OK so they are siblings! They look related but at the same time some couples start to look alike. I thought the same thing about the Asian couple he collabed with before so I've trying to figure it out this whole time.
The actor playing Desire basically cast themself. They saw that Netflix and Neil Gaiman were making The Sandman, and went along and tweeted Gaiman a link to their youtube, saying «Hey I need you to see this. I need to play Desire!» And in my opinion, they are perfect as Desire.
That's not the same Joanna Constantine from the earlier episode, but her ancestor. Dream told Lucienne that he had dealings with the Constantines before and Joanna herself told Dream that her great-grandmother told her Dream always had a raven, so it's established her family knew about Dream of the Endless. Modern day Joanna and Dream didn't know each other and met during that episode for the first time.
Gaiman's Death is my favorite portrayal ever. She's exactly the person you *want* to walk you into eternity. She has a soft smile and a gentle voice and she knows exactly how difficult this is for you. I am so pleased with the portrayal here.
She is fantastic and I do love her characterisation in both the comics and the show, but she will always take 2nd place to me after the one created by my favourite author the late great Sir Terry Pratchett.
Yeah, it's a very different take than the comic, even if the lines are the same. The comic version is quite youthful and girlish. This actress brought a certain motherly quality. Part of me would have liked to see the character more like the original goofball Death, but I really like seeing her through the eyes of people who don't know the comic, and can appreciate the performance as what it is.
I love seeing new audiences discover this iteration of Death and loving how warm she is. "How is Death so full of life?" That's exactly what makes Gaiman's Death so special. Even though she's the oldest and most powerful of the Endless, she never appears as anything more than a kind face. And Kirby Baptiste-Howell captured that gravity and warmth so well. I agree, her chemistry with Sturridge was so endearing. They both believably played these powerful beings walking among humans but also big sister-little brother at the same time.
In so many iterations of the anthropomorphic personification of Death in fiction, they are full of life. And I would also like to think that Gaiman pulled at least little inspiration for his Death from his good friend Terry Pratchett.
This is the description of Death : Everyone meets her twice: at birth she gives the breath of life, and everyone, from stars to gods, see her once more. At the end of time, when the universe dies, she claims that she will "put up the chairs, turn off the lights, and lock the doors behind me when I leave." So, everyone inherently know Death.
This episode is like a palate cleanser after how horrific the last one was, and before starting a new major plot arc. Dream is canonically the mopiest goth boi to ever mope. And Death is exactly the sort of "reaper" I'd hope to see when I eventually pass away, with her friendly smile and a gentle word.
There was an episode of The Twilight Zone where a very young Robert Redford plays death and he helps an old woman see that passing on isn't so bad. I love the idea of gentle death.
The episode with Death was absolutely the most wholesome in my opinion. And I'm saying that as a thanatophobe. As for Lady Johanna, it's not the same woman whom Dream met in the 21st Century.
@@MasterZeus94 So say we all - I completely relate. We live until we don't, that's all. I love that Neil's given us someone to make the act of returning to dust seem a little less scary.
Remember, in hell, Dream WAS a person of color for a moment. The Endless appear to people as the personification of that concept in their culture. He's looked a LOT of different ways.
I love the character of Hob Gadling. He personifies life. Unlike most immortals who want to die, Hob has the zest for life. Through despair and yet he wants to live.
This episode starts with Dream alone and moping, and ends with Dream sharing a drink with an old friend. Also, Lady Johanna Constantine is an ancestor of the modern day Constantine who was gender flipped to avoid copyright issues.
@@joaovictorm.revoredo9513 But I appreciate they actually pronounce the name right in this. It's not Constanteen, rhyming with "mean." It's Constantine, rhyming with "fine," because, ya know, the English language vowel shift. Though if you asked the original creator of John Constantine, it would rhyme with "coin."
This one was arguably my favorite episode of the season (which is no surprise since this part of the comic was also my favorite). The thing I love most about it, is it really does put into perspective the scale of the Endless. I also appreciate how much Hob's story really does do an excellent job, of making you appreciate how far the human race has come over the last few centuries.
This episode was phenomenal. Both hubby and I teared up when Death took Dream through her daily workday. And again with his friend. Man this was a heavy hitter.
I absolutely cannot figure out why this worked so effectively. I've seen Kirby Howell-Baptiste in other things, and she's always been enjoyable. But with such subtle presence and so little dialogue, she just oozes love and charisma and compassion. So well cast, terrific performance, and I squeezed out a couple of tears myself. I literally cannot pick apart how it worked so damned well. "How is death so full of life?" was a brilliant observation.
you two are so incredibly charming i absolutely ADORE watching you guys react to this beauty of a show and especially this episode. and honestly, i get the impulse to call her lady death there's just something elegant about her ay? :D
Lady Johanna is an ancestor of Johanna Constantine it isn't the same person. Also death has the wings not the ppl who pass. Hob when he met dream was a soldier so he's known how to fight for centuries
I honestly love watching people react to this episode because Death is the opposite of what we normally see of Death. No scythe, no black robe, no skeleton. Just a friend to hold the deads hand and show them to where they need to be and that seem to get people even more when she helps them move on.
