Dead Boy Detectives is an 8-episode series on Netflix. Introduced in the pages of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, a ghost boy from the 1910s becomes best friends with a ghost boy from the 1990s and together they decided to solve mysteries.
Dead Boy Detectives are the late Edwin (George Rexstrew) and Charles (Jayden Revri)–both murdered at an English boys school–who run a supernatural detective agency where they solve the mysteries of ghosts, demons, and other spooky creatures.
The ghost boys team up with the amnesiatic psychic Crystal (Kassius Nelson) after exorcizing a demon from her. They work together to track down a missing child. Then the trio find themselves trapped in a small Pacific Northwest town bursting with supernatural mysteries.
From there, Edwin, Charles, and Crystal encounter a menagerie of strange beings. There’s a Cat King, an immortal witch, the nasty Dandelion Sprites, and an eerie goth lady running a creepy butcher shop. While solving mysteries, Edwin and Charles must also evade the Night Nurse (Ruth Connell), the immortal tasked with rounding up the lost souls of dead children and making sure they’re all in their designated afterlives. And, of course, there’s Death to deal with too. I’m only four episodes in, but I can confidently pronounce this ghostly series a real winner! GRADE: Incomplete, but trending towards a B+
I watched most of the first episode but bailed. Seemedd to be geared towards a teen audience.
Steve, there’s no doubt the audience for DEAD BOY DETECTIVES is a younger demographic. But, I like the fantasy elements.
No! Not for me even if I had that station! As Guy Townsend said, mysteries and the supernatural don’t mix!
Bob, supernatural aspects are inherently mysterious!
But not in the way real mysteries are!
Maybe a ghostly RIVERDALE?
Patti, exactly! A ghostly RIVERDALE pretty much sums DEAD BOY DETECTIVES up. With a dollop of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.
I watched all eight episodes and was highly impressed. There were enough quirky characters, bizarre threats, and off-trial menaces to satisfy a rabid fan of the comic books like me. In THE SANDMAN and the spin-off comics, the Dead Boys were both twelve years old while the television series has them as older teens with actors who look to be in their mid-twenties — necessitated by the demands of producing a television series, I suppose.
My favorite character? Niko, hands down. It was also fun to watch Ruth Connell channel her Rowena character from SUPERNATURAL. I also loved the off-handed rudeness of Max Jenkins and Caitlin Reilly as the Dandelion Sprites. Hoping that the second season (if there is one) will delve into the self-centered Von Hoverkrafts.
The first season has turned out to be just “brills.”
Jerry, you and I share similar feelings about DEAD BOY DETECTIVES. According to the Internet: “Has ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ been renewed for season 2? Not quite yet. The series premiered on April 25 and Netflix tends to wait for at least a month of ratings before announcing the fate of new title.”
I really like Niko, too!
This is up Jackie’s alley, so we will give it a try.
Jeff, DEAD BOY DETECTIVES has a bit of humor that the Netflix series of SANDMAN lacked.
OK, we watched it. Good show, and definitely not aimed at kids.
Jeff, there is a lot of gender and sexual undercurrents in DEAD BOY DETECTIVES. Also, Charles’ abuse is graphic.
I am persuaded.
Patti, you are going to give that 12-year-old inside of you a thrill if you watch DEAD BOY DETECTIVES!
Hey! Didn’t I see this on Scoobie-Doo?
Bob, Niko watches Scoobie-Doo to help her become a better detective!