View source for Dead Boy Detectives (TV series)

{{Short description|2024 television series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Dead Boy Detectives (TV series) Title Card.png
| caption              =
| genre                = {{plainlist|
* [[Comedy-drama]]
* [[Occult detective fiction|Occult detective]]
* [[Supernatural horror]]
}}
| based_on             = {{Based on|[[Dead Boy Detectives]]|[[Neil Gaiman]]|{{quad}}[[Matt Wagner]]}}
| developer            = [[Steve Yockey]]
| showrunner           = {{Plainlist|
* Steve Yockey
* [[Beth Schwartz]]
}}
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
* [[George Rexstrew]]
* [[Jayden Revri]]
* [[Kassius Nelson]]
* [[Briana Cuoco]]
* [[Ruth Connell]]
* Yuyu Kitamura
* [[Jenn Lyon]]
}}
| theme_music_composer =
| open_theme           =
| end_theme            =
| music                = {{Plainlist|
* [[Blake Neely]]
* Murat Selçuk
}}
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| num_seasons          = 1<!-- Or num_series. Increment when new seasons/series begin. See template documentation for more info. -->
| num_episodes         = 8<!-- Value is incremented when new episodes air. See template documentation for more info. -->
| list_episodes        =
| executive_producer   = {{Plainlist|
* Neil Gaiman
* [[David Madden (executive)|David Madden]]
* [[Lee Toland Krieger]]
* [[Jeremy Carver]]
* Beth Schwartz
* Steve Yockey
* [[Sarah Schechter (producer)|Sarah Schechter]]
* [[Greg Berlanti]]
* Leigh London Redman
}}
| producer             = {{Plainlist|
* Joanie Woehler
* Carl Ogawa
* Chris Pavoni
* Kristy Lowrey
* Joshua Conkel
}}
| location             = [[Langley, British Columbia (city)|Langley, Canada]]
| cinematography       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Pierre Gill]]
* Marc Laliberté
* Craig Powell
}}
| editor               = {{Plainlist|
* Brian Wessel
* Troy Takaki
* Imelda Betiong
}}
| camera               = <!-- Either Single-camera or Multi-camera -->
| runtime              = 52–56 minutes
| company              = {{Plainlist|
* [[Berlanti Productions]]
* Ghost Octopus
* [[DC Entertainment]]
* [[Warner Bros. Television Studios|Warner Bros. Television]]
}}
| network              = [[Netflix]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|2024|4|25}}
| last_aired           = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --><!--Do not add until series has been renewed, per the documentation of the template.-->
| related              = ''[[The Sandman (TV series)|The Sandman]]''<!-- To be used only for remakes, spin-offs, and adaptations -->
}}
'''''Dead Boy Detectives''''' is an American [[Supernatural horror film|supernatural horror]] [[Occult detective fiction|detective]] [[comedy-drama]] television series developed by [[Steve Yockey]] based on the [[DC Comics]] [[Dead Boy Detectives|characters of the same name]] by [[Neil Gaiman]] and [[Matt Wagner]].<ref name="WGA">{{Cite web |title=Dead Boy Detectives |url=https://directories.wga.org/project/1230913/dead-boy-detectives |access-date=September 21, 2022 |website=[[Writers Guild of America West]] |archive-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921214804/https://directories.wga.org/project/1230913/dead-boy-detectives |url-status=live }}</ref> The series stars [[George Rexstrew]], [[Jayden Revri]], [[Kassius Nelson]], [[Briana Cuoco]], [[Ruth Connell]], Yuyu Kitamura and [[Jenn Lyon]], and follows Charles Rowland and Edwin Payne, who decided not to enter the afterlife and instead stay on Earth to investigate crimes that involve the supernatural.

Plans for a television series began in September 2021, when a pilot was ordered by [[HBO Max]] for a TV series based on the ''Dead Boy Detectives'' comics. The series was given greenlight by April 2022. However, it was moved to [[Netflix]] in February 2023. Gaiman later confirmed the series is set in the same continuity as ''[[The Sandman (TV series)|The Sandman]]'', with [[Kirby Howell-Baptiste|Kirby<!--For Dead Boy Detectives, Howell-Baptiste is credited mononymously as Kirby.-->]] reprising her role as Death in the series.

