One of the moments that truly stood out to me was when Orpheus asks Calliope's permission to help her and to seek revenge. He openly states he wants to punish Ric BUT he ensures Calliope retains the power in their situation. He will take no more autonomy away from her. Morpheus is no saint in this story, but that moment proves he was noble in his intentions.
I think the fact that he IS flawed and often missteps that make this moment so poignant. That he’s learned from his own suffering and now has enough empathy to acknowledge someone who has suffered more. It’s amazing to see unfold.
Dream is Morpheus, not Orpheus. Orpheus is the dead son that they reference in this episode. Though, to be fair, Calliope refers to Dream as Oneiros in this episode so the name stuff so that can be confusing.
It also shows how much Dream has changed after his imprisonment. The Dream he used to be would either have ignored Calliope's situation entirely or brought vengeance without asking. The evolution of his character realizing he needs others in his life, he needs to listen to them and he can't do everything alone, is one of the best things about the series.
And that he really cares about her. Also, having this as an episode 11 (towards the end of the first season) shows how much he has changed from his own capture and healing from it. I love that they both say they will work to change the laws for Gods/Endless so it doesn't happen again.
It's crazy how Tom Sturridge has great chemistry with absolutely everyone, he is so damn good (and also his eyes, his face...he says so much with so little words)
In case you guys missed it, Calliope is played by the fantastic Melissanthi Mahut who did the voice and motion capture for Kassandra in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Loved that they got someone of Greek heritage for a Greek goddess!
For a moment, when Maddoc is ranting, it’s like you have a brief glimpse inside the mind of Neil Gaiman free-associating. It’s mildly frightening, the number of times you find yourself going “Oh, yeah, I’d read that!” (My own personal favorite is the man who inherits a library card to the Library of Alexandria!)
I think most of them sound like good ideas for a short story, but not for a whole book. Which also explains why The Sandman is more of an anthology rather than a super concise story.
I thought it was the other way round. The library they showed us in previous episodes and explained what was in it, was used to fill his head and drive him mad.
@@realscottsummers that means, that was originally another person spoken/unspoken ideas, which then contradict itself; he's a writer, he can't plagiarize other person idea. Best bet it was an unspoken one, or a very old spoken one.
Not showing, but completely implying his sexual abuse of Calliope was so well done! I was wondering how they would handle that. I almost wish this wasn't Arthur playing this role since I loved him so much as Rory, and this was such a rough role for me to watch him in. But all in all, that, I think, is the point of this story, that humans, no matter their beginning intentions, can be rotten when it comes to being selfish! But, revenge does not make things better in the end. Morpheus and Calliope together, just wonderful. These 2 actors have such great chemistry, you could just feel the history between them, and the genuine regret that their relationship went the way it did. I can't wait to hopefully see more of their story in later seasons. I haven't reached the comics where Orpheus is brought up, so I don't actually know yet how the story unfolds fully, though I do know the end result. I'm with you 2...this series...just amazing!
they implied the sexual abuse well (for a tv series at least). Noticed his ripped shirt and scratch marks on his face implies she fought back against his advances. really good episode with good acting from the writer actor.
And I loved her as a character all on her own, which is a testament to actress Melissanthi Mahut. This one episode made me want to see an entire filmed episode of her and Dream’s entire relationship.
Same here. It is absolutely clear that dream still adores her if not love her, and we need more of them. That forehead touch she did really sold me, not shipping him with johanna anymore.
Exactly. I learned long ago forgiveness isn't for the person who wronged me. Forgiveness is for me, for me to let them go and stop eating me up inside.
This show has been such a breath of fresh air. I feel like we are back in 2010 Doctor Who territory. I love the characters, the imagination, the vision. Give me a hundred episodes of this series and I will gobble them up like eyes to the Corinthian.
And Tennant and his wife (The Doctor’s Daughter, and there’s a fun story) are in Dream of a 1000 Cats, and of course Rory’s in this one - seems like everyone but Karen Gillian signed on!
@@lawrence5520 Karen Gillian could make a great delirium.
2 года назад+168
I'm so thankful they didn't show actual abuse. There are so many reasons why I love this show outside of just the awesome storytelling and characterization
same, i spent the beginning sick to my stomach, dreading how they would handle it. i shouldn't have worried, it was subtle but effective and still very clear on what happened.
@@justuschester4602 Everything doesn´t have to be The Boys level of graphic. I think the intent was quite clear, and as people are saying, actually showing it might have been... distasteful.
@@theyonlycomeoutwhenitsquiet I don't think that's quite true. Major Spoilers for the comics: Maybe it's just me but when I read the pages where They finally reunite and you know what happens, It seemed to me that Morpheus kind of knew that this was going to happen, that this was what was waiting for him, which is why he avoided seeing Orpheus for so long. That's also why he collapsed in grief in Destiny's garden, because he _Knew_ what Orpheus would want. And because he would do it for his child if he asked, but if he's not around, then he can't ask. I think Morpheus probably regretted how he handled Orpheus pretty soon after but by that point it was too late, and then a combination of grief, pride and stubbornness kept him away from Orpheus until he was torn apart, and then, well, it was REALLY too late, because of the suspicions I shared above. Because of Death's gift, the only people who can kill Orpheus are the Endless and Morpheus was fully aware of how much he didn't want to live anymore without Eurydice...
Calliope was always one of my favorite one off stories from the graphic novels. The acting in the scenes between Calliope and Dream is amazing. So much hurt, pain and longing between the two communicated by their performances. I totally believed in their past relationship torn apart by tragedy that neither were able to cope with. I also really appreciate the decision to imply Calliope's SA instead of showing it,
Sometimes I'm a bit mad at shows implying dark things instead of showing them and 1 of the reasons is that I _might_ be a bit dense at times. In this case,I _did_ notice the scratch on Madoc's face,but not the unbuttoned shirt and I didn't make 2+2 in that moment. I was like:"How did that scratch happen?And why is he now suddenly able to write?What changed?" Much later,Dream _said_ Calliope had been raped and _still_ I wasn't _totally_ sure if he meant literally or just metaphorically. I'm sorry,but sometimes being explicit is better for the sake of clarity. Not to say it's _mandatory_ but still..I can think of at least 1 other example in which a more"direct approach"would have helped me to feel less confused about a storyline.@.@
@@Persephone_Personified Yeah,I'm not saying it's an _objective_ flaw. It's surely a subjective opinion. I'd PREFER for some of these kind of scenes to be a bit more explicit.
@@Nicamon Hate to break it to you, but the mental well-being of abuse survivors is more important than whether you sometimes get a bit confused by a story plot. Your confusion can be fixed in other ways.
@@Ylyrra Hate to break it to you,but no one is forced to watch any piece of media...if you're afraid you might be triggered by something,just DON'T WATCH IT. You know how many horror movies have an interesting plot that I _WISH_ I could watch but I just settle with reading it on Wikipedia because I'm a scaredy cat?I can't expect every horror movie to be toned down to be suitable for ME to watch. If I can handle it,good,if I can't,too bad for ME.
just to add, Calliope's story is actually toned down, in the comics its one of the darkest chapter. Even as prisoner Calliope wouldn't give them what they desired so the way that Erasmus and Ric would get the ideas from her was to habitually rape her for inspiration, knowing this you'll see more clearly why Morpheus was so enraged and keen to punish Ric (for the decades of assault they did to his lover) 😭 They also left hints in the dialogues implying what they really did to Calliope: "Am I to perform for your amusement" "I found force more efficacious" "They told me you were imprisoned just lilke me" "No not like you. My suffering was nothing compared to yours"
I just love we see though Calliope the change that Dream has made from his imprisonment. Dream was not a nice guy. He may have done nice things but if you crossed Dream he would act very unforgivingly. In simply going to see Calliope when she call shows that there was a lot of change. Also I really hope they do The Sandman version of the story of Orpheus later on. The twists Gaiman puts in for this universe are so good.
