alkoart

[alkoart]

The only thing I'm wading into the maintag to say:

I'm finding myself bewildered today by the number of people in GO fandom who've convinced themselves that the changes somehow mean we're losing Terry's vision.

Do I need to write this part in 120-point blinking neon?

Rob Wilkins of Narrativia, representing Pratchett’s estate, and BBC Studios Productions’ head of comedy Josh Cole will executive produce the final season/episode. Good Omens comes from Amazon MGM Studios, BBC Studios Productions and Narrativia.

Remember that Rob (who's been in on GO since day 1) worked closely with Terry for over twenty years, and knew his writing forwards and backwards. So try to have some faith that Terry's vision is still being looked after by people who care and have long been invested in all this.

And I think a few of you need to be more honest with yourselves about what you're actually complaining about and what excuses you're hiding behind to do it, because the excuses are getting...questionable.

[alkoart]

It’s not Amazon’s fault. It’s not the fandom’s fault and it’s not even the haters who asked for the cancellation’s fault.

It’s Neil Gaiman’s fault. End of discussion. He caused this, because he just couldn’t act like a normal human being and not assault women. He’s done this. And he’s too much of a coward to take the blame and to actually own up to his mess.

I’m so glad he’s out. And i’m glad we still have SOMETHING to look forward to. It’s doable in 90 minutes, guys, and the only reason we have that is because we fought for it. It’s no longer Neil Gaiman’s show. It’s ours.

[alkoart]

If I could inject just a little positivity to the news...

Season 2 has a lot of filler and stretches out a pretty simple mystery to six episodes. That's the appeal to some, I get it. But tightness and focus was not its strong suit. I remember feeling like it wasted a ton of time on side characters and it's possible shaving the story down to 90 minutes will skim things down to its most essential beats and be stronger for it. Basically, S2 got a lot of time given to it, and this is obviously my personal opinion but I don't think it consistently focused in on what it should have focused in on--the Aziraphale and Crowley relationship.

A lot of S2's weaker plotlines feel built around people that Neil wanted to work with again, with so many recurring actors (I'm thinking of the zombies specifically, when that minisode could have easily been tighter without them). A lot of s2 to me feels like Neil just making work for the people he likes and wants to work with and a movie has to be more accountable to things like that.

Lots of entire fandoms exist around single movies. 90 minutes is not nothing. It's enough for many, many films to tell a complete story with cute character interactions and satisfying emotional arcs, especially when A&C are the only real significant connecting threads between both seasons thus far.

I don't think there are as many lose threads that absolutely need resolving as people may be thinking. Would I like to know why Aziraphale did the '40s apology dance? Would I like to see his bookshop gun? Sure. Are either of those necessarily essential to closing out the story? I don't think so. Really, what needs resolving is the second coming and Aziraphale and Crowley's rift. To me, not knowing the story obviously, that seems super reasonable to do in 90 minutes?

I don't think anyone involved in the final season can possibly be blind to the appeal of the show being Aziraphale and Crowley over anything else. That's certainly the reason why their roles were expanded to begin with from the book and why the second season was, nominally, all about them. They also now have to pay MS and DT for appearing in a movie rather than an ensemble show, there's no way they won't be front and center. Amazon wants a show that will make money and market itself; there's a reason why all the promo material for S2 was of Crowley and Aziraphale, because people engage with that stuff, reblog it, make art that promotes the show, etc. It makes no artistic or financial sense to make a movie that sidelines them.

GO is at its best when it has Terry's voice most strongly in it. That's why to me, S2 was a weaker, more meandering season overall (that, and I think the minisodes, while fun, just make the season feel comprised of different voices not always working in tandem towards a common goal). If I was a writer hired to condense a season into a film, and one of the authors had been rightfully disgraced, I would go out of my way to ensure the clearly Terry stuff is most significantly emphasized. It's telling to me that the Pratchett estate is producing and it's possible that the end result will result in more Terry, less Neil.

Think of it this way: everything we've gotten after S1 has always been extra. Imagine telling a fan of the book in the 90s that not only will you get a six episode adaptation, you also get a totally new second season, AND a movie?

