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In 2001, Neil Gaiman released a fantasy novel called American Gods, the story of ex-con Shadow Moon and his fantastical road trip across contemporary, mythological America. Wikipedia calls it "a blend of Americana, fantasy, and various strands of ancient and modern mythology" and I'd argue that's pretty true. It proved to be pretty popular, and ended up winning a Hugo award, along with a bunch of other accolades. Even fifteen years later, American Gods is still one of Gaiman's most popular and acclaimed works, and accordingly there have been several attempts to turn it into a television series. HBO had a crack at it a few years ago, but it never got past the development stage. However, back in 2014(!) Gaiman got a deal with STARZ going, and the book is finally making its way to the small screen. Here are the opening credits. They're pretty loving rad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ow1qPRIs8A My favourite bit's the sphinx reimagined as one of those cute, robot puppy. :3 There's a lot to be excited about here: Goon fave Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, Pushing Daisies, Wonderfalls) is adapting Gaiman's book, with the help of David Slade (Hannibal, Hard Candy) and Michael Green (uh... The River?). The casting is loving insane too:  Ian McShane (Deadwood, Kings) as Mr Wednesday, Shadow Moon's new employer and as trustworthy as a bent penny. He's a man on a mission.  Ricky Whittle (The 100) as Shadow Moon, our hero. Seen here on a bad day.  Pablo Schrieber (The Wire, Orange Is The New Black) as Mad Sweeny. He's a bit tall for a leprechaun, but he's got a proportionate quantity of the fighting spirit.  Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, Bleak House, Hannibal) as Media, a modern god for a modern world. Into cosplay.  Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies, The West Wing, Wicked) as Easter, a fertility god of the old world who's found a new position in life. Jonathan Tucker, Crispin Glover, Laura Browning, Peter Stomare, Orlando Jones, Jeremy Davies and Beth Grant will also be amongst the show's regular and recurring cast. I've not said anything about their roles, because a big part of the fun of the book (and the show) is meeting the parade of deities that Gaiman invented or reinterpreted, but you can work them out pretty quickly through a quick google search. It's running on STARZ at the rate of an episode a week for eight weeks, starting next Sunday (April 30th). Quick note about spoilers: They're always something of a problem in threads dealing with book adaptations. So, mods permitting, I think this is the best, and simplest, solution I've been able to come up with. Just don't. Don't talk about anything that hasn't aired yet, even under censor bars. Not even any of that coy, bullshit, "You're going to be excited to see what happens next week!" type talk. It's not fun for the people who are coming to the series fresh, and the inevitable conversations about exactly what constitutes a spoiler and whether someone, or anyone, has crossed a line are boring AF. Let's just not, please? I know a lot of people aren't going to be the happiest about this, and I get it, I do. But there are going to be heaps of other places to discuss this show online. if you're absolutely dying for Something Awful based book chat, maybe try the Book Barn, I guess? I don't think there's currently a thread. Trailer discussion is fine though, as long as it doesn't pertain to anything not covered in the books.
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Apr 24, 2017 14:23
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Love McShane but I still think I would have preferred Brian Cox as Wednesday, though Peter Stormare as Czernobog is amazing.
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Apr 24, 2017 14:30
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I've never read one word of Neil Gaiman and haven't liked anything I've seen in movies/TV related to him. HOWEVER, this looks really cool and I can't wait to watch it without knowing a drat thing about it or the book.
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Apr 24, 2017 14:54
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that opening credits bit is equal parts intriguing and disorienting. There's too many shadows and not enough time between the shots to properly identify what it is you're looking at, leaving you with an idea of the thing rather than the thing itself. Appropriately I guess.
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Apr 24, 2017 15:13
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I wonder if they'll have Sam Black Crow's monologue because I really really want to die of cringing.
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Apr 24, 2017 17:28
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try the new taco place posted:I've never read one word of Neil Gaiman and haven't liked anything I've seen in movies/TV related to him. What media have you even seen related to him? I mean I'm not really aware of that many adaptations and I thought Gaiman was typically pretty stingy with his work. Anyways, looking forward to this for Bryan Fuller and Neil Gaiman working together. I only just started reading some Gaiman stuff like a year ago, American Gods and then the follow-up Anansi Boys, now I'm working my way through Sandman. His work has its ups and downs but it's always engaging and entertaining even at its not-so-great. e: I really just want to see them go to Fairy Tale Caverns in Rock City (like on-location and not a facsimile). That place is a trippy nightmare even outside the context of a Gaiman story, and House on the Rock I've heard is even worse (or better depending on how you look at it). King Vidiot fucked around with this message at 18:34 on Apr 24, 2017 |
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Apr 24, 2017 18:32
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King Vidiot posted:What media have you even seen related to him? I mean I'm not really aware of that many adaptations and I thought Gaiman was typically pretty stingy with his work. I don't think it's that he's stingy it's that a lot of his better known stuff like Sandman were work for hire (I know sandman isn't the usual definition of work for hire but he doesn't own the characters or the story). This is the fourth novel adapted for movies/TV and Good Omens is the only one of his novels that targets adults that hadn't been adapted yet and since it was co-written by Pratchett in sure the BBC will get to it eventually.