Oh yeah, can't wait till they get to unpacking the whole Nada... business. That's gonna be a rough one. What he did to her was definitely the worst thing he's ever done in my opinion, and like you said, he's absolutely no saint. I think it's incredible to see a character who seems so ageless, immoveable and unchangeable STILL be able to change and become a better person, even after already having lived for an eternity. It's so hopeful.
I've watched 3 reactions to this episode and all 3 have had that same gleeful laugh when he walks in and Morpheus is sitting there waiting for him. Everyone is so happy to see Morpheus make him wish he'd never been born. I love it.
calliope has to be in my top 5, im so glad they toned this down, it easily could have been the darkest chapter in sandman but they found a way make it less traumatizing but still give us the core elements. the way they made this is like just let comic fans remember how dark the original version was but still leave subtle hints to the new fans
Even the reactor who hasn't read the comics didn't get, or is choosing not to get, what happened to Calliope. I'm not entirely sure Netflix would have allowed the episode to be filmed or aired if the SA was more explicit than it is in the episode.
@@kavehteimory6413 The repeated sexual assault by both her captors was very explicit in the comics. Ric is actually shown to be a bit more sympathetic in this version.
this episode was an emotional whiplash for me. Arthur Darvill going from TV's sweetest boyfriend/husband Rory Pond to so scummy he literally made me puke in my mouth, and Melissanthi going from Kassandra of Kephallonia - the baddest "I will kill any beast, man or god that fucking irks me" demigod/mercenary on god's green earth to a trapped, abused, broken and vulnerable goddess - this episode made me feel as angry and vengeful and Morpheus himself. Malakas!
They both mention how Calliope has been defiled by Richard Madoc, and the man who imprisoned Calliope first speaks of taking what he wants by force. It's definitely shown more explicitly in the comics, but the implications of what has to be done to gain Calliope's gifts when it is not given freely is... dark, to say the least. Also the actors for Episode 5, Episode 6, and Episode 11 are so good. So many of them are going to be one-off characters, and yet they made them all feel so real and fleshed out.
people who missed it should also pay attention to his shirt, his OPEN shirt in the scene where he finally starts writing, with that blood on his cheek. Having his shirt open in that moment, right after going to her room, with blood/a scratch on his face, that can hardly have another reason to be in the context of that story, I felt it was quite clear what atrocious thing he had done...
@@cirederfsamot2730 Oh. it is very clear, especially if you know the mythology of Muses, and all that jazz. But I mean, in the comics, Calliope is drawn almost naked, which is a far more explicit way of showing exactly what she had to endure while imprisoned.
I get that the ending is all about forgiveness as the beginning of healing. Not only Calliope's forgiveness of Richard the man but also about Morpheus forgiving Calliope and she forgiving him. Just a beautiful story. Beautifully acted. I love this series.
I just don't get why it never occurred to Richard how much more beneficial it would be to have the gratitude of a goddess rather than the servitude of a goddess. To be fair, I get why. The character is a man and human. And this story is to try an inspire people to use their compassion more.
I think it was partly because he was desperate and preferred the sure way instead of the right way. You could see his desperation when his manager basically called and said you are out of time if you don't give them at least a chapter soon they will ask the money they have already given him for the book back. So he chose the wrong option. If there was more time then maaaybe he might have freed her because he didn't seem to like what he should do in order for the inspiration to come.
I interpret this as him knowing he wouldn't have in her place, so he didn't. he couldn't even conceptualize being kind as not being a weakness, so he chose to value abuse instead.
It's especially heartwarming to me -to find out from Neil Gaiman recently -that the writer of the episode is a fan of his that he met when she was 9 years old. He praised her on Twitter saying that he had never met a 9 year old reading The Sandman before and that she turned out to be an amazing writer. That's just such an inspiring story to me! Everything about this episode from start to finish was pure art and hit all the feels. I think this goes down as being one of my favorite stories of all time in writing and live action.
Literally us. I'm fucking suing everybody if she doesn't return. But if sandman keeps going she most probably will cause her and their son are one of the bigger parts of the comics, right?
The entire time, Calliope's voice kept triggering a memory...then I realized it was Melissanthi Mahut who played Kassandra in Assassin's Creed Odyssey! Love to see her in this show and she was amazing. Also, Nora was played by the same actor who played Inej in Shadow and Bone, and she was my favorite part of that show. Loved seeing her too! But all the subtle changes to shift the story and empower Calliope, so good. I'm glad they did this story, even if its rough to watch.
I might say that episode 11 is my favorite out of all episodes, even with terrifying idea of "get too many idea and/or have no idea at all". Also I'm glad seeing the actress who portray Calliope again on screen, since I love her as Mita in Eurovision film, I agree that her chemistry with Dream is soo good. Definitely hoping to see her again in the next season. Since you also talking about "snack" between "meal" (season), I would love if they decided to make miniseries between season. It might be aninated since I think that would be easier to do and I freakin' love the animation on this episode part 1, but if it is live action I don't think I will complain.
I’m so surprised I loved it as much as I did, almost more than any other episode, and there were so many stunning episodes. The performances were mind blowing, and the level of emotions throughout, I felt everything so viscerally.
Excellent reaction! I feel this episode provided such as insight into Dreams existence and that he did experience love and heartbreak leading to his extreme isolation.
It's great to see Arthur Darvill really make an attempt to expand his acting range beyond his typical "loveable schmuck" characters. I'm quite curious how he came to get this role.
I think it was brilliant to cast him in that role *because* of his "lovable schmuck" persona. He seems so harmless, but you see the limits of that when he feels himself pushed into a corner. He refused to free Calliope because he wanted a guarantee that she would give him inspiration. And then, when the stress got too great, he raped her. Once he got what he wanted, he tried to justify what he'd done to her and what he continued to do to her. It's tough to see Arthur Darvill - the guy who played one of the sweetest husbands ever on Doctor Who - spiral into depravity like that, and it makes it all the more horrifying. Darvill absolutely killed the portrayal of this rather weak man who made all of the worst choices.
@@katherineheasley6196 Especially since in the original comic, Madoc is just a total bastard from the start. Great to see Gaiman take this opportunity to make a richer story.
@@katherineheasley6196 it's hard NOT to relate to him, and hope he'll do the right thing... Seeing him smugly calling himself a feminist writer in the next scene, though? 🤮
@@adamcarlson2192 But I feel like that speaks more to reality. Like he seems to genuinely think he's a feminist and he's doing all that to hire diversity blah blah blah but at the end of it, he can still rob someone of their agency and dehumanise them because he doesn't perceive them as such. Right?
"That I'm beating" Mmmmm, yeah, no... I wondered if this was going to be a little subtle for people who didn't know the original story to pick up on. Difficult line to walk, however, without risking feeling exploitative and also inflicting trauma on some viewers. Also jesus CHRIST did Sturridge outdo himself in this episode. I've loved his performance throughout, was perfectly convinced he was a perfect choice - but his ice cold malevolence toward Madoc in this episode felt food for my spirit. It was just. so. flawless.
They got it. They probably chose not to rub it in anyone's faces, or to say it because RUclips has some really messed up policies about what gets you demonetised.
I had forgotten the Calliope story from the comics for a bit, then when I realized they were doing *this* one, I was a little nervous, since certain parts were pretty difficult to get through. But I'm glad they never showed the abuse. Showing the aftermath was chilling enough without resorting to depicting the violence. And even though his character was despicable, Arthur Darvill did a fantastic job this episode.
Found you guys from your Sandman reactions and am so happy I did. You guys are both so cute and so genuine, it makes it so fun to watch your reactions!
