#how we feeling book omens crew?

[semiprecioussideblog]

Well said!

I felt that a lot of what makes Good Omens what it is was missing from this season. Even between what was established in season 1 of the show and season 2 the storytelling and characterization was so different it was jarring and confusing. It now feels like book fans dodged a bullet with season 1 being as good and as true to the book as it was. As pointed out in an earlier post Azirphale and Crowley aren’t the sole protagonists of Good Omens, it felt strange following their lives and no one else’s if this is supposed to continue the original story. I have many questions about the Them and Anathema Device I would have loved to see properly explored!

There were a few moments (actually funny bits) that stood out this season but overall it was quite messy.

Ranting with spoilers below

I got the feeling the “nazi zombie minisode” was meant to be funny but I found it very hard to sit through. To spend so much time on that instead of anything else..I needed a break before watching the remaining episodes.

Aziraphale SIMPLY GIVING UP HIS BOOKSHOP and rejoining Heaven!? Especially after the show-universe had the whole “each side tried to destroy them” thing go down in season 1?? The kiss was rough. I do not want to see angst injected into one of my favorite fictional relationships. Their relationship isn’t dramatic, its the circumstances they face together that want to take away the things they love!! I have many thoughts I’d love to rave about to other book nerds.

I'm so so sorry but if the actual creator and author of the characters wrote the script and made all the decisions then I think "it was OOC" maybe isn't the right phrasing 😭

So? If, first of all, HALF OF the actual creators and authors of the characters, made decisions for the characters that undoes the characters and what they stand for in the source material (the book) completely, you're damn right I'll be calling them OOC from the source material.

[twilightcitysky]

Whooooo okay, so. Thoughts.

You can get a lot done in 90 mins. Many books are made into 90 minute movies.

(Season 2 was 6 episodes... but maybe 90 minutes of it total was actually *necessary*.)

Think about what we've learned. Neil wasn't the person we thought he was, and it showed in his treatment of a story we all love. He said himself that he gave fans what they wanted (in terms of the kiss), but we "wouldn't like it." His ego thrived on manipulating, ridiculing and generally stirring up the fan base. The more upset and vulnerable we were, the more satisfied he felt. What do you think, then, was in store for us in his Season 3? Do you think his scripts would have left us feeling satisfied, even if we got the cottage ending?

The new producer doesn't know GO, but the cast and crew love this world and love the story. I'm going to choose to trust that a group of people that overall has been so united and wonderful, so very much on the same page in terms of this love story, will see things through. And I'm excited for an ending that truly is for us... because let's face it, we almost didn't get an ending at all. A TV show that gets rocked in this fashion generally does one of two things: cuts ties and continues if there's enough financial incentive to do so (think House of Cards, Rick and Morty-- both of which are/were MUCH bigger and more profitable than GO), or cancels. Considering how long it took to greenlight S3 and Mickey's "We did the impossible" post on X, I'm sure Amazon was on the verge of pulling the plug. (I'm not going to talk about my opinion on the ethics of these decisions. I'm just saying it's reality. Corporations care about their bottom line and their optics.)

It'll be okay. Let's be optimistic. Neil is gone, the story will continue, and they're doing it for us.

(Last thought: remember that-- in a different reality where Neil Gaiman actually is the person we thought he was-- we might not have gotten anything more satisfying in terms of the A/C love story. Neil doesn't think "settled relationships" are good television. He wouldn't let them lay a finger on each other until the very last episode, I guarantee it.)

(Also, this is the guy who decided that "Crowley lives in his car and Aziraphale doesn't know or doesn't care" made any kind of fucking sense; no, I'm not over it yet.)

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

The Chic Magazine interview with the Good Omens cast and crew by Keeley Ryan, August 2023 :)

'It was wonderful to get the Good Omens family back together'

There were plenty of miracles, mysteries and mayhem when Good Omens returned to the small screen for a second season.

The PrimeVideo series, which was originally based on Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's best-selling novel, is heading beyond the source material this season.

The six-part series highlights the ineffable friendship between Aziraphale, a fussy angel and rare-book dealer, and the fast-living demon Crowley.

And while the duo put a stop to the apocalypse last time, there are the sparks of a new mystery that will take viewers from before The Beginning, to biblical times to grave robbing in Victorian Edinburgh; the Blitz of 1940s England to the modern day.

The cast includes David Tennant and Michael Sheen as Crowley and Aziraphale, Jon Hamm, Maggie Service, Nina Sosanya, Miranda Richardson, Shelley Conn, and Derek Jacobi also star in the series.

And Michael Sheen told how the Good Omens "world has grown" with season two - and opened up about his first day back at Aziraphale's bookshop.

In an interview conducted before the SAG strike, he said, "It was lovely to be back in the bookshop after having seen it burnt down the ground.

"Clearly I had managed to save a few books! Actually, it was extraordinary - your brain does a double take - my desk, the cash machine, the record player - everything is all so familiar even though it is a totally different location.

But we have expanded - there is much more of the world of Soho here including Aziraphale's favourite the magic shop and my favourite the pub - our world has grown."

The actor also praised Neil Gaiman's writing, noting how there's "something about the way Neil sees the mundane that is extraordinary."

He said, "His writing has such a breadth of reference and yet is so accessible and entertaining even when taking on big epic or philosophical issues.

There's something about the way Neil sees the mundane that is extraordinary. When things filter through his imagination they emerge in an entirely unique way and yet it feels like it's always been there.

Add in the sprinkling of the imagination of Terry Pratchett and cocktail has been created - utterly familiar."

Producer Sarah-Kate Fenelon told Chic how the second season of Good Omens is "building on the universe" - and how they had been "sowing the seeds of a second season without anybody knowing" last season. "

She said, "I work with Neil Gaiman and know in part that Gabriel, who is played by Jon Hamm, his character is not in the book of Good Omens - but it was included in the first season. We were sowing the seed of a second season without anybody knowing.

"That character was written by Neil and Terry as a potential second book. They never got to write it, but now we're able to tell Gabriel's story. It's kind of a lovely evolution, where we're just expanding the universe.

"A lot of locations on the set are locations from season one. We've also been able to explore new shops, like we've got the record shop and we've got The Dirty Donkey pub, which we go into - it was in season one, but we never got to go into it.

