American Gods review, Episode 302: “Serious Moonlight”

American Gods splits its time between Lakeside and Chicago as the Old Gods honor a fallen friend and Shadow makes sense of his weird new home.

Two episodes into its third season, American Gods has caught my eye again. There were times in the second season when it seemed like I couldn’t find a single storyline to intrigue me. But things are turning a corner in the third season as some of what we loved about American Gods in the beginning is coming back.

In this week’s episode, we spend a lot of time with Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) as he settles into Lakeside after nearly getting his head shot off by the yet-to-be-named property manager. His accommodations in Lakeside are less than ideal; nothing seems to work and it’s freezing. But he still tries to make the best of it by befriending folks around town and even tasting the local delicacies.

Ann-Marie (Julia Sweeney) introduces him to the traditions around town, which include having local townies guess the time and day a wrecked car they place out in the middle of an icy ravine will fall through the icy surface. It’s all rather strange, but like the champ he is, Shadow Moon obliges. He even purchases a parka from the local store where he meets Lou Hennings (Dan Willmott) and store assistant Alison (Andi Hubick), the same girl who tried to flirt with him the night before.

His downtime is interrupted when he’s invited to attend Zorya Vechernyaya’s memorial in Chicago, where all the Old Gods will meet and bid farewell to an old friend. In need of a car, Shadow gets help from the town’s police chief Chad (Eric Johnson), who takes him directly to the very same property manager that tried to shoot him dead the night before. Awkward. She’s not eager to help him out, but for a hefty price allows him to rent the a car for his quick trip to Chicago. Because supernatural forces are always following Shadow wherever he goes, it comes as no surprise whatsoever that an animal (or something?) crashes into his windshield on the drive there.

But don’t worry, American Gods fans: Shadow Moon makes it to Chicago on time to attend a rather wild memorial with Old Gods running around all over the place. Czernobog (Peter Stormare) isn’t very happy to see Shadow or Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane), who shows up uninvited. After a drunken battle, everyone seems to be on the same page about the battle against the New Gods.

Speaking of which, I really hope that we’ll be seeing an actual battle between the Old and New Gods this season. It’s been teased for what feels like years now, so we’re due something epic.

“Serious Moonlight” takes a turn for the intriguing when Shadow returns to Chicago to learn that Alison has been missing…and the townsfolk are looking at him to blame.

Of course, he’s not guilty in the slightest, and after a thorough investigation into his last 48 hours and an apology from his property manager, he’s in the clear. But it is curious that this would happen right after he gets to town, and he’s exactly a normal visitor. Sure, he’s not a kidnapper or murderer, but he’s hearing random cawing noises around town and even imagines a beautiful peacock in front of him. And then there’s that foreboding shadow that falls over Lakeside as the episode end.

So, yes, something’s going on here, and I think it’s safe to say the madness is just getting started.

Grade: B

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