Excited for American Gods? Check out our roundup of reviews from the cast, creative team, and early viewers of the pilot!
American Gods premiered at SXSW and the first screening of the series was a hit. If early reviews aren’t enough to put your mind at ease, the cast and creative team were on hand in Austin, TX to present the incredible story they are about to unleash upon the world.
Participating in press for shows is not a glamorous exercise. So, when a series you are personally thrilled about hits the road, it’s nice to have a cast and creative team who are passionate about the project.
Here’s just a bit of what the “godsquad” got into at SXSW.
First ‘American Gods’ reviews
Our @MrRickyWhittle goofing around with @TheOrlandoJones & @BruceJLangley ? #sxsw pic.twitter.com/oKh8dZd1FO
— Ricky Whittle IG (@RickyWhittleIG) March 11, 2017
Love my producers @BryanFuller @andmichaelgreen RT @RickyWhittleIG: World premiere of #AmericanGods ?excited! #SXSW pic.twitter.com/DBIIf05PQg
— Ricky Whittle (@MrRickyWhittle) March 12, 2017
Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? #AmericanGods #SXSW pic.twitter.com/NuGLhPVRzk
— American Gods (@AmericanGodsSTZ) March 11, 2017
But the AG team were not the only ones who had a lot to say. What about fans who just witnessed the world premiere? Do they think it lives up the words set down by Neil Gaiman?
‘American Gods’ early buzz
Even if many of the details remain under wraps until April, the consensus is clear — American Gods is exactly what you’re hoping it will be. (And, honestly, after Hannibal is anyone surprised?)
.@BryanFuller raises the bar with AMERICAN GODS. A great show with mystery, action, wit & incredible visuals. New TV obsession @STARZ #SXSW
— Rob Dean (@neuroticmonkey) March 11, 2017
World premiere of #AmericanGods at #SXSW! (Moderated by @LauInLA!)
Room loved 1st episode…it's a mindf*ck but in the best way possible. pic.twitter.com/Ci3p1LgtKD
— Elizabeth Wagmeister (@EWagmeister) March 11, 2017
I saw a screening of the first episode of #AmericanGods and it was amazing. #sxsw17 https://t.co/fhIDQL4SPN
— Tina Coleman (@thearystocrat) March 13, 2017
wow, #AmericanGods: gorgeous, unsettling, irreverently funny, faithful to the open-road spirit of the book. #SXSW
— Melissa Leon (@MelissaHLeon) March 11, 2017
What did we learn from the ‘American Gods’ panel?
A tonal shift
The show took on a stronger meaning as the last days of production dwindled in late October. Leaving the world of the gods behind, the cast and creative team felt that now, more than ever, the story feels important and relevant.
Creator, executive producer, and writer Bryan Fuller, notes, “It’s definitely a different show than we set out to make because the political climate in America shat itself… We are now telling massive immigration stories.”
Expanding the roles of the female characters
When tackling the adaption of American Gods for television, one element became clear — it needs a stronger female narrative. Fuller goes on to comment, “We’re very excited to expand several of the female roles in the book… We knew going in that we needed a much more female energy in the story.”
Expect to see much more of what Laura Moon (Emily Browning), Bilquis (Yetide Badaki), and Audrey Burton (Betty Gilpin) are up to as the series progresses.
Book lovers welcome?
Ian McShane (Mr. Wednesday) gave perhaps the most honest review of them all, finding himself at a loss for words following the screening.
That left Rickie Whittle (Shadow Moon) to pick up a bit about what book fans will love. “Even hardcore fans will not have a clue about what’s going on. That’s the great thing about fleshing out the characters that feature so sporadically throughout the novel,” says Whittle.
Casting the gods
Getting a cast who enjoy one another is like hitting the jackpot. The journey to assemble the “godsquad” was one that required a great deal of care and attention.
Fuller describes the process, saying, “One of the things that was exciting for us in casting the show and people the show with characters was that so much of the book is based on other cultures and other ethnicities. It gave us the opportunity to not be colorblind in our casting, but to be very color focused. To represent cultures and ethnicities with actors who are also representative of those cultures and ethnicities.”
Fuller comments further, saying that Neil Gaiman was unmoving in his commitment to ensure inclusive casting for American Gods. The result is a show in which the faces on screen mirror the faces of America.
Watch the ‘American Gods’ SXSW panel
Want more? Check out the entire panel (warning, there is plenty of NSFW language) and let us know your favorite bits!
Are you looking forward to the ‘American Gods’ premiere?
American Gods premieres Sunday, April 30 at 9:00 p.m. ET on Starz.
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