# American Gods (2017)

> An ex-con becomes the traveling partner of a con man who is secretly one of the old gods recruiting an army for a coming war against new deities.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/42255

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 26
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: drama, fantasy, mystery
- Created by: Bryan Fuller, Michael Green
- Network: STARZ
- Cast: Ricky Whittle, Ian McShane, Emily Browning, Pablo Schreiber, Yetide Badaki, Crispin Glover, Bruce Langley, Omid Abtahi
- TMDB rating: 7.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1898069/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: dreamlike, melancholic, bloody, eerie, darkly humorous

## What critics say

Audience reception is positive, with the first season rated highest and later seasons slipping somewhat in audience ratings.

## Synopsis

American Gods (2017-2021) is a US premium cable fantasy drama created by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green for STARZ, adapted from Neil Gaiman's novel. Ricky Whittle plays Shadow Moon, a newly released ex-con who becomes the traveling partner of the enigmatic Mr. Wednesday, played by Ian McShane, a con man who turns out to be one of the older gods trying to recruit allies for a war against upstart deities. Shadow's grief and loyalty pull him deeper into Wednesday's schemes as the two cross a sprawling, weathered America, meeting gods, immigrants, and the people who still carry their old beliefs. Emily Browning plays Shadow's wife Laura, and Pablo Schreiber's Mad Sweeney and Yetide Badaki's Bilquis add further pulls on his loyalty. The series runs for three seasons and twenty-six episodes, with each season built around a continuing mythic conflict rather than standalone cases. Its tone is dreamlike, bloody, and melancholic, a mix of eerie mystery and dark humor. Fans of Preacher, Lucifer, and Neverwhere will find resonance in its mythic allegory and its unsettling, adult take on the hidden supernatural beneath ordinary American life.

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