American Gods

Season 1 was a huge disappointment for me. While the theme has a lot of potential, the creators just drowned it in episodes without a coherent story. It was more of a patchwork of unrelated storylines pieced together by an autistic, substance-addicted individual. The few episodes that didn’t follow this pattern were quite decent, and I wish there were more of them. As a longtime World of Warcraft player, I appreciate the main character's name, but as a fan of well-played psychopaths, I’m disappointed by the absence of Chernobog in Wisconsin. (09/09/2017)

I haven't read the book, so I went into this not knowing what to expect. To be honest, I'm still not sure after the first episode. The main plot was straightforward, but the mysterious elements left me puzzled without much explanation. I’m hoping to get a better grasp of the story in the upcoming episodes. (09/07/2017)

I’m starting to get a handle on things, but aside from the always excellent Peter Stormare, there wasn’t much to praise in this episode. The opening scene didn’t resonate with me, as I have no ancestral ties to plantations in the American South, so I don’t feel personally implicated in the grim history presented. (09/07/2017)

With each episode, my suffering increases. The Pale Rider looks like he’s been tanning intensively, and I guess he rides a black horse to keep the homies happy. As if that wasn’t enough, I had to sit through pseudo-intellectual conversations about nothing, and listen to American actors butchering Russian words. The whole thing feels forced, desperately trying to convince me it’s a coherent story. Maybe I’d believe it if I had a better relationship with drugs, but without them... (09/08/2017)

A more cohesive plot made for a better episode, especially the second half where Laura turned into Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride and then had her Death Becomes Her moment. My only gripe is that Emily Browning has about as much sex appeal as Calista Flockhart, but I’m sure Indy would appreciate it. So far, this is the best episode — looks like the writers skipped their usual acid trip for breakfast. (09/08/2017)

What a turn! It seems this improvement is due to the lack of drug-induced hallucinations, making the plot finally make sense. Plus, after Peter Stormare, we now have another great psychotic character, played by Crispin Glover, which was a delightful addition. One request to the creators: if you cast Emily Browning in future projects, please keep her frail frame covered with a puffer jacket out of consideration for viewers with weak hearts. I haven't been this scared in a long time. (09/08/2017)

I praised the last episode, but this one felt like time stood still. The story barely moved forward, aside from a state-to-state road trip. Another god showed up but didn’t stick around for long. There was a lot of driving, probably just to show some semblance of progress. (09/08/2017)

Mad Sweeney is a fun character, but dedicating an entire episode to his backstory feels unnecessary. This episode, along with the previous one, seemed like filler and didn't move the plot forward. The series could have ended two episodes earlier without losing anything important. (09/08/2017)

If I'm counting right, this is only the second episode that was actually worth it. The plot stayed on track without any unnecessary fluff, Kristin Chenoweth was just as good as she was in Pushing Daisies, and Emily Browning’s frail frame stayed covered the whole time. However, I still don’t get Shadow Moon’s obsession with finding out Mr. Wednesday’s real name when everyone around him casually calls him Wotan. Is Moon just slow? Anyway, this episode piqued my interest in the rest of the series, something I wouldn’t have believed just yesterday. (09/09/2017)

Getting through the second season of American Gods was a largely excruciating experience. All too often, I was bored (and I mean bored out of my mind), which was caused, among other things, by the chaotic plot (if there was any) and a large number of philosophical dialogues or monologues. The worst thing by far, however, was the constant harping on the subject of the suffering of black people in America; the more the filmmakers push it, the more negative my attitude towards black people is. It started off as neutral, but a few more experiences like this and I might start cutting out holes in the sheets. I think I'll probably watch the third season, but I'm already apprehensive about it. (03/01/2021)

Let's start on a positive note. I really enjoyed the gathering in that peculiar house; it was perfect. But that's about where my positives end for this episode. After the fantastic finale of the first season, I found myself quite disappointed. The absence of Ostara and that special atmosphere left me wanting, and despite plenty of dialogue, the plot didn't quite captivate me. 3*- (02/26/2021)

In the second episode, the creators took a split approach to the plot, weaving together two timelines. While the storyline with the leprechaun and the corpse bride held some watchable moments, Shadow's childhood was portrayed as yet another rendition of the same old story which I'm starting to find really annoying. (02/26/2021)

The third episode wasn't a complete letdown; there were moments where it seemed like things were stirring. However, it leaned heavily into mysterious dialogues that hinted at something, though I struggled to grasp exactly what. New Media left me a bit disappointed; I get that they were missing an Asian character in their lineup, but I'll certainly miss Gillian Anderson. (02/27/2021)

So here's what I'm pondering: "Did the fourth episode actually move the story forward in any significant way?" Honestly, not really, if at all. It felt mostly lackluster, with the creators attempting to "spice it up" by delving further into the plight of African Americans. (02/27/2021)

There were attempts at weaving in some plot amidst the chatter, although it still felt a bit drowned out. I'd lean towards a weaker three-star rating, but let's be honest, Emily Browning shouldn't ever take off her dress. She looks like a walking advertisement for hunger. (02/28/2021)

This is so frustrating... Instead of watching American Gods, I felt like I stumbled into some bizarre cabaret or even a musical – two things I really don't vibe with (to put it mildly). The plot veered completely off the main storyline, feeling both foolish and downright dull at times. (02/28/2021)

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by my own rating for the seventh episode — I enjoyed the episode dedicated to my favorite character, Mad Sweeney, who had me nodding along in agreement about gods and churches. This was the highlight of the second season for me. (03/01/2021)

The finale wasn't the disaster I had anticipated from my accumulated experiences. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't an extraordinary masterpiece either. But as they say, in the world of the blind, the one-eyed man is king (and no, that wasn't a reference to Odin). The creators have shown me several times before that it could get much worse... (03/01/2021)