'Dead Boy Detectives' Review: Steve Yockey's gritty, scary (yet funny) Netflix show leaves a lasting impression
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Dead Boy Detectives' is streaming from Thursday, April 25, on Netflix. The supernatural teen comedy Neil Gaiman's DC comics of the same name. The show chronicles the adventures of Edwin Paine (Jayden Revri) and Charles Rowland (George Rexstrew) who die but do not enter the afterlife and solve the supernatural mysteries of the human world instead.
The series' makers deliver a quirky yet spooky show with its fair share of mystery. At the core of the show, is friendship and bonding but what keeps the narrative going is the mysteries and cases in every episode.
'Deadboy Detectives' is a spinoff from 'The Sandman' but builds its own identity touching relevant issues and dealing with them in a fun way. Every episode has an underlying message but the makers have maintained the thrilling pace of the series and never lost touch with the teen comedy foundation of the show.
Fast-paced action and intelligent humor make 'Dead Boy Detectives' a fun watch
The showrunner Steve Yockey has brilliantly managed the pacing of the series. It starts with heavy action and blends seamlessly into exposition bits that do not linger on for too long before the mystery confronts the protagonists.
The camaraderie between Charles, Edwin, Crystal, and Niko is beautiful as their interpersonal dynamics grow throughout the series. The detectives also have a very well-sketched-out character arc where they discover themselves and get better at their job.
Humor is the backbone of this show. The show is in essence a fun romantic comedy which is enhanced by the addition of all the ghosts and mysteries. The comedy is subtle and intelligent. It's not forced or in your face and you find yourself laughing at the situations rather than the jokes.
The action is very well choreographed and the VFX design adds to the action yet keeps it realistic and relevant to the universe of the film.
The costume design and makeup are excellent in the series and add to the characters significantly. The one little drawback of this series is probably the music of the series. At times, it is generic instead of being situation-oriented.
Jayden Revri and George Rexstrew are endearing in their performances in 'Dead Boy Detectives'.
The lead characters of the series have a magnetic charm to them and their characters Charles and Edwin have the potential to be the darling of the viewers of this series.
The romantic scenes are probably the best scenes of the series because there is an element of physical impossibility of a romance between a human and a ghost but that adds to the situation and makes it even more layered and lovable.
Kassius Nelson and Yuyu Kitamura are brilliant in their parts and add to the characters of Charles and Edwin while holding their own.
The makers of this show and Netflix have taken great care about representation and relevance to the contemporary world in the show and every character who comes into the show adds something to it. For fans of the DC Universe, watch out for the 'Sandman' characters making their appearances in the show.
Steve Yockey delivers a great mix of comedy and mystery
The show is a breezy watch and the characters are very relatable despite being from the supernatural space. This fantasy ride connects with the audience and offers a show that will make you laugh and have its scary moments at the same time.
From the well-crafted imagery to the subtly written punches, most things work for this show. Overall, the show offers wholesome entertainment and thrill with unsolved mysteries of the supernatural world
'Dead Boy Detectives' Trailer