A Siamese cat dreams of a new world and a writer in desperate need of inspiration crosses paths with Morpheus.

In a world of spoilers and heavily pre-promoted content, what a treat it is to be genuinely surprised by the arrival of something that’s totally unexpected. After its entire first 10-episode season dropped on Netflix, we assumed that we were done for The Sandman until such a time as it (hopefully) returned for a second year. But out of nowhere arrives a further, one-hour episode.

In truth, it makes sense to release this episode separately from that first run, as it stands alone from the main plot lines that concluded in episode 10. This hour focuses on Issues 17 and 18 of The Sandman comics, which were collected as two of the four tales in the 1991 Dream Country graphic novel collection.

In A Dream of a Thousand Cats, a kitten joins an older cat at a gathering of felines, and they hear the tale of a Siamese cat who has her litter taken away from her. I won’t spoil what happens, and I think they make the correct decision in presenting this in animation rather than as live action (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats this ain’t!). It adopts an oil painting-like finish that’s loyal to the original artwork, and there’s an impressive line-up of guest vocals. At 16 minutes, it doesn’t go on long enough to alienate any viewers who are wondering why this is nothing like the regular show.

Calliope is live action and includes appearances from Tom Sturridge’s Dream and other characters that we’ve met in the show. Writer Richard Madoc (Arthur Darvill) trades an artefact, a bezoar, with Erasmus Fry (Derek Jacobi) so that he can take possession of an Ancient Greek muse, Calliope (Melissanthi Mahut). He’s had writer’s block since he wrote his first novel, and hopes that he can get to work again before his publisher demands the return of their advance.

This is of course a tale of modern slavery, the goddess being kept locked away in a room. It’s also a very different beast to what we first experienced in the 1990 comic. Madoc is presented here as a less vile creature, and while his assault of Calliope is dialled back on screen to be less triggering, the evidence of his act is still apparent. Again, I’ll say no more of what happens, but the conclusion is more satisfying to a 21st Century viewer, and certainly offers hope. Darvill and Mahut are well cast, the story palatable enough for wider viewing, while still having an edge.

Verdict: An unexpected dose of The Sandman will always be welcome. Please, Netflix, confirm Season 2. 8/10

Nick Joy