Neil Gaiman is adapting Good Omens for TV
Originally published on Avenoir Magazine, in April 2016.
Fans around the world are rejoicing at the knowledge that not only is Good Omens being turned into a six-part miniseries, but also that the one to pen the script will be Neil Gaiman, who wrote the book alongside Terry Pratchett.
Good Omens is a story about how the world is going to end, next Saturday. Just after tea. And the only people standing in the way of Armageddon are a demon and angel (and rare book dealer) working uncomfortably together, a witch, a rather small witchfinder army, the Antichrist (who is 11), and a dog.
The announcement was made at a memorial for Terry Pratchett, marking one year since the bestselling author’s passing. Terry’s right-hand man, Rob Wilkins, announced upcoming projects including the fact that Good Omens was being made into a TV series and will be written by Neil.
For Neil, the decision to write the script solo was not something to be taken lightly, “Terry and I had a deal that we would only work on Good Omens things together.” Good Omens was a collaboration to its very soul, neither of them wrote a chapter without getting the advice and approval of the other. So, when Terry gave Neil his blessing to write the script solo, as he was already quite ill and knew that he wouldn’t be able to do it with him, he sent Neil this note after hearing that Neil had accepted his offer.
“I would very much like this to happen, and I know, Neil, that you’re very very busy, but no one else could ever do it with the passion that we share for the old girl. I wish I could be more involved and I will help in any way I can.”
On his blog, Neil stated that he has been working on the script for Good Omens for most of last year. However, he has found writing the script can be hard especially when he gets stuck and wishes Terry was still around for him to call and get advice from.
“It’s hard when I get stuck, and I want to ask his advice. It’s harder when I come up with something clever or funny that’s new and I want to call him up and read it to him, make him laugh or hear him point out something I’ve missed.”
He’s admitted that he is 72% of the way through the script and he has the end in sight. He is aiming to have the script finished before his new book, The View from the Cheap Seats, is published on May 31st.
Also on the night of the Terry’s memorial, Rob presented Neil with a big black authors hat that Terry had left for him. Though Neil felt too overwhelmed to put it on right away, later that night in the sanctuary of his dressing room he tried it on and thought he looked like “a rabbinical cowboy assassin.”
In 2014, Good Omens was turned into a BBC radio show, where Neil and Terry had a cameo role as police officers. As someone who has read the book and loved it, knowing that Neil is writing the script is fantastic, because this book is something he cherishes, and he will want to make Terry proud.