"Season two is just building on the universe."

The Wicklow native added that it was "wonderful to get the Good Omens family back together" for a second season.

She said, "We were lucky that a lot of our crew and creative talent were able to come back for a second season. But also, we had our cast return. Miranda Richardson plays a totally different character this season and we have a new Beelzebub.

"And then obviously, we've got Maggie and Nina playing themselves, Maggie and Nina, as written by Neil. It was wonderful to get the Good Omens family back together again."

Noel Corbally, who works as an associate producer on the series, recalled how they marked a special anniversary of the first season's release while prepping for season two.

The Irishman said, "We went for dinner that night to relive the celebration, happy to be back again.

"Even now, it's been more than a year since we wrapped and to be able to come back into the studio that's just been frozen in time with everything wrapped up — we had a week to turn it back to life, have it be a live street again.

"It's been a week. But it's been amazing. We had our original lighting team come back, our original art department — and they've just done a fantastic job."

And while there are plenty of easter eggs for fans to spot throughout the six episodes, the pair shared their favourites.

Noel shared, "I think that my favourite easter egg is actually in the record shop. It's a song that we play in the background. It's so subtle, but it's from the musical Happy As A Sandbag.

"Maggie's character Maggie runs the record shop, which was owned by her grandfather in the story. But the musical, Happy As A Sandbag, Maggie Service the actress - her mother and father met on the musical and fell in love. Having that was an homage to them for bringing us Maggie."

Sarah-Kate said, "I quite like the easter eggs in the title sequence. If you look really closely, there is a Gabriel or Jim in every shot, which people tend not to notice. It's like Where's Wally?"

Rob Wilkins, who manages Terry Pratchett's estate and serves as narrative EP, told how he was "elated" for the second season to be out — and about moving beyond the book's source material.

He explained, "There were lots of nerves, because there is no source material. There's no book. I went through the whole of season one with the mantra that we've got a beginning, a middle and an end.

"And at the end of season one, which was the only season at the time, I felt very relaxed - we're all grounded through Terry and Neil's words, and that's fine. We know where we're going, we've got the novel to refer to.

"And so with season two, of course there's going to be nerves — there's no source material.

"But Neil is 50% of the creative team that brought you Good Omens, so in him we trust. And we genuinely do, from the bottom of my heart - of course we do.

"There's excitement about what Neil is going to bring from the page and from the page to the screen, but trepidation as well — I'm a fan as much as anybody else, I want to know where the stories are going."

Rob added that some of his own favourite easter eggs within the second season include a nod to Terry in The Dirty Donkey pub - as well as a special sight in the bookshop.

He said, "I love the fact that in the bookshop, Teny's hat and scarf are just hanging there. Terry, as a huge patron of bookshops around the world, he just left his hat and scarf in there and moved on one day and left them behind.

"That's a lovely one for me, as well - it means more to me, I think, than anything else."

Rob opened up about the success of the first season - and why it was something that he didn't necessarily expect.

He continued, "There's the Terry Pratchett fandom, there's the Neil Gaiman fandom and push them together and there's a big crossover. But what we created with season one, we created Good Omens fandom from the show.

"People came to Neil's work and Terry's work through the show. It created something entirely individual of its own making, and that freaked me out because I didn't see that one coming.

"I didn't see that as a thing. I thought the fans would be rooted in Terry or Neil. I didn't realise that the ineffable husbands in all of that - I love David and Michael, but I didn't realise the love people would have for them as our demon and our angel.

"I shouldn't be surprised. It's just my admiration for them as actors and for what they do, and for people getting it I think that that's the thing that's meant a lot to me, that people have understood what we tried to do."

Costume designer Kate Carin told how having the opportunity to join Good Omens' second season was a "gift" - and opened up about why it was impossible to pick a favourite scene.

She explained, "When you see the whole show - you think, when you're watching episode one, you're like, 'oh my god, that's the best'. But then you watch something in episode two and it's like, 'that's awesome!'

"I would say that I'm a disciple of the show now. I didn't know the book when I was approached about the job. I'd obviously heard of it, and I'd seen season one — as a punter, I watched it.

"To get the opportunity to come and work on season two, it's a gift for a costume designer.

"You do fantasy, you do period, you do contemporary and all of the wavy lines in- between - you're given a lot of rope to play with."

The character of Shax, played by Miranda Richardson, was a "really fun character to design for" - as Kate told how plenty of ideas jumped to mind after reading the description.

She said, "When Neil writes on the page that you have a 50s inspired female demon, that gives you a lot of scope to play with. "

And when I started drawing her, I actually had to stop myself because I kept coming up with ideas."

And with the series jampacked with magical moments and settings, set decorator Bronwyn Franklin told how there was one particular shop that has a "certain magic'!

She said, "I actually think the magic shop is my favourite shop. The bookshop used to be, but now that l've done it twice - it's still beautiful. It is Aziraphale's home. It feels more magical because Aziraphale lives there, and there's the whole angelic side.

"But this one, it really has a certain magic. From a set decorator's point of view, it's a joy. Will Godstone, he gets to sit there and he's got his little cash register and if he's got no customers, he can sit there and have a little cup of tea.

"You just have to feel that person, live that person and think that it's yours. I always come into a space like this and think, 'how would I like to be?' Because if it makes me happy, it'll make the cast member happy, it'll make the viewers happy."

Michael Ralph, who is the series' production designer, told how while it's impossible to pick a favourite set, the bookshop is "one that will resonate most'.'

Aziraphale's bookshop contains more than 7,000 real books and Michael noted that it was important for the setting to feel real, not just for the audiences at home but for the cast and crew.

He said, "There's not a fake book in here. Couldn't do that. In a way, if you look at any bookshelf - I spent almost a day just moving books around, to make the bookshelves look like they're real. They could be flat dressed, and then they're not real. But this is real, when they're just moved around a little bit; or people have pulled them out and put them in incorrectly.. .that's what's real about a bookshop."

[avoicebehindthestars]

On Rob's Good Omens sweaters...

Bluesky has some photos of Rob Wilkins wearing these two holiday sweaters:

At the first glance you go "awww, how perfect, I need those sweaters!" but then you're like "hold on a second!"

