How Good Omens Season 2 Honored Original Co-Author Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett’s former personal assistant and official “representative on Earth” has explained how Good Omens season 2 continues to honor the late author. Best known for his series of Discworld novels, in 1990 Pratchett collaborated with Neil Gaiman on the original book, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, which eventually served as the basis for 2019’s Good Omens season 1. While Gaiman would go on to write the television series adaptation himself, sadly Pratchett passed away in 2015 before he had a chance to see the best-selling novel brought to life on screen.

Speaking with RadioTimes.com, Rob Wilkins explained that while Good Omens season 2 continues on after the events of Gaiman’s original collaboration with Pratchett, the show continues to honor the late author’s voice. Revealing that his new role as Pratchett’s “representative on Earth” saw him directly involved in season 2’s development, the author’s former assistant says that he regularly spoke with Gaiman during the script-writing process. Furthermore, Wilkins also suggested that the show is building toward a definite story arc that Gaiman and Pratchett had initially worked out in 1990. Check out his comments below:

“If I said I was here to make sure Terry’s voice was heard, that’s wrong because Terry’s voice is here, it’s everywhere. My presence is Terry’s presence and that’s what I bring to the set.

“He would be most proud of the detail and the love that is compressed into this that everybody puts into it and it’s lovely to see that everybody respects the written word and here we are turning the written word into this.

“Neil makes sure Terry’s voice is heard every single day through the scripts, it’s fantastic. In the build-up [to production], in the script-writing process, I speak with Neil probably every other day and he wants to share what he’s doing and tell you where the story’s going and where the narrative is going.

“Neil and Terry, they plotted out in a hotel room in Seattle in the early 1990s, they shared a room together and they talked about what would happen next. There’s definitely a story arc and Neil would actually kill me in my sleep if I was to let on too much but there’s a definite story arc for Aziraphale and Crowley and we’ve got to see that to the end, we have to.”

The Hidden Terry Pratchett Easter Eggs in Good Omens Season 2

Eagle-eyed viewers already know that Good Omens is littered with both Easter eggs and other hidden references. While Good Omens season 1 already established one of the show’s best nods to Gaiman’s original writing partner by having Pratchett’s trademark hat and scarf hang in Aziraphale’s bookshop, season 2 has continued the trend with several new references to the beloved fantasy author.

While Pratchett’s first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, makes a surreptitious appearance in season 2, episode 2, perhaps the most significant Easter egg is the author’s own likeness hanging on the wall of the Dirty Donkey pub, dressed as the Witchfinder General. Other nods include Pratchett’s and Gaiman’s names appearing among the graffiti in the Give Me Coffee Or Give Me Death coffee shop, as well as sneaky mentions of famous Discworld characters. Additionally, when Donna Preston’s character Mrs. Sandwich repeatedly declares she is a “seamstress,” this is a direct reference to Discworld’s Seamstresses’ Guild, which is used as an in-world euphemism for prostitutes.

With Good Omens season 2 earning considerable praise, many viewers would likely agree with Wilkins’ assertion that Pratchett “would be most proud” of the work Gaiman has done with the show. Not only has the show’s creator ensured it continues to honor Pratchett’s work, but Gaiman has done an exemplary job of emulating the unique comic voice of his former collaborator. With any luck, Prime Video will soon be able to announce Good Omens season 3 and give Gaiman the chance to bring the pair’s planned story to its intended conclusion.

Source: RadioTimes.com