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Apr 24, 2017 18:57
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I bought this book and it sat unread on my shelf for a good long time. I saw they were making the show so i picked up the book and read it in just a few days time. It was amazing and I'm starting Anansi Boys now. I'm so excited for this show and the multiple sucker punches at the end.
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Apr 24, 2017 19:45
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Disgusting Coward posted:I wonder if they'll have Sam Black Crow's monologue because I really really want to die of cringing. Eh. The full cast production audiobook did a pretty good job of rattling it off in a hurry. Also, there is a theory that she was the reincarnation of Atsula from the matriarchal tribe that emigrates across the Bering Strait to America and is sacrificed at the foot of the mountain.
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Apr 24, 2017 20:50
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Macdeo Lurjtux posted:Good Omens is the only one of his novels that targets adults that hadn't been adapted yet and since it was co-written by Pratchett in sure the BBC will get to it eventually. What? The only works of his that are aimed at adults that have been adapted were Neverwhere and this. Stardust is for teens/adults, Coraline is for kids/adults, Mirrormask is for kids/adults. Meanwhile he's written a sequel to American Gods (not adapted) and The Ocean at the End of the Lane (not adapted) which are both primarily aimed at adults (though the latter could be read by YA teens just as easily). e: also you should Google the history of Good Omens adaptations, including the news that it's finally happening! On Amazon next year precision fucked around with this message at 00:33 on Apr 25, 2017 |
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Apr 25, 2017 00:31
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King Vidiot posted:What media have you even seen related to him? I mean I'm not really aware of that many adaptations and I thought Gaiman was typically pretty stingy with his work Beowulf and Stardust were both incredibly lovely
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Apr 25, 2017 01:52
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try the new taco place posted:Beowulf and Stardust were both incredibly lovely Stardust was really fun when I saw it as kid, is it actually bad?
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Apr 25, 2017 02:03
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Lord Cyrahzax posted:Stardust was really fun when I saw it as kid, is it actually bad? Stardust is ok. It's very different from the book, which tends to happen with adaptations. There's a lot of stuff that got left out in the movie. If you go in expecting a recreation of the book, you're going to be unhappy with it. But it's a nice little fantasy family movie.
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Apr 25, 2017 03:42
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Stardust is usually regarded very well, it made me cry and it's beautiful. And I'm referring to the book and the movie both.
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Apr 25, 2017 03:43
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I feel like, if this gets a similar adaptation to how Hannibal regarded the Thomas Harris books, it'll be fairly difficult to spoil things week to week. I am hella excited for more Bryan Fuller on the screen!
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Apr 25, 2017 10:58
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I didn't imagine Easter as being skinny. All the other actors/actresses look really good and well cast though.
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Apr 25, 2017 12:53
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dogmother1776 posted:I didn't imagine Easter as being skinny. All the other actors/actresses look really good and well cast though. This just reminded me that the first "it's really happening" adaptation of Good Omens was set to have Johnny Depp as Crowley and Robin Williams as Aziraphale and then Hollywood said "Can you cut out Death and all the apocalypse stuff?"
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Apr 25, 2017 13:58
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precision posted:This just reminded me that the first "it's really happening" adaptation of Good Omens was set to have Johnny Depp as Crowley and Robin Williams as Aziraphale and then Hollywood said "Can you cut out Death and all the apocalypse stuff?"
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Apr 25, 2017 14:43
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Macdeo Lurjtux posted:I don't think it's that he's stingy it's that a lot of his better known stuff like Sandman were work for hire (I know sandman isn't the usual definition of work for hire but he doesn't own the characters or the story). There was, however, a very good adaptation of the book into a radio play: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04knt4h . Unsure of availability in foreign parts.
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Apr 25, 2017 15:31
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Mameluke posted:I am hella excited for more Bryan Fuller on the screen! I love Bryan Fuller's stuff, and it makes me sad that so much of it got canceled so quickly.
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Apr 25, 2017 15:31
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PST posted:There was, however, a very good adaptation of the book into a radio play: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04knt4h . Unsure of availability in foreign parts. It's available on Audible and yes it is fantastic.
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Apr 25, 2017 15:48
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I have this book on my kindle but haven't read it yet, should I read before watching the show or nah?
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Apr 25, 2017 17:30
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Lasagna Pilot posted:I have this book on my kindle but haven't read it yet, should I read before watching the show or nah? I vote "Nah". Book nerds are already upset over an apparent departure from the book storyline with the sneak peeks for things like the "God of Guns" and other things.
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Apr 25, 2017 17:40
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Lasagna Pilot posted:I have this book on my kindle but haven't read it yet, should I read before watching the show or nah?
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Apr 25, 2017 17:48
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It looks like the show is going to be bringing a lot of things into the story earlier than the book does though (in some cases WAY earlier). Like, if it were being super faithful, I would think that Media wouldn't show up for a while, and certainly not be in the promo materials for how small her role in the book is
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Apr 25, 2017 18:07
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dogmother1776 posted:I thought it was fun to read it kept me interested. I think season 1 of the show will only cover part 1, you can probably knock that out before 4/30 if you wanted to do it that way. Wait they're doing more than one season? With what source material? Stretching that one book into ten hours of screen time seems like a lot.