This was my favourite episode. The moment she came on screen I was like, Damn, she's beautiful and warm, she must be Death. I'm going to read the comics for sure.
Death is possibly my favourite Endless in the comics and Kirby Howell-Baptiste friggen nailed it! Perfection! I really hope they do a film or 2-3 episode of her spin off series special!
@@bencracknellCA Yes! I agree. :-) That comic/graphic novel was how I originally got introduced to Death, and then the Endless, and Sandman. It would be great to see.
This is my favorite and the best episode of the season. Mykel Claire catching the time period references before they’re said is worthy of applause. I love this story’s version of Death. Kirby Howell Baptiste’s performance is beautiful. I cried several times, because I just hope death is the way she described it after having lost someone recently.
Loved you two’s reaction to this episode. I think it’s my favorite of the season! Kirby Howell-Baptiste is effervescent as Death! I first saw her in The Good Place (season 3 and forward); she was excellent there, too! The story of Gadling & Dream was fantastic, too! Looking forward to your reaction to the next episode! Cheers!
Great reaction. Death is my favorite character from the comics, so I couldn't wait for this episode. Kirby Howell-Baptiste knocked it out of the park. As you all mentioned in your review she really captured Death's warmth, compassion, and humor.
Litterally one of the most beautiful depictions and explanations of death Ive ever seen (if that's how it can be described) it makes me feel like if that was deat I wouldn't be frightened because I would be waiting when its my time to say hello to them.
Death was perfectly done. Any the journey through the centuries was excellent. The writers on this show are at the top of their game and the cast is fantastic!
There is a later story involving Robert Gadling where he deals with the fact that he was once involved in the slave trade. His girlfriend -- and future wife, as he eventually marries her -- is a black woman. During one conversation she reminds him of the slave trade and he literally has a breakdown over the guilt of it all, especially because he's in love with a black woman. She thinks he's overreacting because "its not like you were there". Except he was there, and he saw what was going on first hand, and he's regretted even the short time he was involved in the slave trade every day for the past 300 years..
This episode really got to me, and I keep thinking about it. I worked as a hospice sitter a few years ago, so the different looks at death reminded me very much of that experience. The pay was not very good, and I had to drive all over the place at a moment's notice, but it was the most rewarding job I'd ever had. If the pay wasn't so bad, I would have loved to keep doing it. It could be depressing, because, yes you are surrounded by people at the end of their lives, but you are also giving them and their stressed-out families relief. And the saddest ones, the ones who are alone, you're there for them too, so there is at least someone at their bedside to care for them, talk to them if they want, or hold their hand, or just be in the room with them. When I read this issue of the comic years ago, I identified with the younger people, but now, I empathised more with the old violin player and the man by the water. One of the most beautiful bits of television I've seen in a very long time.
This is honestly one of the best episodes of tv of all time. The whole episode could’ve been just about Dream traveling and talking with Death while she is guiding souls to the afterlife. I mean first the scene with her guiding the old man, letting him say the Shema prayer made me tear up right away, and I’m not even Jewish. But then they show us the story of Hob Gadling and I could NOT take my eyes off the screen for a second. I’ve been on the side that thinks immortality for mortals is a curse, that over time your moral compass would break, you would look at other mortals as just insects, and your own sense of humanity (your soul, spirit, chi, ka, whatever you want to call it) would crumble away into dust. But Hob Gadling is a truly exceptional man for living as long as he had and not become either a power hungry psychopath or just an outright piece of crap. Yes he veered off the path and was involved briefly in the slave trade, but Morpheus managed to show him the error of his ways. Hob is the embodiment of looking at the bright side! And Hob had an effect on Morpheus because after spending so much time with Hob he actually did come to care for him. And in the end Dream finally admitted that he and Hob were friends.
I genuinely believe it’s because he waits to meet dream again that’s why he stays in a good path because he believe the immortality will be taken away if he strays
Everywhere they are is British because they were filming during Covid and couldn't go anywhere lol. Apparently bits of the show were supposed to happen in New York too but Oh Well.
So refreshing to see your reactions and see you fall in love with Death. Gaiman said a long time ago something like, “who could say no to a beautiful woman”, but I like the depth we see on live adaption. “Warm and so full of life” as you said. Subscribed and now eager to see the rest of your reactions!
This episode was beautiful. Death's whole vibe was what he needed. Her outlook was brilliantly written. The bonus element of his century friendship was so fun.⏳️💀
Love your analysis, especially with regards to Shakespeare and how Dream sees him. The three leads, Death, Dream, and Hob are some of the best casting I've ever seen, and knowing Neil Gaiman had a say in it makes it all the more special.
It's interesting to me how people react to changes from the source material.. in Sandman we saw two of the changes in this episode: a female "John Constantine" and a coloured Death. Some people tried to get people riled up about it, but not many seemed upset possibly because the author is on the team, but to my mind also because the audience for this won't care. Now take The Rings Of Power and you can see people go off the deep end over the changes. I think the audience for that show are a lot less tolerant, but I will give them that the writing there is questionable at best, I'm just not sure that the problems have anything to do with wokeness.
