The best part of this episode was Hal's drag performance. Enormous talent displayed in those few minutes. I gave an extra star just for that. As for the rest of the episode, it's hit or miss, and part of that is in the unnecessary changes. However, some of the other complaints in the reviews are unfounded. The switch to Rose Walker's story is part of the comics, though they skipped the backstory of Morpheus' love affair with Nada. And in the comics Morpheus is in the background, with Rose being the central character. Though The Sandman is basically Morpheus' story, it's structured a bit differently than what viewers are used to, with some arcs focusing on characters other than him, but which are largely connected to him. Additionally, Desire and Despair are quite true to their comic counterparts, with Desire being a standout. That being said, significant changes have been made; some were necessary and some weren't. Lydia and Hector's stories have likely been changed due to licensing issues. We fans all wish the various studios, networks, etc could just learn to play well with others, but it isn't likely to happen. Thus virtually all DC references have been removed, including Lydia and Hector's superhero roles. They have kept Hector being dead and Lydia being connected to him in dreams, but in a very different and, so far, less significant way. Rose is far more proactive here, and while it's just an ok performance, Rose wasn't a great character in the comics either. She was kind of moody and pathetic, so this might be a slight improvement. But why portray only Jed's foster father as abusive, when both parents were abusive in the comics? What, a woman can't be the abuser? She has to be a victim? If they were trying for woke they missed the mark. Making her a victim is a step back. Then there's the shift in the Corinthian convention plot. The Corinthian has been given a larger role overall, and the portrayal of the character is excellent. But why change from the hotel to the diner and have the convention organizers lure him to be the guest of honor instead of his already being an attendant and then being asked to fill in for the no show guest? Why have him looking for Rose instead of showing more of his activities as a serial killer? And while I don't object to LGBQ scenes when they fit the story, his was unnecessary in a story where that community is already well represented. It's also completely out of character for him not to kill the guy. They did do well with the boarding house members. All of those characters are straight out of the comics. However, they appear to be diminishing Gilbert's role, and not only is he a key player in the comics, he's played here by the incredibly talented Stephen Fry. I sincerely hope his role will be expanded in the next few episodes. However, Rose has entered the dream realm and met Morpheus much sooner, and now they're teaming up?? I'm afraid they may be placing Morpheus in Gilbert's role to fulfill audience expectations regarding screen time for the protagonist. Additionally, she already knows she's the vortex, but there's no real concern much less any mention of Morpheus having to kill her. This changes both the order and significance of certain events, which has created confusion and a disjointed storyline, as well as deflating the climax that was set in the original. And then there's the nightmare attached to Jeb. In the comics it was actually a duo who were trying to establish their own dream realm in Morpheus' absence. No idea who Gault is or where that story is going, but again the change feels unnecessary. Hopefully this will all get sorted out in the next few episodes, but it's a mediocre start. The original plot for this arc was complex, but it was more cohesive than this. They should have stayed closer to the source material.
Review of The Doll's House
