History Series / TheSandman2022

** Matthew meets Morpheus much earlier than in the original story and accompanies him on his journey to regain his tools. Mazikeen of the Lilim also appears in the first season of the show, while in the comics she didn't debut until "Season of Mists", over twenty issues in.

* "The Sound of Her Wings" and "Men of Good Fortune" are combined into the sixth episode.

* RemakeCameo: A few actors from ''AudioPlay/TheSandman2020'' return here playing different characters:
** Creator/JamesMcAvoy, who voiced the Golden-Haired Man, voiced Dream.
** Creator/DavidTennant, who voiced Don, voiced Loki.
** Creator/MichaelSheen, who voiced Paul, voiced Lucifer Morningstar.
** Creator/ArthurDarvill, who portrayed Richard Madoc, voiced William Shakespeare.
** Creator/NiamhWalsh, who portrayed the young Ethel Cripps, voiced Nuala.
** Creator/KerryShale, who portrayed Nimrod, voiced Abel, Azazel, Brute, and Puck.

** "The Sound of Her Wings" and "Men of Good Fortune" are combined into the sixth episode with the former taking up roughly the first half while the latter is shown via flashback in the second half.

* AdaptationalJobChange: Because getting into the entire history of prior Sandmans from the comics would be impractical from a storytelling standpoint, all references to Hector and Lyta Hall being the former superheroes Silver Scarab and Fury are gone, not to mention Hector's time as the fake Sandman in a false Dream Dimension (this role is now given to Jed). Hector and Lyta are not, and never have been, superheroes within the context of this series.

Other cast members include Creator/KirbyHowellBaptiste, Creator/MasonAlexanderPark, and Creator/DonnaPreston as Dream's siblings Death, Desire, and Despair, Creator/JennaColeman as Johanna Constantine, Creator/VivienneAcheampong as Lucienne, Creator/AsimChaudhry and Creator/SanjeevBhaskar as the Biblical Cain and Abel, Creator/DavidThewlis as Doctor Destiny, Creator/KyoRa as Rose Walker, Creator/BoydHolbrook as the Corinthian, and Creator/StephenFry as Gilbert. Creator/PattonOswalt provides the voice of Matthew the Raven, and Creator/MarkHamill the voice of Mervyn Pumpkinhead.

* MythologyGag: At the end of "Lost Hearts", Desire can be seen wearing black cat ears and a cat-like tail just like in the comics--possibly as a nod to ''ComicBook/TheSandmanOverture'', where they [[spoiler:pose as Dream's cat form]].
** As mentioned above under CelebrityParadox, DC Comics properties are big in this show's world, a nod to the comic being part of the DC universe.

* CelebrityParadox: Jed Walker is shown to own several superhero toys, including a ComicBook/{{Batman}} figurine, and is occasionally seen watching ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock''--presumably meaning that Creator/DCComics exists in the world of the show, but ''didn't'' publish the ''[[ComicBook/TheSandman Sandman]]'' comics. There's also the fact that John Dee looks suspiciously like [[Creator/DavidThewlis that actor]] who played Ares in ''Film/WonderWoman2017'' and Merv Pumpkinhead sounds like [[Creator/MarkHamill the most famous voice actor]] for [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker The Joker]].

** Lucifer gets this to some extent by being the one who engages Dream in the oldest game and loses, rather than it being the demon Choronzon. In the comic, Lucifer Morningstar was never beaten by Dream in any fashion and was merely annoyed that Dream had got the better of hell.

** Several DC characters who appear in the ''Sandman'' volumes the show is adapting such as Etrigan, Scarecrow, Mister Miracle and Martian Manhunter are removed.

** Gaiman also noted that while Morpheus originally encountered [[Characters/HellblazerJohnConstantine John Constantine]] in the comics, the significance of Constantine's appearance would be lost on viewers who weren't aware of the comics character's history. Instead, because Johanna Constantine was already planned to appear in the show, the creative team decided to have the Constantine Morpheus meets be a female descendant of Johanna (played by the same actress) so that it would be more apparent what her significance was.

* RaceLift: Death, Rose, Jed, Unity, Rosemary, Lucien, and Hector are all white in the comic and black in the show.

