OMG: American Gods!

[TheWatcher]

So are there any other fans?

i just finished the first season (I’m mad it only has 8 EPISODES! Who does that?!?!?) and I’m hooked. I finally picked up the book that’s been sitting on my shelf for awhile and I love it as well.

What do you guys think? Favorite characters? Least favorite? Without spoiling, how does it compare to the book thus far?

[RumplesGirl]

American Gods is tricky for me to talk about because I am, what some might charitably call, a zealot. Gaiman is one (if not THE) of my all time favorite authors and I consider AG to be his best work. I’ve read it countless times, most recently in the weeks leading up the show.

So I’ve tried not to talk about it too much with people because I don’t want to come across as a bit, uh, fanatical. But with that in mind…

–Favorite Character: Well, I love and adore what Ian McShane has done with Mr. Wednesday. He’s basically perfect for the part and you can tell he’s in love with this role. However, Mr. Wednesday isn’t exactly a stand up guy so it’s hard to call him my favorite. I think it has to go to Ricky Whittle as Shadow; I like that the show has made him more vocal–you’re more inside Shadow’s head in the book than is prudent for a TV show and Whittle is doing some really great work. I also really like Shadow as a character because it’s a very warped and weird version of the heroes journey and we all know I’m a true sucker for those.

–Least Favorite: Mr. World, for very obvious reasons. I don’t like him as a character but I also don’t like what he represents, the sort of unrelenting globalization that seeks to strike down individuality in place of commonalities.

I will also say that I’m really surprised–pleasantly so–at how the show has made Mad Sweeney and Laura so likable. Neither of them serve much purpose in the novel outside of some plot exposition with Laura serving as a reminder of Shadow’s past life, but the show fleshed them out in a really believable way. Laura’s role in particular is great. They turned her from a mostly unlikable character into one I feel sorry for (while also blaming her for her own misery)

–The book will always be better but they are sticking to it mostly lock, stock, and barrel and that makes me incredibly happy. What they have changed has been smart–like Laura and Mad Sweeney getting fleshed out or dropping some other smaller New Gods in favor of focusing on Media, Technology and Mr. World as a truly bizarre family unit.

–One of the other smart things the TV show has done is really focus on the way AG is an immigrant story. It’s always there in Gaiman’s novel but with current events in America, the immigrant question and their condition comes more to the forefront.

–One of the best opening sequences EVER.

–I think Anansi’s speech to the slaves might be my favorite God introduction.

Overall, it very quickly became my favorite new show of the season which is a relief because I was very scared when I learned it was going to be a TV show.

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[TheWatcher]

Its a tie between Mad Sweeney and Bilquis. Sweeney is one of those really bad behaved, foul mouthed characters that I just love because hes so fun and Bilquis….shes only had a handful of scenes and I’m dying for more. I cant wait to see what they have in store for her next season.  I vaguel recall reading an interview where someone said the actresses who play Laura and Bilquis have requested scenes together because they get along so well off camera or something so woohoo.  Oh, and I also ADORE Media. Its really hard for me to chose a fave cause I enjoy so many of them but I’m definetly going with Mad Sweeney.

My least fave? Idk…. I guess it’d have to be Mr. World, but only because I cant get into seeing him as threatening. But we haven’t seen that much of him yet. Maybe its the actor? Great actor but I honest to god kept thinking of the time he played Willy Wonka in that parody movie

What they have changed has been smart–like Laura and Mad Sweeney getting fleshed out or dropping some other smaller New Gods in favor of focusing on Media, Technology and Mr. World as a truly bizarre family unit.

This makes me sad because I was hoping both Laura and Sweeney’s stories would be in the book as well. And Media, Tech and Mr. World aren’t the main baddies in the book? Aww :/

Laura’s role in particular is great. They turned her from a mostly unlikable character into one I feel sorry for (while also blaming her for her own misery)

I was actually surprised by how much I ended up liking Laura, she just seemed like someone I felt I was going to be annoyed with when the first introduced her and her death (like Milah). But shes great. I really want to see her, Mad Sweeney, and Salim all together. Speaking of Salim

I really hope they bring back Salim and further his story with the Jinn. I wonder if the Jinn feels the same way as he does or if he considers it just a one night stand? Will the Jinn want to be with Salim at all or will he keep running once he learns Salim is looking for him? I also hear that Salim is only in one portion of te book so I guess I shouldn’t be expecting to get my fix from there either. It needs to be 2018 already so I can see these characters again. WHY ONLY 8 EPISODES?!?!?! D:

One of the other smart things the TV show has done is really focus on the way AG is an immigrant story. It’s always there in Gaiman’s novel but with current events in America, the immigrant question and their condition comes more to the forefront.

I’m hoping they incorporate more real, current world issues into this show. I think the idea that Vulcan gets worship every time there is a mass shooting is simply brilliant and of course, a real hot topic today.

"I could have the giant duck as my steed!" --Daniel Radcliffe
Keeper Of Tamara's Taser , Jafar's Staff, Kitsis’s Glasses , Ariel’s Tail, Dopey's Hat , Peter Pan’s Shadow, Outfit, & Pied Cloak,Red Queen's Castle, White Rabbit's Power To World Hop, Zelena's BroomStick, & ALL MAGIC

[RumplesGirl]

And Media, Tech and Mr. World aren’t the main baddies in the book? Aww :/

I won’t spoil anything for you. But…well, they are and they aren’t.

WHY ONLY 8 EPISODES?!?!?! D:

I get the anguish but I’m honestly very glad they had the foresight to not make it more. It’s a lot of plot, visuals, and bouncing around. Let the audience take in those eight episodes and the biggest themes–belief, remembrance, immigration, new vs old–and let them sit with it for awhile.

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[Author]

Posts