I was soooo excited upon seeing Melissanthi appear as Calliope, it caught me way off guard. She's the voice of the main character of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and as soon as I heard her voice I realized who it was immediately. She has such a lovely, velvety tone and she's absolutely stunning. And I was really impressed with the chemistry that she and Tom had even in their few moments of screen time together.
The two stories from this episode both came from the 3rd arc, collected in Dream Country. (they were issues 17 and 18 in the series) oddly enough they ran reverse - Calliope was 17 and Cats 18,) the next chapter picks up the Shakespeare story from the Tavern, and is one of my favorites, the issue won a World Fantasy Award for short fiction in 1991. which pissed off a lot of writers who hated that a comic won the award so much they changed the rules so no more comics could win. This story does have a prequel of a sorts, it was a special issue The Song of Orpheus which is in the 6th Trade paperback
Yeah, I'm an author and the moment he stops looking at his new document and starts scrolling social media for mentions about his work(or anything, really)...that becomes SUCH a tempting diversion, especially for people in this guy's situation. The internet and social media have done SO much to screw over writers with short attention spans because the temptation to just do something else for "a few minutes" i.e. 3 hours is so great. Basically, it's one of the most relatable moments in this entire episode, and I feel very seen. But not in a good way lol. And yes, most importantly, DON'T READ YOUR OWN REVIEWS!
God, I understand so much. I'm trying to write a book right now, and even this wholesome channel itself is a distraction like that. Social media has probably been the death of thousands of stories.
Speaking of Doctor Who peeps, there was also Amita Suman as Nora, the medical student that's also a wanna-be writer (who Ric sends to his place to free Calliope). She played the younger version of Yaz's grandmother in 'Demons of the Punjab'. 😀
So hyped for this reaction Edit: for your discussion on taking the time to fully understand the stories we read or watch, for me, from my childhood all the way to being 18 I did the same thing where I'd bingewatch a show or watch a movie and wouldn't always take the time to digest the storytelling bc I was more involved with the action instead. However, now being 20, I take the time to really process what's going on and sometimes I'll even rewind 2 or 3 times, not only bc I may have missed a line or 2, but to fully get it cemented into my brain
The casting of Rory (to me he will always be Rory) is PERFECT! Because you immediately have this feeling that he's adorable and he can do no wrong. And then that happens...
Same for me. Rory Williams is a treasure and my favorite companion, and recently, I listed to Darvill play Dr. Frankenstein and realized how good he is at playing an absolute bastard. Such an amazing actor.
I haven’t read the comics and I don’t know the relationship between calliope and dream but i loved every second they were in the screen together, especially dream... he showed a lot of emotions just talking with her and that made me excited and hopefully they will do another season and she will be in it because what a chemistry! Also can we talk about how dream asked her permission to help her? Idk why but that made me want to cry!
Dream of a thousand cats wasn't a separate story. The same thing that happened to the cats happened to Calliope. She was left wondering how things got this way, and sought to change the laws that allowed it.
I haven't watched the show, but I listened to the radio play, and from the editing I'm guessing that the 'feminist writer' was abusing Calliope the same way he was in that version. From what I've read, 'male feminists' or in this case 'feminist writers' describe themselves such to cover the fact that they're predators.
Howdy from Texas! love your reaction and words in this and all your other work on youtube. As a writer, I've found that eventually the words will come and never take advances. Also as a writer, he should know the quote "Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad" Keep up the good work.
That episode was aimed to make a juxtaposition between how Dream handled his imprisonment vs how Calliope handled hers. Revenge vs forgiveness while at the same time showing how much Dream has grown as a character and lastly subtly introduce Orpheus for a future story that was a very sad one 🥲
I just want to say I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of your reactions to this series. You're both so genuine, funny, and honest, and I love your insights into the stories. Thank you so much for sharing these!
I think that Calliope's plan was that when Maddoc reads Dreams name it will be imprinted in his memory and when he goes to sleep the name will find its way to his dreams and create an echo across the dreaming which will identified by Morpheus. Brilliant plan indeed.....
From what I can gather on IMDB is that the two human couples were played by real life couples Davic and Georgia Tennant, and Micheal Sheen and Anna Lundberg. :D Neil Gaiman voiced the skull bird, and the actress who played Nora, the med student, was also in Doctor Who! :)
7:42 just want to clarify this advance, when an author goes to a publisher, they pay you in the thousands with an advance which will be payed in increments to pay for life shit like bills, groceries and such so you can focus on writing and not have to write and work a different job which would take more time to finish a story. that debt is payed by the sales of your book and when the debt is payed, THEN you finally get royalties from sales. it's not like taking money from a loanshark or the bank or something , it's just how the publishing world works for authors
I discovered your channel through Sandman (I have always been a big fan, having read it about 20 years ago, in my early 20s), and I just want to say you are a beautiful couple, and really love how real the experience is clearly for you. Kudos and best wishes from Poland!
This might have been my favorite episode. Hard to choose though. So many surprises! Sir Derek Jacobi for one! He was sooo much fun as the older author quite happy to exploit and then give away a woman to another author. The near-closing frame with Dream and Calliope nuzzling a little bit was soooo classic romance novel cover.
Great reaction! This reminds me of when Iron Man was talking to Spider Man, and he said, "If you're nothing without the suit, then you don't deserve to have it." Same thing with the writer. If he's nothing without the Muse, then he doesn't deserve to have her.
You know him as Rory, side character ordinary guy; I know him as the legendary Rip Hunter, captain of the Waverider and rogue time master, we are not the same /j
Really repeating myself here but it's been a wild ride going through it all again with you guys, you feel like amazing people ! Cheers and see you soon !
When he's looking at his reviews, and he starts typing in the search bar, you can see what are the sites he most often visits (I think RUclips won't let me say the word, but you can guess it). Also, the show playing in the background, in the TV that he's watching, is I May Destroy You. So, I don't think he just beats her. This episode, part 1 and part 2, was very hard to watch.
Well, lets remember that this probably happened right after he was freed and before ep. 4. He still left Nada in hell even after a century so this moment for me felt shallow. My thoughts is that they captured the muse because with Morpheus captured, they weren't able to dream of new stories. I'm happy we get to see a softer side of him, but where was that same energy with Nada? #Free Nada
Morpheus is basically being a big dumbass about Nada. If you're unfamiliar with the comics, do not worry the Nada issue does get addressed very clearly later.
The reason I figured it was right after he woke up was because of the recent newspaper article. Unless he was carrying around a newspaper weeks old, the span of time that passed wasn't that long.
An old writer passing down his control over a woman to a younger writer made me think about how discriminatory systems *can't* be perpetuated without active participation of younger generations. When you are born the laws arealdy exist. They have been written down and are being enforced. But the people who made those laws can't exist in perpetuity. Even if they hold all the power now, there will come a time when the power is handed down to someone, and that someone will have to make a choice. This goes for anybody, politicians, voters, teachers, parents, etc. Richard made the choice to perpetuate the injustice Calliope was suffering. And to me, he was a bad dude even before he took action. When he talks to her and asks for help, she tells him to ask again when she is free and Richard says something like: "Perhaps we both should take our time to think." Then he goes out to look at social media and etc. He gains control over her, and he refuses to give up that control, this on itself is already unjust. But more than that, I believe Richard is doing this because he's waiting for an excuse. Hear me out: If abusing her to get inspiration was completely out of question, then he wouldn't have any reason to not release her. We can assume that him holding her in captivity means that he believes, even if subconsciously, that depending on the circumstances he might have to force her to get what he wants. So, to me when he does nothing it feels like he's just waiting for an excuse. And when he gets that call, he takes action because now he has an excuse (he believes being cornered justifies what he does). I agree with you guys, people suck, and the way they try to rationalize the things they want to do is disgusting.
