American Gods and HBO

[Autopath]

I dug through forums and I couldn't find this topic. If it's already been created then I apologize BUT...

American Gods by Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite books. Just wondering if anyone else has read it and what you thought of it?

What you think of the fact that HBO is turning it into a series, particularly in light of their work on Game of Thrones?

[Jerec]

I'd completely forgot this was happening. The book was pretty good, though I'm not sure how this is going to translate to a TV series. I heard it's going to have numerous seasons. Is it going to be a series with a "God of the week" with an overacing mythology tying it together?

*goes to find info*

[Arrogant Bastard]

I've never actually read the whole book. I've tried twice, and I got midway through, and then stopped. Not because I didn't like it or anything, I was just busy at the time or something like that. Should be an interesting adaptation; from what I gathrered of the book, a little background knowledge of different mythologies, specifically Norse, is somewhat required, or at least it makes a lot more sense. I doubt the average viewer has much knowledge of world mythology, but this is something that be instilled into the show I suppose; Game of Thrones had to introduce a lot of fictional history and backtories.

I believe the intention is to have numerous seasons, but obviously it will depend on the ratings. I don't think HBO will greenlight a second season without at least seeing the ratings for the premiere. Anyone know when this is supposed to come out? I haven't been following it since I heard about it, and that was close to a year ago.

[red snow]

wasn't there mention of the first season being the first book and then it was going to go off on it's own and follow that world? It's rich for exploration as long as they get hold of some creative screenwriters or hopefully Gaiman as a producer.

[Isalie]

Sounds like something I would defenitely watch. Been too long since I read the book to make a real guess of how it will play out, but wasn't there quite a few sub plots like that car on the lake thing etc?

[Werthead]

wasn't there mention of the first season being the first book and then it was going to go off on it's own and follow that world? It's rich for exploration as long as they get hold of some creative screenwriters or hopefully Gaiman as a producer.

I think the idea is that Season 1 will be American Gods, Season 2 will be American Gods II (which Gaiman is apparently working on now) and there might be some episodes based on short stories. Anansi Boys is set in the same world, but I suspect the TV series will focus on the AG characters and that won't be adapted.

Beyond that I believe depends on the success of the series. If it's a huge hit, it'll go on with original stories, if not it'll end there I imagine.

[Cirdan]

In my opinion Gaiman is one of the most talented author alive. I love all of his books and American God's is probably his best novel (even if I think that The Graveyard Book is mostly on the same level). I have not a lot to say about American God's if not that is pure brilliance and magic and that I loved it.

I'm really curious to see what HBO will do of it, the whole thing has great potential for a cable TV adaptation: even more potential than GoT since the story/setting is way easier to port on the screen. It's interesting to see what will happen after book 1 is covered. I do not know that he has begun to work on a sequel: he never wanted to write a proper series out of AG and honestly I loose all hope. The power of the credit card god is great indeed :D. But well, even better: AG setting has a lot of unexplored potential.

Btw, I believe that the success of GoT was important to open the way to AG. Go Neil! Go HBO!

[Scion of Valyria]

I'm pretty excited for it, at least the first season. I loved the book, and more stories set in that world sounds fantastic to me.

However, it does kind of frustrate me off that HBO (and even AMC to an extent, with Walking Dead), when producing genre shows, insist on just adapting books. True Blood, Game of Thrones, now American Gods. If GoT just leads to a spree of adaptations, I'm gonna be pretty bummed. I'd be really interested to see an original effort in the sci-fi/fantasy realm from 'em.

[Autopath]

From what Neil Gaiman has said, it seems the first season will follow the book, and the second season is sort of his chance to explore the fallout after the events of the book. I'm personally pretty excited but for me, this is really going to hinge on who is cast as Shadow. They have to find a really huge smokin' hot guy who can act.

I agree with Cirdan that GoT helped pave the way for this to happen, along with the success of True Blood.

Thanks for the responses, everyone, I'm super-excited.

Here's the link to Gaiman's comments: http://www.nme.com/f...ies-will/220913

Sounds like something I would defenitely watch. Been too long since I read the book to make a real guess of how it will play out, but wasn't there quite a few sub plots like that car on the lake thing etc?

Yep, tons of sub-plots. Honestly don't know how they'll fit the book into the first season....

[The Original Stranger]

the book was derivative and went on too long. Can't wait to see multiple seasons of it.

[Reposado]

From what Neil Gaiman has said, it seems the first season will follow the book, and the second season is sort of his chance to explore the fallout after the events of the book.\

uggh. isnt that the strategy that has killed many a show? If that's what they are doing, season one has plenty of potential, but i have less than low hopes for season 2

[Autopath]

uggh. isnt that the strategy that has killed many a show? If that's what they are doing, season one has plenty of potential, but i have less than low hopes for season 2

Have faith in Neil Gaiman! He is supplying the ideas. =D

[red snow]

I'm pretty excited for it, at least the first season. I loved the book, and more stories set in that world sounds fantastic to me.

However, it does kind of frustrate me off that HBO (and even AMC to an extent, with Walking Dead), when producing genre shows, insist on just adapting books. True Blood, Game of Thrones, now American Gods. If GoT just leads to a spree of adaptations, I'm gonna be pretty bummed. I'd be really interested to see an original effort in the sci-fi/fantasy realm from 'em.

