I'm a big fan of Neil Gaiman and have read the source novel. Though the adaptation is loose (and by loose I mean, barely recognisable, at some points) I really liked this first season of "American Gods".
Recently granted and early release from Prison following the death of his wife, Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) received a mysterious job offer from the enigmatic Mr Wednesday (Ian McShane). The job is to accompany Wednesday, as he travels the country attempting to recruit his old friends to his undefined cause. Meanwhile, Shadow's wife Laura (Emily Browning) returns from the dead, via an extreme moment of luck, and tries to track down Shadow.
Plot wise, it actually only takes a reasonably small part of the American gods novel for this first season. So, it feels almost like a prequel, or extended introduction to the characters of the novel. I can imagine that people who haven't read the book, or at least made themselves familiar with the premise, might struggle - particularly with the early episodes, as there are a lot of introductions to characters who then don't feature in the plot immediately.
The show is glorious to look at though. It's unmistakably a Brian Fuller production - so much so I'm pre-emptively disappointed that he's off the show for the second season onwards. Like "Hannibal" the show has so much style, in its visual effects, in its depictions of both the unreal and the hyperreal - it's a fantastic (and presumably expensive) looking show.
I love that Ricky Whittle, once an actor in "Hollyoaks" and "Footballer's Wives" has ascended to being the lead in this big budget American production. He's really good in his role too, flawless in the accent, and though he mostly just has to spend a lot of him time looking confused - I felt engender the right levels of sympathy that I cared about what happens to Shadow. Speaking of getting your start on UK TV, old "Lovejoy" himself Ian McShane continues to show he's one of the most commanding presences on the screen.
I love that this first season managed to be so good, despite not burning through much of the source story, but I do know that the second season wasn't well received and that Fuller is no longer the creative force on the show. I'm going to go in with an open, but cautious mind.
Recently granted and early release from Prison following the death of his wife, Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) received a mysterious job offer from the enigmatic Mr Wednesday (Ian McShane). The job is to accompany Wednesday, as he travels the country attempting to recruit his old friends to his undefined cause. Meanwhile, Shadow's wife Laura (Emily Browning) returns from the dead, via an extreme moment of luck, and tries to track down Shadow.
Plot wise, it actually only takes a reasonably small part of the American gods novel for this first season. So, it feels almost like a prequel, or extended introduction to the characters of the novel. I can imagine that people who haven't read the book, or at least made themselves familiar with the premise, might struggle - particularly with the early episodes, as there are a lot of introductions to characters who then don't feature in the plot immediately.
The show is glorious to look at though. It's unmistakably a Brian Fuller production - so much so I'm pre-emptively disappointed that he's off the show for the second season onwards. Like "Hannibal" the show has so much style, in its visual effects, in its depictions of both the unreal and the hyperreal - it's a fantastic (and presumably expensive) looking show.
I love that Ricky Whittle, once an actor in "Hollyoaks" and "Footballer's Wives" has ascended to being the lead in this big budget American production. He's really good in his role too, flawless in the accent, and though he mostly just has to spend a lot of him time looking confused - I felt engender the right levels of sympathy that I cared about what happens to Shadow. Speaking of getting your start on UK TV, old "Lovejoy" himself Ian McShane continues to show he's one of the most commanding presences on the screen.
I love that this first season managed to be so good, despite not burning through much of the source story, but I do know that the second season wasn't well received and that Fuller is no longer the creative force on the show. I'm going to go in with an open, but cautious mind.