Speeking of Dr Who, we also have the first "Master" of the new era of the show, playing the part of Erasmus. He played alongside David Tennant's 10th Doctor, who by the way was one of the cat voices in "Dream of the thousand cats". This episode is realy a Whovian fest!!!
The other thing about this episode is it showcases how much writing and acting matters. There's very little special effects (the entrance of the Fates, the smoke, the fingers) and that's about it. But it's an amazing episode.
A little deep cut...Tom Sturridge...who killed in this and is an instant legend...was probably destined for this. Why? Because in his IMDB...he was featured in the film adaptation of Far From The Madding Crowd...which, if you are a big fan of the comics, and noticed the books in the background of the Dreaming library...was among those featured in the comics. Now...of all things, the actor that was in the film of that, has become Dream of the Endless, master of the library that referenced that book long before his birth.
I think it's often missed the impact of the final scene/shot is of Calliope, a now free woman, walking down the city street at night, with no fear. An act in which Calliope leads with and thus inspires visions, aspirations & work towards. A world in which not only she is free to do that... but all womxn are.
A slight change from traditional mythology - Orpheus is the son of Apollo and Calliope. But I'm perfectly fine with the change to Oneiros. (Neil Daiman is just that damn good!)
Bonus if you note that there’s a comic in which somebody asks Morpheus if he’s Apollo, and he says “No, but I am sometimes mistaken for him”. They’re both gods to poets and seers; Apollo is in many ways the Greek idea of what Morpheus is.
In the comics while yes it was implied the abuse the way they took inspiration form her was more forcing intercourse so yeah making him go mad with ideas might not be enough punishment in my opinion but its Calliopes right to decide his punishment in the end so ill respect it.
Think Derek Jacoby is creepy in this? Check out "I. Claudius" (about Rome's warped royal family). He plays (possibly) the least creepy member. I think of him as Claudius long before I remember he was the Master.
Just to make Claroos aware and this may be a slight spoiler so feel free to stop reading now 😀 The Sandman comic is a series of multiple stories. Some are short, some are longer arcs. There is no central or main story. Some these one off stories are just the short ones. There are connections between some of the stories but not all of them.
Woe be the men who spent years raping an all powerful entity's wife, ex or no. She may have asked him to spare Maddoc, but I kind of like to imagine that Morpheus tried to make sure Erasmus was suffering well in death. The thought just makes me smile.
as I said in another comment, he has his shirt open when he goes back to his computer to write. Add that to the context, to what Erasmus told him about taking from her by force, to the scratch on his face (if he only beat her, there is less room for him getting "hurt"). And finally, there's Morpheus saying that Maddoc had "defiled" her, which is not a word usually used when talking about "only" beating someone down. Sadly, I don't have much doubt about what he did to her...
I felt so stupid when you said Rory, I didn't get it right off because my best friend's dog is named Rory and that's who I always think of first. She isn't even named after Rory from Dr. Who but a different actor entirely. It's also extra stupid as Amy and Rory are my favorite companions lol. It always takes me several minutes to get me realize Rory from Dr. Who. In my defense Rory is a a sweet dog that when I see her will try to jump up and lick my face even though she is a large dog lol. She becomes so excited when I see my best friend, he lives like an hour away so we only see each other in person maybe once a year since I don't drive anymore. We still text almost everyday, I mean he started a family, he does what's best for them moved for a better job with more pay, and it makes me proud of him. I may not see him often, but knowing he's living his best life gives me such joy.
One of the moments that truly stood out to me was when Orpheus asks Calliope's permission to help her and to seek revenge. He openly states he wants to punish Ric BUT he ensures Calliope retains the power in their situation. He will take no more autonomy away from her. Morpheus is no saint in this story, but that moment proves he was noble in his intentions.
I think the fact that he IS flawed and often missteps that make this moment so poignant. That he’s learned from his own suffering and now has enough empathy to acknowledge someone who has suffered more. It’s amazing to see unfold.
Yes thats a great line. It shows that first an foremost he wants to make sure its what she will allow
Dream is Morpheus, not Orpheus. Orpheus is the dead son that they reference in this episode. Though, to be fair, Calliope refers to Dream as Oneiros in this episode so the name stuff so that can be confusing.
It also shows how much Dream has changed after his imprisonment. The Dream he used to be would either have ignored Calliope's situation entirely or brought vengeance without asking. The evolution of his character realizing he needs others in his life, he needs to listen to them and he can't do everything alone, is one of the best things about the series.
And that he really cares about her. Also, having this as an episode 11 (towards the end of the first season) shows how much he has changed from his own capture and healing from it. I love that they both say they will work to change the laws for Gods/Endless so it doesn't happen again.
It's crazy how Tom Sturridge has great chemistry with absolutely everyone, he is so damn good (and also his eyes, his face...he says so much with so little words)
I need to find the interview, but a couple of his castmates called him the bicycle of the show due to Dream being shipped with everyone.
Found it: ruclips.net/video/ZDUoCkcdJ2g/видео.html
Seriously, his eyes say everything.
i was saying thesame thing lol
@@leilanitiapula6453 Mason with Kirby
In case you guys missed it, Calliope is played by the fantastic Melissanthi Mahut who did the voice and motion capture for Kassandra in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Loved that they got someone of Greek heritage for a Greek goddess!
I knew her voice sounded familiar!!
Ohhhh, THAT'S where I recognized her from! That's amazing to hear.
Knew it had to be her
The moment she spoke Greek's name with such perfect enunciation I knew she had some Greek in her..
Yes, and the scene when she was praying reminded me somewhat to Kassandra’s prayer when dying after she handed to staff of Hermes to Leyla.
For a moment, when Maddoc is ranting, it’s like you have a brief glimpse inside the mind of Neil Gaiman free-associating. It’s mildly frightening, the number of times you find yourself going “Oh, yeah, I’d read that!” (My own personal favorite is the man who inherits a library card to the Library of Alexandria!)
I desperately want a library card to the Library of Alexandria!
I think most of them sound like good ideas for a short story, but not for a whole book. Which also explains why The Sandman is more of an anthology rather than a super concise story.
Mine as well
OMG I was thinking exactly the same thing as I watched that scene!
Having enjoyed a lot of Gaiman's short stories, 100% can see these as ideas he had at one point and are still waiting to be written
With all of those ideas Morpheus tortured Madoc with, there must be an entire Richard Madoc wing that suddenly manifested in Lucienne’s library.
Now THAT'S a cool thought!
Dang u hv great attention to detail
I thought it was the other way round. The library they showed us in previous episodes and explained what was in it, was used to fill his head and drive him mad.
@@realscottsummers that means, that was originally another person spoken/unspoken ideas, which then contradict itself; he's a writer, he can't plagiarize other person idea. Best bet it was an unspoken one, or a very old spoken one.
Not showing, but completely implying his sexual abuse of Calliope was so well done! I was wondering how they would handle that. I almost wish this wasn't Arthur playing this role since I loved him so much as Rory, and this was such a rough role for me to watch him in. But all in all, that, I think, is the point of this story, that humans, no matter their beginning intentions, can be rotten when it comes to being selfish! But, revenge does not make things better in the end. Morpheus and Calliope together, just wonderful. These 2 actors have such great chemistry, you could just feel the history between them, and the genuine regret that their relationship went the way it did. I can't wait to hopefully see more of their story in later seasons. I haven't reached the comics where Orpheus is brought up, so I don't actually know yet how the story unfolds fully, though I do know the end result. I'm with you 2...this series...just amazing!
they implied the sexual abuse well (for a tv series at least). Noticed his ripped shirt and scratch marks on his face implies she fought back against his advances. really good episode with good acting from the writer actor.
SA scenes are super triggering ,so I'm really glad they implied it and didn't show it
@@kingofnonation5843 agree! Smart show
I would like to see Calliope return in future seasons, the actress had great chemistry with Dream
Agreed, and since the Orpheus chapters lay somewhere in out future, it is certainly possible for the showrunners to include her in that story.
