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American Gods |OT| You Had Me At Bryan Fuller - Sundays on Starz
- Thread starter TheOddOne
- Start date
Good episode. Laura, Mad Sweeney, and Salim are such a WEIRD trio of character to put together, but so far I'm liking it.
I think the Vulcan subplot wasn't particularly exciting, following the whole "meeting the New Gods and escaping from the prison" episode, but super valuable. I don't remember meeting any traitor gods in the book, or at least not to this extent, but it shows exactly what they were offering Wednesday in the last episode - branding and merchandising and all that good stuff. Pairing that with the god of the forge, and with one of those ugly little company towns, and with that all American love for firearms, and it makes a ton of thematic sense.
And damn, that was an ice cold plot on Wednesday's part... building up that sympathy case early. Seeing Shadow freak out was probably the highlight there.
Also, goddamn, that's a nice sword.
I think the Vulcan subplot wasn't particularly exciting, following the whole "meeting the New Gods and escaping from the prison" episode, but super valuable. I don't remember meeting any traitor gods in the book, or at least not to this extent, but it shows exactly what they were offering Wednesday in the last episode - branding and merchandising and all that good stuff. Pairing that with the god of the forge, and with one of those ugly little company towns, and with that all American love for firearms, and it makes a ton of thematic sense.
And damn, that was an ice cold plot on Wednesday's part... building up that sympathy case early. Seeing Shadow freak out was probably the highlight there.
Also, goddamn, that's a nice sword.
Frank the Great
Banned
Wouldn't Vulcan get immediately revived since he receives so many sacrifices and the whole town believes in him?
Wednesday "cursed" him by pissing in the forge, so I think that might prevent him from being revived (at least for a while)
Hard to say for sure though
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
That's what I was wondering...
Also, was he just the god of firepower for that one small town or for all of America? Cause if it's the latter, that'd make him one of the most powerful gods.
I'm willing to bet that the curse might lead to a decline in sales for his ammunition, putting the factory out of business and essentially killing that town.
That town and that brand of ammunition. It's like being the god of a certain brand of car in Detroit. Er, old Detroit.
I assume they were "franchising." Vulcan is to "guns" as a concept what the local manager is to McDonald's.
Like, there's a New God of Firearms out there. And he's getting all the love and devotion from every gun on every hip. But because Vulcan took the deal and got his name on some big name bullets/weapons/whatever, he's getting a slice of it as well. With the added bonus of a town full of people that live and die by his name.
That's what makes sense to me, at least. But the rules have always been murky.
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Gotta imagine that Wednesday's curse is going to come into play somehow with those bullets that came out of the forge.
STILLethal
Member
GAF should I watch this show?
Currently watching: Better Call Saul, Fargo, Twin Peaks
Favorite TV shows: BB, GoT, Westworld
I ask cause I just got SlingTV and they have Starz
Currently watching: Better Call Saul, Fargo, Twin Peaks
Favorite TV shows: BB, GoT, Westworld
I ask cause I just got SlingTV and they have Starz
Absolutely. Give it a shot.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
The contrast between the ugliness of Americana and an almost beautiful portrayal immigrant religion and devotion definitely seemed intentional this episode.
The last shot with Salim was particularly beautiful.
So Vulcan became the god of 'Murica.
Man, not Jesus. He was cool.
*Mexican
Jesus
There are many in the AG universe.
Rumblebones
Banned
Catching up on last week. Laura is the fucking worst.
Zoe
Member
I think the bullets got cursed, so if they misfunction then people's faith in the company will decline. The company will collapse and some competitor not named Vulcan will take over the market.
I saw the betrayal coming a mile away. The commercialization of his name is basically what was proposed for Odin by Mr World.
It was alright. Jesus intro was good (I wonder If we will see other Jesus'?) Road trip was ok and was the better part of this episode.. I don't know how I feel about the Vulcan concept I feel like they wanted to create a new mythos and tried to hard. It was a bit of a stretch for me but the current political climate "makes it work". Cursing the bullets was cool and I thought we would see a misfire. Maybe we will.
I see they want to really establish Laura and Salim as extended characters and that's fine but their stories better take a backseat to the new gods vs old gods issue. Laura is dead and better stay dead. They better not pull the old risen again for love BS. That's far too easy and simplistic for American Gods. Don't add filler just to stretch it out. I am curious what purpose they give Salim but his lines and imagery were well done.
They need to be careful of the "team concept" don't want this to take on a Scooby Doo crew vibe. The isolation and loneliness that some of the characters exhibit made for great reflection. Let the characters have their purpose and send them on their way. The dynamic between Shadow and Mr. Wednesday cannot and must not be understated. That was arguably some of the most powerful dialogue in the book.
7/10
Moff
Member
The bullets in the coming to america segment were vulcan bullets, so he has come around
Tranqueris
Banned
Was sort of hoping Shadow would have made some kind of comment about the arm bands and distinct lack of nonwhite people in the town. At least to give some kind of feeling for what the town is really like. Like.. racism is definitely a factor here right? Or are they all about their guns 24/7?
I think they made it pretty obvious, given how everyone, including Vulcan, was giving Shadow dirty looks.
| Praxis |
Banned
That and Shadow's complete unease with the place. No need to beat us over the head with it anymore than they did.
He didn't have to, it was pretty explicitly an issue. Wednesday wasn't just talking about the bullets when he recommended he stay in the car.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
The bullets in the coming to america segment were vulcan bullets, so he has come around
Oh, really? I didn't notice that!