For the sake of this meta, I'm going to assume the designs are deliberate, and not just idk cheap fakes ordered from temu lol.

Let's start with stating the obvious. The red sweater has the characters' roles reversed - Crawly is sheltering Aziraphale. It's not a "book thing" either - there, Aziraphale held his own wings above himself. This is a minor detail, but Crawly's stance is also different than in the show - his legs are apart, in a position indicating strength, confidence, and protection. Meanwhile, the blue sweater has what looks like angel!Crowley sheltering a black-haired fallen angel. My first thought was that is could be Satan and this might be a hint that we're going to see Crowley's fall after all. But now I think different.

Regarding the red sweater in particular, my thoughts immediately wandered towards the multiple Edens theory and the two Crowleys theory. Just to quickly recap: discrepancies in the details on the walls of Eden have been spotted, and at one point someone from the crew mentioned that there were "many Edens" in existence (possibly testing grounds before the real one? Or several different enclosures for the first breeding pairs? We never found out). As for Crowley - many people have noticed differences in his looks throughout season 2. Most notably, his sideburns have differing length and it shifts within the same scene, e.g. the sideburns are long in the pub, but short when he leaves the pub; they are short during the "exactlys" argument, but long when Crowley snatches his sunglasses while storming out of the bookshop. Bildad the Shuhite also has two different hairstyle (one is shorter, more evenly cut and carefully combed, whereas the other is longer and a bit more "windswept"). There's also the matter of different camera filters, which is a commonly used technique to show different worlds (think Supernatural, and I think also some MCU films?), and the disappearing props.

So, taking the sweaters into consideration, could the world of Good Omens be comprised of multiple realities? The novel is one. Season 1 is another. Season 2 shows TWO (!), which are almost identical. Who knows, perhaps the Crowley with the short sideburns managed to sway Aziraphale in the Final Fifteen, or even changed his mind and hopped on the lift at the last moment? What if, presented on the sweaters are two more? On, in which it was Crawly offering shelfter to Aziraphale, and another one in which it was Aziraphale who fell (and his hair blackened in the process). Perhaps there are versions of this (sorry, couldn't resist!) in which they both fell, neither did, or they were an established couple by season 1?

It this were to prove true in the movie, it will have some pros, of course. Firstly, it would legitimise virtually all headcanons you might have (I was a little upset when s2 finale made it clear they weren't secretly a couple before). It would also boost creativity for all the reverse!Omens fic writers. And, of course, it would explain many things fans have noticed, especially about s2.

However, other than that, I don't think I like it that much. Above all, I simply dislike multiverse - I find them often too convenient narratively, while also needlessly convoluted. But aside from that, I wouldn't be happy to see that particular take in the movie. If we were getting out 6 episodes, it would be fun to watch particular scenes and increasingly go "huh?" as we spot consecutive discrepancies and minor details that don't work. And by the time it was revealed it would feel really rewarding that you have spotted the details, even if you failed to work it all out. Within mere 90 minutes… it just doesn't feel like enough time to drop enough hints, or, alternatively, the movie would be oversaturated with them. Finally, it would mean less screentime for the mercilessly truncated Aziracrow reconcilliation arc (which I am still grieving over), as instead we would receive glimpses of different universes, while still navigating the complex Second Coming plotline. Also, what would be the endgame? All the Aziraphales and Crowleys combining their forces to beat heaven and hell/the new christ/god herself? That's a bit too Marvel if you ask me, and with all my reservations about the movie, I rather trust Narrativia to offer us something much more original.

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

01/26/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Renew As A Crew/Hoist The Ads; Cast & Crew Sightings; Queerties; Twitter Watch parties; Articles; Reasons to keep fighting; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Tonights Taika;

== Renew As A Crew / Hoist The Ads ==

Tumblr Post / Twitter Post /Instagram Post

Link to vote

==Cast & Crew Sightings==

While the sighting hasn't occurred yet... looks like Vico Ortiz, Nathan Foad, and Con O'Neill will all be attending Galaxy Con in San Jose on August 16-18, 2024 at the San Jose Mcenery Convention Center. Tickets available now. Src: _irene_adler on IG

One thing to note.. Chaos dad has been pretty consistent about reaching out every 3 days-ish lately.. I'm interested to see if tomorrow he shows up again. Just a theory.

== Queerties ==

If you're down, please vote for the Queerties each day! If you want to just vote for OFMD categories, feel free to visit: TV Comedy Best TV Performance Wanna help another Taika/Rhys verse Queertie? Vote for Kaimana for Best Film Performance in Next Goal Wins!

==Twitter Watch Parties==

Sadly, today #PirateOmens came to an end, but our friend @dandeebakes is already fast at work getting other cool Watch parties together! Please send them some love!

=HuntForThePirateHome=

HuntForThePirateHome Watch Party Starts Sunday Jan 28 at 3 PM EST, 12 PT, 8 PM GMT. Hashtags for that event are:

#HuntForThePirateHome

#AdoptOurCrew

#SaveOFMD

Thank you to @blueberreads for catching these trends on twitter during the Pirate Omens watch, definitely kept engagement up.

==LubeAsACrew==

#LubeAsACrew is back on 1/31/24 at 4PM PT, 1PM ET. Next up are S1 Episodes 5, 6, 7.

== How To Help ==

How To Help Save OFMD Task List - US How to Help Save OFMD Task List - Outside US

==Articles==

15 Things We’ll Miss About ‘Our Flag Means Death’

2024’s Canceled Shows, for Your Final Consideration

Relisting The Guardian's article from yesterday because they've opened comments, and it can help with engagement so feel free to comment on it now!

Also, @itsmfgames Has been kind enough to be keeping up a running list of Articles about the campaigns -- so if you have the time and want to go catch up on some articles, please checkout the guide below and visit this google doc for the list! It's been added to the Daily Renewal List for both US and Outside-US, so feel free to check it out there as needed.

== Reasons to Keep Fighting ==

Throwing in some great points from our tumblr folks regarding the cancellation that really helped me feel pumped today.

@celluloidbroomcloset's Our Flag Means Death was cancelled because it’s gay.

@queerly-autistic's break down on why Not All Fan Campaigns Are The Same.