Everyone meets Death twice in their lives. When they are born, and when they die. She sings to everyone when they are born and offers a kind hand when they die. It is said that anyone loved by Death is doomed. Everyone dies eventually. Maybe because Death loves us all.
I love that Dream starts his day lost and confounded but ends it with an old friend and reconnecting to his purpose. I was younger when these comics came out, it was pretty profound because most comics were splashy crap but this had some substance. If I had a kid that was starting to grapple with some of the existential bullshit that hits most of us at some point, I would point them towards stories like these since they tackle some big ideas but with humor and beauty as opposed to garish vapidity that is most media. Great reaction, this episode earned a few wets eyes.
I had a moment of worry when I first heard the actress playing Death wasn't like the image in the comic, but that was because that image was based on a real person and friend of the artist who originally drew her, and she has since passed away. However, within seconds of seeing her performance, I knew she was perfect.
They just used the same actress for Joanna Constantine. It's not actually the same Joanna. That was her ancestor in the past. If you recall when Morpheus met Joanna in the future, he said he had met someone with the same name hundreds of years ago. This is who he was talking about.
Given me at this stage still dealing with my mom's death nearly 10 years ago......my niece being shot in February and my friend of 7 years dying of Cancer this past Tuesday......it's all a trip......and my near death two years ago.......yea she's just Death.... Lady Death is actually another comicbook character. Gaiman's version of Death is indeed my favorite. The only diff between the comic version and the liveaction is that she is pale white in the books.....she still the same..spunky.....full of life and rocking the ankh. Makes since because the Bubonic Plague aka the Black Death was going on in 1389....this episode was fantastic and I dig y'all reactions.
In the comics the Endless are described as having a type of dual dominion. Death was born when the first being came to life and Dreams gives you the strength and resolve to shape reality.
"...things into which angels long to look." This was my favorite episode, because it reminds me of the quote above. Why wouldn't an entity like Dream be curious about humans? I love the difference between his approach and Death's because it's in keeping with their personalities. Death is "all in" and Dream is more analytical.😄
This is by far my favorite episode and it's because of Hob Gadling's storyline. Let's just say i also want to live forever to experience the ever changing world and the knowledges i want to learn.
ahhh!! he outed himself as a fan of Brian Pulido's Lady Death! 😍 anyway, first time i find you guys. i adored your conversation on this episode very much. i've seen a few review videos on it already & they haven't impressed me as much as your guys' in-depth analysis. instant sub. i do wish that you guys featured more of your reaction during key moments of the episode, however. i appreciated you guys truly hearing each other out & responding to each other, rather than just waiting to say your next piece to the audience. Mikel-Claire, wonderful intuition!! so happy you guys adore this. thought at first that you guys hadn't read the comic book, but now i see that Syntell is a prior fan. cool!! excited for Desire, too! SO excited. hope the entire run of the show is brilliant. great show, guys!
The endless are shape shifters they can apear in any form Normaly desth is a pale white goth girl with a eye of horus tatoo on her eye the actress had the perfect personality for death so she got the role She pulls it off briliantly she has alao apeared as a old man before but she self identifies as female and lrefers to take on female forms but technicaly can apear as anything
We seen other endless do this like when dream apeared to nada in hell you saw he was sudenly black its because thats how he apeara to her they can look difernt to difernt people or chose a form they want
I just realized something rewatching episode 1 that Roderick Burrgess died, that meant Death was there in the room, and she didn’t help Dream get out of the cage he was in! Something to think about! Hmmmm!
This is something I wondered about too. Although in this episode Death says: (paraphrasing) “I’m there at the end for all of them. Well, most of them”. Maybe Burgess got a direct flight to Hell. One would hope 😈
Didn't you read the comic ? You looked surprised seeing deaths demeanor. She was always this kind even in the comics. She's the one siblings who looks out and cares for all her siblings. Dreams other siblings are douches except for destruction. Destiny doesn't cause trouble as well but he is an introvert that sticks to himself and doesn't like to talk. Destiny is the oldest and strongest of the siblings but he doesn't converse with his siblings much. In the comics destiny literally holds the multiverse in his book which is attached to his right hand.
In the original comic book, the first half of this story, where Dream follows Death as she goes about her work, was set in New York. The second part, Men of Good Fortune, where we meet Hob Gadling, was set in London, but was not the story that immediately followed Sound Of Her Wings. So Death having a British accent was a surprise for me, but it worked well, especially the way they segued from one story to the next.
17:15 It's not meant to be the same woman. This is the ancestor of the woman we met earlier. In the comics, there was no modern day Johanna Constantine. There was John Constantine and Lady Johanna was his ancestor. They had to change the modern-day character for this show, because the rights for the character of John Constantine are owned by someone else.
This take on gaimans Death didn't really do it for me, sure in a general sense the attitude was right but not the degree to which she brings comfort to people with them rushing through all but the violinists death. The Dc animated showcase for Her was much better and admittedly im a sucker for the distinct pale punk rock visage with the blue/black lipstick that is her most iconic look. Im fine with them making Death a different ethnicity but they have to put more effort into it like Fox did when they made domino black,they kept her distinct trait like the single dot around the eye birthmark. But here they didn't attempt a similar aesthetic of punk rock makeup and didn't give the character her distinct under eye tattoo
I just learned this from one of the creators that the bartender in the 1989 era with Hob, is related to the guy who played Dream. Thought that was interesting.