I can understand why they do the adaptations though as it then has a built in fanbase and is less risk. I'm sure it would be pretty soul-destroying to create a fantasy world for TV only to be cancelled within a season. And i guess it takes more time and money. I think we'll have to wait a while before they try original fantasy. It'll probably evolve into it with shows based on books but with made up additional material. It sounds like American Gods could be one of those stepping stones.

[The Original Stranger]

Have faith in Neil Gaiman! He is supplying the ideas. =D

the problem with this assumption: Gaiman doesn't really have that many ideas. he poured the vast majority of them into making a single undeniable epic, called The Sandman. since then, his most successful works [esp American Gods] have been re-hashings of some of his better Sandman ideas. granted, this makes for a pretty good notional base, but for anyone who has read his other stuff it isn't very fresh. moreover, unless it becomes an episodic 'let's see whether Baldur is a pizza delivery guy or a famous model!' laundry list of every pagan god in the modern world, this idea is gonna wear thin after a while. I'd rather it had just been a one-season miniseries based on the book, if anything.

[Reposado]

Have faith in Neil Gaiman! He is supplying the ideas. =D

Man, I'm not sure if I can have that kind of faith. Basing a tv season around the fallout from the previous season has produced some of the worst stuff I've seen. Heroes season 2. Sons of Anarchy 3. Doing that kind of thing can make a good drama into a soap opera.

[Autopath]

Man, I'm not sure if I can have that kind of faith. Basing a tv season around the fallout from the previous season has produced some of the worst stuff I've seen. Heroes season 2. Sons of Anarchy 3. Doing that kind of thing can make a good drama into a soap opera.

That's a good point. But I trust in Neil Gaiman since he'll be involved. He's said many times he's had a lot of ideas about what happens with Shadow post American Gods. We even see a little bit of that in the novella about Shadow in "Fragile Things." Don't get me wrong, I'm a little worried. but I'm more positive and excited than worried. I guess because I've always wondered what happens to Shadow afterward, beyond what is seen in that brief glimpse of him in Scotland.

I guess only time will tell.

[red snow]

the problem with this assumption: Gaiman doesn't really have that many ideas. he poured the vast majority of them into making a single undeniable epic, called The Sandman. since then, his most successful works [esp American Gods] have been re-hashings of some of his better Sandman ideas. granted, this makes for a pretty good notional base, but for anyone who has read his other stuff it isn't very fresh. moreover, unless it becomes an episodic 'let's see whether Baldur is a pizza delivery guy or a famous model!' laundry list of every pagan god in the modern world, this idea is gonna wear thin after a while. I'd rather it had just been a one-season miniseries based on the book, if anything.

I agree with the notion that American Gods isn't far removed from Sandman. I think we need to remember that this is going to be a 10-12 episodes a season show, so it would still take a while for god of the week to grow stale, I also think there is a lot of mileage to be had from the notion of the new gods. It's been a long time since I read the book but I found those creations more interesting and if they explore them more in depth it could be very interesting. I've managed to forget the end of the book wrt the new gods but given the world rules they are still going to exist and should be ever more powerful. When the book was released it was the TV and internet gods that were powerful. Just taking the internet they can expand that idea with the god of Facebook/twitter and google as they are definitely worshipped. They could also have some more US specific/sideways ones like god of guns, or some kind of national health service god that requires blood sacrifices. There really is enough material with the new gods alone to keep the show interesting for a long while without having to spin off directly from season 1.

[Valkyrja]

<snip>

I'm personally pretty excited but for me, this is really going to hinge on who is cast as Shadow. They have to find a really huge smokin' hot guy who can act.

<snip>

:agree: THIS.

I know a lot of people criticize Shadow as a character (as in, he doesn't have much of a character), but I think that this is sort of the point..... it is his physicality and physical presence which is hugely (hehe, pun intended) important to get right. I'm sorry, but if they cast some skinny, boyishly handsome "CW" type actor who looks like what passes for a 'vampire guy in teenage romance novel', it just won't work. :ack:

Even more important than being 'hot' for me, is the fact that Shadow is a BIG dude.

Edited to say:

Admittedly, my mental image of Shadow is unfair and impossible to match.....because it is basically the late Peter Steele. :bowdown: Sadly, Peter Steele is with us no more, and I have my doubts as to whether there is any man alive (let alone one who can ACT!) who even looks remotely like him. :P

[Werthead]

I'm personally pretty excited but for me, this is really going to hinge on who is cast as Shadow. They have to find a really huge smokin' hot guy who can act.

So the question is: is Ray Stevenson available and is he too old for the role? :)

[Lan the Clever]

So the question is: is Ray Stevenson available and is he too old for the role? :)

He's old. And not at all as I imagine Shadow.

Also, for those who asked about sub-plots, there are quite a few. There is the past of secondary characters like the bissexual college girl Shadow meetes on the road, Shadow's wife and friend, Thor's tragedy, the car in the lake, Shadow's time in jail, etc. Not to mention that they can come with new ones.