusion. But we will also have to create and imagine and determine what happens with all that we won't get to see now.

Am I sad that there will be many aspects of the story we will probably never get (thinking of more flashbacks in particular)? Absolutely. But the other thing that often happens when a show ends is that after a while, without the need to speculate or theorise or imagine what could have been, fandoms plateau (that's not to say people don't continue to create and love the characters and show, especially something like Good Omens, but generally, in my experience, the level of engagement will peter off over time without new content, especially if everything is wrapped up nicely with a bow). The compulsion to create endings and resolutions is often diminished once an ending and resolution has been established.

So I realised that we find ourselves in a rather unique position. We will get a resolution of sorts, but all those bits we will never get to see will become the source of speculation and stories and art and theories and what could have been, and it will become ours to imagine and create time and time again. I think that the collective experience of all of this, along with the need to fill in the gaps, might actually keep the many talented creators in this fandom inspired and the rest of us engaged and bound together in a way we may not have been otherwise.

This is obviously just my take and where I currently sit on all this - there is no right or wrong way to feel, engage or move forward from here. The beauty of fandom, especially one as big as ours, is that everyone can find their pocket, connect with those who bring comfort and validation, and proceed in a way that works for you.

I adore this fandom, the people I have met and the unbelievable content and fandom works that come out of it. It is truly unlike anything I've ever been a part of online and if nothing else, I am grateful for that. This was an indulgent little ramble, perhaps it might bring some solace or make you want to throw things at me, and that's ok. We're in it together.

[beebopboom]

The thing that gets me about most of the misspellings from the demons is that when they spell the words, they are spelled as though they were saying the word.

ex: Fufur trying to sound out Aziraphale’s name and splitting the word into sections. Does it really sound like there would be an a in toast?

which then goes into well maybe they had never seen/read the words

which then goes into the books up in heaven, ex: Crowley’s nebula book

and my point - my point is this is just another thing they took in the Fall. The power of knowledge and the power to spread it, other than through sound.

[crowleysgirl56]

Good Omens season 3 thought of the day:

Do you think we’ll get a scene where Aziraphale and Crowley are in a pub together, someone asks Aziraphale if he’s friends with Crowley and Aziraphale will deliver the usual line of “Oh no we’re not friends. I don’t even know him”.

Then the camera will pan over to them and Aziraphale is sitting in Crowley’s lap, arms wrapped around his neck, Crowley’s arms wrapped around Aziraphale’s waist.

They’ll stare at the person who asked the question who’ll stare back looking confused.

After a few awkward moments Crowley will finally say “You heard my boyfriend, we don’t know each other, now jog on!”

[shades-o-grey]

I think Crowley would make a great toolbelt-lesbian

[the-wine-dark-sea]

I'm glad we're getting an ending at all. I personally am glad this won't be another story I love and which is extremely important to me that will not be finished. I'm glad Neil Gaiman will not be involved in the production.

But also fuck. 90 minutes. From about 6 hours to 1.5. How the hell are they going to do that? How are they going to compress all the story that has yet to happen this much? And even if they manage it, there is so much stuff we will not be getting now. There is pretty much no chance of more historical shenanigans now. Fuck, I wanted to see more of those. I desperately wanted a chance to finally see some ineffable wives. So yeah, even more than about the plot, I'm worried about what this will mean for the character moments and development. I mean the main reason why we were all gagging for a season 3 renewal was that we all needed to know how Crowley and Aziraphale were going to set things right between them. And I just hope that they will make the time to tell this story with the care and love it deserves. And I don't know how well one can reconcile that with such a drastically shortened run time. I would simply like to see justice done by characters and a story that mean a lot to me. Just this once. And for fuck's sake, I want justice done by the ideas that Terry Pratchett contributed to the potential sequel. I want it to be told well for his sake as well.

[twelfth-dykector]

CROWLEY AS AN RE TEACHER!!!! CROWLEY AS AN RE TEACHER!!!! I REPEAT!!!!! CROWLEY AS AN RE TEACHER!!!!!

[bluewritinghood]

Ok I’m sure someone has probably said this before but hear me out.

What if, Crowley WAS the tenth doctor? Aziraphale is a book collector and season two his Doctor Who annual kinda proves he’s a Whovian, what if he’s been into it ever since it first started airing? And Crowley KNOWS that. So what if he auditioned for the show JUST to impress Aziraphale because he knows that he loves the show??