Basically: I know this is disappointing but I think a lot of the pleasure of the Good Omens fandom was ALWAYS people picking up on and expanding on details, and y'all managed to do that just fine when A&C were only ensemble members in S1. You can and will do that with a movie too. And this solution both a) ensures first and foremost that Neil won't be involved or the allegations swept under the rug, and b) gives an opportunity for the heart of the story to be emphasized with greater focus, clarity and less filler.

Will we lose good stuff? Probably. But it's also possible we will get a tighter, more condensed, focused version of the best bits, the Terry Pratchett-est bits. I can easily see a 90 minute movie that, knowing they HAVE to focus on the important stuff now, is more Crowley and Aziraphale centric than ever.

[alkoart]

*Includes a copy/paste email below and Amazon email addresses*

To all the Good Omens fans who are upset today,

I'm sorry. We deserved better than this. I know a lot of us are tired of Queer stories being pushed to the sidelines, used to make money, being queerbaited or canceled.

It isn't fair to be promised something and have it taken away under circumstances outside of our control. It isn't fair that an evil man gets to do evil things and still get paid and not face much further consequences. It isnt fair that they're cutting it down so much to appease us. It isn't fair that something so loved and cherished, by the cast and Terry Pratchett will be rushed out seemingly just to get it over with. Maybe I should be grateful, but I'm not.

I'm tired of getting the bare minimum. I'm tired of having to expect the bare minimum to not be disappointed when we get less. This isn't how this should go and I think we should politely tell Amazon so.

I don't know if these are right, but it's worth a shot. Please copy and paste the letter I wrote below if you'd like, or send them your own.

Hey, it's worth a try. Maybe if they hear from enough of us we can make a change! If not, we have the 90 minutes.

amazonstudioscontactus@amazon.com

amazon-pr@amazon.com

To whom it may concern,

We, the fans of the Amazon Original Series, Good Omens, would like it to be known that we are grateful that our show has not been canceled. We are also grateful for the removal of the writer, Neil Gaiman, in light of his egregious actions. However, we do not feel that one, Ninety minute long feature is enough to satisfy the ending of the series in its entirety.

We feel that this story, which has been held dear for over thirty years, has too much left to be said to be cut so short. The fans are very passionate, they have created thousands of fan-written works and even more pieces of artwork. Since the second season aired in July, the hashtag "good omens" had trended on and off many times. Fans continue to spread love and adoration for the show, and increase viewership by recommending it to friends and family.

Therefore we politely request that the show be lengthened to the promised duration of six episodes (As was announced on December 14th, 2023). To conclude the trend of six episodes per season and to have enough time to tie up all the lose ends within the story itself.

We would happily wait as long as it takes for the show to be done with all the love, passion and devotion the fans give it every day.

Thank you for your time,

A concerned fan.

[alkoart]

as much as this sucks, it also shows that we were actually THIS 🤏🏻 close to being cancelled altogether and they gave their all to stop this from happening.

so I‘m very grateful for this 90 minute finale and I really owe everyone who fought for this.

for us, and for terry♥️

[alkoart]

I never wanted to say anything about what's currently happening with Good Omens because how aggressive people have been on here but, well, what on earth did you think would happen? You wanted Neil Gaiman fired from a project he is co-writer of the book, writer and producer of. A project he holds rights to. Season 3 without Neil Gaiman wasn't possible. So I for one thing am ecstatic Amazon didn't cancel it because honestly, that would've been the logical conclusion from how people have been acting and reacting on here. And to me, it seems cancellation was imminent and someone fought very hard for that not to happen.

90 minutes is plenty. Season 2 without the minisodes, intro and outtro was roughly 120 minutes long. Death at a Funeral is 90 minutes long. Ice age 3 is 104 minutes. Stand by me, Nightmare before Cristmas and Corpse Bride are quite short as well, not to mention the old Disney films. What I'm trying to say is, a lot of great movies aren't actually that long and there are no character introductions, exposition or world building needed for Good Omens 3. It's not ideal, and don't get me wrong, I was sad at first too and part of me still is, but it's a lot considering the circumstances. Please be kind, try to be positive and don't exude all your negative energy on the Internet.