One of the best episodes of TV I've seen. There are a few episodes in TV history that I remember Three stories (House ), episode 1 of Touch and this probably best three TV episodes I've seen.
8:02 Death is unique compared to all the 7 siblings because unlike them, she actually walks the earth amongst mortals as a mortal for once a day every 100 years, so as to live the lives that she takes and every soul she takes makes her understand humans better than any other. Even more than humans themselves. But she was not always like this but it just goes to show how much life could go so far as to change even death.
The friendly face at the beginning of everyone's life that Death mentions is hers. Death visits everybody at the moment of their birth and death. So she bookends everybody's life.
Love to see out folks with reaction channels but this was chopped up hard with the editing. Skipping most of Deaths interactions and the transition to the second arc was kinda rough. I hope have much success in the future!
In the comics she is a pale beautyful goth girl with same clothes basicly and same beautyful personality The actress perfectoy brought that energy which is all needed since the8r shaoe shifters technicaly they apear difernt to difernt people death apears im a way to sooth u while desire apears to be your most desirable person
Not the same joana In the comics the modern day constantine is john constantine but they gender swapped him for joana but also kept in his ancestor also named joana
Death is also the only one of the Endless who chooses to live one day per year as a human so to better understand their puny lives and herself in her role as Death. She gets it, 100%. And isn't she the oldest of them or was that Destiny?
When writing the character of death, Neil said that he wrote her how he would want to be greeted in the afterlife. And don't worry man, I'm a 34 year old combat infantryman and this episode chokes me up hard. Its just Neil Gaiman being an insanely talented writer.
It's oddly touching that Death gave her little brother a best friend for all of time
Easter egg: Lushing Lou was a real life sex worker in the 1880s like the show portrays.
This Johanna is the other Johanna's ancestor.
Clocking that she's his sister cause she called him dumb is hilarious 😂
@12 Feet Up i watched that review today, too! loool
Yes. This was a great episode! Their bond as siblings is really good to watch!!
@12 Feet Up What channel?
OK so they are siblings! They look related but at the same time some couples start to look alike. I thought the same thing about the Asian couple he collabed with before so I've trying to figure it out this whole time.
@12feetup I call it "Take Your Emo Brother to Work Day."
To me, this episode is the best hour of tv I’ve ever seen. The 2 storylines, the acting, the music. Just perfect!
One of my favorite episodes without a doubt.
I’m probably alone when I say I disliked the first half. Maybe I need to rewatch it
Yes ! This and "Kiksuya" episode from West world, damn. Great stories.
Agreed!!!!
While I agree, this is a perfect episode, I do know of others that are just as well done. Examples: Episode 1 of _To Your Eternity_
The actor playing Desire basically cast themself. They saw that Netflix and Neil Gaiman were making The Sandman, and went along and tweeted Gaiman a link to their youtube, saying «Hey I need you to see this. I need to play Desire!»
And in my opinion, they are perfect as Desire.
That's not the same Joanna Constantine from the earlier episode, but her ancestor. Dream told Lucienne that he had dealings with the Constantines before and Joanna herself told Dream that her great-grandmother told her Dream always had a raven, so it's established her family knew about Dream of the Endless. Modern day Joanna and Dream didn't know each other and met during that episode for the first time.
That definitely helps out. Thanks for the clarification.
Modern Day Joanna would be John. The rights to John Constantine are not Gaimans but DCs. Can imagine that to be a factor.
@@baronsengir187 it’s 100% the reason why he’s not in the show. Gaiman couldn’t get the rights for John.
@@baronsengir187 i believe Neil also said that he believes John has had enough representation in media lately so he wanted to go a different route
@@thorkagemob1297 Not sure if that was a clever move seeing the amount of confusion it causes
Gaiman's Death is my favorite portrayal ever. She's exactly the person you *want* to walk you into eternity. She has a soft smile and a gentle voice and she knows exactly how difficult this is for you. I am so pleased with the portrayal here.
She is fantastic and I do love her characterisation in both the comics and the show, but she will always take 2nd place to me after the one created by my favourite author the late great Sir Terry Pratchett.
@@simonorourke4465 GNU Terry Pratchett.
@@simonorourke4465 3rd place after Death of Rats
😜😆
Yeah, it's a very different take than the comic, even if the lines are the same. The comic version is quite youthful and girlish. This actress brought a certain motherly quality. Part of me would have liked to see the character more like the original goofball Death, but I really like seeing her through the eyes of people who don't know the comic, and can appreciate the performance as what it is.
I love seeing new audiences discover this iteration of Death and loving how warm she is.
"How is Death so full of life?" That's exactly what makes Gaiman's Death so special. Even though she's the oldest and most powerful of the Endless, she never appears as anything more than a kind face. And Kirby Baptiste-Howell captured that gravity and warmth so well. I agree, her chemistry with Sturridge was so endearing. They both believably played these powerful beings walking among humans but also big sister-little brother at the same time.
