The best thing about Season 2 of Good Omens is also the worst

If you were wondering if the second season of Good omens whether angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tennant) explore storied pasts or progress into the present with their relationship, the answer is yes.

Good omens Season 2 takes place after the events of the first season (and the book it’s based on), with Aziraphale and Crowley settling into a new normal after delaying the apocalypse. But it also features long, extended flashback sequences within those contemporary scenes, called “minisodes.”

Now, most of them aren’t really “mini” (in fact, the longest takes up most of the episode time). They are all set in the past and have little to do with the main modern storyline, in which the archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) stands naked and without memory at Aziraphale’s doorstep.

In fact, they almost feel like they’re from a separate version of it Good omens season 2, one that consists of episodic adventures through Aziraphale and Crowley’s past (maybe they were once rough ideas that Neil Gaiman sketched out with co-writer Terry Pratchett). If that were the case, these minisodes would be thoroughly enjoyable. But in the structure of the season, they tend to pull away from the main plot for too long to the point where the main plot barely gets past the main plot. It’s extremely frustrating – while I want to watch them and spend a little more time with these characters, I also find it detracts from the central storyline, which is compelling in its own right.

Aziraphale and Crowley are simply fascinating characters, so any screen time with them is a joy. I just want to see more of them interacting, especially through their thousands of years of misadventures. Sheen and Tennant embody them so perfectly, with an easygoing chemistry that makes any everyday interaction great. And since she Are a demon and an angel, what is mundane for them, is fantastic for us, whether orchestrating the events of the book of Job or digging up bodies in Scotland. These flashbacks take us to pivotal moments that influenced Crowley and Aziraphale’s relationship and shaped it into what it is today.

Photo: Mark Mainz/Prime Video

But Good omens season 2 has more plot going beyond these single episode adventures. There’s the fate of the universe again, as Aziraphale and Crowley try to figure out what the hell Gabriel is trying to warn them about, while also hiding him from the prying eyes of Heaven and Hell. And due to contrived hijinks, they also have to match two shopkeepers across the street. That’s a nice setup in its own right, but it keeps getting muddled by the minisodes, which rarely, if ever, add anything to the episode itself other than some insight in a little moment or two. As someone who loves these characters and actors as well as historical settings, those minisodes are so much fun and I want a full season of them. But I also keep forgetting why we even care about the actual overarching storyline of the season if we only get 10 minutes of it in an episode.

If you’re in it for the Aziraphale and Crowley of it all (as I imagine many Good omens fans), then these flashbacks build their history and establish moments in their relationship. But those minisodes don’t do much to move that relationship forward, and the main storyline that’s playing out these days doesn’t have enough time for that either. They’re the most fun part of the season, but also put a limit on the modern plot’s potential. I want more, but also less. But mostly I just want to see more of these characters, and if this weird way is currently available, I’ll take it, even if they deserve more.

The second season of Good omens releases July 28 on Prime Video.