* CelebrityParadox: Jed Walker is shown to own several superhero toys, including a ComicBook/{{Batman}} figurine, and is occasionally seen watching ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock''--presumably meaning that Creator/DCComics exists in the world of the show, but ''didn't'' publish the ''[[ComicBook/TheSandman Sandman]]'' comics. There's also the fact that John Dee looks suspiciously like [[Creator/DavidThewlis that actor]] who played Ares in ''Film/WonderWoman2017''.

''The Sandman'' is a 2022 {{live action|adaptation}} television adaptation of [[ComicBook/TheSandman1989 the 1989-1996 comic book series of the same name]], developed by author Creator/NeilGaiman, David S. Goyer, and Allan Heinberg for Creator/{{Netflix}}. The first season fully adapts the first two volumes of the comic (''Preludes and Nocturnes'' and ''The Doll's House''), with a partial adaptation of the third volume (''Dream Country'') and a tease of the fourth volume (''Season of Mists'').

The first ten episodes of the show premiered on August 5, 2022. A bonus episode, adapting "A Dream of A Thousand Cats" and "Calliope" from the comic's third volume ''Dream Country'', was released on August 19th, 2022.

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Like in the original comics, mixed with ArmorPiercingResponse, Lucifer doesn't plan on letting Dream just walk out of Hell, mockingly asking what power his domain has in Hell. Dream then turns it around by asking what power Hell would have over the damned if they couldn't dream of Heaven. Lucifer begrudgingly then lets him go, only able to let out a spiteful threat.

* CelebrityParadox: Jed Walker is shown to own several superhero toys, including a ComicBook/{{Batman}} figurine, and is occasionally seen watching ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock''--presumably meaning that Creator/DCComics exists in the world of the show, but ''didn't'' publish the ''[[ComicBook/TheSandman Sandman]]'' comics.

** Child welfare law prioritizes family unity, including siblings. That means that children should be placed with appropriate family before being placed in foster care, and even when the children are not placed with family, siblings have a right to see each other even if they're placed in different homes.

* BubblyWaitress: [[Recap/TheSandman2022S01E05247 24/7]]", Bette the waitress immediately distinguishes herself with her sweet and amicable personality, to the point that she actually plays matchmaker between customers (though she's older than most examples of this trope, given that she has a son who's just returned from college). She doesn't even appear fazed by [[ArcVillain John Dee]]'s unusual behavior, exchanging friendly banter with him even as he talks eerily about the better world he hopes to create. [[spoiler: Tragically, the events of the episode end up [[BreakTheCutie completely shattering Bette's spirit]], and her part in the story ends with her being forced to stab her own eyes out with a pair of screwdrivers.]]

* YouDontLookLikeYou: Nearly all the characters, with the primary exceptions being Dream and Desire, though Dream lacks his milk-white skin and star-like eyes. Other complete aversions include the Corinthian, Gilbert, and Lucifer, at least as Lucifer is first presented in the comics.

** Several DC characters who appear in the ''Sandman'' volumes the show is adapting such as Etrigan, Scarecrow, Mister Miracle and Martian Manhunter are removed, with the exceptions of Constantine, Lucifer Morningstar (who got a GenderLift), John Dee (who has little to nothing in common to Doctor Destiny of the comics), Hector and Lyta Hall (superheroes in DC comics but not in the TV series), Matthew (who appeared in earlier ''ComicBook/SwampThing'' and ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' comics as a human before being transformed into a raven in ''Sandman''), as well as Destiny, Cain, Abel, the three Fates, and Lucien (originally introduced as hosts of horror anthology comics, the latter also gets a GenderLift and becomes Lucienne). DC characters do appear, but only as fictional toys and [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited cartoon shows]] InUniverse.

** Most of the DC characters who appear in the ''Sandman'' volumes the show is adapting such as Etrigan, Scarecrow, Mister Miracle and Martian Manhunter are removed, with the exceptions of Constantine, Lucifer Morningstar (who got a GenderLift), John Dee (who has little to nothing in common to Doctor Destiny of the comics), Matthew (who appeared in earlier ''ComicBook/SwampThing'' and ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' comics as a human before being transformed into a raven in ''Sandman''), as well as Destiny, Cain, Abel, the three Fates, and Lucien (originally introduced as hosts of horror anthology comics, the latter also gets a GenderLift and becomes Lucienne). DC characters do appear, but only as fictional toys and [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited cartoon shows]] InUniverse.