You're so on point with everything but I thought Destiny was the oldest Endless
@@adjoaocran destiny is the oldest she’s the second oldest
You need to brush up on the comics 😂
I hope this series continues until the point where her beautiful, terrible kindness _matters._
"How is Death so full of life?" That is exactly the question the creators of this show wanted you to ask.
Death is Life!
In so many iterations of the anthropomorphic personification of Death in fiction, they are full of life. And I would also like to think that Gaiman pulled at least little inspiration for his Death from his good friend Terry Pratchett.
What an excellent episode, a triumph. Death was perfect and tying her issue in with Hob’s was a stroke of genius. Loved it.
This is the description of Death : Everyone meets her twice: at birth she gives the breath of life, and everyone, from stars to gods, see her once more. At the end of time, when the universe dies, she claims that she will "put up the chairs, turn off the lights, and lock the doors behind me when I leave."
So, everyone inherently know Death.
This episode is like a palate cleanser after how horrific the last one was, and before starting a new major plot arc.
Dream is canonically the mopiest goth boi to ever mope. And Death is exactly the sort of "reaper" I'd hope to see when I eventually pass away, with her friendly smile and a gentle word.
There was an episode of The Twilight Zone where a very young Robert Redford plays death and he helps an old woman see that passing on isn't so bad. I love the idea of gentle death.
The episode with Death was absolutely the most wholesome in my opinion. And I'm saying that as a thanatophobe.
As for Lady Johanna, it's not the same woman whom Dream met in the 21st Century.
@12 Feet Up Oh, I'm nowhere near coming to terms with it, yet. That's one deep scar. The best I can for now, it's not thinking about it.
@@MasterZeus94 So say we all - I completely relate. We live until we don't, that's all. I love that Neil's given us someone to make the act of returning to dust seem a little less scary.
@@MasterZeus94 you can freeze yourself like that one dude and wait until imortality is a thing in the future
Remember, in hell, Dream WAS a person of color for a moment. The Endless appear to people as the personification of that concept in their culture. He's looked a LOT of different ways.
Ahh yes.
I love the character of Hob Gadling. He personifies life. Unlike most immortals who want to die, Hob has the zest for life. Through despair and yet he wants to live.
Hob is one of my favorite characters in literature in any medium.
Best mortal character of the series. I'd like to see more of him in the DC universe, really. Mad Hettie too.
This episode starts with Dream alone and moping, and ends with Dream sharing a drink with an old friend.
Also, Lady Johanna Constantine is an ancestor of the modern day Constantine who was gender flipped to avoid copyright issues.
Nothing like ending a day with a good drink, and a great friend.
Hey from what I've heard I don't think it's a gender swap Johanna Constantine is a character of her own
@@princelacrae4953 she is but in the past, the present day Constantine is John, but they couldn't use him
@@joaovictorm.revoredo9513 But I appreciate they actually pronounce the name right in this. It's not Constanteen, rhyming with "mean." It's Constantine, rhyming with "fine," because, ya know, the English language vowel shift. Though if you asked the original creator of John Constantine, it would rhyme with "coin."
This one was arguably my favorite episode of the season (which is no surprise since this part of the comic was also my favorite). The thing I love most about it, is it really does put into perspective the scale of the Endless. I also appreciate how much Hob's story really does do an excellent job, of making you appreciate how far the human race has come over the last few centuries.
So much perspective was given. The actor did an amazing job as well.
When they went from 1889 to 1989 I was like "wait, did they skip 3 centuries?" because the difference was SO HUGE
@@erikperhs_ the Victorian era was a massive change in Britain.
This episode was phenomenal. Both hubby and I teared up when Death took Dream through her daily workday. And again with his friend. Man this was a heavy hitter.
I absolutely cannot figure out why this worked so effectively. I've seen Kirby Howell-Baptiste in other things, and she's always been enjoyable. But with such subtle presence and so little dialogue, she just oozes love and charisma and compassion. So well cast, terrific performance, and I squeezed out a couple of tears myself. I literally cannot pick apart how it worked so damned well. "How is death so full of life?" was a brilliant observation.
you two are so incredibly charming i absolutely ADORE watching you guys react to this beauty of a show and especially this episode. and honestly, i get the impulse to call her lady death there's just something elegant about her ay? :D
Lady death feels so regal 👑
Lady Johanna is an ancestor of Johanna Constantine it isn't the same person. Also death has the wings not the ppl who pass. Hob when he met dream was a soldier so he's known how to fight for centuries
Ahhhhh, very good point regarding how Hob can fight. I forgot all about that.
''I don't know who's doing the casting but they need to win something'' - Syntell 💯
I couldn’t imagine better casting for Death, or Dream for that matter. This was brilliant! Loving your reactions as always ❤️
I've been waiting for the reaction to this episode! It is simply beautiful!
I honestly love watching people react to this episode because Death is the opposite of what we normally see of Death. No scythe, no black robe, no skeleton. Just a friend to hold the deads hand and show them to where they need to be and that seem to get people even more when she helps them move on.
