This article contains spoilers for Dead Boy Detectives Season 1.
From the incredibly original mind of author Neil Gaiman, Dead Boy Detectives is a supernatural comedy that follows Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine, young men who decide not to enter the afterlife after their untimely deaths. Instead of moving on, the pair decides to remain on Earth, where they act as investigators for crimes of the supernatural.
Originally a project for streaming service Max, Dead Boy Detectives moved to Netflix in 2023, where it premiered on April 25, 2024. The show has been widely enjoyed by audiences, and critics have praised its directing, writing, and the overall tone of the eight episodes released.
Dead Boy Detectives
A duo of phantom sleuths roam the boundary between the living and the dead, investigating eerie mysteries that elude the grasp of conventional detectives. Alongside a living accomplice with psychic abilities, they navigate a series of spooky adventures, learning about life and each other.
Is ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ Getting a Second Season?
The series opened fairly well, making the Netflix Top 10, but there is no official confirmation that Netflix has renewed the show for a second season. Keep checking back with Collider for the latest on whether the series will get a well-deserved Season 2.
What Happened in ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ Season 1?
Edwin Paine (George Rextrew) and Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri) are two young men who were both murdered at the same boarding school, decades apart from one another. While Edwin died in the early twentieth century, Charles’s death took place in the 1990s. Now they’re best friends who, instead of moving on into the afterlife, remain on Earth, solving crimes of the supernatural variety.
While the two originally worked alone, they are eventually joined by a very alive clairvoyant named Crystal Palace (Kassius Nelson), who is able to see and touch Edwin and Charles. All this is happening while the Night Nurse (Ruth Connell) attempts to get Edwin and Charles to come to the afterlife despite the good work the friends are doing as detectives. While the Season 1 finale has her being appointed the boys’ chaperon, time will tell if this new combination works out.
Throughout Season 1, there are several major plotlines, one of which is Crystal’s possession by a demon named David. Not only did David possess Crystal, but he also took some of her memories with him, which becomes the driving force for Crystal to work with the boys to gain these memories back in exchange for her help with their mysteries. In an unexpected revelation, we learn that Crystal willingly lets David take her memories, as they don’t paint her as the greatest person.
Another major story in Season 1 is Edwin’s feelings for Charles. Things become more complicated as Crystal is also romantically interested in Charles. After meeting Crystal, Charles convinces Edwin to allow her to join their team, and Edwin reluctantly agrees. It doesn’t take long for Edwin to be convinced that Crystal’s supernatural powers will be invaluable to the team, and he begins to warm up to her; however, when he realizes Crystal’s feelings for Charles, he once again becomes mistrusting of her.
Another big story in Season 1 is that of Niko Sasaki (Yuyu Kitamura), a girl whose brush with death now allows her to see ghosts, including Edwin and Charles. Niko helps the detectives, as her powers are a useful addition to the team. In the Season 1 finale, Niko appears to die; however, in the final moments, it’s revealed that Niko may still be alive in some form. This acts as one of the biggest cliffhangers of Season 1, and fans will be excited to see if Niko becomes a bigger player, should there be a Season 2.
What is ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ About?
Edwin and Charles are two young men who both happened to be murdered at the same boarding school. While these deaths happened decades apart, the two eventually connected and decided to stay on Earth solving supernatural crimes instead of moving on to the afterlife.
Edwin, who died while being sacrificed in a demonic ritual, spent seventy years in hell, from which he eventually escaped. Charles died after falling ill while being bullied by other kids at his school. Because neither of their deaths were dealt with properly, the two feel compelled to help other souls find their way into the afterlife.
The two team up with a clairvoyant named Crystal Palace, becoming a trio. As they help different spirits move on from Earth, Edwin and Charles must always be on the lookout for the Night Nurse, the spirit attempting to unwillingly drag the two boys into the afterlife.
The official synopsis of the show reads:
Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine decided not to enter the afterlife to stay on Earth and investigate crimes that involve supernatural stuff.