@saltpepperbeard's reasoning for Clinging Onto Hope

@tulipseason's lovely reasons The Show Is Irreplaceable

== Love Notes ==

Alright lovelies. I have so many words to say about how great you all are, how much I love you (and I'm sure you're tired of hearing them), but I went back to work today after 7 days of being sick and now my brain is mush. So instead I'm going to put the text of one of my son's books in here because I think every one of us should feel loved like we were when we were 5.

On The Night You Were Born - By Nancy Tillman On the night you were born, the moon smiled with such wonder that the stars peeked in to see you and the night wind whispered, “Life will never be the same.” Because there had never been anyone like you… ever in the world. So enchanted with you were the wind and the rain, that they whispered the sound of your wonderful name. It sailed through the farmland High on the breeze… Over the ocean… And through the trees… Until everyone heard it and everyone knew of the one and only ever you. Not once had there been such eyes, such a nose, such silly, wiggly, wonderful toes. When the polar bears heard, they danced until dawn. From faraway places, the geese flew home. The moon stayed up until morning next day. And none of the ladybugs flew away. So whenever you doubt just how special you are and you wonder who loves you, how much and how far,  Listen for geese honking high in the sky. (They’re singing a song to remember you by.) Or notice the bears asleep at the zoo. (It’s because they’ve been dancing all night for you!) Or drift off to sleep to the sound of the wind. (Listen closely… it’s whispering your name again!) If the moon stays up until morning one day, or a ladybug lands and decides to stay, or a little bird sits at your window awhile, it’s because they’re all hoping to see you smile… For never before in story or rhyme (not even once upon a time) has the world ever known a you, my friend, and it never will, not ever again… Heaven blew every trumpet And played every horn On the wonderful, marvelous Night you were born

== Daily Darby / Tonights Taika ==

The gifs today are courtesy of our lovely @ofmd-ann who blesses us every day with gifs that make me swoon. Darby / Taika

Warning to all you gif makers, I'm gonna be bugging the crap out of you soon for permission to share on these recaps :P -- feel free to say no!

[u2fangirlie-blog]

Good Omens Still Belongs to Terry Pratchett

Deadline announced on Sept., 9, 2024, "Good Omens Production Paused on Amazon Drama from Neil Gaiman."

Good Omens season 3 production is delayed. That's an obvious and natural consequence given the allegations of SA against Neil Gaiman.

(See Sept. 11, 2024 update below.)

Since the first week of July 2024, when the allegations came out in the news, Good Omens fans have been ripping each other to shreds over how to respond. Fans are being horrible to one another. They argue over what to think, how to feel, whether or not to boycott everything Gaiman ever wrote or produced or had his name on, or if fans should destroy their books and delete their Tumblr blogs and unpublish their fanfiction on AO3, or whether or not the artist can be separated from the art. In the court of social media, you can't still like a work of art or literature if the creator is an alleged sexual predator.

YES. ALLEGED. THAT'S CORRECT. Saying someone is guilty of a crime before they are found guilty in a court of law can lead to legal consequences for writers.

Other than denouncing SA perps and saying it's objectively terrible and wrong, I don't know how to respond to allegations of Gaiman committing SA for decades. Does anybody know?

But I will say my piece about Good Omens. Neil Gaiman didn't create it by himself. Terry Pratchett co-wrote it with him. Everyone is overlooking the most obvious reason that Good Omens season 3 might continue - Pratchett's estate is involved in production. Narrativia is the company started by Pratchett, and it continues with his daughter Rhianna Pratchett at the helm. Rob Wilkins, Terry's representative on Earth, also works with Narrativia.

So before everyone throws up hands and yells and throws out season 3 of Good Omens because it's got Neil's name in it, remember: One person didn't write Good Omens. Terry and Neil wrote it together. Decades before Terry died, he and Neil worked out the conclusion to Good Omens. They planned a sequel called 668: The Neighbor of the Beast. Terry's finale deserves to be told.

It's possible for Amazon and Narrativia to finish season 3. Look at the writing credits for seasons 2: John Finnemore, Cat Clarke, Jeremy Dyson, and Andy Nyman. It's possible to complete the series without Gaiman. Before July 2024, Gaiman said he wrote the final episode and had worked out the plot for everything. I don't recall how many episodes he finished before he vanished from the public. Michael Sheen and David Tennant both said they read the final episode script.

Remember that without the Good Omens series, Michael Sheen and David Tennant might never have met or worked together. The world could have been deprived of the greatest real life best friends forever relationship. Together with their wives, they might never have formed an ersatz polycule that everyone loves to see on social media.

We know how much David and Michael love Good Omens fans. That love is real! We know they would continue with the series to conclude the story for the fans.

In conclusion, before you take a dump all over fans because they still want to see season 3 of Good Omens, take all these facts into consideration. It's still Terry Pratchett's story. It deserves to be told.

UPDATE: Reported by Deadline on Sept. 11, 2024. Here is the inevitable news: "Gaiman has made an offer to Amazon and producers to take a back seat on the latest season so that it can continue amid crisis talks over the Terry Pratchett adaptation’s future."

Actually, this is good news for Good Omens fans and the future of season 3. As I previously posted, Good Omens was co-written with Terry Pratchett and his estate's production company is involved with the Good Omens series. It's what's right for the people who work on the series - including all the amazingly talented crew members who deserve to keep their jobs. And it's what's right for the fans. This is a smart move.

[owlcompanion73]

I think I can cancel NG for being a creep (potentially worse) and still love and enjoy GO.

We each have to draw the line for ourselves. And I understand that for some this means even GO/Sandman/DBD is now absolutely over for you, and I respect that position. I just don’t feel it’s authentic for me.

A week ago I would have said NG is one of my favorite authors. I’ve really enjoyed several of his books (except American Gods, i hated that book). But the Good Omens show made me a super fan, particularly because of the actors. I don’t feel like it’s honest to say I no longer want to engage with GO, but NG has absolutely fallen off my list. I will no longer be seek out or participate with new projects from him.

But I don’t think it’s necessary to cancel everything he has ever touched retroactively. He’s only one part.

I think it’s ok to still find meaning in the book, and to celebrate everyone else involved in this show we all love. The rest of the cast and crew deserve to finish this story as much as we all deserve to see it. And then not seek out new NG projects moving forward. Because now we know.

