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American Gods |OT| You Had Me At Bryan Fuller - Sundays on Starz
- Thread starter TheOddOne
- Start date
Monocle
Member
Aww yiss. That scene was a welcome surprise in the book. I never would have guessed it was going there based on the beginning of the chapter.
Vulcano's assistant
Banned
Definitely not an afterthought. I think a lot of effort went into it.
Here is an amazing breakdown of all the images.
Aries the God of Virtual War, with a chariot pulled by two customized American muscle cars, holding a crossbow with a nuclear ICBM loaded into it.
this got to be the coolest shot in the opening. Maybe the astronaut in the cross too, but it isn't framed as nicely.
AcademicSaucer
Member
You had me at Ian McShane, I have to watch this.
More_Badass
Member
I like this one tooDefinitely not an afterthought. I think a lot of effort went into it.
Here is an amazing breakdown of all the images.
Aries the God of Virtual War, with a chariot pulled by two customized American muscle cars, holding a crossbow with a nuclear ICBM loaded into it.
Monocle
Member
Awesome. Love the opening and the title theme.Definitely not an afterthought. I think a lot of effort went into it.
Here is an amazing breakdown of all the images.
Aries the God of Virtual War, with a chariot pulled by two customized American muscle cars, holding a crossbow with a nuclear ICBM loaded into it.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
True, although demanding sacrifice in the first place (especially in the form of blood/death) is extremely fucked up.
Borderline evil, then.
The Vikings and slaves both asked for help, but Odin ignored the former's pleas until they mutilated and killed each other and Anansi set the latter free, but convinced them to burn themselves alive.
Both gods could have easily helped their followers but chose not to. They're cruel.
Eh, there are some explicitly "good" and "evil" gods though...
Off the top of my head:
Tell Me You Love Me (HBO) gave Adam Scott a prosthetic erection
Da Vinci's Demons (Starz) had a dead dude lying naked on a table with a boner
Power (Starz) showed 50 Cent's (fake?) boner during a sex scene
Girls (HBO) gave Matthew Rhys a prosthetic erection
Big Little Lies (HBO) had Nicole Kidman smack Alexander Skarsgård's prosthetic erection with a tennis racket
It's extremely rare but it has happened before, although never twice in the same episode (until American Gods episode 2).
...oh
what did she say
Starz renews everything for a second season.
More_Badass
Member
You know, I took that Viking story to not explicitly be Odin helping them, but them just believing he did. The belief was enough to bring Odin to the New World, but the wind was just the wind. Not actually divine
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
I thought seasons 1 and 2 were supposed to span the book?
Adam Sadler
Member
Watched the first two episodes and this is such a Bryan Fuller show. Does the book just really match him well?
NoblesseOblige
Banned
Ah, that is weird then.
Probably my two favorite images along with the crucified astronaut.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Hmm, perhaps. I hadn't thought of that.
They apparently have multiple seasons planned, so the show will probably be on the air for some time.
Leona Lewis
Banned
Gillian Anderson not getting enough love. She was stellar (and borderline unrecognizable!) in that scene.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
She was fantastic, as usual. I can't wait to see more of her.
Beren the Empty-Handed
Member
Since it looks like some people weren't sure about Wednesday (character spoilers)
, a big clue/easter egg, is the large amount of nooses, as
. Although the eye should give it away, too.
being Odin
Odin is the Lord of the Gallows
YesNOnoNOYes
Member
Definitely not an afterthought. I think a lot of effort went into it.
Here is an amazing breakdown of all the images.
Aries the God of Virtual War, with a chariot pulled by two customized American muscle cars, holding a crossbow with a nuclear ICBM loaded into it.
omg i loves it ty so much for link * ___ *
just saw second episode :> i very enjoyed * ___ *
that opening scene killed me. absolutely delightful * ___ *
cant wait for epi3 aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
31GhostsIV
Banned
Anansi and Media were great. Always good to see McShane and Stormare.
Despite remembering Shadow as fairly charisma-free in the book, I still can't get past Whittle in the main role. He'll always be Calvin from Hollyoaks to me and seems completely out of place as a result. His wonky accent doesn't help either.
Despite remembering Shadow as fairly charisma-free in the book, I still can't get past Whittle in the main role. He'll always be Calvin from Hollyoaks to me and seems completely out of place as a result. His wonky accent doesn't help either.
That's not true at all. Mythology was specifically created to teach children/remind people of what's good and what's bad, so there are explicitely good and evil gods. And even though the gods in American Gods are made more grey because the fading belief in the gods causes them to band together, it's still very much there in the book and show as shown in for instance the speech by Czernobog about black and white
and Loki's role in the book
Certain gods being clairvoyant creates a logical fallacy though.
