The last 12 months of TV have been pretty incredible, to say the least. We’ve had Legion, Atlanta, Preacher and Westworld, and whilst watching the season finale of American Gods, I thought to myself, ‘This is show is way-way-way better than it should be.’
Our main character is Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), after being released from prison he meets Mr Wednesday played by Ian McShane, (brilliantly I might add) who offers him a job.
As far as exposition goes, that’s about it for American Gods, it’s based on the book of the same name by iconic writer Neil Gaiman, adapted to TV by the minds behind Hannibal and Pushing Daisies – which includes: Logan screenwriter Michael Green and Bryan Fuller, who just finished writing work on Netflix’s Star Trek Discovery.
Diving into it as quick as I can, my only gripe with the American Gods is something I also respect it for, the series holds off on as much exposition as possible. So you never know what the hell is going on until the final episode, which is as frustrating as it is bold. Not everyone will understand or have the tools to understand what’s going on, much less have the knowledge to know what the show means or is trying to say. But bold, brash, complex entertainment like this is exactly what we need more of.
Exposition aside this series really is some of the best TV I’ve ever seen, there’s always room for creativity and one of American Gods’ strongest elements is its use of short stories/short films inserted into episodes either at the end of during the middle. They’re visual wonders, ranging from CGI hand made figurines to Viking battles to 18th-century slave ships. The series’ boundaries aren’t affected by time or place, in fact, there are no boundaries at all. A simple ideology like this keeps the so show refreshing and new, as it acts like an idea rather than a show set in one narrative, with one character as a vessel for us.
It’s direction, cinematography and art direction are all on another level. Butting heads with the likes of Game of Thrones and Westworld, this TV series looks like a movie. The attention to detail, especially in lighting and colour is always prevalent. It looks like something from a Zack Snyder movie, it’s harsh and effective, though the series never anchors itself with one single look, instead broadens its horizons to bright, colourful and funny, depending on the context. Context, tone and story dictate all the stylised cues in American Gods.
Another production triumph is the score, wow. What a score, it’s made up of jazz and blues, like it’s visuals, however, the score can be perverted for different scenes. Sometimes making horror music with jazz instruments. More impressively, is how the music is used, there can be long sequences of 5-10 minutes with no other sound than music, it’s beautiful and sensual.
Overall I have to say, American Gods is an ethereal experience, it’s exactly what we need in the media industry right now. It uses just about every single tool at its disposal to mix and match a completely dream-like world that – due to its format of injecting as much style as story – manifests something I have really never seen before.
Words by Levi Eddie Aluede