Good Omens season 1, episode 3 recap: Hard Times

Crowley and Aziraphale clash over how to stop Armageddon while Adam begins to come into his power on Good Omens. All forces begin to converge as the apocalypse approaches.

Crowley and Aziraphale witness the passing of the ages together, becoming forbidden friends over time on Good Omens. They see the great flood, the crucifixion of Christ, the Roman Empire, Medieval England, Elizabethan London at Shakespeare’s Globe, Revolutionary France, Victorian London, WWII England, and 1960s London. Their friendship is tried and tested throughout as the two form an arrangement to do a little of each other’s work when it saves time and travel.

It is clear that Crowley openly considers Aziraphale a friend and is angry and offended when he calls it “fraternizing.” Crowley actually goes out of his way to save Aziraphale on several occasions and proves himself an unusually thoughtful friend. Aziraphale, on the other hand, is all too conscious of the negative social implications of his friendship with Crowley, a somewhat fickle friend in that sense.

Crowley asks Aziraphale for some holy water to use as insurance in case he gets in trouble with hell. Aziraphale considers it too dangerous for Crowley, not wanting him to get hurt, but relents finally to prevent him from attempting an even more dangerous heist of his own in order to obtain it. He gives him a thermos of holy water, which he holds in reserve for emergencies. It is during the organization of this heist that Crowley first meets Witchfinder Shadwell, who becomes Crowley’s human agent. It turns out that Shadwell is also Aziraphale’s human agent and they both send him out to find the anti-Christ.

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Coincidentally, Newton discovers an unusual pattern of perfect weather for the season in Tadfield and finds it suspicious. Shadwell initially dismisses it, but realizing that it’s in the very place he’s meant to go for his mission, he sends Newton to the village to investigate.

Aziraphale goes to Heaven with the hypothetical situation that the anti-Christ might not be who they think. It doesn’t make any difference to anyone, because Heaven wants its war, whether preventable or not. Neither Crowley nor Aziraphale is willing to kill a child, anti-Christ or not, so Crowley suggests they simply run away together. Aziraphale is still conflicted about their friendship, protesting that they’re hereditary enemies and can’t possibly be friends. Crowley is hurt and offended and Aziraphale tells him it’s over.

The Summoner delivers his package to Famine, an entrepreneur who is preparing to open a restaurant that exclusively serves artificial food with absolutely no nutritional value. He takes the scales that were delivered to him and makes his way to the fields of Armageddon.

Adam comes across Anathema as she vents her frustrations about losing her book. He asks if there’s anything he can do to help, so she invites him into her cottage for a some lemonade. She shares with him the truth about the world, which in fact are several conspiracy theory type things from weird magazines. He becomes fascinated by these “facts,” believing that they have to be true because it’s in print. He begins to dream about these things he’s reading about, causing them to happen in real life.

What did you think of this episode of Good Omens? Be sure to tell us in the comment section below!