''Dead Boy Detectives'' premiered on Netflix on April 25, 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/11/dead-boy-detectives-netflix-hbo-max-trailer-1235600131/|title='Dead Boy Detectives' Officially Moves To Netflix From HBO Max; Watch Teaser Trailer|date=November 11, 2023|publisher=Deadline|access-date=November 12, 2023|archive-date=November 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111211504/https://deadline.com/2023/11/dead-boy-detectives-netflix-hbo-max-trailer-1235600131/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ReleaseDate">{{cite web|last=Cordero|first=Rosy|title=Netflix Sets 'Dead Boy Detectives' Premiere Date; New Photos Revealed|url=https://deadline.com/2024/04/netflix-dead-boy-detectives-trailer-premiere-date-photos-1235863005/|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=March 20, 2024|access-date=March 20, 2024|archive-date=March 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240320142120/https://deadline.com/2024/03/netflix-dead-boy-detectives-premiere-date-photos-1235863005/|url-status=live}}</ref> The series received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its writing, directing and tone, as well as the performances of the cast and visuals. In August 2024, the series was canceled after one season.<ref name="Canceled"/>

== Premise ==
The series follows the ghosts of Charles Rowland and Edwin Payne, who decided not to enter the afterlife and instead stayed on Earth to investigate crimes involving the supernatural.

== Cast and characters ==
=== Main ===
* [[George Rexstrew]] as Edwin Payne,<ref name="Cast Names">{{Cite web|url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/dead-boy-detectives-cast-netflix|title=The ''Dead Boy Detectives'' Cast Is on the Case|website=Netflix Tudum|first1=Tara|last1=Bitran|first2=Samantha|last2=Nelson|date=April 25, 2024|access-date=April 26, 2024|archive-date=April 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426173938/https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/dead-boy-detectives-cast-netflix|url-status=live}}</ref> a ghost detective who was killed in 1916 when his classmates performed a sacrifice ritual as a prank, only to inadvertently summon a demon who took him to Hell
* [[Jayden Revri]] as Charles Rowland,<ref name="Cast Names"/> Edwin's partner at the Agency who died in 1989 from hypothermia and internal bleeding after his classmates turned on him when he  defended a Pakistani boy who was being bullied
* [[Kassius Nelson]] as Crystal Palace,<ref name="Cast Names"/> a psychic medium who can see and communicate with ghosts
* [[Briana Cuoco]] as Jenny Green,<ref name="Cast Names"/> owner of the Tongue & Tail butcher shop. She rents out the upstairs rooms to Crystal and Niko
* [[Ruth Connell]] as Night Nurse,<ref name="Cast Names"/> the being who runs the Afterlife's Lost and Found Department, handling misplaced dead children. Connell previously played the role of the Night Nurse in the ''[[Doom Patrol (TV series)|Doom Patrol]]'' episode "[[Dead Patrol]]" – the first TV appearance of the Dead Boy Detectives
* Yuyu Kitamura as Niko Sasaki,<ref name="Cast Names"/> a young girl and anime fan who lives across the hall from Crystal. She becomes able to see ghosts after a near-death experience
* [[Jenn Lyon]] as Esther Finch,<ref name="Cast Names"/> an immortal witch living in [[Port Townsend, Washington|Port Townsend]] who seeks revenge against the Dead Boy Detectives

=== Recurring ===
<!--Reliably sourced and/or confirmed to make 4+ appearances in the series. Do not include co-stars as they are just actors who have super minor roles and are below guest starring.-->
* [[David Iacono]] as David the Demon,<ref name="Cast Names"/> a demon who previously possessed Crystal and now stalks her
* [[Lukas Gage]] as the Cat King,<ref name="Cast Names"/> a magical cat able to take on human form, who puts a spell on Edwin that prevents him from leaving Port Townsend
* [[Michael Beach]] as Tragic Mick,<ref name="Cast Names"/> a walrus cursed into human form who runs a shop selling magical artifacts
* [[Joshua Colley]] as Monty,<ref name="Cast Names"/> Esther's crow [[familiar]], whom she transforms into a teenage boy
* [[Max Jenkins]] as Kingham,<ref name="Cast Names"/> one of two Dandelion Sprites who once possessed Niko. It is now kept in an enchanted jar.
* [[Caitlin Reilly]] as Litty,<ref name="Cast Names"/> the other Dandelion Sprite
* [[Lindsey Gort]] as Maxine, a librarian at the Port Townsend Public Library

