I wonder if they'll change the Lakeside stuff at all.
[book spoilers]
Having the end of that come after the big battle just felt weird to me, like it was hastily added in after the climax.
I was really getting into it at the time, then everything else came along and took over. By the time he went back, I was just 'Oh yeah, there was that thing'.
I could see that being moved forwards to the end of season 2, as it feels like a mini-climax to end a season one, while still having a to be continued ending to bring you into season 3.
I loved "that thing"
Reorder would be good though, give S2 more of a purpose since it preumably starts with House on the rock, then has nowhere to go but Lakeside. Resolving the thing within that season would provide some needed texture.
I liked the story about it, and it fits with the theme of old gods finding any way they can to survive, but the series has basically shown us the same thing with Vulcan and someone 'accidentally' dying every few months.
So making it a big mystery that only gets resolved at the end doesn't feel like it'd be too effective.
Fit it all in the one season and it'd give some closure to a subplot (since the main plot will still be running and all).
It could also lead to a chance to show rather than tell, if he came back in season 3 and actually saw how Lakeside had done since the thing was stopped. Could raise an interesting question of 'did the old gods actually give back as much as they took?'
Mr. World is the God of Government. Everything both good and bad about it and everything both real and not real about it.
Like he really does have Men in Black at his beck and call even though that's not something that actually happens in the real world, but enough people believe it that it's true, like wise with the Big Brotherish Eye-in-the-Sky bit, and how every bit of knowledge is archived away by him for later use.
I actually wouldn't mind an episode that focused on Mr. World and showed him to not be a completely deranged psychopath who seems to only use his powers to intimidate or kill.
Book spoilers
Except he's not. We know that's not what he is. So the idea that the spooks are something that comes with his profile, like Technoboy's "children", is something we know isn't true.
More likely they're a separate force that World co-opts and orders like Media and Technoboy. Perhaps lesser gods, concepts, or perhaps the spooks are the personification of the Men in Black. Which means that they know he isn't big government or big conspiracy. Which means he isn't hiding as either of those two, or it would mean his cover was instantly blown.
Mr. World is the God of Government. Everything both good and bad about it and everything both real and not real about it.
Like he really does have Men in Black at his beck and call even though that's not something that actually happens in the real world, but enough people believe it that it's true, like wise with the Big Brotherish Eye-in-the-Sky bit, and how every bit of knowledge is archived away by him for later use.
I actually wouldn't mind an episode that focused on Mr. World and showed him to not be a completely deranged psychopath who seems to only use his powers to intimidate or kill.
Book spoilers
Except he's not. We know that's not what he is. So the idea that the spooks are something that comes with his profile, like Technoboy's "children", is something we know isn't true.
More likely they're a separate force that World co-opts and orders like Media and Technoboy. Perhaps lesser gods, concepts, or perhaps the spooks are the personification of the Men in Black. Which means that they know he isn't big government or big conspiracy. Which means he isn't hiding as either of those two, or it would mean his cover was instantly blown.
Maximum Spoiler
His capabilities in the book are tricky to discern. The last spook, Stone? Clearly a mortal. The paramilitary units in the final battle: ethereal.
There's some mixed signals there as to whether World's influence was smoke and mirrors, or if he actually benefited from the conspiracy theorist beliefs. Perhaps a bit of both? He could have sewn the seeds of those theories hinself, thereby channeling power from the lies he made people believe. Stone believed.
Hmm. I rather like that. Which would really cast him in the role of Conspiracy God, because those are lies. As a subdomain, it certainly fits.
Mr. World is the God of Government. Everything both good and bad about it and everything both real and not real about it.
Like he really does have Men in Black at his beck and call even though that's not something that actually happens in the real world, but enough people believe it that it's true, like wise with the Big Brotherish Eye-in-the-Sky bit, and how every bit of knowledge is archived away by him for later use.
I actually wouldn't mind an episode that focused on Mr. World and showed him to not be a completely deranged psychopath who seems to only use his powers to intimidate or kill.
Book spoilers
Except he's not. We know that's not what he is. So the idea that the spooks are something that comes with his profile, like Technoboy's "children", is something we know isn't true.
More likely they're a separate force that World co-opts and orders like Media and Technoboy. Perhaps lesser gods, concepts, or perhaps the spooks are the personification of the Men in Black. Which means that they know he isn't big government or big conspiracy. Which means he isn't hiding as either of those two, or it would mean his cover was instantly blown.
Maximum Spoiler
His capabilities in the book are tricky to discern. The last spook, Stone? Clearly a mortal. The paramilitary units in the final battle: ethereal.