And if this all somehow disrupts the final season from happening, then I will enjoy my favorite fanfic authors giving their versions of S3 and how the story ends. (And with the AO3 filters I use to search for stories, it will be a much spicier ending than we’d get from the show!) NG put this out into the world, and it will continue despite him.

But Good Omens is ours…it is now and it always was.

[lookingatacupoftea]

Too Many Layers?

Since the NG allegations (which I find very credible and disturbing and will not otherwise address in this post -- please see this roundup for more info and share to get the word out), I've been leaning more into fanworks and starting to let go of canon, particularly s2 and possible s3* canon.

I've also been taking a more critical eye to canon and revisiting my own interpretations of Good Omens the show. Here are the questions I've been rotating in my mind:

Can we trust NG to actually write a good ending for these beloved characters?

Is s2 more poorly written than I had previously acknowledged?

One of the most interesting things about Good Omens is the sheer number of themes and layers of text and subtext that it presents. I have been wont to think of these layers largely positively. Prior to recent events, I had repressed any fleeting concerns that this multiplicity of layers was so egregious as to be a weakness. But now I'm re-considering it.

In particular, the show presents heaven and hell in contradictory ways that are, in my opinion, the root of most of the vastly different takes. Is heaven Amazon or the KGB or the Catholic Church? Is hell better than, the same, or worse than heaven? Is being an angel or a demon a job, an identity, or both? I think you can see hints of all these possible interpretations in the show itself, and the ones you gravitate toward can dramatically change how you interpret the show and particularly Aziraphale's feelings and actions. Is this lack of clarity a purposeful mystery that will be resolved in s3, a reflection of the complexities of institutions and systems in the real world, or a sign of lazy writing?

I had thought my takes were right (don't we all?) because I thought I understood the purpose that drove NG and the smaller set of themes captured in the book that I thought were being expanded and tweaked but ultimately preserved in the TV show as a love letter to TP. (I recommend @nofomogirl's meta on the competing book and show canons, which does a very good job at capturing the discrepancies between them and the challenges one can have in integrating them).

But clearly NG is not the person I thought he was and so I feel much less certain than I did that I understand his purpose in GO the show. How far has he strayed from the characters and themes in the book? How much has he elevated his self-insert character, Crowley, over Aziraphale? To what extent is the TV show, especially s2, overstuffed with layers and themes and clues in order to appeal to as wide an audience as possible? To what extent are flaws in the writing papered over by the top-notch acting and dedication to detail shown by the crew? Will an NG-authored s3 effectively narrow and focus and resolve some of these contradictory layers or will it continue to be a bit of a (beautiful) mess?

I don't have an answer. On the one hand, all of these layers and subtexts make the show a fascinating one for analysis and a great jumping-off point for fanworks. On the other hand, maybe a show can be too packed with themes and texts and allusions, to the extent that it sacrifices clarity.

*I respect a variety of perspectives on the topic of whether there should be a s3 and, if so, whether one should watch it. This post isn't really about and I'd rather not debate it here. Here is one petition calling for NG's removal as GO showrunner and another calling for more investigation and for companies to pull back on working with him. I believe there are also plans in the works for a fandom fundraiser to support survivors of sexual violence.

[vidavalor]

Btw, Terry is dead and wouldn’t be honored by you keeping the legacy of a rapist alive.

Gaiman is alive and makes money from the show you defend.

your impact is a net negative.

You need some help with math, I see. You know who else makes money from Good Omens? The hundreds of people with kids to feed whose livelihood depends on their job working on the show. Gaiman will likely end up fired from Good Omens. The studios own it and the publishing company owns the rights to the book. They will make money off it. His money will go to lawyers. Where there's 2 victims, there's 10. He's done. Before long, most of his cash is going to end up with his victims or his kids, both of which are not exactly situations that seem morally iffy to me. Do they to you? In the meantime, you think, what? We should let a few hundred kids of the GO crew go hungry so you can sit on the internet and send Anon Asks that make you feel powerful, instead of doing any real, actual work?

You claim to be supportive of victims yet the way you speak to me when I've publicly said that I am one shows your true colors. Message me under your own name publicly and tell me where you volunteer for SA victims, Anon. Tell me how much money you gave to support them in the last year. I'll wait.

In the meantime, we adults of the fandom will continue actually making a difference in the world and not confusing sending silly little Anon asks with actual activism.

[serial-serializednovelreader]

Nova’s Notes - Dracula Daily - July 18

We’re out of the Droughtula! And onto the voyage of the Demeter….

“If Mr. Stoker has a problem with this he is cordially invited to rise from his mouldering grave and take it up with me personally.”

Truly, an iconic editor’s note! Matt is not playing around and, selfishly, I would love to actually see this showdown occur.

“Written 18 July, things so strange happening, that I shall keep accurate note henceforth till we land.”

Basically the Captain:

For real though, you know what this reminds me of? Jonathan Harker on his first day he noticed strange things occurring at the castle. Here’s what he said then:

“I began to fear as I wrote in this book that I was getting too diffuse; but now I am glad that I went into detail from the first, for there is something so strange about this place and all in it that I cannot but feel uneasy…”

Thanks to wanting to record his trip for Mina, he had already started taking detailed notes for the trip. These notes served him well in his time at castle Dracula.

Unfortunately, the captain of the Demeter was not taking detailed logs beforehand, but it’s telling that he begins to as soon as he notices something strange! Just a neat parallel I thought I would point out.

“On 6 July we finished taking in cargo, silver sand and boxes of earth. At noon set sail. East wind, fresh. Crew, five hands ... two mates, cook, and myself (captain).”

To note here, it has been twelve days since they set sail and it has taken twelve days to reach the point of someone logging the incidents. I suppose that’s a record above Dracula’s previous time with Jonathan, which was *three* days (really, more like two).

Also, sorry to put the answer to your post in here, @mermaid-above-water, but I figured it would be best! To answer your question of how many crew hands are on the Demeter….I’ll be real with you, I was going to take the captain’s number of “5” at face value, but @dramaticpandabear summed it up best with evidence: it’s 9. I’m going to be using their post as reference for the future when I make my notes You can get this number by adding 5 (hands) + 2 (mates) + 1 (cook) + 1 (captain). I definitely understand the confusion — like I said, I was confused too! No wonder the captain says he needs to take more accurate notes…

“On 11 July at dawn entered Bosphorus. Boarded by Turkish Customs officers. Backsheesh. All correct. Under way at 4 p. m.”

