My Boyfriend Caught These American Gods Symbols

Published May 9, 2017 · Updated July 6, 2022

Hey guys,

So glad you’re back reviewing TV shows!

I agree with Big D that the 1st episode did nothing to ground the audience. The transition from one action-packed scene to the next left casual viewers little time to digest the scenery. As a book reader, you can savor the sequence of events better. The soundtrack has been dope so far and is my favorite element. The acting was on par with expectations, though Audrey’s weird face (too much Botox?) distracted me from her otherwise decent performance. Shadow is as boring on the show as he is in the book. (Gaiman tends to be better at writing mystical characters than actual human ones.)

Like Roger, I listened to the audiobook. I cringed every time Laura said “puppy.” Laura and Shadow’s relationship felt really phony to me; I hope it will be more believable in the show. I don’t mind the book comparisons. I was bored by the book occasionally and tuned out some of the specifics so I’m grateful that you guys can color me in. But I can see how if you devote more than 5 minutes nitpicking at it, your non-book audience will disengage. Maybe you guys can focus more on the symbolism and mythology the way you did with Taboo? Break it down like Lit class! I know I could sure use some help–my boyfriend, who wasn’t even really watching the show pointed out 2 things I hadn’t realized before–the Vikings poking out their eyes in tribute to Odin, who is a one-eyed god (How am I supposed to know he’s one-eyed??? The glass eye didn’t tip me off, either. Aargh.), and the white buffalo that in Lakota mythology returns at the end of an age and turns foolish men into bones (http://www.livingmyths.com/Native.htm). How much of a world mythology background does the casual viewer need to bring to the show? I’m not ashamed to say that I’d rather the show spoon-feed me the mythology behind these gods.

Thanks for reading this! Keep up the excellent work.

-Vee

P.S.

I wonder how and why Gaiman chose these gods/mythic figures: Why Bilquis, not Ishtar? Why leprechauns, not fairies? Why no Greek/Roman deities?

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