Have you noticed anything strange going on lately? Odd signs, curious occurrences and perhaps the odd prophecy or two being fulfilled? If so, we have some bad news: you may be facing Armageddon; a Good Omens apocalypse. But don’t panic, as far as apocalypses go, the Good Omens variety is pretty nice, actually.
Good Omens on Amazon Prime Video is based on the bestselling 1990 novel Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch. It was written by beloved authors Terry Pratchett — famous for the Discworld series — and Neil Gaiman, revered scribe of American Gods. The two combined their considerable talents to create a fantasy, comedy fable with magic, mystery and surprisingly pleasant witches.
So here’s what you need to know: Demons and angels are real, the Antichrist has been born, and God is a woman. Nice lady, actually, makes a lovely cup of tea. The armies of Heaven and Hell are preparing for the war to end all wars. This is the final apocalyptic battle in which the forces of good or evil will triumph, but either way humanity is probably going to go extinct and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
Well, okay, that’s not entirely true. There’s not much anyone can do about it.
You see, not everyone wants the world to end. We’ve got a few folks on our side. Take the angel Aziraphale (played by Michael Sheen) and the demon Crowley (played by David Tennant). Now, on paper these two should be arch enemies, filled with utter loathing and contempt for one another, and yet over 6,000 years spent on Earth they’ve become friends of a sort. They like Earth, it’s where you can get the best sushi and wine, and destroying it all seems like a waste of perfectly good books and music, frankly.
The problem is Heaven and Hell have agendas of their own. The Archangel Gabriel (played by Jon Hamm) and the Prince of Hell Beelzebub (played by Anna Maxwell Martin) both seem pretty intent on the whole end of the world thing kicking off and are willing to do anything to make it happen.
So, what can you — the humble human viewer — do to help prevent this most egregious of calamities?
Firstly, stay alert regarding the Antichrist. Due to an administrative screw-up, no one’s entirely sure who or where the Antichrist is. Just that he’s about to turn eleven and on his birthday he will bring about the destruction of all things. So ask yourself, do you know any ten-year-olds that exude pure evil? Perhaps the child of a friend or family member, perhaps your very own. Does the child seem to have a malevolent attachment to a hellhound? Do they strike you as being able to manipulate reality on a dark whim? Remain vigilant for the signs.
Secondly, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Armageddon can’t get started until they unite. So if you see the likes of War, Famine, Pollution or Death knocking about, try and distract them from their destructive path. But be careful, they’re a rough bunch. Death particularly, voiced by Brian Cox, is a nasty piece of work. It’s why he never gets invited to the good parties, you know.
Finally, the best way to remain safe during a Good Omens apocalypse is to watch Good Omens now on Amazon Prime Video. All six one-hour episodes are available, so we suggest you spend your nights viewing it with those you’d most like to survive Armageddon. Missing out might quite literally be the end of the world.
