Is Sandman storyline too complicated for those who haven’t read the comics? Viewers speak their mind on Reddit

Netflix’s Sandman has always been unapologetically abstract, poetic, and deeply rooted in Neil Gaiman’s literary mythology. However, with the release of Season 2 Part 2, the show's complexity seems to have reached a breaking point for many casual fans.

On Reddit, especially in the r/television discussion thread, fans have been expressing confusion, frustration, and, in some cases, outright disappointment — particularly among those who haven’t read the comics.

While Season 2 Part 1 was mostly praised for fixing some of Season 1's tonal issues, Part 2 has divided viewers. The main issue? Fans who didn’t grow up with The Sandman graphic novels feel left behind. For them, the final act—filled with cosmic rules, emotional swings, and philosophical sacrifices—seemed rushed, unclear, and lacked emotional depth.

And Reddit did what Reddit does best: explode with opinions. In this case, it raised a valid question — is The Sandman truly accessible to anyone who hasn’t already been initiated into Gaiman’s world?

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“Morpheus fought Lucifer… and now he just gives up?”

In one of the most detailed critiques, user Educational-Aide5946 wrote,

“Is this show supposed to be for the book readers only? Morpheus's death didn’t make sense at all... He went from having ‘hope’ to ‘very tired and wanting it to end.’ Like wtf?”

They kept criticizing the arc's inconsistency and pointed out the contradiction between Morpheus’s supposed power in his own realm and his passive surrender to the Furies.

The same commenter also highlighted the arc involving Nuala and Lydia, which was given a full emotional setup — only to end suddenly.

“It was all for nothing, basically.” Their final verdict? The entire sequence felt like “lazy writing,” and they admitted they didn’t even finish the finale because their interest evaporated by the end of episode 10.

Others echoed this. One viewer compared Season 2 Part 2 to the rushed ending of Game of Thrones, with user bob1689321 saying,

“Sandman S2 has the same problems that the ending of GoT had. Not a bad plot but absolutely rushed through.”

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When source material demands too much

While a handful of users admitted they liked Season 2 Part 2 more than the first, with PsychologicalSet8678 simply stating,

“I liked this season more than the previous one. I'm probably in the minority” — the overwhelming mood in the thread was one of disillusionment.

Wooden-Ad5957 praised Jacob Anderson’s portrayal of Daniel, calling it the only real highlight in an otherwise disappointing back half.

“I did really feel like Jacob Anderson saved the day though in the end,” they wrote, before turning their focus to how the tone and execution faltered after Part 1.

Comic readers also felt the strain. One comment noted that Kindly Ones (the comic arc that Part 2 adapts) is a complex and emotionally rich story that deserved far more space.

“This season should have been Season of Mists and Game of You like the original plan,” wrote bob1689321, adding that “Kindly Ones is such a depressing and beautiful, complex story and I have zero faith in them doing a good adaptation across 4 episodes.”

While The Sandman continues to receive praise for its ambition, visual style, and performances, Reddit has spoken loudly and clearly — when you cut dense source material to fit a tight streaming schedule, those unfamiliar with the original work often feel dazed and disconnected. Whether Netflix and Neil Gaiman adjust for a potential third volume or choose to go down the same route remains uncertain.