I just finished watching the Amazon Prime show, Good Omens, and I've got to say that I am giddy with excitement. If you are not familiar with Good Omens, let me give you a quick history lesson.
Good Omens is a novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman released in 1990. The novel revolves around the birth of the son of Satan and the efforts to which the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley will go to sabotage the coming of the end times. The story is a riotous romp through subplots about a baby mixup at a small English country hospital, the arrival of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and the nice and accurate prophesies of the witch Agnes Nutter, who seems to know exactly what's going to happen when. The novel was nominated for a World Fantasy Award, and landed on the BBC's The Big Read list in 2003.
The Amazon Prime adaptation of Good Omens contained a great deal of the humor and magic of the book. Much of the dialog was ripped straight from its pages, which made it a treat to watch. While the core of the story was intact, fans of the book may be disappointed to find that some elements didn't make it into the miniseries, such as four bikers that meet the real four Horsemen of the Apocalypse at a roadside rest area and decide to tag along for the ride--only to collide with a pile of fish on the highway. I should point out that the fish don't appear in the miniseries either.
On the other hand, there are some great scenes in the miniseries that don't appear in the book. For instance, we are treated to a montage of scenes providing glimpses into Aziraphale and Crowley's friendship through the centuries. The show also expands the roles of both angels and demons throughout the series. Finally, the ending includes a fantastic surprise twist that wasn't in the book.
I thought the casting of Michael Sheen as Aziraphale and David Tennant as Crowley couldn't have been more perfect. Jon Hamm plays the bureaucratic archangel Gabriel with such humorous flare that he almost steals the a few scenes from Sheen and Tennant. I, however, didn't think all of the casting brilliant. I was disappointed in the casting for some of the supporting characters, and there were moments where the acting fell a bit flat.
Overall, I enjoyed the miniseries. It has spurred me to consider rereading the book. Check out Good Omens on Amazon Prime. If you really want the whole Good Omens experience, read the book by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaimen.