Posted in: Netflix, TV | Tagged: cw, dc, neil gaiman, netflix, stranger things, The Sandman

The Sandman Season 2: Some Thoughts on What Took So Long

Published Fri, 04 Nov 2022 07:37:12 -0500

Our international nightmare is over – The Sandman has been renewed for Season Two. You'd think it was a no-brainer, given how popular it has been and the hype it has been generating. But why did it take so long for Netflix to announce the renewal of The Sandman? Lots of conspiracy theories have been offered, chief among them: it's woke, all about identity politics (gosh, you mean, just like the original comics that has tens of millions of fans?), and it bombed.

Yes, it's a "bomb," "nobody" watched it because it was "woke." Well, according to Deadline, that infamous purveyor of conspiracy theories by reporting facts, The Sandman, which launched at the start of August, was watched for 69.5M hours in its first week, doubling this in its second to 127.5M, scoring 77.2M in its third week and getting 53.8M in its fourth. The series was Netflix's No. 1 globally for a whole month since its premiere. That's right, "nobody" watched The Sandman because it was woke! It's a bomb! We will never stop mocking bad-faith idiots because it's so much fun, and they deserve it.

It took a disinformation Twitter account to claim The Sandman had been canceled for the renewal to be confirmed. First, DC Comics' official account announced it, then the tweet was taken down before Deadline announced the renewal was official before Neil Gaiman himself made it truly official on his Twitter account.

So why did the renewal take so long? Why might it not have been renewed? There is really one answer. One simple, really dull answer.

Money.

The Sandman Renewal Really Came Down to Money

That's right, money. Moolah. Dosh. Dinero. Movies and TV shows are both art and commerce. They can't be made without money, and The Sandman cost a lot of money to produce. Season one was said to have cost $100 million, and it showed. The production took over Pinewood Studios outside London, the studio where the James Bond movies are shot. The money was undoubtedly on our screens. Neil Gaiman said from the get-go that it's an expensive show. In the end, whether a movie or show gets made or renewed is always down to money.

Normally, if a show were a hit, most broadcasters and streamers would announce a renewal almost immediately. Perhaps Netflix hesitated because they had a tough couple of quarters financially and are just coming out of it now. They had to decide if they could justify spending another $100 million, give or take, on another season of The Sandman. The numbers, social media buzz, and critical accolades helped.

A Netflix show needs as many viewers as possible to survive. Instead of selling advertising, Netflix shows need to attract eyeballs and new subscribers. New subscribers bring in the money with which to pay for overheads and new shows and movies. A show like Stranger Things drives subscription numbers, which is why it's Netflix's tentpole show. The Sandman would seem to attract new subscribers since the comics already have tens of millions of fans worldwide.

Money is the reason that The CW has canceled virtually all the DC shows that defined the network for nearly a decade. Money is the reason shows on HBO Max are being canceled. Cancelations are about saving money and lack of money. When there aren't enough viewers, there's less reason to spend money on those shows. When a show gets renewed, it's because the network believes it will make money. That is always the bottom line. So now we're going to get a very expensive second season of The Sandman.

Yay! Sorry. Just needed to put that out there. Netflix's The Sandman is on Netflix. So will its second season… though that might take a while.

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