If you are also a fan of Neil Gaiman, then you have been looking forward to his newest series on Netflix, Dead Boy Detectives. Gaiman’s writing often intertwines the supernatural and arcane, so what does a witch think of this newest body of work?
The Gaiman Universe
![Dead Boy Detectives Reception | NetflixNEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 24: (L-R) George Rexstrew, Kassius Nelson, Beth Schwartz, Steve Yockey, Yuyu Kitamura and Jayden Revri attend the Dead Boy Detectives reception at Seven24 Collective on April 24, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Netflix)](https://totalapexentertainment.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/gettyimages-2150078839-2048x2048-1-1024x732.jpeg)
One of the best surprises of this seriously esoteric dive into the supernatural – was that it is set in the Sandman universe. If you haven’t watched Gaiman’s Sandman, then you will have a treat in store for you after finishing Dead Boy Detectives. When the character of Death enters in episode 1 you are immediately delighted that you are in the world of the primordial deities that we came to love in Sandman.
Whether you are watching Good Omens, American Gods, or any of Gaiman’s other small screen works, you can see a string of familiar design and writing style choices. Seeing Death in episode one lets the audience know that we are in for some familiar faces (I hope) later in the series.
Dead Boy Detectives Witchy Easter Eggs
There are endless hermetic, pagan and witchy references jam packed into each episode. Some of these are more subtle than others and unpacking some of these more complex concepts is what we are here for!
When our main heroine and psychic Crystal Palace confronts her demon boyfriend David (yes, David the Demon), she is inside her mind. There are 3 eyes that are above them watching everything go down. This represents her physical eyes but also her 3rd eye, or pineal gland. The woo-woo community has often revered the third eye as the gateway to the supernatural realm and it’s nice to see it subtly represented in these scenes.
Mirror, Mirror
![Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@sekatsky?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Михаил Секацкий</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/person-in-black-long-sleeve-shirt-OwR9cyMNe4c?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a>](https://totalapexentertainment.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/sekatsky-OwR9cyMNe4c-unsplash-1024x683.jpg)
One of the ways our Dead Boy Detectives move through space and time is through mirrors. Mirrors have long held magical abilities and have been tools for witches for ages. Mirror work goes back to ancient times,. However, they only came into mainstream popularity in the 1800’s. Witches have been using reflective surfaces for many reasons including banishing, enchantment, divination, or scrying.
Mirrors have also been used to work with the shadow self, revealing the dual nature of reality and the depths of our mind. They have also been known to drive people mad who look for too long into them! It makes perfect sense that our Dead Boy Detectives would be using these magical tools to travel and even view memories.
Familiars
It’s no surprise that our biggest bad “guy” in Dead Boy Detectives is a witch and has a beautiful little crow as a familiar. Familiars are a witch’s material world animal companion that helps them connect to deeper layers of this world and the worlds beyond. Monty the crow is exactly that – much more than a pet – but a soul that is bound to our main villain for better or worse.
Monty gets his human form in episode 2, which he doesn’t seem all that thrilled about having! I wonder how he will adjust to his human configuration as the story unfolds.
Dead Boy Detectives Doesn’t Disappoint
Overall, Dead Boy Detectives is ticking all the boxes for this witch. We are encountering amazing characters, dazzling spells, and magic galore that all fits into a Universe that we are familiar with and makes sense!
You may be wondering why there is not much mention of our favorite villains from this series thus far. Well, that’s because I thought they deserved their own article. Learn all about the Dead Boy Detectives villains here!
About the Author
Drew is a writer and practicing witch living in Detroit and Brooklyn. He enjoys biking and exploring the city, spending time in nature, and eating as much as he can. Follow him on Instagram @witchofdetroit.