There's some mixed signals there as to whether World's influence was smoke and mirrors, or if he actually benefited from the conspiracy theorist beliefs. Perhaps a bit of both? He could have sewn the seeds of those theories hinself, thereby channeling power from the lies he made people believe. Stone believed.
Hmm. I rather like that. Which would really cast him in the role of Conspiracy God, because those are lies. As a subdomain, it certainly fits.
Holy fuck. More like maximum typos.
That's actually a pretty brilliant take on Mr World. Goes a long way towards explaining things.
Just thinking, Media's been taking on various roles from TV and film, right?
What are the odds she'll show up as a certain FBI agent at some point?
I'd like it if Agent Scully shows up to take Shadow out of Lakeside after he gets exposed.
Don't even care if it's cheesy, do it and if you can, have a mulder-like who plays second fiddle to her brilliance.
Just have a faceless be Mulder. Have the desk seargent hand it back its id with a "Thank you, Agent... Mulder? He's in room 3" *Faceless nods, tucks badge back in jacket*
Just thinking, Media's been taking on various roles from TV and film, right?
What are the odds she'll show up as a certain FBI agent at some point?
I'd like it if Agent Scully shows up to take Shadow out of Lakeside after he gets exposed.
I wouldn't be surprised at all. Apparently the producers were really determined to get GA to play the role, because she's a popular culture icon in her own right.
TTODewbackPuts the drawl in ya'llI think I'm in HellRegistered Userregular
edited March 2019
Hello, Season 2 has arrived. Discuss amongst yourselves. Time for me to update the original post after a long hiatus.
Reviews..are not looking very good so far (I didn't expect that would with how production went) but I'll still give it a try.
Subscribed to Starz via Hulu for free trial last night to check this out. Sad to see such an ambitious project go through such troubles, but the end result is an object lesson in "you get what you pay for," though in this instance they still went way over budget and didn't get the results they wanted.
Fingers crossed the upcoming Good Omens adaptation has better luck on the production side of things.
Thoughts regarding S2E1 plot points.
So what exactly happened with Eoster's blight thing at the end of S1? I feel like they sort of glossed over that with Tech Boy / Mr. World running off to Black Briar. Curious to see where the go with Shadow being alien-abducted by (presumably) World.
The CGI for the meeting at House on the Rock felt really cheap. Sometimes less is more.
Also, ditching the whole "Coming to America" without replacing it with some other kind of fable-esque thing about the Old Gods is a bad move. Those were some of the most memorable bits of season 1, Anansi's in particular.
I feel like this is late season 3 BSG - all signs point to the show runners having no idea where to go (largely due to production troubles) but I'm invested enough to see it through.
"If complete and utter chaos was lightning, then he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are bastards'."
It's different from BSG in that they know exactly where they need to go (they do have a book to go by). They just have no idea how to get there, and what detours to make on the way.
I'm one of the lucky people who liked BSG - until those last five or so minutes... and those were painful, glib and dumb. The end of season 3, on the other hand, still gives me goosebumps.
As far as American Gods is concerned, though, I hope that they'll still do something worthwhile with it. I enjoyed the first season better than I enjoyed the book, but a lot of that was in how the series went for broke and wasn't afraid of going over the top. You need someone able to handle that, though - and you can't half-ass it.
Thirith on
"Nothing is gonna save us forever but a lot of things can save us today." - Night in the Woods
I'm holding off on getting STARZ until I know if the new season is a trash fire or not. Anyone able to take a hit for the team and review the first few eps (as they come out)?
The season so far is still stylish, and its characters are still strong, but the connective tissue of the show just doesn't feel like its there. Characters are whisked from situation to situation seemingly on the whims of the writers as opposed to a compelling plot. I constantly feel like I'm asking myself "Why this? Why not that?" and not in the good way of there being, like, an ongoing mystery, but just the decision making of the story seems like it exists to service putting the characters in a new little scene where they can do a cool thing or have some character moments. New media frankly is actually a cool idea, but her part in the latest episode felt really rushed, and as a result, forced.
Soooo yeah the season wrapped up, and I just watched the last two episodes this afternoon. It's hard to keep saying stuff about the show because every episode is the same and has the same problems. It's beautiful, stylish, with some strong character work, but the show is conspicuously missing a few characters and also the fierce heart that drove some of the first season's most interesting moments.
It feels like an enormous amount of work and imagination is going towards making a show but someone forgot that it's supposed to have a plot or a direction or blood or something. Something in the middle that makes it a story. The entire second season is filler.