Everything seems fine here! Only thing to note is that I believe when he refers to “backsheesh”, he means the practice of bribing customs officers, sooo that’s fun. /s

“On 12 July through Dardanelles. More Customs officers and flagboat of guarding squadron. Backsheesh again. Work of officers thorough, but quick. Want us off soon. At dark passed into Archipelago.”

So it looks like this time they got less of a warm welcome, with more customs officers investigating their cargo. More backsheesh, and they had to leave the port much more quickly. Notice how they’re not finding anything strange in their cargo, say a “human”….hm….

“On 13 July passed Cape Matapan. Crew dissatisfied about something. Seemed scared, but would not speak out.”

At this point, they’ve just passed Greece. That’s not very far into their journey! Yet already, something strange is afoot — the crew seem scared. But about what? If I had to guess, Dracula is starting to give them strange dreams and because sailors are usually inclined to believe in the supernatural/superstition, they probably see it as a bad omen (especially if more than one of them had a bad dream). They probably don’t want to tell the captain though, either due to him not seeming to believe in the supernatural or not wanting to worry him (or because of one of the mates, who is a skeptic).

“On 14 July was somewhat anxious about crew. Men all steady fellows, who sailed with me before. Mate could not make out what was wrong; they only told him there was something, and crossed themselves. Mate lost temper with one of them that day and struck him. Expected fierce quarrel, but all was quiet.”

Yikes, I already don’t like this mate. He comes across like a massive jerk. The rest of the crew reminds me a lot of the villagers of Transylvania — steady, but scared. Crossing themselves and refusing to speak further on the matter….very much like the innkeeper and his wife when asked about Dracula. Perhaps they’ve seen other signs of his presence at this point as well (a mist appearance, perhaps?). It’s telling that the crew remains uncharacteristically quiet, rather than starting a fight after the mate hits one of them: this tells me they’re trying not to attract attention. But from what?

“On 16 July mate reported in the morning that one of crew, Petrofsky, was missing. Could not account for it. Took larboard watch eight bells last night; was relieved by Abramoff, but did not go to bunk. Men more downcast than ever. All said they expected something of the kind, but would not say more than there was somethingaboard. Mate getting very impatient with them; feared some trouble ahead.”

The first very strange thing has happened: a crew member — Petrofsky — has gone missing. That leaves them with 4 hands now, down to eight on the ship total. This is obviously affecting the captain negatively as he did not rest even after a watch. As for the “larboard watch eight bells” phrase, larboard was an archaic word for port (the left side of a ship), so he must have been assigned to watch that side, and as for eight bells, eight bells is the common signal on board a ship that a watch has ended.

We are also given a new name of one of the crew members: Abramoff. I’m going to imagine he’s one of the four remaining hands (it seems it was common practice to not have the cook stand watch at night, so I don’t think it’s the cook), since the captain keeps referring to his mates as just “mates”, though this could be proven wrong with time.

Again, the crew is much like the Transylvanian villagers: scared, yet resigned. They know already something like this was going to happen. However, one of the mates seems to be getting more and more impatient with them…

“On 17 July, yesterday, one of the men, Olgaren, came to my cabin, and in an awestruck way confided to me that he thought there was a strange man aboard the ship. He said that in his watch he had been sheltering behind the deck-house, as there was a rain-storm, when he saw a tall, thin man, who was not like any of the crew, come up the companion-way, and go along the deck forward, and disappear. He followed cautiously, but when he got to bows found no one, and the hatchways were all closed. He was in a panic of superstitious fear, and I am afraid the panic may spread. To allay it, I shall to-day search entire ship carefully from stem to stern.”

We get the name of another crew member: Olgaren. If he is another hand (and I feel like the captain would’ve specified if he wasn’t) we now know 3/5 names of the crew hands. We also get more information on a new mysterious incident — this time they have actually spotted a strange man aboard the ship, though he turned to mist (what I think happened) before Olgaren could find him). Finally, the captain has decided to take some action to allay the crew’s fears. Good!!

“Later in the day I got together the whole crew, and told them, as they evidently thought there was some one in the ship, we would search from stem to stern. First mate angry; said it was folly, and to yield to such foolish ideas would demoralise the men; said he would engage to keep them out of trouble with a handspike. I let him take the helm, while the rest began thorough search, all keeping abreast, with lanterns: we left no corner unsearched. As there were only the big wooden boxes, there were no odd corners where a man could hide. Men much relieved when search over, and went back to work cheerfully. First mate scowled, but said nothing.”

I like the captain’s delegation with giving the first mate the helm here. No use making the man search when he was obviously going to be complaining and degrading their worries the whole time. We also get it specified that this was the first mate: I choose to believe it was the first mate who’s been complaining this whole time and the captain just wasn’t taking accurate notes about it, though I could be proven wrong.

As for the boxes having nothing to hide….oh boy. That’s funny. Not in a haha way. But it is funny. Because they truly have no idea what lies in one of those boxes, but alas, the creature who resides in there is currently mist (if I’m not mistaken) and they cannot see the truth.

Of course, they don’t find anything and go cheerfully back to work. Good for morale, not good for the long-term.

That’s it for this Demeter’s log. Can’t wait for the next one!

