American Gods continues to mesmerize in an episode that introduces gods Czernobog, Media, and the Zorya sisters.

This American Gods review contains spoilers.

Give me a fucking clue.

(Or at least not doing it wrong.)

He didnt sign up for lynchings.

A promise of double salary and Wednesdays vengeful scheming against Technical Boy eventually assauge Shadows doubts.

He stays on the team.

Besides, as a black ex-con living in America, his options are decidedly limited.

Between Lauras death and the dick pic reminders of her infidelity, its lost some of its coziness.

This is where this episode, and this show, finds some of its lighter rhythms.

The dynamic of a confused, stoic Shadow and a confident, charismatic Wednesday is pure TV gold.

The two play off each other like the best kind of odd couples.

Were not taking the highway.

These dynamic is more than just archetypal boxes.

Before hitting the first stop on their cross-country road trip, Shadow and Wednesday stop to gather supplies.

Media wants to offer Shadow a job, the carrot to Tech Boys stick.

They show Shadow who they are, at least to a greater extent than the Old Gods do.

Wednesday is all personality sleight of hand.

Im easing him in, he tells her.

Vechernyayas answer: Youre the worst man Ive ever seen.

And she isnt without her uses.

The American representations of these Slavic gods are the best part of this solid episode.

They give us conext for how down-on-their-luck many of the Old Gods truly are.

This peek into the lives of the Zorya sisters continues in next weeks episode to even more effective results.

Its Czernobog, here, who gets the most to do.

(He just loves killing things with his sledgehammer, OK?)

According to Starz press material, Czernobog is the Slavic god of darkness and evil.

So, maybe not the kind of guy you want to lose in a game of checkers to.

Like Zorya Vechernyaya and Mr. Wednesday, Czernobog, dreams of a world that used to be.

(Never have the checkers stakes felt higher!)

Youre my only black friend.

In a sea of potential spinoff deities, he is the one who is chosen.

A scene to think about as you make your way through modern America.

Somewhere in America Bilquis

For the second episode in a row, Bilquis gets her own aside.

There are worse fates.

(Like a sledgehammer to the skull, for example.)

Like the Zorya sisters and Wednesday presumably, like all of the Old Gods Bilquis wants her power back.

She wants the good times to return for her.

Bilquis has not given up.

Additional thoughts & quotes

Angry gets shit done.

Anansi

We will be meeting with a number of people pre-eminent in their respective fields.

Then, we will rendezvous at one of the most important places in the country.

Wednesday finally gives Shadow a clue.

Now, it wasnt so hard to outline the plot of the season, was it?

The screens the altar.

Im the one they sacrifice to.

Could Gillian Anderson be anymore perfect for the role of Media?

(There is only one correct answer to this question.)

They sit side by side, ignore each other, and give it up to me.

Media

We are now and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and he aint even yesterday anymore.

Media

What hath god wrought?

God damned information age, is what.

Wednesday

Cloris Leachman is a national treasure.

You dont believe in fortunes?

I think were all fucked anyway, comes out, you know.

So, seeing that before it happens is just playing the odds.

Let there be beauty where there can be.

Rating:

4 out of 5