Should You Try It: Dead Boy Detectives on Netflix

We’re in the final week of April. The days are getting longer, and the weather is getting better, meaning the time you want to invest sitting inside watching shows is precious. Finding the right show to invest that time in is key, and that’s why we’re here to give you all the information you need to make a good decision. Today, it’s a Neil Gaiman project adapted to streaming.

Series: Dead Boy Detectives

Where to Find It: All eight episodes are now streaming on Netflix

What’s It About: This series is based on the D.C. Comics property from Gaiman and Matt Wagner. It follows a pair of teens—Edwin Paine (George Rexstrew) and Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri)—who are dead. But rather than continuing to the afterlife, the two decided to stick around Earth.

Now, the pair are detectives, using their brains and brawn to solve supernatural cases. They’re also keen to avoid detection by the powers that be, who would have them complete their journey to the afterlife and end their detective work. Soon, they cross paths with a living medium, Crystal Palace (Kassius Nelson), who takes them on a journey to America for a case.

It’s not long before they’re pulled into the supernatural world there. Can this team of unlikely detectives make a difference before Edwin and Charles are pulled back into the afterlife?

You Should Try It If: You’re a fan of the supernatural, a fan of Gaiman’s work, or are a fan of the extended D.C. universe on Netflix.

One Man’s Opinion of Dead Boy Detectives

This series went through a bit of a journey to the screen. Originally it was going to be a spin-off of Doom Patrol on Max—where these characters have appeared and been played by different actors. Instead, it was sold to Netflix, where it’s connected to the larger Sandman universe, another property from D.C. created by Gaiman. In fact, that connection is made clear in the first act of the pilot as Kirby, who plays Death on Sandman, appears in the same role here.

From there, we spin-off to a series with these characters in this world. It’s got a unique style, pace, and tone of voice for the characters. Here we get some interesting adventures and, as we move into the second episode, we start getting the backstory for these heroes teased out. I liked the actors, the performances, and the way the world was being built.

That being said, this comes down to your preference for story and style. I wasn’t a big fan of Sandman and that type of D.C. comic series. The same goes for Dead Boy Detectives. While I appreciate the craft and the performances, I wasn’t as taken with the story. Still, the episodes are only about 50 minutes each, with all eight available, making for a quick binge. For fans of Gaiman’s style of storytelling and world, this will be a welcome addition to the landscape.