And I loved her as a character all on her own, which is a testament to actress Melissanthi Mahut. This one episode made me want to see an entire filmed episode of her and Dream’s entire relationship.
@@aaronbraegen8651 Im sure they will, on the graphic novel they dont say that much about Orpheus, they added info about him for a reason i think
Same here. It is absolutely clear that dream still adores her if not love her, and we need more of them. That forehead touch she did really sold me, not shipping him with johanna anymore.
Can't wait for the Orpheus chapter in a future season! (Or a bonus episode 11 for season 2)!!
It just clicked to me that Calliope would’ve given Morpheus ideas for new dreams and nightmares which may be why he was interested in her
They go together like ramalamalamakadingittydingidong
"I can never forgive the deeds, but I must forgive the man. Not for him... but for me." Wow... just... wow.
Exactly. I learned long ago forgiveness isn't for the person who wronged me. Forgiveness is for me, for me to let them go and stop eating me up inside.
I wonder if this will come up again for Dream with Nala (or whatever her name was) girl/lover he met in Hell, that he couldn´t forgive.
@@Arhimith2 season calliope❤ morpheus more please 😧
There was a thought/theory I heard involving anger and forgiveness “anger is like fire you cannot hold onto it without also burning yourself”
This show has been such a breath of fresh air. I feel like we are back in 2010 Doctor Who territory. I love the characters, the imagination, the vision. Give me a hundred episodes of this series and I will gobble them up like eyes to the Corinthian.
Well i mean Neil Gaiman did write an episode of DW season 6 The Doctor's Wife
@@BellaTech_Lestrange And Nightmare In Silver, season 7 episode 12
And Tennant and his wife (The Doctor’s Daughter, and there’s a fun story) are in Dream of a 1000 Cats, and of course Rory’s in this one - seems like everyone but Karen Gillian signed on!
@@lawrence5520 lest we forget The Master, House, & Umbreen
@@lawrence5520 Karen Gillian could make a great delirium.
I'm so thankful they didn't show actual abuse. There are so many reasons why I love this show outside of just the awesome storytelling and characterization
Same here, I was genuinely scared of this scene as it's quite explicit in the comics. We didn't need to see it to know what happened.
Wish they did they don’t got balls to show sads truth of life but still ok show
same, i spent the beginning sick to my stomach, dreading how they would handle it. i shouldn't have worried, it was subtle but effective and still very clear on what happened.
@@justuschester4602 Everything doesn´t have to be The Boys level of graphic. I think the intent was quite clear, and as people are saying, actually showing it might have been... distasteful.
@@johnyshadow haha yeah, The Boys was another end of the spectrum. 2 best series that ive finished in this year!
No wonder Morpheus always seems to be so depressed. He lost his child. Thats the worse thing that can happen.
I can’t possibly imagine that loss
But it wasn't that just that he lost his child, was it? He turned his back on him and walked away, not once looking back.
@@theyonlycomeoutwhenitsquiet I don't think that's quite true.
Major Spoilers for the comics:
Maybe it's just me but when I read the pages where They finally reunite and you know what happens, It seemed to me that Morpheus kind of knew that this was going to happen, that this was what was waiting for him, which is why he avoided seeing Orpheus for so long. That's also why he collapsed in grief in Destiny's garden, because he _Knew_ what Orpheus would want. And because he would do it for his child if he asked, but if he's not around, then he can't ask.
I think Morpheus probably regretted how he handled Orpheus pretty soon after but by that point it was too late, and then a combination of grief, pride and stubbornness kept him away from Orpheus until he was torn apart, and then, well, it was REALLY too late, because of the suspicions I shared above. Because of Death's gift, the only people who can kill Orpheus are the Endless and Morpheus was fully aware of how much he didn't want to live anymore without Eurydice...
Banished a wife, lost a kid, another wife abandoned him, imprisoned, treacherous siblings who want to fuck him up. Not easy being Dream
Don't you love how Morpheus asks her consent, even to help?
It's truly beautiful writing. I love it so much.
Calliope was always one of my favorite one off stories from the graphic novels. The acting in the scenes between Calliope and Dream is amazing. So much hurt, pain and longing between the two communicated by their performances. I totally believed in their past relationship torn apart by tragedy that neither were able to cope with. I also really appreciate the decision to imply Calliope's SA instead of showing it,
Sometimes I'm a bit mad at shows implying dark things instead of showing them and 1 of the reasons is that I _might_ be a bit dense at times. In this case,I _did_ notice the scratch on Madoc's face,but not the unbuttoned shirt and I didn't make 2+2 in that moment. I was like:"How did that scratch happen?And why is he now suddenly able to write?What changed?" Much later,Dream _said_ Calliope had been raped and _still_ I wasn't _totally_ sure if he meant literally or just metaphorically. I'm sorry,but sometimes being explicit is better for the sake of clarity. Not to say it's _mandatory_ but still..I can think of at least 1 other example in which a more"direct approach"would have helped me to feel less confused about a storyline.@.@
@@Nicamon sounds kinda like a you problem and not a show problem though right ?
@@Persephone_Personified Yeah,I'm not saying it's an _objective_ flaw. It's surely a subjective opinion. I'd PREFER for some of these kind of scenes to be a bit more explicit.
@@Nicamon Hate to break it to you, but the mental well-being of abuse survivors is more important than whether you sometimes get a bit confused by a story plot. Your confusion can be fixed in other ways.
@@Ylyrra Hate to break it to you,but no one is forced to watch any piece of media...if you're afraid you might be triggered by something,just DON'T WATCH IT. You know how many horror movies have an interesting plot that I _WISH_ I could watch but I just settle with reading it on Wikipedia because I'm a scaredy cat?I can't expect every horror movie to be toned down to be suitable for ME to watch. If I can handle it,good,if I can't,too bad for ME.
just to add, Calliope's story is actually toned down, in the comics its one of the darkest chapter. Even as prisoner Calliope wouldn't give them what they desired so the way that Erasmus and Ric would get the ideas from her was to habitually rape her for inspiration, knowing this you'll see more clearly why Morpheus was so enraged and keen to punish Ric (for the decades of assault they did to his lover) 😭
They also left hints in the dialogues implying what they really did to Calliope:
"Am I to perform for your amusement"
"I found force more efficacious"
"They told me you were imprisoned just lilke me" "No not like you. My suffering was nothing compared to yours"
She’s obviously raped here too, but I’m glad they didn’t show it. Was surprised that it wasn’t obvious to everyone.
@@anastatina8717 yeah I guess most just don't want that thought so they brush it off, understandable
It's not toned down, just not graphically shown. It's pretty obvious she is being repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted
The moment he mentioned force being better, Ik what he meant. And when Maddoc came out with a cut and his shirt open, Ik what he did
It wasn't hinting, it was pretty clear.
He wasn't beating Calliope. It was worse than that.
He Fuck
They know, it's obvious
Yeah, although I take it as a decision of the show runners to leave it outspoken (if obvious) for the sake of survivors.
There are certain words you can't say on RUclips.
Richard didn't beat Calliope but forced himself on her
Basically taking her gift/power
Actually, he raped her. And take her gift, by force.
it was R
I figured that’s what he did.
Hiw does he take the gift?
@@zenitsubloodfallen2297 with his body. Forcefully.
I just love we see though Calliope the change that Dream has made from his imprisonment. Dream was not a nice guy. He may have done nice things but if you crossed Dream he would act very unforgivingly. In simply going to see Calliope when she call shows that there was a lot of change. Also I really hope they do The Sandman version of the story of Orpheus later on. The twists Gaiman puts in for this universe are so good.
