So you're bored out of your mind at home with all your shows either had its final call or are on a summer hiatus and you hear this new show: "American Gods" on Starz. What? From the synopsis, it sounds like your generic mythological drama with nothing to add but it is so much more!
There's a novel? Of course, there was
You heard it here first (well, not really) but "American Gods" was first a novel written by Neil Gaiman. The novel was first published in 2001 and has since been rallied for a TV adaption. And they got it!
The novel is written with Shadow (played by Ricky Whittle), who just got out of prison, and his journey working for a mysterious man named Mr.
Wednesday (Ian McShane). There's more to the synopsis here so feel free to continue reading if it's already taken your interest.
What about the TV Adaption?
This novel has finally got its prayers answered when Bryan Fuller and Michael Green took the helm for the adaptation. Bryan Fuller, fans may recount, is also the mastermind behind Hannibal and Pushing Daisies.
Oh, don't worry about Neil Gaiman: he has an active role in the series too, acting as one of the executive producers. I mention this because we all know when our favorite books and novels move to the big screens. There's always mixed feelings and sometimes, we feel what they've done with one scene doesn't compare to the book!
You're not the only one— I also had my reticence upon hearing the TV adaption.
The TV adaption has to be good if it was already renewed before the end of the first season!
Why watch it? The real reason you're here!
As a big fan of the book even before I heard about the TV adaption, I absolutely loved it! It was a new take on many different stories that focused on different mythologies and other different kinds of gods and goddesses.
One sentence can summarize both the novel and series: what if the Gods of Old Faith were to face the new Gods of the Century?
The Gods of the Old Faith? You know them from different cultures: Greek mythology, Slavic mythology, there's even the many different faces Christianity has taken in different cultures. So it isn't your average Zeus-commands-you or God-is-real kind of series.
It takes every bit of god and goddess from almost every culture with some sort of mythological basis and throws it against the new Gods of the Century.
So what are the new Gods of the Century? You know them all too well: media, information/knowledge, technology, even management. All of these Gods are easily accessible on your smartphone and on the rare times you've looked up to see the skies, you'll see them on your billboards and plastered on skyscrapers.
How are the Gods of Old Faith going to deal with the progress of time?
That isn't to say that "American Gods" is beyond perfection. There have been some critics here and there. But overall, it's a good series to pass the time and also to see something new.
