American Gods Keeps Getting Awesomer

American Gods is being made into a REAL LIVE SHOW right this minute, you guys, and I cannot contain my chill.

Filming started last week in Toronto, and after seeing a couple of pics online of table reads with Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane) and Shadow (Ricky Whittle), I decided it was time for me to grab my book and do a fake, stay-at-home-mom, episode break. In other words: I felt like figuring out how the first couple of episodes might conceivably go. By myself. At home. With my book. LIKE A GIANT MOM NERD.

From Book to Screen

The book opens with Shadow waiting out his last week in jail. We learn a lot about him as he ruminates on his time on the inside and what he can’t wait to do when he gets out (see: wife, Laura). He’s quiet, unobtrusive (other than being dont-fuck-with-me big), philosophical but not pretentious. So, maybe we will get a sense of who Shadow is on the inside by watching him learn coin tricks, mark the days off on his Birds of North America calendar, and work out. LOTS OF WORKING OUT.

Because … this:

Sooooooo apparently this is a break in between weights where I ‘distract my muscles’ ?? @bodybymario be tripping y’all #trainingday #trxday #coreday #snoredaycosimgoinstraightbacktobedday #howisthisabreak #mandown #anythingworthhavingdoesntcomeeasy #anythingeasyisntworthhaving #bebetterthanyouwereyesterday #workhardplayhard #gettinitinnowbedorexmasturkey ? #dontjudgeme #imafoody #itraindirtycosieatdirty #cake #sorrythatwasjustmethinkingoutloud #mmmcake #waitwhat

A video posted by Ricky Whittle (@rickywhittle) on Dec 15, 2015 at 11:17am PST

But Shadow’s not just brooding and baring all. In the opening scenes of the books we’re introduced to one of his cellmates, Low Key Lyesmith, who is being played by Jonathan Tucker which is just AWESOME casting from an alum of showrunner Bryan Fuller’s incredible Hannibal.

Low Key is described as a Minnesota grifter with buzzed red hair and a scarred smile. Jonathan Tucker has been making the rounds on television as everything from mild-mannered serial killing sychophant in Hannibal to a quick draw hired gun in Justified to a young, inappropriate politician in Parenthood. He’s versatile is what I’m saying. I wonder if we’ll see Shadow and Low Key building bird houses and talking about Herodotus in the first episode.

Chances are the first episode will give a big glimpse into Shadow’s life with his wife, Laura (Emily Browning) because OF COURSE WE WILL. But there is ONE SCENE I’m DYING to see in the opening episode of American Gods that I know that no one other than Bryan Fuller can do right.

THE BUFFALO MAN DREAM

When Shadow is released, he takes a plane ride home in a rainstorm and falls asleep to find himself in this vivid nightmare where he finds himself in a dark cave with a man with a buffalo’s head who warns him that “changes are coming” and he “must believe.” And ok, as life-changing plane ride fever dreams that sounds pretty par for the course, but how many minotaurs have huge, wet, black marble eyes that start weeping fire while he makes himself gigantic and his mouth fills with fire so he can roar at you. Who’s gonna make THAT imagery come to life without being terrible?

OH THE GUY THAT DID THIS. #BryanFuller

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AND THIS #StagNIGHTMARES5EVA

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Bryan Fuller mastered the art of therianthropic nightmarish hallucinations with the stag in Hannibal. The Buffalo Man is just the first in many crazy things that Shadow will encounter, and I can’t wait to see him roar.

I would love to see the episode end with Shadow rushing onto his connecting flight, finding himself seated next to a complete stranger, and hearing “I’ve got a job for you, Shadow” as the plane rumbles off. Ahhhhhh it’s all gonna be SO GOOD.

Casting News to Make You Impatient

Starz and Freemantle Media have been rolling out casting news over the last month, and there are some DOOZIES on this list, y’all.

There are some perfect-looking picks like Chris Obi as Mr. Jaquel, Mousa Kraish as the Jinn, Sean Harris as Mad Sweeney, Yetide Badaki as Bilquis, and Bruce Langley as Technical Boy.

And then there are the clinchers: cast members so perfect I’m losing my mind.

Crispin Glover as Mr. World

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Words to describe Crispin Glover: Retro Crush. Cult Fave. Weirdo Character Actor. PERFECTLY CAST.

Cloris Leachman, who’s been playing a scary ass bad bitches in perfect films since forever, as Zorya Vechernyaya, one of the twin sister goddesses.