Oh yeah, can't wait till they get to unpacking the whole Nada... business. That's gonna be a rough one. What he did to her was definitely the worst thing he's ever done in my opinion, and like you said, he's absolutely no saint. I think it's incredible to see a character who seems so ageless, immoveable and unchangeable STILL be able to change and become a better person, even after already having lived for an eternity. It's so hopeful.
I've watched 3 reactions to this episode and all 3 have had that same gleeful laugh when he walks in and Morpheus is sitting there waiting for him. Everyone is so happy to see Morpheus make him wish he'd never been born. I love it.
calliope has to be in my top 5, im so glad they toned this down, it easily could have been the darkest chapter in sandman but they found a way make it less traumatizing but still give us the core elements. the way they made this is like just let comic fans remember how dark the original version was but still leave subtle hints to the new fans
Even the reactor who hasn't read the comics didn't get, or is choosing not to get, what happened to Calliope. I'm not entirely sure Netflix would have allowed the episode to be filmed or aired if the SA was more explicit than it is in the episode.
What did he do to her in the comics?
@@kavehteimory6413 The repeated sexual assault by both her captors was very explicit in the comics. Ric is actually shown to be a bit more sympathetic in this version.
@@KenS1267 I mean you could film and air it you'd just likely get mass criticism for it like Game of Thrones did for the gratuitous SA scenes.
@@danielfuller839 the sexual assault was very obvious by anyone with a brain, empathy and the bare minimum of literacy
this episode was an emotional whiplash for me. Arthur Darvill going from TV's sweetest boyfriend/husband Rory Pond to so scummy he literally made me puke in my mouth, and Melissanthi going from Kassandra of Kephallonia - the baddest "I will kill any beast, man or god that fucking irks me" demigod/mercenary on god's green earth to a trapped, abused, broken and vulnerable goddess - this episode made me feel as angry and vengeful and Morpheus himself. Malakas!
They both mention how Calliope has been defiled by Richard Madoc, and the man who imprisoned Calliope first speaks of taking what he wants by force. It's definitely shown more explicitly in the comics, but the implications of what has to be done to gain Calliope's gifts when it is not given freely is... dark, to say the least.
Also the actors for Episode 5, Episode 6, and Episode 11 are so good. So many of them are going to be one-off characters, and yet they made them all feel so real and fleshed out.
people who missed it should also pay attention to his shirt, his OPEN shirt in the scene where he finally starts writing, with that blood on his cheek. Having his shirt open in that moment, right after going to her room, with blood/a scratch on his face, that can hardly have another reason to be in the context of that story, I felt it was quite clear what atrocious thing he had done...
@@cirederfsamot2730 Oh. it is very clear, especially if you know the mythology of Muses, and all that jazz. But I mean, in the comics, Calliope is drawn almost naked, which is a far more explicit way of showing exactly what she had to endure while imprisoned.
I get that the ending is all about forgiveness as the beginning of healing. Not only Calliope's forgiveness of Richard the man but also about Morpheus forgiving Calliope and she forgiving him. Just a beautiful story. Beautifully acted. I love this series.
I just don't get why it never occurred to Richard how much more beneficial it would be to have the gratitude of a goddess rather than the servitude of a goddess.
To be fair, I get why. The character is a man and human. And this story is to try an inspire people to use their compassion more.
He is a man, the standards are bellow hell
Basically, because he felt he wouldn't get it. He was sure Calliope would just walk away and never look back.
It occurred to him, but she refused to guarantee it. He took the sure option because he's a piece of garbage.
I think it was partly because he was desperate and preferred the sure way instead of the right way. You could see his desperation when his manager basically called and said you are out of time if you don't give them at least a chapter soon they will ask the money they have already given him for the book back. So he chose the wrong option. If there was more time then maaaybe he might have freed her because he didn't seem to like what he should do in order for the inspiration to come.
I interpret this as him knowing he wouldn't have in her place, so he didn't. he couldn't even conceptualize being kind as not being a weakness, so he chose to value abuse instead.
These bonus episodes were amazing, the wait for more is going to feel like forever lol
It's especially heartwarming to me -to find out from Neil Gaiman recently -that the writer of the episode is a fan of his that he met when she was 9 years old. He praised her on Twitter saying that he had never met a 9 year old reading The Sandman before and that she turned out to be an amazing writer. That's just such an inspiring story to me! Everything about this episode from start to finish was pure art and hit all the feels. I think this goes down as being one of my favorite stories of all time in writing and live action.
I really liked Calliope and Dream together and my romance loving heart want them to reconcile and live happily ever after!
Not the only one
Literally us. I'm fucking suing everybody if she doesn't return. But if sandman keeps going she most probably will cause her and their son are one of the bigger parts of the comics, right?
I think zhis is really hard after they lost their child
The entire time, Calliope's voice kept triggering a memory...then I realized it was Melissanthi Mahut who played Kassandra in Assassin's Creed Odyssey! Love to see her in this show and she was amazing. Also, Nora was played by the same actor who played Inej in Shadow and Bone, and she was my favorite part of that show. Loved seeing her too! But all the subtle changes to shift the story and empower Calliope, so good. I'm glad they did this story, even if its rough to watch.
I might say that episode 11 is my favorite out of all episodes, even with terrifying idea of "get too many idea and/or have no idea at all". Also I'm glad seeing the actress who portray Calliope again on screen, since I love her as Mita in Eurovision film, I agree that her chemistry with Dream is soo good. Definitely hoping to see her again in the next season.
Since you also talking about "snack" between "meal" (season), I would love if they decided to make miniseries between season. It might be aninated since I think that would be easier to do and I freakin' love the animation on this episode part 1, but if it is live action I don't think I will complain.
I’m so surprised I loved it as much as I did, almost more than any other episode, and there were so many stunning episodes. The performances were mind blowing, and the level of emotions throughout, I felt everything so viscerally.
But animation actually takes longer and is more work than live action. So who knows if we’ll get other “snacks” like this or not.
Excellent reaction! I feel this episode provided such as insight into Dreams existence and that he did experience love and heartbreak leading to his extreme isolation.
It's great to see Arthur Darvill really make an attempt to expand his acting range beyond his typical "loveable schmuck" characters. I'm quite curious how he came to get this role.
He's worked with Gaiman before on an episode of Doctor Who.
I think it was brilliant to cast him in that role *because* of his "lovable schmuck" persona. He seems so harmless, but you see the limits of that when he feels himself pushed into a corner. He refused to free Calliope because he wanted a guarantee that she would give him inspiration. And then, when the stress got too great, he raped her. Once he got what he wanted, he tried to justify what he'd done to her and what he continued to do to her. It's tough to see Arthur Darvill - the guy who played one of the sweetest husbands ever on Doctor Who - spiral into depravity like that, and it makes it all the more horrifying. Darvill absolutely killed the portrayal of this rather weak man who made all of the worst choices.
@@katherineheasley6196 Especially since in the original comic, Madoc is just a total bastard from the start. Great to see Gaiman take this opportunity to make a richer story.
@@katherineheasley6196 it's hard NOT to relate to him, and hope he'll do the right thing... Seeing him smugly calling himself a feminist writer in the next scene, though? 🤮
@@adamcarlson2192 But I feel like that speaks more to reality. Like he seems to genuinely think he's a feminist and he's doing all that to hire diversity blah blah blah but at the end of it, he can still rob someone of their agency and dehumanise them because he doesn't perceive them as such. Right?
I grew up watching Derek Jacobi in Shakespeare and Cadfael on PBS, usually in kind, sympathetic roles. But he's so GOOD at being EVIL!
Some of us go back to I, Claudius…
"That I'm beating"
Mmmmm, yeah, no... I wondered if this was going to be a little subtle for people who didn't know the original story to pick up on. Difficult line to walk, however, without risking feeling exploitative and also inflicting trauma on some viewers.
