Starz American Gods

I feel like I should give this some kind of grand entrance and make it all seem really important and what not. But then, that wouldn’t be the way we do things around here. The other option would be to make it all cryptic and misleading and then spring it upon you when you feel like I have almost wasted your time. That would be more inline with how we do things. And here we are…

So actually, I hadn’t thought of this show in a long time. I figured it would be crap like so many other adaptations have been lately. But the thing of it is, I had gone to the library looking for something else (which I found but that is another day). And it was sitting there on a special shelf with other dvds that I can’t even remember. I figured why not. I figured by the sticker on the cover I would only have a couple episodes to go through, not the entire season. I was wrong.

So now I am binge watching the first season of American Gods. It’s the series that has been playing on Stars. And without a doubt, this one has me enraptured. And even after I have read the book so I know the basic story and the hidden story that should be going on, I have no clue what is going on with this show. And I want to keep watching it. I’m going to have to pick up the second season when I get a chance. The third isn’t out yet from what I am gathering.

But I digress…

When I say I don’t really know what is going on, I mean, the story is so much more convoluted than I thought possible. Sure the basic story is there of the old gods vying for relevance and the new gods trying to maintain their monopoly. But it is really so much more than that.

The various subplots that litter the landscape of this series are as important as the main plot to even know what is going on. It’s like this convoluted möbius loop of a story and it just keeps going in odd circles. Yeah, I really like it.

But the thing of it is, this is more than simply the story making the show. The cinematography and music are driving forces of how we are seeing the story unfold. There are moments when I feel like I am sucked into an old noir story (in color no less). The angles and focal points add so much to what it is we are watching unfold. At times it feels a bit like the music is all over the place but it is guiding us in directions that leave us in a deeper immersion in the story.

Now I could spend my time breaking down the various bits of story and what not. But I feel like that would get tedious. This is one you are better off experiencing to get the full impact of what is going on. I honestly think that it loses something in translation.

With all of that said, spend some time with it. It’s a show you really would want to binge. But I think it is a better one to spend some time with. Savor each episode for a little bit before you jump to the next one. Every bit of this story brings new flavors and experiences to the table. You may walk away a bit perplexed at times, but you will never walk away unsatisfied (other than a need to get more of it).

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If you enjoy these stories, consider leaving some coffee money in the jar or you could buy a book or two. Either way helps keep the stories flowing.