Who Makes ‘Dead Boy Detectives’
Dead Boy Detectives was developed for television by Steve Yockey, whose previous credits include the HBO drama The Flight Attendant, Supernatural, and Scream: The TV Series. Showrunning the series are Yockey and Beth Schwartz, who produced the shows DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow, and Sweet Tooth, another Netflix program.
Executive producers of the series are Yockey, Schwartz, Neil Gaiman, Jeremy Carver (Doom Patrol), Greg Berlanti (Love, Simon), Leigh Lonson Redman (Gotham Knights), and David Madden (Runaway Bride).
Who Stars in ‘Dead Boy Detectives’
One of the show’s two lead actors, George Rextrew makes his professional acting debut in Dead Boy Detectives. Fans of the series have enjoyed Rextrew’s acting performance, praising the emotional highs and lows he brings to the character of Edwin.
Jayden Revri, who plays Charles, co-stars in the series. Revi has previously appeared in The Lodge, Innocent, and Fate: The Winx Saga. Additional co-stars in Dead Boy Detectives are Kassius Nelson, whose previous credits include a long run on the British drama Hollyoaks, as well as Edgar Wright‘s Last Night in Soho; Briana Cuoco (The Flight Attendant) as Jenny Green; Ruth Connell (Supernatural) as Night Nurse; Yuyu Kitamura (Meet Cute) as Niko; Jenn Lyon (Justified) as Esther Finch; David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty) as David the Demon; Lukas Gage (Euphoria) as Cat King; and Caitlin Reilly (Hacks) as Litty the Sprite.
Show To Watch if You Loved ‘Dead Boy Detectives’
Itching for more supernatural comedy? Check out these three shows for your new, dark, young adult obsessions.
Wednesday (2022-)
Another hit on Netflix is Wednesday, a series that revolves around the wonderfully weird Wednesday Addams of The Addams Family. Starring Jenna Ortega as the titular character, Netflix’s adaptation of the infamously dark family follows Wednesday as she is sent to a boarding school for peculiar children. While Wednesday is different from previous The Addams Family canon in that some of its characters possess supernatural abilities, the series was an instant hit, with viewers watching a total of 752 million hours of the series in under two weeks. With Season 2 on the way, including new additions in Steve Buscemi (Fargo) and Thandie Newton (Westworld), fans couldn’t be more excited about returning to Nevermore Academy in 2025. You can catch up on Season 1 of Wednesday on Netflix.
The Umbrella Academy (2019-2024)
One of Netflix’s most successful series, The Umbrella Academy, is adapted from the comic series of the same name by My Chemical Romance musician Gerard Way. The series revolves around what might be the world’s most unusual blended family, made of seven children with supernatural abilities who were all born by women around the world who showed no signs of pregnancy until their labor began. These children are adopted by eccentric billionaire Reginald Hargreeves, who raises them as superheroes in what he calls “The Umbrella Academy.” While things didn’t go as initially planned, and the team disbands, they come together years later in an attempt to save the world from extinction. With incredible acting performances by leads Aidan Gallahgher, Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, and Justin H. Min, the series is a fantastic ride throughout four unpredictable seasons. You can stream all episodes of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix.
Goosebumps (2024-)
It’s tough to take a beloved book series and turn it into a watchable and successful television series, but that’s just what the team behind the 2023 reinvention of Goosebumps accomplished. Based on the books by R.L. Stine, this version of the tales follows five high school students as they each deal with their own iteration of the demons unleashed in their town. The series breathed new life into some of the classic Goosebumps creatures like Slappy the Dummy, who first appeared in the book series back in 1993. An additional treat in the Disney+ series is the acting performance of Justin Long (Accepted) as teacher Nathan Bratt, who gave a performance that was both captivating and down-to-earth for a character experiencing possession by a ventriloquist doll. Recently renewed for a second season, you can watch Season 1 of Goosebumps on Disney+.
