Staying in #1 with American Gods and The Void

American Gods

Two episodes in, and those who have read the book by Neil Gaiman - and I'm one of the many - are frothing at the mouth with excitement as we come to grips with having been proved wrong in thinking American Gods was impossible to adapt for either the big, or small, screen.

Oh how wrong we were.

Here it is in all its glory, and while those who are not familiar with the source material may well be wondering what the hell is going on, it is doubtful that they can pull their eyes away either.

It's quite simply a smorgasbord of gonzo television. The rule book has been ripped to confetti and cast to the winds.

From a debut that splashed more blood about than a whole season of Game of Thrones to the cliff hanging climax of episode two, we have a show that is setting out to challenge on every conceivable level. It's a gore laden fantasy that manages to be cerebral too. A game changer.

The argument that in recent years television viewing has usurped the movie world in being the place where the big stories can be told is a sound one, and American Gods is a prime example of why this is.

If a novel requires many hours to do it justice in the retelling then the cinema is no longer fit for purpose in that respect.

Realistically how could a tale of the new gods challenging the old gods for dominance be told in an hour or two, and who wants to wait a few years to get to the end of a trilogy of movies when in weekly instalments we can have it all in a matter of months?

Hell yes, the small screen is kicking the arse of the previously dominant large screen, and long may it keep winning when this show is the result.

Back to American Gods though. The scope of the show is mind boggling, as you will find out, but already it gives the impression of it being in very capable hands, so a large dollop of praise has to go to the lead cast as they weave their own magic on the screen.

The character of Shadow Moon, our human protagonist, has sprung fully formed to life through the talents of Ricky Whittle - who has come a long way from his Hollyoaks days, and similar to Daniel Kaluuya who starred in Get Out' he now seems to be assured of a glittering career in the US - as he quietly, but with tempered force, eases himself into his post prison life as employee of a Mr Wednesday, but it has to be said that the real plaudits must go to Ian McShane - who also has his roots in a UK tv show - as by taking on the role of Mr Wednesday, our god protagonist, he is likely to kick his Deadwood past to the kerb and sit this jewel of a role front and centre in the crown of his acting achievements.

It's as if everything he has been involved in has been in preparation for this role.

Here he is as a god, a flawed and fucked up god, or is he?

Is he really just playing a god who is playing with the preconceived idea of what a god should be?

You will find out, but suffice to say he is more apt to turn a coke into bourbon than water into wine, and lay hands on a bar hopping lady than the ill.

He is no messianic figure, but rather Odin looking to gather other gods from multiple religions to his side to fight off the young hungry for power gods.

Gods who we have manifested into existence and threaten those who came before.

It's a meaty role, a huge role, and he is completely self assured in it.

He is putting in an award winning performance, and if they are given then they will be well deserved.

Don't believe me? Then you know what to do. Watch it and tell me that I'm wrong.

Now it is only a matter of hanging in to see how the executives in tv land will react.

Where will they go now that yet another glass ceiling has been smashed.

Only time will tell I suppose.

Maybe the Dark Tower, or the next instalment of Twin Peaks, will raise the stakes again.

Until then I'm going to wallow in this like the proverbial snout nosed animal in the brown stuff.

Website
American Gods on Twitter
Ricky Whittle on Twitter

The Void.

The short review would be "John Carpenter fans make movie' but that would not just be short, but unkind as it is a homage to much more.

The premise of making a supernatural "Assault on Precinct 13" with a large tip of the hat to the fX team of 'The Thing' isn't a bad idea, and the curveball of adding in some Hammer and Lovecraft styled padding isn't unwelcome either.

And it is entirely possible that someone involved was raised on some 'Space 1999, as specifically the Dragons Domain episode seems to have stuck in their subconscious (See clip below and keep it in mind while watching this), and of course The Twilight Zone, any era Twilight Zone, is in The Voids DNA too.

So it is either an exercise in throwing everything at the wall and hoping something will stick, a fun trawl through the teams influences, or maybe the movie was made by committee with everyone getting what they want put in.

None of that really matters though as it's an enjoyable romp made all the better by playing spot the reference along with it.

It will be interesting to see what they come up with next.

The Void on Twitter
The Void on Facebook