After canceling a similar show six months ago, Netflix’s decision to create and release the new series Dead Boy Detectives makes no sense. On November 11, 2023, Netflix released its first trailer for the next of the Neil Gaiman adaptations, Dead Boy Detectives. The series will center on Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland, two teenage boys who run the Dead Boy Detectives Agency. They solve mysteries surrounding paranormal activity related to creatures like ghosts and demons.
Dead Boy Detectives was initially set to run on the streaming site, Max; however, The Hollywood Reporter announced in February 2023 that the series sold to Netflix. Viewers have responded exceptionally well to the Netflix trailer, expressing excitement about the upcoming paranormal TV series. Though there’s an abundance of joy that Dead Boys Detectives is coming to Netflix, it’s also been pointed out that the new show sounds remarkably similar to an existing Netflix series.
Dead Boy Detectives Feels Very Similar To Lockwood & Co.
Dead Boy Detectives has a shockingly similar feel to Lockwood & Co., a series canceled by Netflix six months ago. This makes the new Netflix show unnecessary. Both shows center on a pair of children working at an agency that handles paranormal events. This premise isn’t generic enough to feel like a coincidence due to the characters’ age range and career. While other shows like Supernatural and Charmed involve pairs and trios fighting paranormal creatures, the characters are both older and unaffiliated with a professional agency. Given the almost identical premise, Netflix might have been better off continuing with Lockwood & Co., especially with the show’s overwhelmingly positive audience response.
The similarities between Dead Boy Detectives and Lockwood & Co. don’t end with the concept, though. Edwin and Charles have a joking and playful dynamic in the preview for Dead Boy Detectives, just like Lucy and Anthony from Lockwood & Co. This indicates both series will include a more comedic tone. The aesthetic of Dead Boy Detective also matches up with Lockwood & Co. remarkably well, leaning into grungy visuals with a dark and cool-toned color palette. The paranormal phenomena are set apart in both series using vivid and brighter colors. If they wanted to continue with Dead Boy Detectives, Netflix should have insisted on differentiating the characters and visuals.
Why Dead Boy Detectives Has A Better Chance Of Success Than Lockwood & Co.
Despite the similarities, there is a good chance that the Dead Boy Detectives will fare better than Lockwood & Co. The Dead Boy Detectives trailer came out soon after the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes ended, giving it an extra advantage. Audiences have been yearning for new movies and TV shows, worsened by all the productions that halted. It’s likely that viewers will flock to shows like Dead Boy Detectives that come out in the next year.
Additionally, Dead Boy Detectives has a built-in audience that will undoubtedly influence its success. Dead Boy Detectives first appeared as DC Comics characters written by popular authors Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner. While Lockwood & Co. adapted a book series, the author’s name didn’t hold as much weight. With DC, Gaiman, and Wagner’s names attached to the project, Dead Boy Detectives will likely perform just as well, if not better than, Lockwood & Co. On top of this, Neil Gaiman confirmed that Dead Boy Detectives expands the Sandman TV Universe which currently includes Lucifer and Sandman. Fans of the Sandman TV Universe may check out Dead Boy Detectives, increasing viewership.
