The long-awaited return of the DC Comics The Sandman adaptation debuted at the number two position on Netflix’s Top 10 TV shows for the week, demonstrating the franchise’s significant and sustained audience pull. Based on the iconic comic book series from author Neil Gaiman, The Sandman follows the journey of Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), the personification of dreams, after he escapes a century of mortal captivity. The first season chronicled his quest to reclaim his powerful artifacts and restore order to his crumbling realm, The Dreaming, while dealing with escaped nightmares and the machinations of his powerful siblings, the Endless. The series has been lauded for its faithful yet inventive adaptation of the source material, bringing Gaiman’s mythology to life with stunning visuals and a narrative that explores themes of destiny, change, and the power of stories.
The viewership numbers for The Sandman‘s new season are impressive, especially for its debut week. The series captured 5.3 million views, a figure that placed it just behind the streaming juggernaut Waterfront, which has held a Top 10 position for three consecutive weeks. The release of the new chapter has also created a halo effect for the entire series, with the first season making a triumphant return to the Top 10 chart. Season 1 of The Sandman landed in the ninth position of Netflix’s charts, with 1.7 million views, as new viewers discover the series for the first time and longtime fans revisit the story in preparation for the new episodes.
Beyond its commercial performance, the second season of The Sandman has also garnered a strong critical reception. Although it didn’t reach the 88% Rotten Tomatoes approval of the series debut, Season 2 holds a respectable 79% score, with many reviews praising its ambition to tackle the more complex storylines from the second half of the comic series. Critics have broadly praised the season for delving deeper into the mythology of the Endless and for its willingness to explore the heavier philosophical themes that made the source material a landmark work. The returning cast has also been noted for bringing a greater depth to their characters, effectively portraying the evolution of their relationships and the weight of their cosmic responsibilities.
The Final Chapter of The Sandman and Its Controversial Shadow
The creative team of The Sandman has confirmed this season will be the show’s last, a decision that was reportedly made back in 2022. To bring this epic tale to a close, Netflix has opted for a unique release strategy. Rather than dropping all at once, the 12-episode season is being rolled out in three parts throughout July 2025. The first batch of six episodes was released on July 3rd, with the next five arriving on July 24th. The series will conclude with a special standalone bonus episode on July 31st, focusing on Dream’s immensely popular older sister, Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste).
The Sandman concludes under a complicated shadow cast by serious allegations of sexual misconduct made against author and co-creator Neil Gaiman in 2024, which he has denied. The controversy led to several of his other projects at different studios being canceled or significantly altered, including the fan–favorite Good Omens TV show. According to showrunner Allan Heinberg, the plan was always to tell the remainder of Dream’s core storyline from the comics in a single, final season, providing a complete and faithful adaptation of his journey, and that the allegations against Gaiman didn’t affect the TV show. Co-creator David S. Goyer also stated that Gaiman’s involvement was less significant in the second season compared to the first and that Netflix chose to move forward with the release to honor the work of the hundreds of cast and crew members involved in the production.
What are your thoughts on the final season of The Sandman so far? Let us know in the comments.
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