This was my favourite episode. The moment she came on screen I was like, Damn, she's beautiful and warm, she must be Death. I'm going to read the comics for sure.
Death is possibly my favourite Endless in the comics and Kirby Howell-Baptiste friggen nailed it! Perfection! I really hope they do a film or 2-3 episode of her spin off series special!
I would love a Death: A High Cost of Living series
@@bencracknellCA Yes! I agree. :-) That comic/graphic novel was how I originally got introduced to Death, and then the Endless, and Sandman. It would be great to see.
This was such a beautiful episode.
Death is one of my favorite characters in the comics and she played her perfectly.
This is my favorite and the best episode of the season. Mykel Claire catching the time period references before they’re said is worthy of applause. I love this story’s version of Death. Kirby Howell Baptiste’s performance is beautiful. I cried several times, because I just hope death is the way she described it after having lost someone recently.
Neil Gaiman would love your reactions to this episode. The graphic novels were respected and that makes me happy
Loved you two’s reaction to this episode. I think it’s my favorite of the season! Kirby Howell-Baptiste is effervescent as Death! I first saw her in The Good Place (season 3 and forward); she was excellent there, too!
The story of Gadling & Dream was fantastic, too! Looking forward to your reaction to the next episode! Cheers!
Thank you so much for the kind words and hanging out with us. More to come.
Oh my gosh, she was the solipsist in The Good Place! I loved her character.
I was confident in her performance as Death based on her character in The Good Place, but she exceeded my expectations!
Great reaction. Death is my favorite character from the comics, so I couldn't wait for this episode. Kirby Howell-Baptiste knocked it out of the park. As you all mentioned in your review she really captured Death's warmth, compassion, and humor.
Litterally one of the most beautiful depictions and explanations of death Ive ever seen (if that's how it can be described) it makes me feel like if that was deat I wouldn't be frightened because I would be waiting when its my time to say hello to them.
Death was perfectly done. Any the journey through the centuries was excellent. The writers on this show are at the top of their game and the cast is fantastic!
There is a later story involving Robert Gadling where he deals with the fact that he was once involved in the slave trade. His girlfriend -- and future wife, as he eventually marries her -- is a black woman. During one conversation she reminds him of the slave trade and he literally has a breakdown over the guilt of it all, especially because he's in love with a black woman. She thinks he's overreacting because "its not like you were there". Except he was there, and he saw what was going on first hand, and he's regretted even the short time he was involved in the slave trade every day for the past 300 years..
This episode really got to me, and I keep thinking about it. I worked as a hospice sitter a few years ago, so the different looks at death reminded me very much of that experience. The pay was not very good, and I had to drive all over the place at a moment's notice, but it was the most rewarding job I'd ever had. If the pay wasn't so bad, I would have loved to keep doing it. It could be depressing, because, yes you are surrounded by people at the end of their lives, but you are also giving them and their stressed-out families relief. And the saddest ones, the ones who are alone, you're there for them too, so there is at least someone at their bedside to care for them, talk to them if they want, or hold their hand, or just be in the room with them. When I read this issue of the comic years ago, I identified with the younger people, but now, I empathised more with the old violin player and the man by the water. One of the most beautiful bits of television I've seen in a very long time.
This is honestly one of the best episodes of tv of all time. The whole episode could’ve been just about Dream traveling and talking with Death while she is guiding souls to the afterlife. I mean first the scene with her guiding the old man, letting him say the Shema prayer made me tear up right away, and I’m not even Jewish. But then they show us the story of Hob Gadling and I could NOT take my eyes off the screen for a second.
I’ve been on the side that thinks immortality for mortals is a curse, that over time your moral compass would break, you would look at other mortals as just insects, and your own sense of humanity (your soul, spirit, chi, ka, whatever you want to call it) would crumble away into dust. But Hob Gadling is a truly exceptional man for living as long as he had and not become either a power hungry psychopath or just an outright piece of crap. Yes he veered off the path and was involved briefly in the slave trade, but Morpheus managed to show him the error of his ways. Hob is the embodiment of looking at the bright side! And Hob had an effect on Morpheus because after spending so much time with Hob he actually did come to care for him. And in the end Dream finally admitted that he and Hob were friends.
I genuinely believe it’s because he waits to meet dream again that’s why he stays in a good path because he believe the immortality will be taken away if he strays
Everywhere they are is British because they were filming during Covid and couldn't go anywhere lol. Apparently bits of the show were supposed to happen in New York too but Oh Well.
If Sandman came out in the 80s.....no doubt Boy George would have played him....either him or David Bowie (70s and 80s)
So refreshing to see your reactions and see you fall in love with Death. Gaiman said a long time ago something like, “who could say no to a beautiful woman”, but I like the depth we see on live adaption. “Warm and so full of life” as you said. Subscribed and now eager to see the rest of your reactions!
This episode was beautiful. Death's whole vibe was what he needed. Her outlook was brilliantly written. The bonus element of his century friendship was so fun.⏳️💀
Love your analysis, especially with regards to Shakespeare and how Dream sees him. The three leads, Death, Dream, and Hob are some of the best casting I've ever seen, and knowing Neil Gaiman had a say in it makes it all the more special.