=== Notable guest stars ===
* [[Sherri Saum]] as Maddy Surname, Crystal's wealthy but absent mother.  She works at the [[British Museum]].
* Gabriel Drake as Simon, one of Edwin's classmates
* [[John Brotherton]] as Seth von Hoverkraft, Crystal's wealthy but absent father, who also works at the British Museum
* [[Tamlyn Tomita]] as The Principal, the Night Nurse's superior at the Afterlife's Lost and Found Department

==== Appearing from ''The Sandman'' ====
The following actors reprise their roles from ''[[The Sandman (TV series)|The Sandman]]'':

* [[Kirby Howell-Baptiste|Kirby]]{{efn|Kirby Howell-Baptiste is credited as "Kirby" in this show.}} as [[Death of the Endless|Death]],<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Ortiz |first=Andi |date=April 3, 2024 |title=Dead Boy Detectives Trailer Reveals Netflix's DC Series |url=https://www.thewrap.com/dead-boy-detectives-trailer-netflix/ |access-date=April 3, 2024 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US |archive-date=April 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403142320/https://www.thewrap.com/dead-boy-detectives-trailer-netflix/ |url-status=live}}</ref> a member of the [[Endless (comics)|Endless]] that the Dead Boy Detectives work to evade
* [[Donna Preston]] as [[Despair (comics)|Despair]], a member of the Endless whom Edwin encounters in Hell