[flameraven]

i cant stop wondering how a predator like ga*man was able to write the most beautiful romantic wholesome perfect love story ever with gomens. how. (and i believe the women i just wanna make that clear)

only way i can imagine it is that it was terrys idea for the sequel theyd planned and with that it wouldve been easy for the people working on good omens to help with that. like so much of these characters and their love story is the way michael and david act these characters out and the seasons have been co-written with other writers like finnemore etc so its never been a "ga*man" story ya know ? in all the other books i read of him he never wrote an actual love story based on mutual respect and care. its only gomens. it took me a while to figure out what was so different abt it and i think its truly more terrys story than ga*mans

Not sure why you sent this, or if it was a response to a specific post, but I thought it was worth answering, especially now that we know there's a 3rd accusation against him. Mostly, if you didn't see this post that I reblogged recently, I think it's worth a read. I think it's a comforting thought to try to categorize people into Good People and Bad People, and to write off the Bad People as doing Only Bad Things so they can be safely ignored. But I think the more uncomfortable truth is that people are complicated, and sometimes the same people who make brilliant, moving art also do terrible things. Gaiman is a very skilled writer and many people have found that his work was meaningful to them and touched their lives. I am one of them-- I have been a fan of Gaiman's work for something like 20 years. Sandman and Good Omens radically changed how I thought about religion, and Sandman showed me a whole new way comics could be used to tell stories. The TV show of Good Omens has made an incredible difference to my life and I've found a lot of value and community in writing fanfic of it and connecting with the fandom. AND, it's also true that Gaiman seems to have behaved terribly towards these women. Even if the relationships had not involved assault, pursuing much younger women is a creep move. He's hardly the first male celebrity to do so, and I'm sure he won't be the last, but I did expect better from him. But then, we don't really know anything about celebrities. We only know the persona they show us. Good Omens was a collaborative effort, and I don't think it's fair to dismiss Gaiman's writing contributions because of his personal behavior. But it's also true that the TV show is more than just his efforts -- Michael and David and all the actors and producers and crew worked hard to tell the story that affected so many people. If it helps you process this situation to think of those contributions, or Terry's, rather than Gaiman's, I think that's a valid approach. People have a lot of complicated feelings about this, and everyone has to sort them out in their own way.

[unforgivablego]

I want to say something very important.

It's about how much I love our fandom and how glad I am to be a part of it, even if just a little bit. Usually everyone is talking about the show, Neil, Michael, David or G.O. crew and i’m not saying that you are doing something wrong, I just wanna say how little we talk about ourselves.

We treat the Neil with humor, we joke about it, we ask interesting questions, how much pleasure and emotions we get and something truly beautiful comes out of it. The relationship between the creators and the fandom is so warm that sometimes it seems that we all have known each other for a very long time and it's so wonderful.

Just look at how the fandom cleaned up the information about the leak very quickly and efficiently. How much you need to appreciate the work of others and be understanding in order to treat everything that the go crew does with such trepidation.

And we are all strangers to each other, we are not directly related, we are just a bunch of very different but lovely people who are connected by something in common - love for good omens.

Yes, it may sound sentimental or strange, it's just a book or just a TV show. So what? The world is full of such things. But sometimes those things make people feel like they belong, and that's what I feel when I'm in this fandom - at home. No matter what we all worry about, we know that when we come home after hard/easy work or a bad/good day, we'll go to the Neil's page and write something kind and gentle, maybe funny and stupid, just to make someone smile or sincerely take an interest in someone else's experience. We'll write several posts about how we feel, what emotions we experience with the thought that at this moment we are not alone. It'll give us relief, someone will have a charge for the next day, someone will cheer up.

And it's wonderful.

We love everything G.O. crew does, we trust them, we trust Neil and we help ourselves to feel comfortable at the expense of him. This is a kind of symbiosis “I to you - you to me” between the creators and the fandom, and everyone puts something of themselves here.

That's what fandom is - we're all a shining example of it. Thanks to all of us for this, thanks to the G.O. crew and Neil for giving us the opportunity to be ourselves, to be something like this.

That's all I wanted to say.

Love you guys, we're perfect.

[myriicae]

I’m learning just now that people are trying to boycott s2 because it didn’t end how they wanted so let me tell you that it absolutely baffles me how someone can show such disrespectful behavior about a series that ends with a sad cliffhanger because, let me tell you, we older fans have been waiting for ENTIRE YEARS for an on-screen adaption of Good Omens (that also expands from the original stand alone book!), and the only thing I feel is grateful for everything Neil and the crew gave us

Seasons can end with sad cliffhangers, get over it

[meltingpenguins]

I actually enjoyed the first season of good omens a decent amount and I had a period of time where I got back deep into fic for it, but the second season nearly completely sucked away any joy and excitement I had for the characters and the fandom. Unexpectedly, I no longer want to interact with any of it, which was the complete opposite of what I thought would happen given a second season

Same, pretty much.

Now, With Season 1 it aged like milk to me. Initially I was very much on board, there were good ideas, the cast was nifty, i even cheered for some of the eastereggs. But I'm a good old fashioned overthinker, and here's the thing:

Good Omens the book will forever hold a special place in my heart. It's what got me into writing ultimately (Discworld already got me back into reading, but GO struck that secret chord), and as I am working on two text-game and a novel right now (something I wouldn't even have dreamed of 15 years ago) I'd say it's done a good job.

I'm someone who loves to analyse stories, and Good Omens the book is one of those stories that is so incredibly smart, witty and well-constructed that it is a joy to read and re-read and re-re-read and so forth. I'd say Book Omens is one of the very few stories that has no plotholes or continuity hiccups. There is a 'Schrödinger's Plothole' aka one that depends on what you headcanon-ing happening (I can explain what I mean by that if people are curious), but that's it. Every other 'hold on' moment can be filled in with a variety of solid explanations stemming from what we are given about the world and the characters. Even why the fuel-needle has been pointing to zero since Crowley got the Bentley, even though Crowley did *buy* petrol at some point (flash bastard prolly drank it, I'd not be surprised)

The show, however, is riddled with plotholes and fridgelogic through and through, topped with quite a bit of pretentiousness and something that feels like taking the piss out of book fans and pretending it's 'loving shout outs' (no, it's not). I'll give examples for this if someone asks as well.

And s2 only got worse. It feels as if in s1 the book's plot was desperately pushing bad against some really atrocious writing, directing decisions and budget management. In s2 there was nothing to push back against it. Now, given this is still amzen we are talking about, this might be in (large) part due to their bullshit (budget cuts, shooting demands, no proper rewrites, crunch, basically all the 'fun' stuff the WGA is/was striking against).

S2 had potential and ideas, but it doesn't feel any of those were used. And to make it worse, there's already some really sour-tasting mentalities being pushed in both seasons, mentalities and world-views that weren't there in the book.