It's interesting to me how people react to changes from the source material.. in Sandman we saw two of the changes in this episode: a female "John Constantine" and a coloured Death. Some people tried to get people riled up about it, but not many seemed upset possibly because the author is on the team, but to my mind also because the audience for this won't care.
Now take The Rings Of Power and you can see people go off the deep end over the changes. I think the audience for that show are a lot less tolerant, but I will give them that the writing there is questionable at best, I'm just not sure that the problems have anything to do with wokeness.
nop, the episode is called "the sound of her wings" those are hers.
This issue was originally set in Washington Square Park in New York. I own one of the pages.
I swear your lady is psychic or something. She guessed correctly everything
Everyone meets Death twice in their lives. When they are born, and when they die. She sings to everyone when they are born and offers a kind hand when they die.
It is said that anyone loved by Death is doomed.
Everyone dies eventually.
Maybe because Death loves us all.
I love that Dream starts his day lost and confounded but ends it with an old friend and reconnecting to his purpose.
I was younger when these comics came out, it was pretty profound because most comics were splashy crap but this had some substance. If I had a kid that was starting to grapple with some of the existential bullshit that hits most of us at some point, I would point them towards stories like these since they tackle some big ideas but with humor and beauty as opposed to garish vapidity that is most media.
Great reaction, this episode earned a few wets eyes.
Death was amazing. liked a lot.
I had a moment of worry when I first heard the actress playing Death wasn't like the image in the comic, but that was because that image was based on a real person and friend of the artist who originally drew her, and she has since passed away. However, within seconds of seeing her performance, I knew she was perfect.
They just used the same actress for Joanna Constantine. It's not actually the same Joanna. That was her ancestor in the past. If you recall when Morpheus met Joanna in the future, he said he had met someone with the same name hundreds of years ago. This is who he was talking about.
Given me at this stage still dealing with my mom's death nearly 10 years ago......my niece being shot in February and my friend of 7 years dying of Cancer this past Tuesday......it's all a trip......and my near death two years ago.......yea she's just Death.... Lady Death is actually another comicbook character. Gaiman's version of Death is indeed my favorite. The only diff between the comic version and the liveaction is that she is pale white in the books.....she still the same..spunky.....full of life and rocking the ankh. Makes since because the Bubonic Plague aka the Black Death was going on in 1389....this episode was fantastic and I dig y'all reactions.
In the comics the Endless are described as having a type of dual dominion. Death was born when the first being came to life and Dreams gives you the strength and resolve to shape reality.
Lol Dream is the ultimate grumpy guy who secretly isn't so bad
Lady Johanna is an ancestor of Johanna from episode 3. They aren't the same person.
"...things into which angels long to look."
This was my favorite episode, because it reminds me of the quote above. Why wouldn't an entity like Dream be curious about humans? I love the difference between his approach and Death's because it's in keeping with their personalities. Death is "all in" and Dream is more analytical.😄
This is by far my favorite episode and it's because of Hob Gadling's storyline. Let's just say i also want to live forever to experience the ever changing world and the knowledges i want to learn.
If it was the same Constantine why didn’t she know or remember dream in the present? She’s an ancestor
I have watched probably all the Sandman reactors on UA-cam so far, and y'all are my favorites. Wonderful reaction vids!!
Love hearing you two sing along with Johnny Hates Jazz. 😎
There is a comic book character named Lady Death. She's a boobtastic supernatural swordswoman, though.
ahhh!! he outed himself as a fan of Brian Pulido's Lady Death! 😍
anyway, first time i find you guys. i adored your conversation on this episode very much. i've seen a few review videos on it already & they haven't impressed me as much as your guys' in-depth analysis. instant sub. i do wish that you guys featured more of your reaction during key moments of the episode, however. i appreciated you guys truly hearing each other out & responding to each other, rather than just waiting to say your next piece to the audience. Mikel-Claire, wonderful intuition!! so happy you guys adore this. thought at first that you guys hadn't read the comic book, but now i see that Syntell is a prior fan. cool!!
excited for Desire, too! SO excited. hope the entire run of the show is brilliant. great show, guys!
Kinda surprised ya'll skipped the reaction of Dream telling off Rob for getting involved in the slave trade.
The endless are shape shifters they can apear in any form
Normaly desth is a pale white goth girl with a eye of horus tatoo on her eye
the actress had the perfect personality for death so she got the role
She pulls it off briliantly she has alao apeared as a old man before but she self identifies as female and lrefers to take on female forms but technicaly can apear as anything
We seen other endless do this like when dream apeared to nada in hell you saw he was sudenly black its because thats how he apeara to her they can look difernt to difernt people or chose a form they want
There's a cool short four parter DC showcase of Death you should watch that, it's really good.
Good looking out. We'll try and find that.
@@Syntell it's in UA-cam.
My favourite episode!
Kirby Howell-Baptiste is the perfect Death 🤩
I just realized something rewatching episode 1 that Roderick Burrgess died, that meant Death was there in the room, and she didn’t help Dream get out of the cage he was in! Something to think about! Hmmmm!