Tranqueris
Banned
True, I think the issue for me was whether the unease during a lot of the early scenes was because Shadow was in the middle of a town with a ton of racists who worship guns or because it's a straight up cult full of armed people completely devoted to Vulcan to the point of wearing armbands for him.
Angelus Errare
Banned
It was perfectly illustrated the way it was presented.
The metaphor in that segment is that there is a "new religion" in our modern era, not in the Christianity/Catholic sense, but in the idol worshiping, blood sacrificing, pre-Christian pagan sense of the word, and it takes the form of things like America's gun culture. They are not cultists per se, any more than the NRA and its advocates are, but their outlook is definitely cultish.
Man if Fuller et al drop some shade on Trump I will lose my shit.
Man if Fuller et al drop some shade on Trump I will lose my shit.
It's both!
Well,
in the book Shadow's revelation about their godhead really comes in Wisconsin, at the House on the Rock. Given the exposition in the last episode, I was concerned that for some inexplicable reason they were skipping The House. But then he mentioned going to Wisconsin, and I was relieved. Now I'm pretty sure it's going to be the season finale.
Ahhhh. Gotcha.
NoblesseOblige
Banned
I almost think the curse is going to make the bullets defective, or cause them to backfire on the user, resulting in the plant shutting down and his believers abandoning the town as they lose their only business.
Edit: Looks I'm late as others already covered it.
Martinski43
Member
The Leprechaun is my favourite character on the show, love his dialogue.
- A|V Club Review: An incendiary American Gods turns the god of fire to the god of firepower.
- TVLine: American Gods Recap: Welcome to the Gun Show, or Shadow Vs. the Vulcan-O.
- EW: American Gods recap: 'A Murder of Gods'.
- Uproxx: American Gods Book Club A Bullet And A Betrayal Lead To A Murder Of Gods.
- TVLine: American Gods Recap: Welcome to the Gun Show, or Shadow Vs. the Vulcan-O.
- EW: American Gods recap: 'A Murder of Gods'.
- Uproxx: American Gods Book Club A Bullet And A Betrayal Lead To A Murder Of Gods.
Solid Sora
Member
It's confirmed to be the second season's first episode, actually.
Huh. So i wonder how they're going to end it then.
ElectricThunder
Member
The most amusing part of the curse to me has got to be that it was them trotting out the old chestnut bit of "God's Piss"---gotta love the attention to detail throughout the show.
Patrick Bateman
Member
Is Vulcan the old Roman god of the same name?
Angelus Errare
Banned
Monocle
Member
This show is something special. I love the new stuff with Laura, Salim, and Mad Sweeney. That "fuck those assholes" motif was inspired. And that bar conversation about anal sex, I was living.
The Vulcan stuff was a nice commentary on gun culture and cultish nationalism. All of the Vulcan scenes were fun. Well shot and engaging.
Some misc. points:
This episode wasn't the least bit coy about
Unlike the book, the show is straining my suspension of disbelief that Shadow would stay on this crazy ride for so long.
Salim's actor is wonderful. So much vulnerability and emotion washes over his face. He's super endearing.
I'm starting to sympathize with criticism that the soundscape can get overbearing. I was distracted by the clamorous backing for the scene in Vulcan's house. Brian Reitzell should pull it back a notch or two. What worked in Hannibal doesn't always work here.
The Vulcan stuff was a nice commentary on gun culture and cultish nationalism. All of the Vulcan scenes were fun. Well shot and engaging.
Some misc. points:
This episode wasn't the least bit coy about
showing that Wednesday is a sinister bastard who's up to no good.
Salim's actor is wonderful. So much vulnerability and emotion washes over his face. He's super endearing.
I'm starting to sympathize with criticism that the soundscape can get overbearing. I was distracted by the clamorous backing for the scene in Vulcan's house. Brian Reitzell should pull it back a notch or two. What worked in Hannibal doesn't always work here.
Maybe, but he seemed kinda cocky. Like all those years in his town of worshippers brainwashed him into thinking nobody would dare betray him, not even a god he's known for years.
Ah yeah that makes sense, good call guys.
It would be the perfect finale.
Might've been the best episode so far, thanks to the surplus Mad Sweeney and all the Vulcan stuff being great. But Shadow's still like 16 paces behind where he needs to be to not be... well, an annoying drag on the show.
"Who are you? Really?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
*Welp, that settles that. I should probably let it go. I just came out of a psychadelic mindfuck police station mass slaughter that included a floating Marilyn Monroe and a living tree that's still partially lodged in my viscera, and sure, that's only the very latest in a long line of crazy shit I've had to deal with, but hey, boss says we have to get to Wisconsin. No time for questions!*
Shadow is the divine manifestation of a USB cable not fitting when you plug it in so you flip it over and try again, and it still doesn't fit, so you flip it over and try again and it somehow fits that time.
"Who are you? Really?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
*Welp, that settles that. I should probably let it go. I just came out of a psychadelic mindfuck police station mass slaughter that included a floating Marilyn Monroe and a living tree that's still partially lodged in my viscera, and sure, that's only the very latest in a long line of crazy shit I've had to deal with, but hey, boss says we have to get to Wisconsin. No time for questions!*
Shadow is the divine manifestation of a USB cable not fitting when you plug it in so you flip it over and try again, and it still doesn't fit, so you flip it over and try again and it somehow fits that time.
NoblesseOblige
Banned
Yep. Roman god of fire and blacksmithing, also the origin of the word volcano. People made sacrifices to him (though it was mostly fish or small animals). That's why he's taking sacrifices into the cauldron of smelted metals to forge modern century weapons.