Well, darlings, Netflix just pulled the kind of delicious surprise that makes awards season look predictable. “The Sandman” – that gorgeously moody piece of dark fantasy that’s been haunting our screens – isn’t just wrapping up. It’s giving us an unexpected encore that would make Broadway jealous.
Here’s the tea: Beyond the already-announced 11 episodes, viewers are getting treated to a bonus hour starring the absolutely fabulous Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death herself. (And honestly, has Death ever looked quite this chic?)
The farewell tour – because that’s exactly what this is – comes in three delectable acts. First up, six episodes dropping July 3rd like the hottest summer blockbuster. Then comes the second wave on July 24th with five more installments of pure phantasmagoria. But wait – just when you think it’s curtains, Death sashays in for her final bow on July 31st with “The Sandman Presents: Death: The High Cost of Living.”
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room, shall we? This announcement arrives with more baggage than a starlet at Cannes. January brought news that Season 2 would be the show’s swan song, right alongside some rather unsavory allegations against Neil Gaiman – the mastermind behind the original graphic novels and executive producer. While Gaiman’s denied everything faster than a publicist during a PR crisis, there’s no denying the shadow it casts over what should’ve been pure celebration.
Tom Sturridge returns as Dream of the Endless – still brooding, still gorgeous, still trying to figure out redemption like it’s last season’s fashion trend. Netflix’s PR team (bless their hearts) describes his journey with that particular brand of understated drama they do so well: “the path to forgiveness is full of unexpected twists and turns, and true absolution may cost Dream everything.” Honey, when has anything worth watching ever come without a price tag?
The cast list reads like the guest list at heaven’s most exclusive afterparty: Gwendoline Christie, Stephen Fry, Steve Coogan (deliciously wicked as always), Mason Alexander Park, Donna Preston, and darling Patton Oswalt. They’re weaving together beloved storylines from the comics – “Season of Mists,” “Brief Lives,” “The Kindly Ones” – into what promises to be the television equivalent of haute couture.
What’s particularly fascinating – and this is where 25 years of covering Hollywood comes in handy – is how meticulously this finale was planned. Sources whisper that showrunner Allan Heinberg had this endgame mapped out before the first slate clapped on Season 2’s production last summer. Netflix played it closer to the vest than a poker champion, keeping mum until January 2024. Classic Hollywood timing, darlings – always leave them wanting more.
For a series maintaining a jaw-dropping 98% on Rotten Tomatoes (with Seasons 2 and 4 scoring perfect 100s, no less), this isn’t just an ending – it’s a grand exit worthy of old Hollywood. Think Sunset Boulevard meets Neil Gaiman, with a dash of modern streaming savvy thrown in for good measure.
The approaching finale marks more than just the end of another prestige series – it’s the closing of a chapter in television history. But like any true diva knows, sometimes the most unforgettable moment comes just before the curtain falls. And with Death herself taking center stage for the finale? Darlings, “The Sandman” isn’t just ending – it’s giving us one last chance to die for it.
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