So our big news this week is that on Monday, our sister Coco took Little C and I to a screening of the
American Gods pilot, The Bone Orchard. Because that's the kind of amazing sister she is. (Shout out for awesome sisters!)
It's been a few days and I finally feel like I've recovered enough to give you all a little taste of what's in store for us all on April 30th, when
American Gods premieres on STARZ. I'm going to do this without spoilers, for those of you who haven't read the book. And for the rest of you too, because even if you've memorized the book you're still in for a whole new experience with this show.
American Gods is based on the novel written by Neil Gaiman, and the show is being run by Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, Pushing Daisies) and Michael Green (Kings, The River) and somehow this show is the perfect blend of all three of those artists' styles. Those lush, gorgeous visuals we got from Hannibal, the beautifully paced dialogue from Kings, and that hilarious wit that only Neil Gaiman can do. It's been a long time since I read the book, and I forgot how funny Neil Gaiman's writing is until I found myself laughing outright during several scenes in the pilot.
That blend of styles shouldn't work. It shouldn't. Any two of those people in combination makes perfect sense in my head, but for some reason pushing all three creators into one project makes me feel like this show should be a jumbled mess. But it isn't in the most beautiful way possible. Somehow they all come together and tell this weird, dark, often terrifying story in a relatable and genuinely awe-inspiring way.
"But what about the performances?" Well, reader friends, I'm glad you asked. Because really this show fails or thrives on the backs of Ricky Whittle and Ian McShane. I never had any doubts about McShane, if we're being perfectly honest. I'm pretty sure I react to him being cast in, well, anything with a resounding "Hell yes!" And he is pitch perfect here. Sly and irreverent and dry in a way that McShane has honed over his career.
My only hesitancy about the casting of
American Gods was Ricky Whittle, and that hesitancy vaporized about three minutes into the pilot. I've only ever seen Whittle on the CW's
The 100, where he was good but in my mind wasn't given a whole lot to do. And Shadow Moon is not an easy character to embody. He says very little and so much of the plot goes on inside his head as he tries to figure out just what he's gotten himself into. Shadow is our window and guide into the world of the Old Gods and the New Gods and we have to believe in him or it's going to be a rough, boring ride. But don't fear, fellow fans. Whittle blew my mind. He was the definition of "still waters run deep". He was relatable and interesting and I couldn't wait to see what he was going to do next.
It seems to go without saying that I loved this pilot. It didn't pull any punches (yes, that Bilquis scene happens and yes, it's just as weird as we all hoped), and it opened up the world for the rest of the story like the best pilots do. The script was tight and maneuvered through difficult world-building without ever feeling tedious. The acting all around was incredible. The visuals, oh man, the visuals. I still can't talk about them without drooling.
After the screening, Bryan Fuller and Michael Green stuck around for a minute to talk to fans and whatnot. While Little C and Coco waited to meet Bryan Fuller, I had the chance to briefly talk to Michael Green. I'm pretty sure there is not a nicer, more sincere guy in this business (besides maybe Bryan Fuller, who got a Leia hat from a fan and immediately pulled it onto his head). I thanked him for his work and told me what an inspiration he'd been for me as a writer, and he gave me the warmest encouragement. It was a really special moment, considering he's someone whose work I've loved and studied and been inspired by.
The long and short of it is that it's gonna be a long wait to April 30th. If I was excited for American Gods before, I'm practically begging for it now. If you loved the book, you're going to feel that it's well-served by the show. If you've never read the book but love some modern fantasy, you're in for a treat. And if you like any of these creators by themselves, you're going to go nuts for this show. Like me.
Happy Watching (in two more weeks, grrrr!)!
CT
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