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Apr 25, 2017 22:32
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JustinMorgan posted:Wait they're doing more than one season? With what source material? Stretching that one book into ten hours of screen time seems like a lot.
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Apr 25, 2017 23:47
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I read the book when I was still a teen like 12 years ago or something and thought it was pretty good if weird but I gotta say checking some random preview of this out of idle curiosity like half the names make me want to cringe to death. Dunno if that really warrants a spoiler but given the plot might as well not take risks. Anyway I might check it out if the first episode(s) are well received.
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Apr 26, 2017 00:05
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I definitely think it's kind of dumb that they're explicitly calling people "The God of Thing", the book was very good about not making anything that simple and reductive. Czernobog is the one I'm especially thinking of here that made me roll my eyes in the show's promo material. Also I really think Mr. Nancy was supposed to look a lot older, I pictured him as being like 60+ just very spry for his age.
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Apr 26, 2017 03:10
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I'm getting kinda mixed messages from the promotional material I've seen but I'll watch anything with Ian McShane so (it's me, the one who really liked Kings)
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Apr 26, 2017 03:16
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If the show doesn't have the "Tiger's Balls" song in its entirety it will have failed utterly. Kings was great.
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Apr 26, 2017 03:36
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So Open Source Idiom...any particular reason you picked the poo poo POST tag for this?  (Going to guess that you forgot to pick a tag period.) Sepinwall has seen the first four episodes and here's his review (he thinks it's good): http://uproxx.com/sepinwall/american-gods-review-starz-neil-gaiman/
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Apr 27, 2017 02:39
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JustinMorgan posted:Wait they're doing more than one season? With what source material? Stretching that one book into ten hours of screen time seems like a lot. Yeah, they've said they've planned the book material out to three short seasons, with more possible by including Anansi Boys, American Gods 2 (which Gaiman is finishing now), etc. The first season will end just before the House on the Rock , per the producers/Gaiman. They've expanded the roles of some of the female characters to make it a bit less of a sausage party.
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Apr 27, 2017 08:28
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Longbaugh01 posted:So Open Source Idiom...any particular reason you picked the poo poo POST tag for this? I wish I could say that it was some clever clever allusion to an event from the novel. I wish I could say that. Honestly, I just got a bit overwhelmed by all the tags, and mistakenly thought I could go back and pick one later. Not so much. 
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Apr 27, 2017 09:15
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I got a chance to watch the first episode of this at the Bard College event a few weeks back. It's extremely good and is as close to the book material as you could ever hope for, and having Fuller as the show runner was definitely the best possible thing the show could have hoped for. Edit: Whoops, read the OP. I'll save that tidbit for after the scene in question airs. Max fucked around with this message at 20:57 on Apr 28, 2017 |
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Apr 28, 2017 20:54
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Stardust was awesome and extremely good and fun, and I am super pumped for this show that is on a channel I don't have
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Apr 28, 2017 21:56
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FairGame posted:Stardust was awesome and extremely good and fun, and I am super pumped for this show that is on a channel I don't have Well between Black Sails and this, I know I'm going to start paying more attention to Starz original programming.
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Apr 28, 2017 23:29
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Seriously? You couldn't wait more than 3 posts before immediately disregarding the OP and diving into 'can't wait and see what happens' book chat? This goes for everyone else doing it too, you suck. Longbaugh01 posted:Well between Black Sails and this, I know I'm going to start paying more attention to Starz original programming. If you haven't seen Spartacus you really should just drop whatever you're doing and go watch that instead. It has an unfathomably terrible first episode (that I'd advise just skipping because covers nothing that also isn't covered in episode 2) but its one of the best paced drama/action shows ever put to television and pretty much kicked off the goodwill for Starz on this forum.
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Apr 30, 2017 06:40
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MiddleOne posted:If you haven't seen Spartacus you really should just drop whatever you're doing and go watch that instead. It has an unfathomably terrible first episode (that I'd advise just skipping because covers nothing that also isn't covered in episode 2) but its one of the best paced drama/action shows ever put to television and pretty much kicked off the goodwill for Starz on this forum. Thanks. Yeah...I actually binged Spartacus right before I binged and caught up on Black Sails...I ended up liking BS better and was more sad when it was over. 
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Apr 30, 2017 07:51
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MiddleOne posted:Seriously? You couldn't wait more than 3 posts before immediately disregarding the OP and diving into 'can't wait and see what happens' book chat? This goes for everyone else doing it too, you suck. Yeah guys, seriously, cut it out. (Though some people have been great, and all deserve a cookie.) I've been lenient because the show hasn't actually started, but once it does (i.e. after tonight) kindly shut the gently caress up and talk about what's actually in the episode. Also Sparatcus is rad. P.S. I super suck at making .gifs so I encourage people to dump their super lovely moving images into this thread, and I'll update the OP accordingly. Open Source Idiom fucked around with this message at 09:04 on Apr 30, 2017 |
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Apr 30, 2017 08:58
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