American Gods Episode 1 Review: “The Bone Orchard Review”
American Gods Episode 1 “The Bone Orchard”
“American Gods” Episode 1 showered us in blood, dazzled us with Ian McShane and provided the first on-screen depiction of a man swallowed whole by a vagina (Big D thought it was sexy). What more do you want?
Someone, to help make sense of it all? We got you, Boo.
The action gripped us. The soundtrack, visual effects, and performances were better than most series’ finales. Thus, we’re willing to forgive a few inconsistencies and give “American Gods” the Shat on TV seal of approval.
After you listen, send us your theories, observations, and opinions at hosts@shatontv.com!
Storyline for “The Bone Orchard Review” :
Episode 1: A man, broken and alone, wishes only to survive his time in prison long enough to see his wife again. Although unexpected news releases him from prison early, it is hardly the news he wishes. Left feeling like he is looking at the world from the bottom of a well, he must literally walk the heroes’ path back to a time where he even resembles sanity.
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As a dedicated book reader I’ve had to come to the understanding that books, film, and tv are too different of mediums to be done exactly the same. I’ve learned to truly enjoy an interpretation, like there is some ancient truth to every story and through whichever medium, I can experience the same story I love in a unique way. Often the parts that really create the story are always there and the different tangents allow me to reread, rewatch, and discuss over and over again.
I do think books can give a lot more in the way of an explination, but I think it might be more enjoyable to stick to what we see in this particular medium and use what we know from the books to put more abstract parts in context (even as a reader I get sick of hearing “But in the book”).
Anyway, I absolutely loved the episode. It stayed true to the core truth of the story and was beautiful, except Audrey that was obnoxious. Her character is angry, and rightfully so, but there are more entertaining ways to portray it, like spitting on the corpse of a dead woman.
I would also like to say that the book did wait on giving answers and made you invest in the world before laying it all out. This story is as much about the journey as it is the characters.
Hey guys,
can we teach Roger something about guns?
he sounds like he has a .40 cal mind…
in a .50 cal world. 😉
I just finished reading the book 2 weeks ago, and I’m watching with my husband, who hasn’t read it.
The first ep was definitely a whirlwind, and I’m good with about 95% of the changes that were made from the book (I also thought Robbie’s wife was a little OTT in the show…)
But the entire time we were watching, I was wondering: what the hell must my husband be thinking? There were things that I definitely recognised as clear foreshadowing–because I’d read the book. But I wonder how overwhelming it must be for those who haven’t read the book to essentially be thrown into it all without, as you mentioned in the ‘cast, much world-building.
I realise the book did the same, but still. With a book the size of AG in your hands, you know something’s coming down the line. I wonder if the show ultimately will garner a solid group of non-book followers.
I am reading the book as I watch the show because I was too lazy to read it before. For me I feel the tv show is enriched with some background knowledge as I have no comic book nor mythology knowledge base.
However, I think on the podcast, the show needs to be discussed as its own thing more, not so much emphasis and comparisons with the source material. Some comparisons, but book and tv show are different and the constant points of agreement and variations bogs down the podcast.
A quick read on the almighty Wikipedia says that Norse texts depict Odin as being one-eyed.
I am loving the show already and thanks for your efforts.
Honestly, as a book guy I didn’t have alot of issues with the changes that the show made. I thought the Audrey scene in the cemetery while different, still did it’s job moving the story forward and it actually made me laugh. I wasn’t as unhappy with Technical Boy as I
thought I was going to be, but I don’t like that he is being made into a “Big Bad” so fast or at all. The other very nit picky thing was how they glossed over Shadows interest in coin tricks. That is a very big part of who he is in the book and while they showed him doing some tricks, it wasn’t flushed out. Overall I was very pleased with episode one and am really looking forward to episode two.
I’m just going to say that when Mr. Wednesday is introduced and he’s trying to recruit Shadow on the plane, he keeps telling him things and he says I see things even though he’s missing an eye.