After what seems like a very long time since the announcement of its development, Netflix launches the first season of Sandman Universe series Dead Boy Detectives today — and to suggest that it is worth the wait is almost an understatement. With eight episodes releasing from the first season, Dead Boy Detectives manages to make sure that all eight episodes can be counted as winners.
For those who may not have read the DC/Vertigo comics, and those who might not have seen the episode of Doom Patrol that gave us a prototypical taste of what we might be getting here, the titular Dead Boy Detectives are Charles and Edwin, two longtime friends who have something quite big in common – they’re dead. Edwin (George Rexstrew) has been dead for a century; Charles’ (Jayden Revri) passing is more recent, having happened in the late 1980s. Both are living on Earth as ghosts, hoping that Death (yes, that Death) won’t catch up with them.
The pilot episode directed by Lee Toland Kreiger, of course, also looks to be the most expensive, with some beautiful locations and an office set that I hope we see more of in the future. We quickly get into the world that these characters live in as they meet Crystal Palace (Kassius Nelson) fairly early on in the story. Their first adventure takes them to a coastal town where the world expands even more, and it is there that they meet characters like Briana Cuoco’s Jenny, Yuyu Kitamora’s Niko, and a witch named Esther (Jenn Lyon). As the adventure goes on we even meet Esther’s twink crow (it’ll make sense once you see it).
Dead Boy Detectives was developed by co-showrunner Steve Yockey who recently brought the successful Flight Attendant series to HBO Max. He was also a co-writer for that Doom Patrol episode with the Dead Boy Detectives and worked on Supernatural for many years… as such, he knows his genre TV, and he even brings a Supernatural favorite along with Ruth Connell’s “Night Nurse” character who is chasing after the boys. Co-showrunner Beth Schwartz also has a DC and genre pedigree with her showrunning and co-showrunning credits including Arrow and Sweet Tooth. With that kind of genre background, it can safely be said that part of what makes Dead Boy Detectives work is that it has a little bit of everything that fans get excited for, while at the same time presenting its own unique vision and approach. There’s magic, and witches, and creatures, and oh yes, there are “ships” that fans will root for… but things don’t always turn out the way you’d expect. Floating animated colors around Niko might look like they’re evoking Heartstopper, for example, but they’re not, and you’ll see why.
The “ships” thing is something I feel especially compelled to bring up, as Dead Boy Detectives gives us something very few broadcast genre shows have done with their leads, and that is that there is good LGBTQ+ representation within. No longer is it relegated to fan fiction or internet speculation. The other thing that is impressive about it is that it is so matter-of-fact; in some cases it’s like “oh cool, she’s interested in a woman,” and that’s that. Now, you might not see any hot and heavy sex in the series, no matter how much the Cat King (Lukas Gage) might like for there to be, but I wish more genre shows had representation like this.
Moving to Netflix was a very good thing for this series, because it allows for us to actually see Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) rather than just hearing her being referred to. My hope is if there is a second series, we’ll see closer connections to the Sandman universe. Perhaps an “untold tale” adapting their first appearance from the comic books? Though, about the comic books: Charles and Edwin appear to be older than they were in the comics, and I welcome this change for the TV adaptation, especially considering how well Rexstrew and Revri turn out to be in those roles. Beyond that, though, while it might be whimsical to do a show with younger characters, it might have given the show too much of a YA/kids’ show feel. As things stand, things are just right.
I feel I would be missing something if I did not mention that Dead Boy Detectives has amazing opening titles. I’m not one of those monsters who selects “Skip Intro” and you should not be either. Seriously, though, this needs an Emmy submission for opening title design.
Finally, is there any criticism? Selfishly, I would want more episodes per season, and I know that doesn’t happen in the streaming era, but I can wish for it, right? Beyond that, I wish for more seasons. A lot of streaming shows get lost in the shuffle, and Dead Boy Detectives doesn’t deserve to be one of those shows. So, Netflix: More, please? And for my rating, I’d give this a 10/10. Great show, no notes.
Watch Dead Boy Detectives on Netflix
