In its first season, ‘American Gods’ is bold, surreal, and controversial
By Drew Henderson: A&E Editor
Believe in this new fantasy drama from the mind of Bryan Fuller
Summer TV is always the most bombastic time of the television season. This is when the big networks such as HBO, Showtime, and STARZ brings out the big guns and gives us some of the best TV they have to offer. This summer, STARZ has hit the jackpot with the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s 2001 fantasy adventure novel, “American Gods”. American Gods brings us a visually stunning show with some of the best performances you will see this year. With a addicting storyline, that does not shy away to being controversial, American Gods is the breakout hit of the summer.
The story of American Gods goes as this, the Old Gods that were brought to America from the people that travel to it prepare for war against the New Gods, such as Media, Technology, and Globalization. It is strangely eerie how timely American Gods story is, as
we live in a world where immigration is a controversial topic and technology such as cell phones and television is used to the point of obsession. One of the most controversial characters, would have to be Vulcan, which is portrayed as a god who grows strong from the worship of guns and the act of gun violence. Even though the story is one of war, the heavy gore and bloody visuals may not be for everyone.
The onset of war is just the beginning of the series, as the true storyline follows the mysterious Mr. Wednesday (McShane) and fresh out of jail convict Shadow Moon (Whittle) whose quest is to assemble the gods of old, takes them across the United States. Ian McShane as Mr. Wednesday is mesmerizing to watch, as he steals every scene he is in and has some pretty quotable dialogue that will be stuck in your head for weeks to come. Ricky Whittle also fits the role of Shadow Moon perfectly, as a man who has lost everything before he even gets out of Jail, his confusion is relatable to ours as he is eased into this world of Gods as the season goes on. Other notable characters that they meet and cross with along the way, include a variety of Gods, a down on his luck leprechaun, and Shadow’s recently deceased wife, all making their own impression along the way with some potentially becoming fan favorites.
Coming off Hannibal, Bryan Fuller continues his mesmerizing visual look, as American Gods strives to be more trippy and bloody than his previous show. Some of the most memorable scenes and visuals come from the side stories that are found during the beginning or middle of the episodes. While the majority of these stories do not advance the main plot, they serve as interesting looks into other gods’ lives in America and prove to be some of the most visually stunning moments of the series in general. STARZ has made a push to become a big contender with other premium channels such as HBO and Showtime, and with the recent addition of “American Gods”, they may have just cemented themselves with the next big thing on premium cable.