This is something I wondered about too. Although in this episode Death says: (paraphrasing) “I’m there at the end for all of them. Well, most of them”. Maybe Burgess got a direct flight to Hell. One would hope 😈
@@ghlmk5931 By "most of them" she's referring to the small number of people who don't die, not that she isn't there for those who do.
You are right that Tom's tiny smirks as Morpheus are everything
Didn't you read the comic ?
You looked surprised seeing deaths demeanor. She was always this kind even in the comics. She's the one siblings who looks out and cares for all her siblings. Dreams other siblings are douches except for destruction. Destiny doesn't cause trouble as well but he is an introvert that sticks to himself and doesn't like to talk. Destiny is the oldest and strongest of the siblings but he doesn't converse with his siblings much. In the comics destiny literally holds the multiverse in his book which is attached to his right hand.
My personal favorite episode of the season. I loved everything about Death and Hobb.
Dream of the Endless walking around brooding like he's Angel from Buffy the vampire slayer.
This one episode make me cry with joy
In the original comic book, the first half of this story, where Dream follows Death as she goes about her work, was set in New York. The second part, Men of Good Fortune, where we meet Hob Gadling, was set in London, but was not the story that immediately followed Sound Of Her Wings. So Death having a British accent was a surprise for me, but it worked well, especially the way they segued from one story to the next.
Everyone knows Death because we all meet her when we're born. She's there to define life, it's end & it's beginning.
First time visiting your channel and I enjoyed your analysis. Thanks!
17:15 It's not meant to be the same woman. This is the ancestor of the woman we met earlier. In the comics, there was no modern day Johanna Constantine. There was John Constantine and Lady Johanna was his ancestor. They had to change the modern-day character for this show, because the rights for the character of John Constantine are owned by someone else.
This take on gaimans Death didn't really do it for me, sure in a general sense the attitude was right but not the degree to which she brings comfort to people with them rushing through all but the violinists death.
The Dc animated showcase for Her was much better and admittedly im a sucker for the distinct pale punk rock visage with the blue/black lipstick that is her most iconic look. Im fine with them making Death a different ethnicity but they have to put more effort into it like Fox did when they made domino black,they kept her distinct trait like the single dot around the eye birthmark. But here they didn't attempt a similar aesthetic of punk rock makeup and didn't give the character her distinct under eye tattoo
I just learned this from one of the creators that the bartender in the 1989 era with Hob, is related to the guy who played Dream. Thought that was interesting.
That was Tom Sturridge’s real voice. I loved the commentary in this best episode
@13:40, they don’t show Dream eating or drinking that I remember. But I’m the audiobook he does drink a whole lot of wine with Hobb.
One of the best episodes of TV I've seen. There are a few episodes in TV history that I remember Three stories (House ), episode 1 of Touch and this probably best three TV episodes I've seen.
8:02 Death is unique compared to all the 7 siblings because unlike them, she actually walks the earth amongst mortals as a mortal for once a day every 100 years, so as to live the lives that she takes and every soul she takes makes her understand humans better than any other. Even more than humans themselves.
But she was not always like this but it just goes to show how much life could go so far as to change even death.
The friendly face at the beginning of everyone's life that Death mentions is hers. Death visits everybody at the moment of their birth and death. So she bookends everybody's life.
You both are wonderful, thanks for these!
Thank you so much for hanging out with us. So much more to come.
Love to see out folks with reaction channels but this was chopped up hard with the editing. Skipping most of Deaths interactions and the transition to the second arc was kinda rough. I hope have much success in the future!
This was my favorite episode of the series. I've re-watched it multiple times.
In the comics she is a pale beautyful goth girl with same clothes basicly and same beautyful personality
The actress perfectoy brought that energy which is all needed since the8r shaoe shifters technicaly they apear difernt to difernt people death apears im a way to sooth u while desire apears to be your most desirable person
I LOVE that every reactor thinks she is a random girl flirting with Dream.
@17:17, this Johanna and the modern one are two different people from the same family.
But they will all get to know Dream and his fam very well.
Not the same joana
In the comics the modern day constantine is john constantine but they gender swapped him for joana but also kept in his ancestor also named joana
Shout out to whoever the woman playing Death. She nailed it! And can we appreciate how absolutely stunningly beautiful she is.
Prodigal Brother - Destruction, Ollie to his friends.
Death is also the only one of the Endless who chooses to live one day per year as a human so to better understand their puny lives and herself in her role as Death. She gets it, 100%.
And isn't she the oldest of them or was that Destiny?
When writing the character of death, Neil said that he wrote her how he would want to be greeted in the afterlife. And don't worry man, I'm a 34 year old combat infantryman and this episode chokes me up hard. Its just Neil Gaiman being an insanely talented writer.
I will never not click on a reaction to this episode. It's as messed up and beautiful as life, and death.
By the old man they cry....they didn't watch the part with the baby yet...
Brilliant episode!... and comic-book adaptation!
Those were her wings. I mean, the episode is called "The Sound of _her_ wings"