[alkoart]

maybe i’m just really stupid (and i understand why lots of people are disappointed by this) but i’m not too disheartened about the reveal that we’re getting a feature length ending to good omens— at least it’s something? and idk, you can do a lot in that amount of time if you pace it well. i don’t actually know what could be done with the end of season 2 in 6 episodes without it dragging on and feeling like a slog. and i’m semi excited about it, you know? i love tv movies so i’m a little biased, mediocre is better than nothing (and i also think we should give the team who is working on it a little fucking credit and not assume they’re just completely incompetent, like some people have been doing).

additionally i’ve been seeing people saying no one is suffering from this more than us— no the fuck we are not? no one is suffering from this more than the fucking survivors of He Who Shall Not Be Named. come on guys, i thought we knew this. i know this has got a lot of people upset and nobody can control their emotions, especially when it involves something they love, but seriously.

[alkoart]

The Good Omens Season 3 situation is really ... interesting.

Like, Amazon doesn't want to leave the story unfinished for fear of alienating the fans who want to see the last installment, and maybe also to avoid contractual issues with the folks they already hired to do the show, but they also don't want to go through the expense of making a full season because of all the former fans who won't watch it anyway because of Neil Gaiman's behavior.

I hope that the takeaway Amazon (and every other production company, tbh) gets from this is never to hire Neil Gaiman to do anything ever again. Gaiman has fucked this up so very badly for so very many people.

[alkoart]

GAIMAN HAS STEPPED DOWN FROM SEASON 3 OF GOOD OMENS CAN I HEAR A WAHOO.

[alkoart]

Mixed feelings tonight obviously, but I'll take the 90 minutes episode as a win.

Neil Gaiman has been kicked out. He doesn't get to win.

We'll get an ending. Not the one we wanted, not the one we deserve as a fandom, but an ending.

We'll be fine.

[alkoart]

relieved. I’m not sad about it. I think that Amazon can do it well and this means Neil doesn’t get to be free from repercussions.

[alkoart]

SO.

I'm happy there will be an ending. OBVIOUSLY I'm taking this over cancellation, and at least...he....won't have anything to do with it.

That said,

FUCK.

It's so bitersweet aaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Oh well, at least we'll have red-hair David and white-hair Michael by Christmas. And it should take less to film an edit, which means posters and trailers might some sooner? Maybe?

Either way, the fandom will survive. We'll be ok.

<3

[alkoart]

On Good Omens (The Finale) and NG

Am I happy? Very! I'm glad they did the right thing by kicking him out. We, the fandom, the people who are part of the making of the show, the queer community and MOST OF ALL his victims do not deserve for him to be present in our lives anymore.

Am I happy that it's happening? YES! I mean at least it's not cancelled!

Am I sad? A little bit. Dunno why. It feels almost bittersweet to know that this is it. This will be the last of this very beautiful magical thing that happened to me and it should have been beautiful and special but now it's been tarried by all of this. And also to think that it will all come to an end. It might be a happy ending but the idea of an ending in itself is so sad.......

Am I worried it will be rushed or just not as good? Well... the pacing could be a little messed up. Miniseries are especially wonderful to depict a story without rushing or stretching it unnecessarily and delving into all of it's narrative and visual beauty. That being said films are also EXCEPTIONAL. Films for centuries have told stories like no other medium does, breaking your heart and putting it together and doing everything in between. It all depends on a good writer and director.

In the end all that matters is that Neil isn't there and that the people who are involved in the making give it all their love so that it feels loved. Anyways... to the world!

[alkoart]

beyond upset at the good omens s3 news, but good on them for booting g*im*n fuck him honestly. i hope everyone working on the episode puts their whole pussy into it and gives us an at least halfway decent ending to this show.

[alkoart]

GUYS IK MOST OF YOU AREN'T HAPPY BUT I'M LITERALLY BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS AHHHHHH

[alkoart]

it is what it is and there are more important things at play here. i can live with the one 90 minute episode ending if it means more women are safe. if it means it’s not a complete cancellation. i’ll take it

[alkoart]

sooo about good omens season 3...

I have conflicted feelings: part of me is super happy we're getting anything cus I was sure we were getting cancelled (which would be fair under the circumstances) but the other part is a little disappointed its a compressed down movie, like it's probably going to be a super rushed ending. But then again a lot of movies have to fit in a whole story in 90 mins.