== Episodes ==
{{Episode table |background=#8094DA |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |released=y |prodcode= |episodes={{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber   = 1
 |Title           = The Case of Crystal Palace
 |DirectedBy      = [[Lee Toland Krieger]]
 |WrittenBy       = [[Steve Yockey]]
 |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|4|25}}
 |ShortSummary    = In [[London]], ghosts Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland are the Dead Boy Detective Agency, solving supernatural cases while hiding from Death. After helping a World War I-era spirit move on to his afterlife, they rescue psychic medium Crystal Palace from her ex-boyfriend David, a demon who steals her memories. A poster of missing girl scout Becky Aspen leads the trio to [[Port Townsend, Washington]], where Crystal rents a room above Jenny Green's butcher shop and meets fellow tenant Niko Sasaki. Psychically stalked by David, Crystal learns that Edwin was killed by bullying classmates in a botched summoning of the demon Sa'al and trapped in Hell for seventy years. With Crystal's help and information extracted from a stray cat, they rescue Becky from Esther Finch, a witch who kidnaps young girls to maintain her youth and feed her gigantic snake. Esther overpowers the boys but Crystal invades her mind, seeing Esther with the dark goddess [[Lilith]] in an ocean of blood. Charles briefly possesses Esther, allowing them to escape and Becky, all memory of her captivity erased, is reunited with her parents. Meanwhile, Charles' possession of Esther alerts the Afterlife's Lost and Found Department to the Dead Boy Detectives' location. 
 |ProdCode        = T11.10148
 |LineColor       = 8094DA
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber   = 2
 |Title           = The Case of the Dandelion Shrine
 |DirectedBy      = [[Glen Winter]]
 |WrittenBy       = Shoshana Sachi & Cheech Manohar
 |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|4|25}}
 |ShortSummary    = The trio is brought before the Cat King, who is fascinated by Edwin and locks a bracelet on his wrist — a caging spell to keep him in Port Townsend; Edwin may break the spell by responding to the King's attraction, or by counting every cat in the city. The boys find no solution at Tragic Mick's magic shop, but are given an enchanted glass globe holding the sounds of the sea. Niko collapses after projecting colorful visions, and the boys determine she is possessed by deadly, attention-seeking Dandelion Sprites from a forest shrine. They learn the creatures can be contained by the shrine's enchanted vessel, but Charles accidentally breaks it. To save Niko, Crystal offers herself as a new host for the Sprites, Kingham and Litty, but Edwin traps them in the enchanted jar. Thanks to her near-death experience, a now white-haired Niko can see Edwin and Charles, who are flooded with mail as ghostly clients line up at their door. Meanwhile, a vengeful Esther turns her crow familiar, Monty, into a young human, and the Afterlife's Night Nurse sets out to retrieve the fugitive detectives. 
 |ProdCode        = T12.17652
 |LineColor       = 8094DA
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber   = 3
 |Title           = The Case of the Devlin House
 |DirectedBy      = [[Cheryl Dunye]]
 |WrittenBy       = Ian Weinreich & Kristy Lowrey
 |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|4|25}}
 |ShortSummary    = The detectives screen potential clients, including new ghost Susan Kessler, whose brother-in-law Brandon Devlin killed her sister Stacy and their daughters, Hope and Hannah, in a murder-suicide thirty years ago, leaving a malevolent presence in their house. Jealous of Charles' sexual tension with Crystal, Edwin researches the case with Niko at the local library and meets Monty, who can see Edwin. Secretly monitored by cats sent by the Cat King, Crystal and the boys investigate the Devlins' home, where the family's ghosts continuously relive the murders. Reminded of his own abusive father, Charles is trapped in the loop when he tries to intervene. Edwin and Crystal discover a secret surveillance room Brandon used to spy on his family, where a Misery Wraith has been feeding on the ghosts' pain. Inside Crystal's mind, David offers to help in exchange for re-possessing her, but Edwin erases the surveillance tape of the murders, freeing the family and trapping the wraith. The detectives escape before Death arrives, and they encounter Monty, who continues to flirt with Edwin. Meanwhile, the Night Nurse questions the Devlin daughters about the “heroes” who saved them.
 |ProdCode        = T12.17653
 |LineColor       = 8094DA
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber   = 4
 |Title           = The Case of the Lighthouse Leapers
 |DirectedBy      = Andi Armaganian
 |WrittenBy       = Joshua Conkel & Kristin Layne Tucker
 |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|4|25}}
 |ShortSummary    = Crystal and Niko learn Jenny is receiving letters from a secret admirer, and a ghost named Dagfinn hires the detectives to investigate two suicides at his lighthouse. They witness a third person leap into the sea to their death, but the police refuse to believe them, and the leapers' ghosts reveal they were drawn by the voices of loved ones. The Cat King makes further advances on Edwin, and Niko saves Crystal from jumping after her mother's voice. Using a piece of red sea glass, the group summons a spirit known as the Washer Woman, who explains that a sea monster is responsible, and Tragic Mick provides them with a music box to lull the monster, Angie, to sleep. The Night Nurse arrives to take Edwin and Charles to their afterlives, forcing Charles to relive his worst memories, including his death at the hands of his classmates. Enraged, Charles knocks the Night Nurse off the cliff to be swallowed by Angie along with the music box. Later, Tragic Mick scours the shore for more sea glass, and Edwin joins Niko as she finally reads her estranged mother's letters, while Charles and Crystal give in to their mutual attraction and kiss.
 |ProdCode        = T12.17654
 |LineColor       = 8094DA