Also jesus CHRIST did Sturridge outdo himself in this episode. I've loved his performance throughout, was perfectly convinced he was a perfect choice - but his ice cold malevolence toward Madoc in this episode felt food for my spirit. It was just. so. flawless.
They got it. They probably chose not to rub it in anyone's faces, or to say it because RUclips has some really messed up policies about what gets you demonetised.
Derek Jacobi just sounds evil without trying
I had forgotten the Calliope story from the comics for a bit, then when I realized they were doing *this* one, I was a little nervous, since certain parts were pretty difficult to get through. But I'm glad they never showed the abuse. Showing the aftermath was chilling enough without resorting to depicting the violence.
And even though his character was despicable, Arthur Darvill did a fantastic job this episode.
Found you guys from your Sandman reactions and am so happy I did. You guys are both so cute and so genuine, it makes it so fun to watch your reactions!
I was soooo excited upon seeing Melissanthi appear as Calliope, it caught me way off guard. She's the voice of the main character of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and as soon as I heard her voice I realized who it was immediately. She has such a lovely, velvety tone and she's absolutely stunning.
And I was really impressed with the chemistry that she and Tom had even in their few moments of screen time together.
The two stories from this episode both came from the 3rd arc, collected in Dream Country. (they were issues 17 and 18 in the series)
oddly enough they ran reverse - Calliope was 17 and Cats 18,) the next chapter picks up the Shakespeare story from the Tavern, and is one of my favorites, the issue won a World Fantasy Award for short fiction in 1991. which pissed off a lot of writers who hated that a comic won the award so much they changed the rules so no more comics could win.
This story does have a prequel of a sorts, it was a special issue The Song of Orpheus which is in the 6th Trade paperback
Just by hearing that "Don't mess with god stuff" i could swear i hear a John Constatine laughing just from nowhere.
Yeah, I'm an author and the moment he stops looking at his new document and starts scrolling social media for mentions about his work(or anything, really)...that becomes SUCH a tempting diversion, especially for people in this guy's situation. The internet and social media have done SO much to screw over writers with short attention spans because the temptation to just do something else for "a few minutes" i.e. 3 hours is so great. Basically, it's one of the most relatable moments in this entire episode, and I feel very seen. But not in a good way lol. And yes, most importantly, DON'T READ YOUR OWN REVIEWS!
God, I understand so much. I'm trying to write a book right now, and even this wholesome channel itself is a distraction like that. Social media has probably been the death of thousands of stories.
Speaking of Doctor Who peeps, there was also Amita Suman as Nora, the medical student that's also a wanna-be writer (who Ric sends to his place to free Calliope). She played the younger version of Yaz's grandmother in 'Demons of the Punjab'. 😀
So hyped for this reaction
Edit: for your discussion on taking the time to fully understand the stories we read or watch, for me, from my childhood all the way to being 18 I did the same thing where I'd bingewatch a show or watch a movie and wouldn't always take the time to digest the storytelling bc I was more involved with the action instead. However, now being 20, I take the time to really process what's going on and sometimes I'll even rewind 2 or 3 times, not only bc I may have missed a line or 2, but to fully get it cemented into my brain
The casting of Rory (to me he will always be Rory) is PERFECT! Because you immediately have this feeling that he's adorable and he can do no wrong. And then that happens...
Same for me. Rory Williams is a treasure and my favorite companion, and recently, I listed to Darvill play Dr. Frankenstein and realized how good he is at playing an absolute bastard. Such an amazing actor.
I haven’t read the comics and I don’t know the relationship between calliope and dream but i loved every second they were in the screen together, especially dream... he showed a lot of emotions just talking with her and that made me excited and hopefully they will do another season and she will be in it because what a chemistry!
Also can we talk about how dream asked her permission to help her? Idk why but that made me want to cry!
Dream of a thousand cats wasn't a separate story. The same thing that happened to the cats happened to Calliope. She was left wondering how things got this way, and sought to change the laws that allowed it.
Mad props to Arthur Darvill here. And the legend Jacoby.
I love the fact that the producers actually casted a Greek actress as a Greek Goddess! The authentic accent just made this so much better!
I haven't watched the show, but I listened to the radio play, and from the editing I'm guessing that the 'feminist writer' was abusing Calliope the same way he was in that version. From what I've read, 'male feminists' or in this case 'feminist writers' describe themselves such to cover the fact that they're predators.
Howdy from Texas!
love your reaction and words in this and all your other work on youtube.
As a writer, I've found that eventually the words will come and never take advances.
Also as a writer, he should know the quote "Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad"
Keep up the good work.
That episode was aimed to make a juxtaposition between how Dream handled his imprisonment vs how Calliope handled hers. Revenge vs forgiveness while at the same time showing how much Dream has grown as a character and lastly subtly introduce Orpheus for a future story that was a very sad one 🥲
I just want to say I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of your reactions to this series. You're both so genuine, funny, and honest, and I love your insights into the stories. Thank you so much for sharing these!
I think that Calliope's plan was that when Maddoc reads Dreams name it will be imprinted in his memory and when he goes to sleep the name will find its way to his dreams and create an echo across the dreaming which will identified by Morpheus. Brilliant plan indeed.....
Glad we aren’t the only one PASSIONATELY covering the Sandman
From what I can gather on IMDB is that the two human couples were played by real life couples Davic and Georgia Tennant, and Micheal Sheen and Anna Lundberg. :D
Neil Gaiman voiced the skull bird, and the actress who played Nora, the med student, was also in Doctor Who! :)
7:42 just want to clarify this advance, when an author goes to a publisher, they pay you in the thousands with an advance which will be payed in increments to pay for life shit like bills, groceries and such so you can focus on writing and not have to write and work a different job which would take more time to finish a story. that debt is payed by the sales of your book and when the debt is payed, THEN you finally get royalties from sales. it's not like taking money from a loanshark or the bank or something , it's just how the publishing world works for authors
I discovered your channel through Sandman (I have always been a big fan, having read it about 20 years ago, in my early 20s), and I just want to say you are a beautiful couple, and really love how real the experience is clearly for you. Kudos and best wishes from Poland!
This might have been my favorite episode. Hard to choose though. So many surprises! Sir Derek Jacobi for one! He was sooo much fun as the older author quite happy to exploit and then give away a woman to another author. The near-closing frame with Dream and Calliope nuzzling a little bit was soooo classic romance novel cover.
Great reaction! This reminds me of when Iron Man was talking to Spider Man, and he said, "If you're nothing without the suit, then you don't deserve to have it."
Same thing with the writer. If he's nothing without the Muse, then he doesn't deserve to have her.
Anyone who can't see a situation where they become a monster lacks either self-awareness or imagination.
"You know, I'm something of a feminist myself."
- Ric Madoc
When I saw Calliope for the first time I though, Its Kassandra the Eagle Bearer.
I just noticed he had a scratch on his face when he finally got her to help him.
I kinda want to write about the person who inherits the library card to the library of Alexandria.
I am so ready for their reaction. I know I loved episode 11. Definitely a fav when I read it. I just finished volume 1 last week.
You know him as Rory, side character ordinary guy; I know him as the legendary Rip Hunter, captain of the Waverider and rogue time master, we are not the same /j
Assumptions are dangerous friend. I too know the truth. Legends Never Die.
@@NerdyNightly y e s
Mazikeen's face is a part of her charm! She never forgives the deity who fixes it...
You guys put so much emotion and there's such genuineness in your reactions, I just love it. I love you both and I wish you the best in life
I live the way you sing when you are uncomfortable.
Really repeating myself here but it's been a wild ride going through it all again with you guys, you feel like amazing people ! Cheers and see you soon !
Been really great watching this season with you two, thanks for sharing it with us. Can’t wait to do it again.