All in all, said it before, saying it again, the BEST thing for the story, the show and the fandom would be

NO s3, Neil just writes up a short story on how s3 in the amzen-verse would have gone and uploads it for free. And then either looks for a different studio, crew, cast and scriptwriter to try adapting the book again and THEN adapting Neighbour of the Beast.

or

2. S3 ditches the whole 'second coming' route and instead pushes the reset-button, declaring s1 and 2 nothing but a dream (with a proper in-universe explanation) and go through the fallout of that, fleshing out the characters proper and balancing them again.

Trying to go through with s3 on it's current wobbly, crumbling base won't work. Oh sure, there'll be drama, drama drama, and in the end crowley and az move to a cottage in the south downs, but it will again be nothing but amateurish fan-service. And for that you don't need to pay for the show. You are better off leaving kudos and comments on your fav fics, and see if the aithor has fanwork unrelated venues you can support them by financially.

[nieded]

I’ve just finished reading sit tight, take hold and holy crap it’s incredible. Your writing is so so lovely and the way you wrote all of the characters was just so nice - I really liked both Ezira and Crowley’s character development, and Newt’s role in the fic. Raph was also a delight - everyone felt really three dimensional and i really enjoyed your characterisations and the relationship dynamics between all the drivers and crew.

Putting the romance and good omens elements of the fic aside, the way the fic blends IRL F1 into itself was so cool as well. If you don’t mind me going on a bit of a tangent, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic because of how you write about it; the culture on the grid and the way the drivers support each other, the feeling of being out on the track, how going fast is like flying. It’s not quite the same but it reminded me a lot of how myself and my sibling used to drive in a local kart league well into our late teens. we’d joke about making it into formula racing one day, but it never came to pass. We both had to quit for different reasons, but up until recently I didn’t realise how much I missed it. That aspect of the fic really reminded me of how much I love everything about the sport, and well. Maybe it’s time I booked some time at my local track and gave it another go, just for fun.

Anyway. Thank you for the amazing writing. It’s genuinely one of the best things I’ve read in a while and I just had to let you know how much I love it.

Hello! Sorry for not responding sooner. I have been unwell over the last few days, or else I would have gotten back much sooner!

Thank you so much for your lovely comment. I am still blown away that people are connecting with STTH. Especially, I am so happy you enjoyed Raph and the connections between all the characters.

And I'm so glad that the descriptions of the races felt true to you. I hope you do get to go karting soon! That sounds amazing!

Thank you so much!

[idlebeks]

Miscellaneous Fic Recs

Star Wars

Remedial Jedi Theology by MarbleGlove

Let us consider the fact that the Jedi Order is a monastic religious organization based out of a temple, with five basic tenets of faith.

Ch 1: Death, yet the Force (meeting Anakin) Ch 2: Chaos, yet Harmony (teaching Anakin) Ch 3: Passion, yet Serenity (teaching a teenaged Anakin, good grief) Ch 4: Ignorance, yet Knowledge (Anakin is a Knight now, why is he still Obi-Wan’s problem?) Ch 5: Heresy, yet Orthodoxy (actual plot? Ie, Clones and Sith) Ch 6: Emotion, yet Peace (epilog)

Ch 7: extras / deleted scenes

The Accidental Sith, the Confused Jedi Masters, the Eager Padawan, and the Rebel Senator by ClawedandCute (Adi_Fire)

Anakin Skywalker never left Tatooine. Qui-Gon Jinn never died. Padme and Obi-Wan never met Anakin. The Clone Wars began anyway.

This is the story of a wildly Force sensitive Anakin who wants nothing to do with the Jedi and who is immediately assumed to be a Sith. This is the story of a slavery hating Padme who has to choose between the Republic and what's right. This is the story of a conflicted Obi-Wan who comes head to head with the Jedi Order's flaws and mistakes. This is the story of a living Qui-Gon Jinn who has to come to grips with his part in all that has gone wrong.

This is the story of how the Clone Wars end.

Stargate SG-1/Avatar

The Dragon-King's Temple by Kryal

Through the spite of the spirits or plain rotten chance, a door that would have been better left untouched has opened. On the other hand, with Fire and Earth as one's allies, sometimes escaping is the easy part.

Even the Dragon-King's temple floods.

Star Trek Strange New Worlds

The 1,000 Hour Sleep by spqr

“You’ve been exposed to a novel form of radiation,” M'Benga explains. “It seems to prevent you from sleeping, and yet requires sleep in order to leave your system. One thousand hours of it, by my estimate.”

“Hell of a catch-22,” Jim jokes, but his smile feels weak.

“Indeed,” M’Benga agrees, somber. “It’s lucky we have a Vulcan on the crew – we've found that despite the radiation, you’re able to sleep with the assistance of a meld.”

Good Omens

So You Need To Get Into A.Z. Fell & Co.; Now What? (A Guide For Unfortunate Bookworms) by c4llistrad

London’s antique enthusiasts and rare lit nerds alike know that if you’re looking for a specific vintage or antique book, you have a good chance of ending up in A.Z. Fell & Co. as a last resort. And if you’ve ever been in (or are currently in) this predicament, you know how much of an absolute nightmare it is trying to even get in the door. Luckily, this handy guide, the fruit of a months-long collaborative effort to create the perfect formula for gaming the A.Z. Fell system, will tell you everything you need to know, complete with a comprehensive breakdown of what, exactly, the opening hours are. Compiled by pageknight and inky of the Rare Antique Forums.

let me feel your heartbeat (grow faster, faster) by thehoyden

Aziraphale saw him sometimes in all-staff meetings, sitting toward the front but off to the side, lounging against a wall. Even then, he’d had style—wings tipped in gold and face painted with gold flakes in the pattern of the first constellation he designed. He was amazing, and eye-catching, and it was no exaggeration to say that he did not know Aziraphale even existed.

Demonology and the Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma: An Integrative Approach by Nnm

As soon as Aubrey Thyme, psychotherapist, had opened her office door and seen her new client, Anthony J. Crowley, sitting in her waiting area, she was observing and assessing him. At first glance, she paid attention to the following:

--His clothing was expensive and stylish; --He wore very strange but noticeable cologne; --His relationship to the seat he occupied could only, very loosely, be described as “sitting;” --He looked angry; --He was wearing sunglasses.

What Aubrey Thyme, a professional, thought, upon first seeing her new client was: you’re going to be a fun one, aren’t you?