Reviews for Dead Boy Detectives on Netflix are in – and yes, it’s gay
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Based on the comic book of the same name by The Sandman creator Neil Gaiman, Dead Boy Detectives arrived on Netflix on April 25th, and the reviews are now in. Starring Jayden Revri and George Rexstrew as Charles and Edwin, the two dead boys are joined by their psychic friend Crystal Palace (Kassius Nelson), her friend Niko (Yuyu Kitamura), and Ruth Connell in her Doom Patrol role of Night Nurse. The White Lotus’ Lukas Gage also stars as the (weirdly sexual) Cat King.
Following the first full-length teaser, fans were hoping – maybe expecting – at least some queer romance on screen. And according to the first reviews, they haven’t been let down. Here’s what is being said.
Empire (4/5)
“The show deftly balances each supernatural case of the week with ongoing threads that dig deeper into the wider world it shares with Netflix’s Sandman, as well as the interior world of each lead character. There are cameos and name-drops that will please die-hard Gaiman fans, but the show doesn’t rely on that by any means. Instead, it’s the chemistry shared by the central trio that gives life to our deceased heroes, who are entangled in a beautifully handled queer love triangle.”
The Guardian (3/5)
“It is good escapist fun. It gets the job of entertaining done so efficiently that it seems wrong-headed to want it to be better. But it gets close enough to being something great that you feel yourself urging it on, to develop the characters just a bit more, to make things just a bit wittier, thicken the stew, polish the script, find that something that will transform it into something more, and make the most of the opportunities offered by the set up and the growing agglomeration of fabulous turns such as Esther and the Cat King.”
IGN
“Dead Boy Detectives can’t match The Sandman’s dramatic heights, and even when it gets more serious, it often feels superficial and try-hard. Sometimes it hits its “isn’t this all wacky and weird?” marks, but other times it feels a bit leaden.”
The Los Angeles Times
“If there’s nothing ground-breaking here, it’s all uncommonly well done: cleverly written, smartly cast, sensitively played, marvellously realised. It’s disturbing at times, yet sweet at others, and comic as often as not. There is animation. You can occasionally anticipate a twisted turn because it’s a twist long years of genre exercises have taught you to expect. But a series can feel fresh without being original, and there are surprises enough.”
The Hollywood Reporter
“The true heart of the series lies in the bond between Charles and Edwin, which over the decades has crystallised into a loyalty even deeper than friendship. At some point in the past, Charles made the decision to forgo a blissful afterlife in favour of eternity on Earth with Edwin. After spending a bit of time amid their true-blue bond, it’s easy to understand why.”
Overall, Dead Boy Detectives on Netflix seems to have received positive reviews, particularly for its handling of queer representation and character dynamics. The show offers a mix of supernatural cases and deeper character development that has resonated with audiences. It may not reach the dramatic heights of The Sandman, but it still manages to entertain and captivate viewers with its unique storyline and diverse cast.
Dead Boy Detectives is available to stream on Netflix.
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