THE QUITE NICE AND FAIRLY ACCURATE GOOD OMENS SCRIPT BOOK / AUTHOR: NEIL GAIMAN / PUBLISHER: HEADLINE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Script books are a rather niche thing, and it’s highly unusual to see one for a TV show that is so new most people haven’t seen it yet. However, when the person writing the script is the world famous Neil Gaiman, you can see why it’s hit the shelves so quickly.
The Quite Nice and Fairly Accurate Good Omens Script Book is, as you’d expect, from the TV show Good Omens, which is based on a novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. It’s an urban-fantasy comedy that asks the question ‘what if the Anti-Christ grew up in a sleepy English town, with relatively normal middle class family?’ Or to put it another way, if a child was half Devil and half-human, which side would win? And which side would have more fun playing conkers?
The TV show itself works well simply because it has a stellar cast and superb direction. The script book, however, shows us exactly how clever the original story is and how well the whole thing meshes together. Scripts are in a way the ultimate behind the scenes look at a show, after all.
Gaiman’s writing has always been charming, and the script structure strips the author of his worse excesses. There’re no scenes filled with endless waffle about weather, for example. Because storms aren’t a scriptwriters department and though talented, we doubt Mr Gaiman can summon thunder at will. The result is something rather charming. They are great many differences between the script and final product, but most of them are subtle things. A few scenes are restaged, or lines have been cut out. It’s a nice peak into the world of TV production.
The entire work is compelling and engaging. Even if you’re very familiar with the original novel, this is a different experience. It helps that Gaiman has woven various jokes into the stage directions and this irreverent approach matches the tone of Good Omens very, very well. And yes, the demons get the best lines, because otherwise what’s the point in being demon?
One key scene (beloved by fans of the book) involving the Horsemen of the Apocalypse is included at the end. It’s fascinating because this is a scene that made it all the way to just before filming. Actors cast, costumes made. Just never filmed. It’s also one of the funniest bits of the novel and there’s an irony that’s it’s become a sort of apocrypha for the show. Which somehow makes it funnier. And that sums up the charm of this book. No one needs a script book for this show, but it’s so damned charming and quirky that it feels like a must.