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber   = 5
 |Title           = The Case of the Two Dead Dragons
 |DirectedBy      = [[Amanda Tapping]]
 |WrittenBy       = Kelli Breslin & Jeremy Kaufman
 |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|4|25}}
 |ShortSummary    = Waking from a nightmare, Crystal decides she and Charles should remain just friends, and the detectives are hired by teenage ghosts Brad and Hunter, who believe they were murdered. Niko discovers that Jenny's admirer is librarian Maxine, and arranges a date for them at the butcher shop. The detectives interview Brad and Hunter's classmates, including Twitchy Richie, who points them to Brad's ex-girlfriend Shelby, who killed herself. Edwin summons Shelby's ghost, who explains that Brad and Hunter sabotaged her Olympics prospects but she did not kill them. Crystal is nearly poisoned by Brad's girlfriend Maren, and the detectives realize the truth: Brad shared Maren's private photos with Hunter, so she spiked their drinks to steal their phones; they died from the drinks, and Richie helped move their bodies. Maren turns herself in to the police, and Charles and Edwin confront Brad and Hunter, who are dragged to Hell. Jenny and Maxine's date goes well, until Jenny realizes the obsessive Maxine has been stalking her. Chasing Jenny with a cleaver, Maxine slips and impales her head on a spike. Ordered by Esther to win the detectives' trust, Monty kisses Edwin, who declares that he has feelings for someone else.
 |ProdCode        = T12.17655
 |LineColor       = 8094DA
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber   = 6
 |Title           = The Case of the Creeping Forest
 |DirectedBy      = Glen Winter
 |WrittenBy       = [[Beth Schwartz]] & [[Oscar Balderrama]]
 |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|4|25}}
 |ShortSummary    = Tragic Mick tells Crystal and Niko of the sea goddess [[Sedna (mythology)|Sedna]] who granted his wish, transforming him from a walrus to live among humans. They buy a "Light of Heart" artifact to protect Crystal from David, but she loses her psychic gifts as a result. Monty lures the detectives into Tall Forest, where ghosts have gone missing, but has a change of heart. They realize a fungal-like creature is consuming ghosts into nothingness, and David terrorizes Crystal until Charles dispatches him with his magic cricket bat. Edwin and Monty are confronted by the Cat King, who reveals Monty's true identity as Esther's crow, and Edwin's feelings for Charles. Esther tears apart Monty's human form before unleashing Teeth Face, a giant Forest Elemental. Deciphering the riddle given to her by the Washer Woman, Crystal communes with her ancestors and gains even greater powers, convincing Teeth Face to return to its realm with Esther in tow. Meanwhile, The Night Nurse is freed from inside Angie by Kashina, a mysterious traveller who gives her one of his rings. She is left unsure what to do with Charles and Edwin, but Edwin is suddenly dragged to Hell, leaving his journal behind. 
 |ProdCode        = T12.17656
 |LineColor       = 8094DA
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber   = 7
 |Title           = The Case of the Very Long Stairway
 |DirectedBy      = [[Richard Speight Jr.]]
 |WrittenBy       = Steve Yockey
 |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|4|25}}
 |ShortSummary    = Crawling back to Earth, Esther costs the Cat King [[Cat#Superstitions_and_rituals|one of his nine lives]]. The Night Nurse is moved by Charles' memories of meeting Edwin; chased into freezing water by rock-throwing bullies, a dying Charles was befriended by Edwin, choosing to remain a ghost with him. The Night Nurse helps Charles descend into Hell, passing Maxine's spirit as he navigates using Edwin's journal. Edwin finds his schoolmate Simon facing eternal punishment for sacrificing Edwin, and briefly meets Despair of the Endless. Apologizing for tormenting Edwin due to unspoken feelings for him, Simon receives a peaceful end from Death. Crystal confronts David, who possesses Jenny but is left buried inside Crystal's mind. Esther demands a device from Tragic Mick to feed her powers using Edwin's pain. Charles finds Edwin being endlessly chased and devoured by a demon, and they flee through the levels of Gluttony, Lust, and Limbo. Edwin tells Charles that he loves him, and they narrowly escape back to Earth. Niko outwits the Night Nurse with her own rulebook, forcing her to leave to file additional paperwork before she can collect Charles and Edwin. Recovering the marbles containing her missing memories, Crystal swallows one.
 |ProdCode        = T12.17657
 |LineColor       = 8094DA
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber   = 8
 |Title           = The Case of the Hungry Snake
 |DirectedBy      = [[Pete Chatmon]]
 |WrittenBy       = Ross Maxwell
 |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|4|25}}
 |ShortSummary    = Crystal's memories reveal that she misused her abilities to hurt others. Remembering her full name, Crystal Palace Surname-Von Hoverkraft, she calls her wealthy parents, who had no idea she was missing. Esther's device drains a captive ghost to amplify her powers, and she prepares to take over the town. Jenny accepts the existence of the supernatural, and Crystal leaves to make amends for her old life, but Esther blows up the butcher shop, capturing Charles and Edwin. The Cat King reveals how Esther became a witch centuries ago and bargained with Lilith for immortality. Armed with black salt from Tragic Mick, and a lucky charm for Niko, Crystal is overpowered by Esther as she drains Edwin and kills Niko. Crystal calls on Lilith to avenge Esther's victims, while Charles is freed by Monty and kills the snake, and Lilith drags Esther away. Officially welcomed into the Dead Boy Detective Agency, Crystal invites Jenny to join them, and Edwin bids farewell to the Cat King. In London, Night Nurse's superior, the Principal, allows the boys to continue their work on earth, assigning Night Nurse as their chaperone. Somewhere in the Arctic, the Sprites sit with an unknown figure holding Niko's charm.
 |ProdCode        = T12.17658
 |LineColor       = 8094DA
}}
}}

