Following its release, The Sandman Season 2 has drawn a wide range of critical reactions, launching with a Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics remain divided on the show’s pacing and structure. However, they praise its visual ambition and Tom Sturridge’s performance for anchoring the dark fantasy series.
What critics’ reviews are saying about The Sandman Season 2
Critics’ reactions to The Sandman Season 2 have been largely mixed.
Melanie McFarland (Salon.com) described the new season as dragging “like an inescapable, non-refreshing REM state.” Ben Travers (IndieWire) stated, “Season 2 again tells largely self-contained stories without sound episodic structure, yet it also lacks enough specifics to justify its main character’s fitfully serialized development,” assigning a D+ score.
Nick Hilton (Independent UK) wrote, “Too elusive to be emotive, too fast-paced to be introspective, The Sandman becomes an excessively intricate diorama,” rating it 2 out of 5. Other critics found the season visually compelling despite narrative flaws. Kaiya Shunyata (RogerEbert.com) noted, “Even when some of the episodes drag—and trust me, a few of them do—they are each an undeniable visual feast.”
Bob Strauss (TheWrap) called it “mesmerizing in the best way, a dark dream that satisfies so thoroughly you loathe to call it nightmarish.” Ed Power (Daily Telegraph UK) gave it 4 out of 5, remarking, “This is hardcore geek material – portentous, pretentious and not big on humour.”
Tom Percival (Metro.co.uk) said, “The Sandman Season 2 is every bit as beguiling, bold and brilliant as the first.” Sean Boelman (FandomWire) gave it 8/10, adding it “boasts great performances, emotional storylines, and epic production values.” Pat Stacey (Irish Independent), on the other hand, rated it 2/5, stating it is “ponderously paced, full of portentous waffle and mostly takes itself desperately seriously.”
The Sandman Season 2’s Rotten Tomatoes score is lower than Season 1
On Rotten Tomatoes, The Sandman Season 2 holds a 74% Tomatometer score from 19 critics and a 70% audience score from more than 50 ratings. In contrast, Season 1 holds an 88% Tomatometer score from 123 critics and an 81% audience score from over 5,000 users.
The Sandman Season 2 Vol 1 is now available for streaming on Netflix.
