Spoiler Alert
Although some elements in the live action adaptation of Dead Boy Detectives are different from the comic books, not everyone is going to notice. What I like about this pair of undead sleuths is the fact they talk about how life in the thereafter works. I know all of it is made-up, but there’s an ounce of truth regarding a few things, especially concerning what defines the soul and why whoever holds dominion over it can control the individual. When not all ghosts are willing to possess a human, then there’s something worth considering.
What’s offered is not like other young adult supernatural adventure series about best mates solving occult crime. It’s nothing like The CW series and although Locke & Key exist in the same Vertigo universe, I have to wonder if other agencies will get identified, should more episodes get made.
I suspect the reason why this series is so heavy on LGBTQ is because of the comic books. It may have begun with Jill Thompson‘s take, and when she published her graphic novel with a yaoi style cover, I had to wonder. In the latest 2023 miniseries, Edwin opens up to those feelings, and I’m honestly not surprised showrunners Steve Yockey and Beth Schwartz are going hard on having an almost all queer series. Unfortunately there’s just no impact, other than to make this series stand out from others. It should really be about a pair of ghosts helping other spooks find peace than to explore the difficulties of coming out. Those episodes don’t really stand out.
After getting hired by a young spirit girl to locate a missing person in “The Case of Crystal Palace,” they find her and curiously, she’s a blank slate. As a result, the relationship she has with the spectre doesn’t really continue, perhaps foreshadowing not all relationships are meant to be. Although that case is easily solved, Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri) and Edwin Payne (George Rexstrew) have a person they don’t know what to do with. And when they learn she has psychic abilities and can communicate with other spectres, this young lady (Kassius Nelson) is asked if she wants a job because they don’t have the ability to communicate with the world of the living.
Although the boys prefer to remain in the UK, Crystal convinces them to travel across the pond to Port Townsend, Washington because of a still unsolved missing girl case. Her visions tell her that she’s still alive, and they must help, and when they arrive, they have to first help Niko Sasaki (Yuyu Kitamura). And she’s a riot because she likes shōnen-ai and Scooby-Doo. It creeps the boys out, but they have to find out why she explodes pixie dust as though she’s like Usagi transforming into Sailor Moon. With a personality to match, I suspect the anime references don’t stop here.
If this curiosity wasn’t enough to keep me watching, then the fact there’s also yokai kept me glued. There’s talking cats and I suspect half the magical creatures roaming around have counterparts appropriate to this side of the world. Here, this seaside community is still recovering from what a witch did in the past, and I’m curious why there isn’t more information about it. There are magical folks who are very deeply concerned, but for the general community, they’re more or less blissfully unaware.
Esther Finch (Jenn Lyon) is not as dangerous as Baba Yaga, but I sense she can be. Unfortunately, her origin story is rather flat, and if given a choice about which adversary I like more, The Night Nurse (Ruth Connell) is much nastier. She runs the Afterlife’s Lost and Found Department in charge of displaced youths. When it seems this world is having problems with kids dying much too young, I like to know more about this part of the operation and why it’s a concern. And when she’s been chasing after the Dead Boy Detectives for a long time, I’m sure her patience has been worn away.
This subplot is more engaging than others because of the overall concern about why some ghosts choose to not move on. Not all of them have gone dark, and the best cases concern how the boys can help them break from a cycle of self-imposed torment, like episode 3 (“The Case of the Devlin House”).
Ultimately, this series doesn’t have a lot of ongoing threats when compared to other series, like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I enjoyed the first season well enough because of its local connection and felt that I didn’t need pull out the comics I have to make comparisons. What’s offered in this take is meant to be a departure from the books, and as for why set the story in the Pacific Northwest, that’s because this region is very haunted! In Port Townsend, the list is rather impressive and rivals even my home town’s collection of spirits. And although these detectives hardly made a dent in reducing those numbers, at least what they’ve done will keep numbers down after defeating the wicked witch of Townsend.
As for what’s next, I don’t feel another season of The Dead Boy Detectives is needed. Although Crystal’s story requires a better closure than what’s offered, I’m satisfied with this run. If there’s more, I’ll watch it, but I’d rather see other spin-offs which focus on the other characters from the Sandman series. Although not all of them deserve a series, even a film will do just to show what has transpired since this lord of dream’s entombment. There are plenty of characters to choose from, and if I had to pick my favourites, I’d love to see a story with just Cain and Abel. An alternative idea is to adapt The Books of Magic!
4 Stars out of 5
Dead Boy Detectives Netflix Trailer
Discover more from Otaku no Culture
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
