'Good Omens' welcomes you into literary adaption heaven

The following is a spoiler-free review of Good Omens.

Rich with enchanting visual descriptions and dialogue that practically begs to be read aloud, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's 1990 fantasy novel Good Omens is one book that belongs on-screen. So, it seems only fitting that Amazon, a long ago bookstore, be the company to finally pull it off — releasing all six parts of its impeccable Good Omens miniseries to subscribers on Friday.

Starring Michael Sheen as the angel Aziraphale and David Tennant as the demon Crowley, Good Omens chronicles the misadventures of a biblically opposed duo searching for the "misplaced" son of Satan before he can bring about the world's end.

The stakes couldn't be higher, nor the beats more ridiculous. As such, the best possible way to bring the story to screen? Tell it just the same, right down to the pitch-perfect opening line.

"It was a nice day," notes voice of God (Frances McDormand) in the first episode, bringing former readers immediately back to the page. "All the days had been nice. There had been rather more than seven of them so far, and rain hadn't been invented yet."

Created, executive produced, and written by Gaiman himself, Good Omens maintains the spirit of the original so well, that those who haven't even read the book may feel affection for it. Much of the text and characters have been preserved with the kind of weighty descriptiveness that only comes from literature. Uncovering more and more of this spectacular and complex world, new scenes feel like the turn of a page, credits feel like the end of a chapter, and the series' final episode feels like a hard back cover.

Sheen and Tennant embody their iconic roles with mesmerizing consistency, while supporting characters, like the Four Bikers of the Apocalypse (Mireille Enos, Lourdes Faberes, Yusuf Gatewood, and Brian Cox) bring a much needed change of pace to the steady story. Benedict Cumberbatch, in particular, shines as the voice of Satan.

Of course, certain parts have been changed to accommodate the modern setting and six-part format. Notably, the role of Archangel Gabriel is much larger, allowing Jon Hamm to play more than a bit part. Some sections, including the culturally insensitive depiction of a Native American spirit guide, have been removed entirely. The series is inarguably better for it.

Occasionally, however, the miniseries does struggle to feel as engrossing and binge-worthy as true-blue TV fanatics might like. Some scenes are so dialogue heavy that they can leave you wanting more details to look at while the plot develops. Alternatively, certain subplots feel so rushed that they go by too fast to enjoy. Loyal fans will feast on the adaptation's adherence to the text, while first-time audience members may struggle to sink their teeth into the narrative.

And yet, Good Omens still makes for a generally spectacular watch. Stunning to see, bewitching to hear, and altogether entertaining, this is one heavenly series worth your time — flaws be damned.