American Gods – “The Bone Orchard.” Review. WTF Just Happened?

Season 1, Episode 1

Air Date: Sunday, April 30, 2017, 9PM ET/PT on Starz

Rating: ★★★★★

“It feels like a dream.” – Shadow

During this year’s SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, I attended the red carpet premiere of Starz’s new series American Gods. A large number of cast members were present, including Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning, Ian McShane, Crispin Glover, and Orlando Jones, as well as series creator Bryan Fuller. Following their red carpet arrival, the cast watched the American Gods pilot, “The Bone Orchard,” in front of a packed theater. After the screening, McShane admitted this was the first time he’d seen the episode.

American Gods is Michael Green and Fuller’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s 2001 novel of the same name. The series revolves around Shadow Moon (Whittle), a convict finishing out the final days of a three-year prison sentence when he’s granted an early release after his wife Laura (Browning) is killed. During his flight home, Shadow meets a mysterious man named Wednesday (McShane), who appears to be nothing more than a common hustler. The seemingly random meeting takes an unusual turn when Wednesday offers Shadow a job as a bodyguard. There is more to Wednesday than meets the eye; the real question is what are his true intentions with Shadow?

<i>American Gods</i> – “The Bone Orchard.” Review. WTF Just Happened? 2

Having fun on the red carpet.

Prior to the SXSW screening, my knowledge of American Gods was limited to the first trailer and a few photos that were released to the press. As the episode opens, it director David Slade only takes a couple of seconds to establish the tone of the series, which is very dark and extremely bloody. The series is more violent than the original trailer lets on as bodies are torn apart like the comedian Gallagher smashing things with a Sledge-O-Matic.

“The Bone Orchard” is frustratingly vague as several characters are introduced but never fully explained or given any context as to how they fit into the story. Characters like Bilquis (Yetide Badaki) have scenes that will leave everyone talking while not offering a single inclination as to who they are or what motivates them. This might not be problematic if you’ve read the book but for newcomers like me, it can be quite confusing. Bilquis isn’t the only one given a limited, yet memorable, introduction but without any background, it’s hard to get a good read on those characters. One we do get to know is Shadow’s cellmate, a grifter named Low Key Lyesmith (Jonathan Tucker). Tucker is absolutely hilarious and steals every scene he’s in.

<i>American Gods</i> – “The Bone Orchard.” Review. WTF Just Happened? 3

Ian McShane and Orlando Jones at SXSW

While the minor characters have limited screen time, much of “The Bone Orchard” focuses on Shadow and his encounter with Wednesday. American Gods is at its best when Whittle and McShane share the screen. As dark as the episode is, McShane appears to be having a marvelous time portraying Wednesday. The unlikely duo is entertaining to watch and fans of McShane’s charm and wit will love how much he’s unleashed as he chews up the scenery. Whittle does a wonderful job portraying the torment Shadow is experiencing, making it easy to sympathize with his character. It’s hard to figure out who’s more in the dark — Shadow or the viewers. That said, given how much fun it is to watch Shadow and Wednesday together, it’s easy to forget how confusing some of the story is.

Despite being deliberately perplexing at times, American Gods is a visual masterpiece as “The Bone Orchard” is breathtaking to watch. Who knew you could spew gallons of blood in a way that’s as beautiful as paint randomly hitting a canvas. Each shot is a meticulously thought out work of art that, despite what you think of the story, is stunning to watch.

“The Bone Orchard” creates more questions than answers. Even after watching the season premiere, I’m still having a difficult time processing what I saw and how the events tie together. One of my first tweets following the viewing was, ‘I’ve seen things that can’t be unseen.’ The series isn’t for the faint of heart as the violence and sex are quite graphic, not to mention there are a few scenes that leave you absolutely perplexed. Joel Murrey might not be a household name to many but his brief appearance is one of the more memorable ones that will leave you speechless.

<i>American Gods</i> – “The Bone Orchard.” Review. WTF Just Happened? 4

Crispin Glover on the red carpet at SXSW

The easiest way I can sum up the vagueness of this premiere is to compare American Gods to a journey on a plane. “The Bone Orchard” introduces several seemingly random passengers but offers no real connection. It isn’t until they show up at the airport and get on the flight that their real journey begins. Reading the novel isn’t necessary to enjoy American Gods but it wouldn’t hurt. As the series plays out, I’m confident the bigger picture will be revealed and the characters better established. Either way, with Shadow and Wednesday together, American Gods promises to be one hell of a ride.

Starz and SXSW have released the American Gods panel discussion that was held after the screening, which you can check out below.

American Gods premieres Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 9PM ET/PT, only on Starz.

For more information on American Gods, visit the official website.

Follow American Gods on Twitter.

LIKE American Gods on Facebook.

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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.