They Know It's The End Of The World

I just watched Good Omens, a six-episode Amazon and BBC miniseries.  It's based on a novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (which I haven't read) and was written by Gaiman.

The story is about Aziraphale, an angel (Michael Sheen) and Crowley, a demon (David Tennant), who have been on Earth since the Garden of Eden.  They've become friends over the years, though they're not supposed to.  But since most angels are in Heaven and most demons are in Hell, no one keeps too close a tab on them.

But now the Son of Satan--the Antichrist--has been loosed on the world and, with the help of the Hell Hound and the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, is supposed to bring about the end of the world.  Both Heaven and Hell have been looking forward for 6000 years to the war that will follow, but Aziraphale and Crowley have come to enjoy Earth and would rather it didn't happen.

On top of which, Crowley screwed up the handoff of the baby Antichrist.  He was supposed to be given to the wife of the American Ambassador, but instead ended up with an average family living in the British countryside.  So the kid grew up not knowing who he is, and now that he's coming into his power it's unclear how he'll react.  Also in the mix are the accurate predictions of a witch from a few centuries back which have been guiding her descendants, and a witch hunter who isn't quite sure what he's doing.

The show is quite enjoyable, though sometimes a bit heavy on the whimsical humor.  And you're really not sure how things will end up (though you suspect they'll work out for the best). Sheen and Tennant are fine, and the supporting cast--including Jon Hamm, Miranda Richardson, Michael McKean and Bill Paterson (not to mention the voices of Frances McDormand, Brian Cox and Benedict Cumberbatch)--is solid.

I wouldn't call it a classic, but it's a fun show, well worth looking into.