== Production ==
=== Development ===
On September 3, 2021, ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' reported that [[HBO Max]] ordered a pilot for a potential ''[[Dead Boy Detectives]]'' series, then-intended as a [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] of ''[[Doom Patrol (TV series)|Doom Patrol]]'', with [[Steve Yockey]] as writer and executive-producer alongside [[Jeremy Carver]], [[Greg Berlanti]], [[Sarah Schechter (producer)|Sarah Schechter]], and [[David Madden (executive)|David Madden]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/dead-boy-detectives-hbo-max-pilot-1235054740/ |title='Dead Boy Detectives' Series From Steve Yockey, Jeremy Carver, Greg Berlanti Gets HBO Max Pilot Order (EXCLUSIVE) |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |first=Joe |last=Otterson |date=September 3, 2021 |access-date=November 19, 2021 |language=en-US |archive-date=October 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030105137/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/dead-boy-detectives-hbo-max-pilot-1235054740/ |url-status=live}}</ref> On April 14, 2022, HBO Max gave the production a series order, with Yockey set as showrunner;<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/dead-boy-detectives-series-hbo-max-1235233080/ |title='Dead Boy Detectives' Ordered to Series at HBO Max |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |first=Joe |last=Otterson |date=April 14, 2022 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |archive-date=April 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414211921/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/dead-boy-detectives-series-hbo-max-1235233080/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Beth Schwartz was attached as co-showrunner that September.<ref name=":1" /> By February 24, 2023, the project was moved from HBO Max to [[Netflix]], reportedly due to being incompatible with [[DC Studios]] co-CEOs [[James Gunn]] and [[Peter Safran]]'s plans to have HBO Max's DC shows be set in the [[DC Universe (franchise)|DC Universe]], as well as due to HBO Max's inability to air the series before 2024.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Goldberg |first=Lesley |date=February 24, 2023 |title=DC Drama 'Dead Boy Detectives' Moves to Netflix From HBO Max (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/dead-boy-detectives-moves-netflix-from-hbo-max-1235318785/ |access-date=February 24, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=February 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224204039/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/dead-boy-detectives-moves-netflix-from-hbo-max-1235318785/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On April 20, 2023, [[Neil Gaiman]] confirmed the series would be set in the same universe as ''[[The Sandman (TV series)|The Sandman]]'';<ref>{{Cite web |last=Laudenbach |first=Sarah |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Dead Boy Detectives To Expand The Sandman TV Universe, Confirms Neil Gaiman |url=https://screenrant.com/dead-boy-detectives-sandman-universe-connection-neil-gaiman/ |access-date=April 21, 2023 |website=ScreenRant |language=en |archive-date=April 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425124047/https://screenrant.com/dead-boy-detectives-sandman-universe-connection-neil-gaiman/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Gaiman was announced as an additional executive-producer that November.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=November 11, 2023 |title='Dead Boy Detectives' Officially Moves To Netflix From HBO Max; Watch Teaser Trailer |url=https://deadline.com/2023/11/dead-boy-detectives-netflix-hbo-max-trailer-1235600131/ |access-date=April 3, 2024 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=November 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111211504/https://deadline.com/2023/11/dead-boy-detectives-netflix-hbo-max-trailer-1235600131/ |url-status=live }}</ref> While the producers had always planned for the series to be set in the same universe as ''The Sandman'', which aired on Netflix, Warner Bros. (parent of HBO Max, DC Comics Studios and ''Dead Boy Detectives'' publisher [[Vertigo Comics]]) did not allow them to use elements from that series when ''Dead Boy Detectives'' was still an HBO Max project, to avoid licensing issues with Netflix.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Rourke |first=Ryan |date=April 24, 2024 |title='Dead Boy Detectives' Creator Explains Why the Series Made the Jump From Max to Netflix |url=https://collider.com/dead-boy-detectives-max-netflix-move-explained/ |access-date=April 25, 2024 |website=Collider |language=en}}</ref> As such, the showrunners instead included broad connections between both shows that still established them as part of the same continuity while only "lightly tipto[ing] around and through the ''Sandman'' universe". After the project moved to Netflix, the showrunners incorporated characters and more overt connection to ''The Sandman'' at the behest of both Netflix and ''Sandman'' showrunner [[Allan Heinberg]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hullender |first1=Tatiana |last2=Behbakht |first2=Andy |date=April 22, 2024 |title=Dead Boy Detectives Showrunners On Building A Story Within The Sandman Universe |url=https://screenrant.com/dead-boy-detectives-steve-yockey-beth-schwartz-interview/ |access-date=April 24, 2024 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ortiz |first=Andi |date=April 24, 2024 |title=Why Dead Boy Detectives Moved From Max to Netflix |url=https://www.thewrap.com/dead-boy-detectives-sandman-netflix-max/ |access-date=April 25, 2024 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US |archive-date=August 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830212751/https://www.thewrap.com/dead-boy-detectives-sandman-netflix-max/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Dead Boy Detectives'' was released on Netflix on April 25, 2024.<ref name="ReleaseDate" /> On August 30, 2024, Netflix canceled the series after one season.<ref name="Canceled">{{cite news |last1=Otterson |first1=Joe |title='Dead Boy Detectives' Canceled After One Season at Netflix (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/dead-boy-detectives-canceled-netflix-1236124484/ |access-date=August 30, 2024 |work=Variety |date=August 30, 2024 |archive-date=August 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830211106/https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/dead-boy-detectives-canceled-netflix-1236124484/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Casting ===