You can be me when I’m gone.
lol i also teared up after watching this episode because i love this show so much. i was crying actual tears because i'm just so happy.
why Rip Hunter... why... but i guess Arthur Davill wants to expand his range. Also, Inej is here!
The wonderful horror of "so I used my hands".
When he's looking at his reviews, and he starts typing in the search bar, you can see what are the sites he most often visits (I think RUclips won't let me say the word, but you can guess it). Also, the show playing in the background, in the TV that he's watching, is I May Destroy You. So, I don't think he just beats her. This episode, part 1 and part 2, was very hard to watch.
Well, lets remember that this probably happened right after he was freed and before ep. 4. He still left Nada in hell even after a century so this moment for me felt shallow. My thoughts is that they captured the muse because with Morpheus captured, they weren't able to dream of new stories. I'm happy we get to see a softer side of him, but where was that same energy with Nada? #Free Nada
Morpheus is basically being a big dumbass about Nada. If you're unfamiliar with the comics, do not worry the Nada issue does get addressed very clearly later.
I got the feeling that this happened after his experience with the Nexus, after his growth. It gives me hope for Nada being
freed #freeNada
SPOILERS
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Dream deciding he should free Nada is the inciting incident for one of the arcs next season.
The reason I figured it was right after he woke up was because of the recent newspaper article. Unless he was carrying around a newspaper weeks old, the span of time that passed wasn't that long.
@@lilshaud2 oh, good catch!
An old writer passing down his control over a woman to a younger writer made me think about how discriminatory systems *can't* be perpetuated without active participation of younger generations.
When you are born the laws arealdy exist. They have been written down and are being enforced. But the people who made those laws can't exist in perpetuity. Even if they hold all the power now, there will come a time when the power is handed down to someone, and that someone will have to make a choice. This goes for anybody, politicians, voters, teachers, parents, etc.
Richard made the choice to perpetuate the injustice Calliope was suffering. And to me, he was a bad dude even before he took action.
When he talks to her and asks for help, she tells him to ask again when she is free and Richard says something like: "Perhaps we both should take our time to think." Then he goes out to look at social media and etc.
He gains control over her, and he refuses to give up that control, this on itself is already unjust. But more than that, I believe Richard is doing this because he's waiting for an excuse.
Hear me out: If abusing her to get inspiration was completely out of question, then he wouldn't have any reason to not release her. We can assume that him holding her in captivity means that he believes, even if subconsciously, that depending on the circumstances he might have to force her to get what he wants.
So, to me when he does nothing it feels like he's just waiting for an excuse. And when he gets that call, he takes action because now he has an excuse (he believes being cornered justifies what he does).
I agree with you guys, people suck, and the way they try to rationalize the things they want to do is disgusting.
Speeking of Dr Who, we also have the first "Master" of the new era of the show, playing the part of Erasmus. He played alongside David Tennant's 10th Doctor, who by the way was one of the cat voices in "Dream of the thousand cats". This episode is realy a Whovian fest!!!
And Amita Suman, the medical student/wanna-be writer, who played Yaz's grandmother when she was young in 'Demons of the Punjab'!
Everyone: RORY!
Me: INEJ! But also - RORY!
Yeah, he's not beating her. He's doing the other thing - the much much worse kind of violence against women. The one that sounds like "cape"
"This is a fun story..."
I see what you did there. Poor Claroose...
The other thing about this episode is it showcases how much writing and acting matters.
There's very little special effects (the entrance of the Fates, the smoke, the fingers) and that's about it.
But it's an amazing episode.
I was waiting for you guys' reaction as soon as I saw they had dropped an extra episode haha
The ending of this is so much subtly better than the end of the comic.
It is beyond nice to see people enjoy this. Seasons in the mist is going to be perfect.
These were great bonus stories! I love Sandman and am excited for Season 2!
A little deep cut...Tom Sturridge...who killed in this and is an instant legend...was probably destined for this. Why? Because in his IMDB...he was featured in the film adaptation of Far From The Madding Crowd...which, if you are a big fan of the comics, and noticed the books in the background of the Dreaming library...was among those featured in the comics. Now...of all things, the actor that was in the film of that, has become Dream of the Endless, master of the library that referenced that book long before his birth.
I think it's often missed the impact of the final scene/shot is of Calliope, a now free woman, walking down the city street at night, with no fear. An act in which Calliope leads with and thus inspires visions, aspirations & work towards. A world in which not only she is free to do that... but all womxn are.
"they [the critics] perform a critical mass" hold on a minute, isn't critical mass to do with atom bombs?! Silly Richard...
A slight change from traditional mythology - Orpheus is the son of Apollo and Calliope. But I'm perfectly fine with the change to Oneiros. (Neil Daiman is just that damn good!)
Bonus if you note that there’s a comic in which somebody asks Morpheus if he’s Apollo, and he says “No, but I am sometimes mistaken for him”. They’re both gods to poets and seers; Apollo is in many ways the Greek idea of what Morpheus is.
So glad they gave us these extra episodes!
Yeah, I was delighted to see them.
In the comics while yes it was implied the abuse the way they took inspiration form her was more forcing intercourse so yeah making him go mad with ideas might not be enough punishment in my opinion but its Calliopes right to decide his punishment in the end so ill respect it.
Think Derek Jacoby is creepy in this? Check out "I. Claudius" (about Rome's warped royal family). He plays (possibly) the least creepy member. I think of him as Claudius long before I remember he was the Master.
For creepy in that you get Brian Blessed AND most importantly the young John Hurt.
Just to make Claroos aware and this may be a slight spoiler so feel free to stop reading now 😀 The Sandman comic is a series of multiple stories. Some are short, some are longer arcs. There is no central or main story. Some these one off stories are just the short ones. There are connections between some of the stories but not all of them.
I really hope that besides showing the muse of epic poetry (Calliope) they get to show the rest of the muses, among them Urania. 😄
Woe be the men who spent years raping an all powerful entity's wife, ex or no. She may have asked him to spare Maddoc, but I kind of like to imagine that Morpheus tried to make sure Erasmus was suffering well in death. The thought just makes me smile.
Not his domain. If he tried manipulating afterlives, things could get messy. But then again, he consigned one of his exes to Hell, so who knows?
Did anyone else notice the adult websites the writer browsed while he was typing in web urls?
As I understood it what he did was r***, not hitting her, right?
Yeah. Though possibly both
@@kattahj I wanted to upvote this, but then I almost threw up and decided to take that back.
as I said in another comment, he has his shirt open when he goes back to his computer to write.
Add that to the context, to what Erasmus told him about taking from her by force, to the scratch on his face (if he only beat her, there is less room for him getting "hurt").
And finally, there's Morpheus saying that Maddoc had "defiled" her, which is not a word usually used when talking about "only" beating someone down.
Sadly, I don't have much doubt about what he did to her...
Both, mainly repeated sexual assault, Dream uses "difficult" words at the end, but he lays it all down
Love watching y'all react to this series. Please watch Dead Boy Detectives!! It is in the sandman universe and I think y'all would really enjoy it.
I felt so stupid when you said Rory, I didn't get it right off because my best friend's dog is named Rory and that's who I always think of first. She isn't even named after Rory from Dr. Who but a different actor entirely. It's also extra stupid as Amy and Rory are my favorite companions lol. It always takes me several minutes to get me realize Rory from Dr. Who. In my defense Rory is a a sweet dog that when I see her will try to jump up and lick my face even though she is a large dog lol. She becomes so excited when I see my best friend, he lives like an hour away so we only see each other in person maybe once a year since I don't drive anymore. We still text almost everyday, I mean he started a family, he does what's best for them moved for a better job with more pay, and it makes me proud of him. I may not see him often, but knowing he's living his best life gives me such joy.
ELEVEN????? It must be Christmas 😆
I had to go check if I missed something because l was like wtf ya'll got exclusive eps 😂