Good Omens has returned—you can stream all of season two on Prime Video July 28—and there’s lots to love about the return of Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), Crowley (David Tennant), and heaven and hell’s relentlessly dysfunctional relationship with Earth. Here’s our (spoiler-free) take on the six new episodes, which continue the story created by Neil Gaiman and the late Terry Pratchett.
Good Omens season two picks up where season one left off: the apocalypse didn’t happen, and Aziraphale and Crowley—having freaked out their respective home offices with that body-swap trick that let the demon bathe in holy water and the angel endure a tornado of fire—are going about their lives in London. We see what happens to them moving forward, but season two also dips back into the past, filling in more details about their relationship and even continuing a season one plot thread in a very fun “what happened next?” exercise.
Why is Gabriel (Jon Hamm)—heaven’s most powerful angel, and one of season one’s biggest antagonists—wandering around Aziraphale’s bookstore, toting an empty cardboard box, completely naked, with no memory of who he is? Good Omens season two pulls this mystery thread from the very start and sustains it over six episodes before delivering a surprising conclusion.
Speaking of Gabriel, Jon Hamm’s performance as the apparent amnesiac is completely different from the character we met last season (“his royal smugness,” as Crowley calls him with disgust; that version of Gabriel does turn up in flashbacks to remind us of what a jerk he was). For most of season two, he’s a childlike fish out of water, dazzled by the taste of hot chocolate, perplexed by the concept of gravity, and determined to help Aziraphale by “organizing” all the books in the shop according to his own system of alphabetization.
They don’t know how women give birth, or how parents feel about their children. They don’t understand how long the human life span is. They’re not comfortable around material objects—including, but not limited to, matchboxes and cups of tea. It would be adorable (and it is, for the most part), if it wasn’t so worrisome. At one point, Crowley very understandably wonders how heaven’s remained in charge all this time.
Season one’s flashbacks showing Crowley and Aziraphale through the years were so engaging that season two brings them back; this time, though, they’re extended “minisodes” contained within the story that see the duo popping up at various points through history and learning lessons (about life, the thin line between right and wrong, the balance of cosmic power, each other, etc.) as they go.
Aziraphale’s shopkeeping neighbors—Maggie (Maggie Service) runs a record store; Nina (Nina Sosanya) owns the Give Me Coffee or Give Me Death café—star in one of Good Omens season two’s most endearing B-plots.
In addition to Service and Sosanya, who played Satanic nuns in season one, Good Omens brings back Miranda Richardson. This time around, she’s not the, ahem, multitalented landlady of London’s sole remaining witchfinder; instead, she’s playing Shax, a scheming demon who replaces Crowley as hell’s earthly emissary.
Obviously. You saw season one, right?
Multiple shots of espresso in a single gulp? No problem. Booze? Shrug. Laudanum, however, makes the demon go off the rails in the most hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt way.
Crowley’s beloved vintage Bentley was restored to full glory after the fiery events of season one; in season two, the car gets to show off even more of its powers and personality.
Nina’s never-seen partner is so toxic, she ruins the mood even when we’re just reading her spiteful text messages. That’s clearly intentional, but it’s still a bummer—as is the fact that Good Omens, a show that excels in exploring nuance, makes her into a plot device rather than an actual character.
Season one was propelled by an urgent countdown—this many days, hours, and minutes until the apocalypse—and a book of prophecies to help things hustle along. Without that ticking-clock structure, season two meanders a bit. That’s not necessarily a negative, since the puzzle-box plot manages to build its own sort of tension, and it only runs six episodes in total. But it doesn’t quite keep the binge-crazed viewer on the edge of their seat. Another nit-pick is that while season one was quite clearly filmed on location, season two was not—and that open, airy feeling that comes with actually being outdoors is definitely missed. Also, there’s no jaunty “voice of God” narration, which feels odd; wouldn’t She be just as interested in things this time around?
No spoilers. But after you see it, you’ll know why. The only thing that can make things right is a third season. Make it happen, Prime Video!
Good Omens season two arrives July 28 on Prime Video.
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