Prime-Video - American Gods: An ambitious and enchanting third season

By Mulder, 09 january 2021

American Gods traces the epic story of an inevitable war between the ancient gods of mythology and the current gods of new technologies. Ex-convict Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), in the service of the mysterious Traveller (Ian McShane), discovered that his patron with questionable practices was actually the northern god Odin, but also his own father. In this third season, Shadow seeks to escape his destiny by settling in the peaceful, snowy town of Lakeside, Wisconsin to chart his own course, guided by the gods of his ancestors, the Orishas. However, he soon discovers that the waters of this seemingly peaceful town are actually dark, deep and bloody and that he cannot escape his status as a god. From now on, the only choice he will have to make is which clan he wants to be in: the old or the new gods.

The third season of American Gods, based on the novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman, will be broadcast in the United States on Starz and in France on Amazon Prime Video and will include ten episodes. Charles H. Eglee adapted the third season, serving as showrunner after the departure of second season showrunner Jesse Alexander and the creators of the original series Bryan Fuller and Michael Green after the first season. The season was officially launched in March 2019 and production began in October 2019. Cast members include Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning, Yetide Badaki, Bruce Langley, Omid Abtahi, Demore Barnes and Ian McShane. New actors join the series in this third season in recurring roles such as Blythe Danner (Demeter), Marilyn Manson (Johan Wengren), Dominique Jackson (Ms. World), Herizen Guardiola (Oshun), Ashley Reyes, Lela Loren, Eric Johnson, Danny Trejo (another incarnation of Mr. World), Julia Sweeney (Ann-Marie Hinzelmann), Wale and Iwan Rheon (Liam Doyle). This season also sees several cast changes, including the departure of Pablo Schreiber in the role of Mad Sweeney at the end of the previous season.

While the first season had not only been a success and had created a real worldwide craze despite the fact that author Neil Gaiman did not seem totally convinced of the adaptation of his work by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, the second season had not totally convinced us despite an attractive cast and successful special effects. This season lacked a better rhythm management and above all the numerous production problems seemed to have played against the quality of the production. However, this second season could have been better if it had been less affected by the many problems that occurred during shooting. This third season was going to succeed in making us forget the disappointment of this season 2, after having been able to discover the first four episodes the answer is a big yes.

Charles H. Eglee is the new showrunner of this series after the departure of the creators of this series Bryan Fuller and Michael Green at the end of the first season following an irreconcilable conflict with Neil Gaiman and that of Jesse Alexander landed after a disappointing season 2. This will to go back to the essence of the original novel and give the public what it expects from this series is visible from the first episodes. The third season thus resumes where the second one stopped. While Mr. Wednesday continues to try to constitute a team of old gods in order to be able to face that of the new Gods managed by Mr. World. Shadow Moon for his part tries to live normally and to forget the events related in the first two seasons but when Mr. Wednesday arrives again in his life and asks him to go to the town of Lakeside in Wisconson. The first four episodes that we were able to discover are based on an excellent script and prove to be quite effective to the point of wanting to discover them practically on the spot. Each of the main characters has enough material to evolve and above all the series shows us that its potential is there to our greatest pleasure.

We are quite happy to see that the character of Laura Moon (Emily Browning) despite a too quick presence in episode one of this new season, is back and her role in episode 3 gives this episode a very special aura. This one arrived at the purgatory will have to review her life and find its true meaning. Once again Emily Browning ensures the show and what a show. One will never say again how much she is not only an excellent actress but especially that her presence is an undeniable added value. This third episode is thus one of the best of this series. The numerous twists and turns at the beginning of season three totally convinced us because far from being a flood of outrageous special effects, the series prefers to focus on psychology and character evolution.

American Gods is thus put back on good tracks and finds in this third season all the strength of the first season. Sketching touch by touch the immensity of this universe created by Neil Gaiman, this third season is to be watched with undeniable pleasure and really shows originality. It is late for us to discover the six other episodes composing this third season.

American Gods is produced by Fremantle with Charles H. Eglee as executive producer and showrunner alongside executive producers Neil Gaiman, Anne Kenney, Damian Kindler, David Paul Francis, Mark Tinker, Ian McShane, Craig Cegielski, Stefanie Berk, and executive co-producer Lisa Kussner.

The Episodes of this third season :
301 - A Winter's Tale (Directed by Jon Amiel, written by David Paul Francis)
302 - Serious Moonlight (Directed by Julian Holmes, screenplay by Moises Verneau)
303 - Ashes and Demons (Directed by Thomas Carter, Screenplay by Anne Kenney)
304 - The Unseen (Directed by Eva Sørhaug, written by Nick Gillie)
305 - Sister Rising (Directed by Nick Copus, written by Damian Kindler)
306 - Conscience of the King (Directed by Mark Tinker, screenplay by Aric Avelino)
307 - Fire and Ice ((Directed by Rachel Goldberg, written by Anne Kenney & David Paul Francis)
308 - The Rapture of Burning (Directed by Tim Southam, written by Holly Moyer )
309 - The Lake Effect ((Directed by Metin Hüseyin, written by Laura Pusey & Damian Kindler)
310 - Tears of the Wrath-Bearing Tree ((Directed by Russell Lee Fine, written by Laura Pusey & Ryan Spencer)

Synopsis :
A man coming out of prison meets an old crook who hires him as a bodyguard and takes him on a long journey across the United States. The ex-prisoner discovers that his "boss" is an ancient Nordic god in the midst of a battle against modern deities: the Internet, cars, television, and all the new media.

American Gods
Based on American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Developed by Bryan Fuller, Michael Green (season 1), Jesse Alexander (season 2), Charles H. Eglee (season 3)
Starring Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning, Crispin Glover, Bruce Langley, Yetide Badaki, Pablo Schreiber, Ian McShane, Orlando Jones, Mousa Kraish, Omid Abtahi, Demore Barnes
Composers : Brian Reitzell, Danny Bensi, Saunder Jurriaans
Executive producers : Bryan Fuller, Michael Green, Neil Gaiman, David Slade, Stefanie Berk, Craig Cegielski, Adam Kane, Christopher J. Byrne, Scott Hornbacher, Ian McShane, Padraic McKinley, Jesse Alexander
Production companies : Living Dead Guy, J.A. Green Construction Corp., The Blank Corporation, Fremantle USA, Starz Originals
Distributor : Lionsgate Television, Fremantle
Original network : Starz (USA), Amazon Prime Video (France)
Running time : 52–63 minutes
Durée : 52-63 minutes

(Source : press release)