The Sandman: Collectors

 "I thought there'd be cereal..."

My Netflix issues are fixed. Normal blogging is resumed. Phew.

Things are moving fast. Rose as the vortex seems to be the unwitting cause of Lyta's being with her dead husband in her dreams... and her pregnancy. Yet this seems to be leading to instability. Cracks are appearing.

So what does Dream do? He continues to be an utter dick. After offending Lucienne last episode- and Matthew speaks for all of us when he criticises their mutual sulk, he tramples into Lyta's dream like a bull in a china shop, heartlessly crumbling her husband to dust and, if that isn't bad enough, threatening that one day he will come and take Lyta's baby. Yes, he's a mythically powerful and capricious god, but he's also a dick.

We see more of the serial killer convention this episode, and it's utterly, blackly hilarious. We also get to see more of the wonderful Gilbert, played with aplomb by the one and only Stephen Fry... and get to learn who he is. But we end with the Corinthian triumphant in a staggeringly excellent episode full of twists, turns and much coolness.

The Sandman: Playing House

 "I'm sure he's fine..."

This is, once again, rich and textured drama with much to say about dreams, both literal and in terms of ambition- Hal, whose ambitions were thwarted, quite rightly has words on that subject to say to Rose.

Yet drems, even nightmares, have dreams. Dream is too quick to believe all is solved when he "saves" Jed's night-time existence from Gault, who wishes only to give Jed some comfort as he is horribly abused in real life. She is punished by a hasty Dream, yet she has harsh and pointed worfds for him. All of us can change anf grow, even, I'm sure, if we are manifestations of abstract concepts.

Abstract concepts abound here. The nature of home. The temptations of dreams- for Jed, as the Golden Age Sandman, a nice touch, but also for Lyra, tempted into idyllic family life by the dreaming ghost of her dead husband. Drwams and ambitions versus the unambitious yet easy life.

Yet this is really about character- Rose, Jed, Hal, the whole wonderful Florida family. Dream, so kind to Rose and so unthinkingly cruel to Gault. Hal, who I hope comes to realise their dreams.

Loving this. Sadly,there';s not long to go.