** Dream gets this a fair amount, he’s still essentially a PhysicalGod here but one that’s much more easily dismissed, bullied and used as a doormat by other characters compared to his comic counterpart. Notably Constantine is able to do what ever she wants in front of him unlike the comic version where Constantine was the one helpless to Dream’s whims during their mission. Similarly the Corinthian was never a real threat to Dream in the comic even with Rose affecting the Dreaming. There’s also Dream’s interaction with the mocking demon Squatterbloat, in the show Dream telling him to mind his tone to the King of Dreams somewhat comes off as an empty threat, whereas in the comic Dream punctuates his warning by easily overpowering Squatterbloat and sending him flying making it a legitimate case of BullyingADragon. Not to mention Dream almost gets destroyed during the oldest game and needs Mathew’s support, which didn’t occur in the comic.
** Lucifer gets this to some extent by being the one who engages Dream in the oldest game and losing, rather than it being the demon Choronzon. Comic Lucifer Morningstar was never beaten by Dream in any fashion and merely annoyed Dream had got the better of hell.

** Most of the DC characters who appear in the ''Sandman'' volumes the show is adapting such as Etrigan, Scarecrow, Mister Miracle and Martian Manhunter are removed, with the exceptions of Constantine, Lucifer Morningstar (who get a GenderLift), John Dee (who has little to nothing in common to Doctor Destiny of the comics), Matthew (who appeared in earlier ''ComicBook/SwampThing'' and ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' comics as a human before being transformed into a raven in ''Sandman''), as well as Destiny, Cain, Abel, the three Fates, and Lucien (originally introduced as hosts of horror anthology comics, the latter also gets a GenderLift and becomes Lucienne). DC characters do appear, but only as fictional toys and [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited cartoon shows]] InUniverse.

** Most of the DC characters who appear in the ''Sandman'' volumes the show is adapting such as Etrigan, Scarecrow, Mister Miracle and Martian Manhunter are removed, with the exceptions of Constantine, Lucifer Morningstar (who get a GenderLift), John Dee (who has little to nothing in common to Doctor Destiny of the comics), Matthew (who appeared in earlier ''ComicBook/SwampThing'' and ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' comics as a human before being transformed into a raven in ''Sandman''), as well as Destiny, Cain, Abel, and Lucien (originally introduced as hosts of horror anthology comics, the latter also gets a GenderLift and becomes Lucienne). DC characters do appear, but only as fictional toys and [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited cartoon shows]] InUniverse.

** Most of the DC characters who appear in the ''Sandman'' volumes the show is adapting such as Etrigan, Scarecrow, Mister Miracle and Martian Manhunter are removed, with the exceptions of Constantine, Lucifer Morningstar (who get a GenderLift), John Dee (who has little to nothing in common to Doctor Destiny of the comics), Matthew (who appeared in earlier ''ComicBook/SwampThing'' and ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' comics as a human before being transformed into a raven in ''Sandman''), as well as Cain, Abel, and Lucien (originally introduced as hosts of horror anthology comics, the latter also gets a GenderLift and becomes Lucienne). DC characters do appear, but only as fictional toys and [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited cartoon shows]] InUniverse.

** Most of the DC characters who appear in the ''Sandman'' volumes the show is adapting such as Etrigan, Scarecrow, Mister Miracle and Martian Manhunter are removed, with the exceptions of Constantine, Lucifer Morningstar (who get a GenderLift), John Dee (who has little to nothing in common to Doctor Destiny of the comics), Matthew (who appeared in earlier ''ComicBook/SwampThing'' and ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' comics as a human before being transformed into a raven in ''Sandman''), as well as Cain and Abel (originally introduced as hosts of horror anthology comics). DC characters do appear, but only as fictional toys and [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited cartoon shows]] InUniverse.

** With the exceptions of Constantine, Lucifer Morningstar (who get a GenderLift) and John Dee (who has little to nothing in common to Doctor Destiny of the comics) all DC characters who appear in the ''Sandman'' volumes the show is adapting such as Etrigan, Scarecrow, Mister Miracle and Martian Manhunter are removed. DC characters do appear, but only as fictional toys and [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited cartoon shows]] InUniverse.

* PoliceAreUseless: Bodies are found blown apart, an escaped inmate from a lunatic asylum is on the loose (and readily identifiable), and there's a conference room full of serial killers, several of which who would undoubtedly be on the FBI's Most Wanted list--and not a single law enforcement agency appears to be on the case. We see some police for a 30 second scene after one murder, but never see any again, and even in that scene they notably show no interest in what happened to Jed despite knowing he disappeared.