In November 2021, [[George Rexstrew]], [[Jayden Revri]], [[Kassius Nelson]], [[Alexander Calvert]], [[Briana Cuoco]], [[Ruth Connell]], Yuyu Kitamura, and [[Jenn Lyon]] were cast.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=November 22, 2021 |title='Dead Boy Detectives' HBO Max Pilot Sets Main Cast (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/dead-boy-detectives-hbo-max-pilot-cast-1235116122/ |access-date=September 21, 2022 |website=Variety |archive-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921222926/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/dead-boy-detectives-hbo-max-pilot-cast-1235116122/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Peter |date=April 14, 2022 |title='Dead Boy Detectives' Ordered To Series At HBO Max |url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/dead-boy-detectives-ordered-to-series-hbo-max-1235002662/ |access-date=September 21, 2022 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |archive-date=April 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414202952/https://deadline.com/2022/04/dead-boy-detectives-ordered-to-series-hbo-max-1235002662/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Lukas Gage]] replaced Calvert in September 2022.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=September 22, 2022 |title=Lukas Gage Joins 'Dead Boy Detectives' Series at HBO Max (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/lukas-gage-dead-boy-detectives-hbo-max-1235381105/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=Variety |archive-date=September 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925092508/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/lukas-gage-dead-boy-detectives-hbo-max-1235381105/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In October 2022, [[Michael Beach]], [[Joshua Colley]], and [[Lindsey Gort]] joined the cast in recurring capacities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/dead-boy-detectives-michael-beach-joshua-colley-amp-lindsey-gort-hbo-max-series-1235142445/|title='Dead Boy Detectives': Michael Beach, Joshua Colley & Lindsey Gort Join HBO Max Series|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=October 12, 2022|access-date=October 12, 2022|archive-date=October 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012193605/https://deadline.com/2022/10/dead-boy-detectives-michael-beach-joshua-colley-amp-lindsey-gort-hbo-max-series-1235142445/|url-status=live}}</ref> A month later, [[Caitlin Reilly]], [[Max Jenkins]], and [[David Iacono]] were cast.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=November 1, 2022 |title='Dead Boy Detectives' HBO Max Series Adds Caitlin Reilly, Max Jenkins (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/dead-boy-detectives-hbo-max-series-caitlin-reilly-max-jenkins-1235419882/ |access-date=November 1, 2022 |website=Variety |archive-date=November 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101183111/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/dead-boy-detectives-hbo-max-series-caitlin-reilly-max-jenkins-1235419882/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/11/dead-boy-detectives-david-iacono-recur-hbo-max-series-dc-comics-1235169254/|title='Dead Boy Detectives': David Iacono To Play David The Demon In HBO Max Series|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=November 10, 2022|access-date=November 10, 2022|archive-date=November 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110213609/https://deadline.com/2022/11/dead-boy-detectives-david-iacono-recur-hbo-max-series-dc-comics-1235169254/|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2024, [[Kirby Howell-Baptiste|Kirby<!--For Dead Boy Detectives, Howell-Baptiste is credited mononymously as Kirby.-->]] said she would be reprising her ''Sandman'' role as Death;<ref name=":2" /> Kirby joined the cast for a cameo in the pilot following the series' move to Netflix, with the original iteration having Death appear offscreen due to licensing issues.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gao |first=Max |date=May 2, 2024 |title='Dead Boy Detectives' Bosses Unpack Lingering Finale Questions and Muse About More 'Sandman' Cameos in Potential Season 2 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/dead-boy-detectives-finale-questions-season-2-1235888397/ |access-date=May 21, 2024 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=August 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830211508/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/dead-boy-detectives-finale-questions-season-2-1235888397/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Filming ===
The pilot episode was filmed between December 2021 and January 2022, with [[Lee Toland Krieger]] directing and executive-producing.<ref name="Pilot">{{Cite web |date=August 20, 2022 |title='Dead Boy Detectives' Moving Forward at HBO Max, Filming Schedule Confirmed |url=https://moviesr.net/p-dead-boy-detectives-moving-forward-at-hbo-max-filming-schedule-confirmed |access-date=September 21, 2022 |website=Midgard Times |archive-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921222926/https://moviesr.net/p-dead-boy-detectives-moving-forward-at-hbo-max-filming-schedule-confirmed |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Filming for the series began on November 7, 2022, in [[Langley, British Columbia (city)|Langley, British Columbia]], and concluded on April 5, 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dgc.ca/assets/Uploads/BritishColumbia/AvailsProductionLists/Production/Production-List.pdf|title=DGC BC Production List|website=[[Directors Guild of Canada]]|date=April 14, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417175415/https://www.dgc.ca/assets/Uploads/BritishColumbia/AvailsProductionLists/Production/Production-List.pdf|archive-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref>