Why would Wednesday be concerned about the war between New Gods vs. Old Gods if he can just go to Anansi and ask who's going to win. Why would Anansi want to help anyone if he can always see the outcome of their actions?
Monocle
Member
It does. It's a crazy accurate adaptation so far. The book is pretty much tailor made for a TV adaptation packed with Fullerisms.
Much more so than Hannibal, and he and his awesome team accomplished wonders with series.
rocketskates
Member
He also made a comment this episode about needing to get his hammer back
rocketskates
Member
Fuck I need sleep haha
Don Draper's Hat
Member
He's absolutely shite. He's fairly decent when he has to look a little bit tough, but everything else is excruciating to watch.
Are American actors so bad that they had to hire someone from fucking Hollyoaks?
Chiaroscuro
Member
It is been like 15 years since I read the novel (will start a another reading of it asap) and I don't remember why Czernobog is portrait by Gaiman to use a hammer (it is know do little about this Slavic god) and it looks it will just confuse people for another hammer god...
I'm not sure about why Gaiman gave Czernobog a hammer, but Wednesday describing Czernobog as his 'hammer' is pretty clear foreshadowing of the fact that
Thor is dead.
I actually thought Ricky Whittle was doing pretty well as Shadow.
I agree. If I understood the books,
.
Besides, MASSIVE BOOK SPOILERS:
.
I agree. If I understood the books,
these prologues have been about how the gods made their way to the new world, or even how they were created anew in the new world
Besides, MASSIVE BOOK SPOILERS:
it becomes apparent that Odin isn't really a great guy after all
Winterblink
Member
Yep, that. They were some of my favorite bits in the book too.
Personally I think Fuller and team have completely nailed the feeling of the book 100% with this.
Admiral Woofington
Member
I can't remember what the ultimate significance of shadow is to the overall plot. I'm trying to, but it has been so long. Something in me thinks it remembers that (book spoilers)
he wasn't at all, just a pawn
BOOK SPOILERS:
He's Odin's son.
"Books." Christ. I'm too used to seeing Game of Thrones being discussed.
Jag
Member
My wife and I are watching with our almost 17 year old son. She keeps questioning why I recommended this to him and I reminded her that he read the book for a school project. (which I also picked off a list for him to read)
I did tell him that not all vaginas work like that.
Chiaroscuro
Member
I get it, but that also makes little sense in the way Gaiman builds his mythology. Gaiman says that Gods are creation of men believes, and cannot die or cease to exist while people still belive/remember them. Of all those gods, Thor or at leat one aspect of him should be alive and kicking in modern America. He should be doing better that Czernobog at least...
Chiaroscuro
Member
Admiral Woofington
Member
I don't know exactly how it works, because while it is mentioned that as long people still believe/remember, the gods cannot actually permanently die (which is showcased by Wednesday coming back), Bilquis is also killed off pretty easily and several other gods are also mentioned as being killed, so maybe there's some additional unexplained stuff going on with death. Anyway, I think that if American Gods was written in the past five years, Thor obviously wouldn't be dead considering the Marvel films brought back awareness of the Norse mythology in a big way, but in 2001 I can see why Thor would be dead.
Depends what you're watching.
Yeah, death is funky for gods. Thor kills himself, but that's not to say he's permanently dead or even physically gone. Maybe he's metaphysical until there's enough belief to bring him back, or dormant, or just asleep in a coffin somewhere.
Would hollow "belief" in a pop fiction character be strong enough to bring him back? That's a good question.
Would hollow "belief" in a pop fiction character be strong enough to bring him back? That's a good question.
More_Badass
Member
Not particularly.
Fiction and mythology is rife with characters who can see the future, know what's coming, but not intervene, either through not being able to or not wanting to. Even if Anansi did have future knowledge doesnt mean he would or could share it, or be able to act in a way that prevented that future
Chiaroscuro
Member
it is a funny absence, but I think it is necessary for the roles of Shadow and Loki. However, even without the movies Marvel have been promoting Thor and Norse mythology since the 60s. Tons of comics and merchandise. Much more awareness than Czernobog. When he was last remembered? Fantasia? Well, Thor killed himself, so he may not be a fan of being a pop culture reference (if you try to think too much that aspect of Thor will bring him to Media).
Beren the Empty-Handed
Member
Thor killed himself. And the way things seem in the book, he'd need a sacrifice to really come back in the full, as Odin does. Even post-avengers, I'm not sure anyone new is making sacrifices or performing rituals in the name of Thor. And I don't think it would have persuaded anyone to "believe" in him. Otherwise Batman would be a god in the book.