There's no getting around the fact that The Sandman series on Netflix is in an awkward spot, ending early because of terrible allegations about its creator, but given the show's second season is just about to arrive, there's still some promotion to be done, one way or another.
That perhaps helps to explain the slight absence of fanfare around the new season from Netflix's side, and the way it just dropped a slightly odd, very brief teaser clip of a scene from it on YouTube. It shows Orpheus and Eurydice on the day of their wedding, receiving well-wishes from a series of characters.
This is a really well-liked side plot from the comics that have been the show's source, and anyone who's familiar with the old-fashioned story of Orpheus' journey to the underworld will know that things don't exactly go straightforwardly once the ceremony is done.
The teaser is effective in a few ways, though, since it gives us a look at some new characters for the show, including Desire and Delirium. Distractingly for me, Destruction is played by a face that I can never unsee – Barry Sloane, who plays Captain Price in the modern Call of Duty: Modern Warfare games, and whose voice I've therefore heard too many times to count.
That's some fun casting, then, and the wedding looks sumptuous, complete with a really nice set design that sees a Greek-style temple plaza in the middle of an expansive field. Very Tuscan, basically, and a great example of the visual design that has made the show a hit.
Sadly, though, it will be a two-season hit and no more. The last couple of years have seen a series of allegations surface about the behaviour of the series' creator Neil Gaiman, and Netflix has accordingly decided to stop production of any further seasons of the show.
So, if you're a fan of The Sandman, this is a big time for you – a de facto finale to the show you've been enjoying is very close, with the new season dropping half on 3 July and half on 24 July. Soak it in while you can!