== Reception ==
The [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]] reports a 92% approval rating with an average rating of 7.5/10, based on 50 critic reviews. The website's critics' consensus reads, "''Dead Boy Detectives'' expands the ''Sandman'' universe with an addictively entertaining paranormal fantasy with excitement, romance, and young adult angst to spare."<ref>{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes|id=dead_boy_detectives|title=Dead Boy Detectives|type=tv|season=1|access-date=July 6, 2024|publisher_hide=y}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] assigns a score of 65 out of 100 based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{Cite Metacritic|id=dead-boy-detectives|title=Dead Boy Detectives|type=tv|season=1|access-date=April 26, 2024|publisher_hide=y}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

''Dead Boy Detectives'' debuted at number two on Netflix's Top 10 TV English titles for the tracking week of April 22–28, 2024, with 22.2 million hours viewed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 28, 2024 |title=Netflix Global Top 10 |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/top10/tv?week=2024-04-28 |access-date=May 16, 2024 |website=Netflix |archive-date=May 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240516161851/https://www.netflix.com/tudum/top10/tv?week=2024-04-28 |url-status=live }}</ref> On the following week, it ranked at number three and garnered 34.1 million viewing hours.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 5, 2024 |title=Netflix Global Top 10 |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/top10/tv?week=2024-05-05 |access-date=May 16, 2024 |website=Netflix |archive-date=May 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240516064611/https://www.netflix.com/tudum/top10/tv?week=2024-05-05 |url-status=live }}</ref> On its third week, the series fell to number seven, earning 13.3 million viewing hours.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 12, 2024 |title=Netflix Global Top 10 |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/top10/tv?week=2024-05-12 |access-date=May 16, 2024 |website=Netflix |archive-date=May 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240516064612/https://www.netflix.com/tudum/top10/tv?week=2024-05-12 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Netflix title}}
* {{IMDb title}}

{{The Sandman (DC Comics)}}
{{Netflix original ended series (2019–present)}}
{{DC Comics live-action TV series}}
{{Neil Gaiman}}

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