Neil Gaiman’s highly anticipated adaptation of The Sandman finally arrives on Netflix on August 5, 2022. The popular comic book follows Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), ruler of the realm of the Dreaming who escapes captivity after a century and begins to reclaim what’s rightfully his. Meanwhile, Lucifer Morningstar (Gwendoline Christie) and their hellish minions set out to control the seven Endless and retain a powerful reign.
The Sandman is a supernatural horror-fantasy series that blends the dream world with biblically-inspired characters and iconography that offer salient statements on the nature of humanity. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of compelling TV companions to watch with The Sandman when it drops this August.
Supernatural (2005-2020)
Stream On Netflix
The CW’s flagship series Supernatural is a great place to become introduced to the religious concepts of Christian mythology presented in The Sandman. The drama tracks monster hunters Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), who travel the country to thwart paranormal entities of every stripe, ultimately waging a war among angels and demons with their heavenly friend Castiel (Misha Collins).
In one of the longest-running American shows in TV history, Sam, Dean, and Cass also experience several surreal dream sequences on the show that make viewers question the line between reality and fantasy, perfectly aligning with the profound existential quandaries posed by Gaiman in The Sandman. As such, it’d be downright blasphemous to omit Supernatural.
American Gods (2017-2021)
Stream On Spectrum
Adapted from Neil Gaiman’s 2001 novel of the same name, American Gods is another lofty fantasy drama that is bound to appeal to The Sandman fans. The story tracks Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), an ex-con who becomes the right-hand of Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane), a mysterious deity (Odin) who guides the freed prisoner into a war waged among Old and New Gods.
Between Shadow Moon’s revenant wife Laura (Emily Browning), the sadistic Mr. World (Crispin Glover), his strange leprechaun Mad Sweeney (Pablo Schreiber), and a poignant statement on media and technology becoming modern gods to be worshipped, American Gods has all of the heady imaginative sensibilities Gaiman has become known for. However, viewers should note that the series was canceled after three seasons and didn’t get to resolve its plot.
Good Omens (2019-2022)
Stream On Prime Video
Once fans finish American Gods, it only makes sense to graduate to Good Omens, also created by Neil Gaiman from his and Terry Pratchett’s 1990 novel. With more levity to lighten the load, the biblical apocalypse is viewed through the eyes of demon Crowley (David Tennant) and angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), longtime besties who join forces to prevent Armageddon.
Aside from the alluring comedic chemistry between Tennant and Sheen that carries the show a long way, Good Omens will intrigue The Sandman fans to no end for its ability to raise deep philosophical questions about what it means to be human and the fragility of limited time on Earth, all the while doing so with a lighthearted touch that remains entertaining throughout.
Doctor Who (2005-)
Stream On HBO Max
Featuring David Tennant and his best overall character, it’s hard to envision a world where fans of The Sandman fans wouldn’t also enjoy the ultra-amusing zany imagination of Doctor Who, one of the longest-running sci-fi fantasy series on record. The story follows the titular Doctor, a cryptic alien Time Lord who traverses time and space in their TARDIS time machine to prevent evil forces from harming innocent civilians.
Whether Doctor Who takes on the Dream Lord, the Daleks, Davros, Cybermen, or the Master, the same essential conflict lies at the heart of both shows, as the eternal fight for universal peace and order and moral lessons of light versus dark make this an easy recommendation for any viewer.
Lucifer (2016-2021)
Stream On Netflix
The most canonically germane TV show to watch with The Sandman is Lucifer, directly based on the DC/Vertigo character of Lucifer Morningstar from Neil Gaiman’s celebrated Sandman comic book. Tom Ellis stars as the Devil, a fallen angel that leaves his post in Hell to run a nightclub in Los Angeles while working with the LAPD to fend off a series of supernatural scourges.
Aside from sharing an umbilical cord with The Sandman as the central antagonist, the conflict Lucifer faces in attempting to both please and defy his father God once again gets to the moral bind angels and demons grapple with in the dark fantasy realm that Gaiman seems most comfortable in.
Constantine (2014-2015)
Buy On iTunes
Since The Sandman is co-created by David S. Goyer and features an amalgamated character named Johanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman), there’s no way to omit Goyer’s apocalyptic fantasy drama, Constantine, as a recommendable companion piece. Based on the DC Comics character, John Constantine (Matt Ryan) is an English exorcist and occult detective who brings down paranormal forces of all sorts.
Another ethical tale of a person’s faith severely tested in the face of an impending Armageddon, John and Johanna Constantine are simpatico in the way they set out to return evil forces to the hellish underworld they belong to while restoring peaceful order on Earth.
Preacher (2016-2019)
Stream On Hulu
Based on DC’s Vertigo Comic series of the same name, Preacher is another highly-praised supernatural fantasy series that deals with a deep religious moral awakening. Dominic Cooper stars as Jesse Custer, a drunken preacher who, on the brink of losing his religion, discovers a new paranormal power that rekindles his faith and puts him on a path to literally meet God face to face.
Along with his gun-toting girlfriend Tulip (Ruth Negga) and vampiric pal Cassidy (Joe Gilgun), Preacher sets out to achieve godliness while fending off evil forces threatening humanity’s existence. In terms of the tone, tenor, temperament, and irreverent sensibilities, Preacher and The Sandman are highly entertaining DC brethren indeed.
Penny Dreadful (2014-2016)
Stream On Fubo
Another excellent Victorian-era horror-fantasy show to watch with The Sandman includes Penny Dreadful, Showtime’s acclaimed series from creator John Logan. The story concerns Vanessa Ives (Eva Green), a mysterious woman who teams with explorer Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton) to rescue her daughter from a ghastly supernatural creature, finding the help of such iconic fictional literary characters as Victor Frankenstein and Dorian Gray.
As Vanessa slays ghoulish creatures in foggy London, she becomes targeted by Lucifer, who attempts to unlock her intronic mystical powers and use them for their own evil agenda. Beyond the show’s similar time period and pious themes of good versus evil, Penny Dreadful will haunt, provoke, and disturb viewers just as much as Gaiman’s stellar TV work.
Carnival Row (2019)
Stream On Prime Video
Amazon Prime’s original series Carnival Row is a sumptuous Victorian-era fantasy that traces Rycroft Philostrate (Orlando Bloom), a half-human-half-fae Constable swept up in a dark conspiracy relating to mythical creatures who’ve fled their homeland and overtaken Earth. Along with fairy partner Vignette Stonemoss (Cara Delevingne), “Philo” attempts to strike a peaceful balance between humanity and London’s supernatural immigrants.
Despite lasting just one season, Carnival Row was praised for its mythological world-building and salient commentary on the growing division of haves and have-nots, overpopulation, and efficacy of immigration, very much calling to mind Neil Gaiman’s overarching themes sure to pop up in The Sandman.
The Fades (2011)
Stream On Prime Video
Although a decade old, The Fades is a terrific British horror-fantasy miniseries that concerns an impending biblical apocalypse and a young man’s dogged quest to prevent it from happening. With starring turns from a young Daniel Kaluuya and Lucifer‘s Tom Ellis, the story follows Paul (Ian De Caestecker), a 17-year-old Angelic wracked with apocalyptic visions and the ability to see dead people called Fades.
When an evil Fade called Polus discovers a way to return to human form, Paul must stop him from spreading the trick to the other Fades and prevent an undead takeover of the planet. Aside from Paul and Morpheus taking on the same existential task to restore peace on Earth and protect the human race, The Fades will redirect the moral compass of viewers just as The Sandman will this August.