I feel like the first season was better than the book - I loved that they were fleshing out the side characters while still following the plot of the book, and all the casting was pretty good (I don't really care for Shadow, but I don't hate him). Then they lose the showrunners, find a new team that has never read the book, and just say "Stretch this shit out for a bit". The plot meanders, we get some sexy bits, there's some heavy handed commentary on society, but in the ended nothing much has happened.
... The plot meanders, we get some sexy bits, there's some heavy handed commentary on society, but in the ended nothing much has happened.
I mean... that's a good portion of the book, as well. And we haven't even gotten to Lakeside yet.
Photosaurus on
"If complete and utter chaos was lightning, then he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are bastards'."
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DemonStaceyTTODewback's DaughterIn love with the TaySwayRegistered Userregular
I definitely still enjoyed the season. Maybe not quite as much as season 1. But I also never read the book(s?) and don't know anything about it so my opinion has no consideration to that.
Plot didn't really go anywhere, but it was mostly entertaining while it did it so overall worth a watch. I hope they bring back the dead character, though!
Posts
So making it a big mystery that only gets resolved at the end doesn't feel like it'd be too effective.
Fit it all in the one season and it'd give some closure to a subplot (since the main plot will still be running and all).
It could also lead to a chance to show rather than tell, if he came back in season 3 and actually saw how Lakeside had done since the thing was stopped. Could raise an interesting question of 'did the old gods actually give back as much as they took?'
More likely they're a separate force that World co-opts and orders like Media and Technoboy. Perhaps lesser gods, concepts, or perhaps the spooks are the personification of the Men in Black. Which means that they know he isn't big government or big conspiracy. Which means he isn't hiding as either of those two, or it would mean his cover was instantly blown.
Maximum Spoiler
There's some mixed signals there as to whether World's influence was smoke and mirrors, or if he actually benefited from the conspiracy theorist beliefs. Perhaps a bit of both? He could have sewn the seeds of those theories hinself, thereby channeling power from the lies he made people believe. Stone believed.
Hmm. I rather like that. Which would really cast him in the role of Conspiracy God, because those are lies. As a subdomain, it certainly fits.
Holy fuck. More like maximum typos.
That's actually a pretty brilliant take on Mr World. Goes a long way towards explaining things.
Also,
What are the odds she'll show up as a certain FBI agent at some point?
It is a
Don't even care if it's cheesy, do it and if you can, have a mulder-like who plays second fiddle to her brilliance.
Let's play Mario Kart or something...
Just have a faceless be Mulder. Have the desk seargent hand it back its id with a "Thank you, Agent... Mulder? He's in room 3" *Faceless nods, tucks badge back in jacket*
"What, like in the TV show?"
"The documentary, yes."
I wouldn't be surprised at all. Apparently the producers were really determined to get GA to play the role, because she's a popular culture icon in her own right.
I also love that the terrifying
The showrunner quit and took Gillian Anderson and Kristin Chenoweth with him - not quite as enthusiastic about season 2. Hopefully it surprises me.
They are going to have to cast very similar people.
Reviews..are not looking very good so far (I didn't expect that would with how production went) but I'll still give it a try.
Fingers crossed the upcoming Good Omens adaptation has better luck on the production side of things.
Thoughts regarding S2E1 plot points.
The CGI for the meeting at House on the Rock felt really cheap. Sometimes less is more.
Also, ditching the whole "Coming to America" without replacing it with some other kind of fable-esque thing about the Old Gods is a bad move. Those were some of the most memorable bits of season 1, Anansi's in particular.
I feel like this is late season 3 BSG - all signs point to the show runners having no idea where to go (largely due to production troubles) but I'm invested enough to see it through.
As far as American Gods is concerned, though, I hope that they'll still do something worthwhile with it. I enjoyed the first season better than I enjoyed the book, but a lot of that was in how the series went for broke and wasn't afraid of going over the top. You need someone able to handle that, though - and you can't half-ass it.
"Nothing is gonna save us forever but a lot of things can save us today." - Night in the Woods
The bit with (SE2E2)
Felt like a very sudden and convenient writing crutch that sort of invalidated the two characters' troubles in their journey up until that point.
It feels like an enormous amount of work and imagination is going towards making a show but someone forgot that it's supposed to have a plot or a direction or blood or something. Something in the middle that makes it a story. The entire second season is filler.
I mean... that's a good portion of the book, as well. And we haven't even gotten to Lakeside yet.
Until the last episode I just assumed that they'd decided to skip that whole section
Plot didn't really go anywhere, but it was mostly entertaining while it did it so overall worth a watch. I hope they bring back the dead character, though!