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Wife and I thought that this weeks episode made Laura feel like a sociopath and/or purely unsympathetic. The actress did a good job but I dislike the character she is portraying.

 AndrewGPaul wrote:

Spoiler:

Going back to Islamic tradition, djinn are no better or worse, morally, than humans. They're beings of fire rather than earth, and like humans can be good or evil, true believers, followers of other religions of the book or unbelievers, and be judged by God in the same way.

So, I like to believe that the djinn was honestly doing Salim a good turn. Just because it was good for both of them doesn't detract from that in my mind.

I also believe that this series will tackle the question of Jesus and God, something the book shied away from.

That's a theme that Gaiman has explored before. This is his short story, Troll Bridge. Again, something that to an observer looks dishonest, or cruel... but to the participants seems quite the fair deal.

https://talesofmytery.blogspot.com/2014/07/neil-gaiman-troll-bridge.html

 Bromsy wrote:
Wife and I thought that this weeks episode made Laura feel like a sociopath and/or purely unsympathetic. The actress did a good job but I dislike the character she is portraying.

I can't disagree, but I think as the shows goes forward she might become one of the more interesting characters, given her 'first' life turned into a bad joke with a nasty punchline mostly of her own making (or possibly not depending on godly intervention) she might try to be a better class of undead, or get far worse under the already dead what can be worse rational

That was a pretty good episode.

I'm enjoying watching Gillian Anderson's pop-culture transformations as Media. Glam-Bowie was terrific last night.

Strange for sure. Not sure what to make of it.

Plus the Djin...
That was rather random.

Huh. I hadn't recognized Gillian.

 jhe90 wrote:
Strange for sure. Not sure what to make of it.

Plus the Djin...
That was rather random.

The little "random" bits play the role of showing the wider world under the world. This way we can see more of the mythos without directly making them significant characters (at least right way).

That is the way I see it.

I do like the random bits, though I didn't totally understand this week's again.

Yeah, I had a bit of trouble getting my head round it.


Also, I'm sure I missed most of the Bowie lyrics that Media was quoting.

 BrotherGecko wrote:

 jhe90 wrote:
Strange for sure. Not sure what to make of it.

Plus the Djin...
That was rather random.

The little "random" bits play the role of showing the wider world under the world. This way we can see more of the mythos without directly making them significant characters (at least right way).

That is the way I see it.

Only having seen 2, then full Craziness, it kinda was a well...

Well that's unexpected!

The leprechaun is shaping up to be my favorite character of all. I think Shadow Moon is my least favorite. He's the main guy, but he's such a downer. I mean I guess I can see why, but still. I liked how Wednesday was telling the cops the whole story with no spoilers at all, and they just thought he was crazy.

I thought the whole thing with the animated part at the beginning was just trying to say that gods only die when people forget about them.

 Necros wrote:
I thought the whole thing with the animated part at the beginning was just trying to say that gods only die when people forget about them.

That was my take away as well.

I don't think the concept of gods dying from lack of belief was fully divulged in the show until that animated scene and that concept is a major theme throughout the book (and presumably the show).

Yup, that's pretty much it.

While people still remember, the gods still exist. They don't have to believe in them, just remember they existed, and the gods will still be around - albeit as a pale shadow of their former selves.

I skipped the animated intro bit - mostly because I just don't understand the need for the mythology and creation belief thing.

I just can't fathom the WHY such a thing exists. It's like explaining colour to someone blind from birth.

(Mostly watching it for a less sweary Ian McShane, though - but the Gillian Anderson bits are quite pleasing, too ).

On ep2 of this and having never read the books am quite confused
Will plough on and see where it goes however, it does have a nice style to it.

And spoilers people!

 chromedog wrote:

I skipped the animated intro bit - mostly because I just don't understand the need for the mythology and creation belief thing.

I just can't fathom the WHY such a thing exists. It's like explaining colour to someone blind from birth.

You lost me here. What are you referring to?

Really enjoyed the flashback episode, the scene in the bathroom was brilliant stuff
Quite like Lauras character, hopefully they flesh her out a bit more.
Agreed on the comments about Shadow Moon, hes frigging boring at this point

I will say though a few of the scenes throughout the series have been a a bit drawn out and self indulgent.

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:

 chromedog wrote:

I skipped the animated intro bit - mostly because I just don't understand the need for the mythology and creation belief thing.

I just can't fathom the WHY such a thing exists. It's like explaining colour to someone blind from birth.

You lost me here. What are you referring to?

The pseudo claymation CG animated bit that starts immediately after the opening credits for ep5 that goes from about 2:30 to 6:50 in.
Something about a native migratory people moving and Bison and spears and whatever. Something about a creation myth (whatever).

That bit. Like I said, I don't understand the whole need for a creation myth thing, but I also don't understand faith or the need to believe in a "higher power".
This is what I mean about not understanding the "why" it exists. I wasn't raised with a particular religious belief - they all seemed equally odd to me.

Someone TRYING to explain why to me is like trying to explain colour to the blind. I have no frame of reference. Moreover, I cannot conceive of one.

and @Ratius: Drawn out and self-indulgent is kind of a hallmark of Gaiman, tbh.

Ah righto, Im not familiar with Gaimans stuff so this is new territory for me.
Caught up to ep5. Was okish. I enjoyed the scenes with Laura and the Irish guy, less so the interrogation room scene. Again too dragged out I felt.

PS
What is the deal with the black woman absorbing people and the whole taxi driver sex thing? Are they Gods too? Their plot lines just sort of came and went. Am I missing something?
And am I correct in thinking, there are 3 new world gods - TV/Mr World/Techbrat but only two old world - Wednesday and the Russian guy with the hammer?

 Ratius wrote:
Ah righto, Im not familiar with Gaimans stuff so this is new territory for me.
Caught up to ep5. Was okish. I enjoyed the scenes with Laura and the Irish guy, less so the interrogation room scene. Again too dragged out I felt.

PS
What is the deal with the black woman absorbing people and the whole taxi driver sex thing? Are they Gods too? Their plot lines just sort of came and went. Am I missing something?
And am I correct in thinking, there are 3 new world gods - TV/Mr World/Techbrat but only two old world - Wednesday and the Russian guy with the hammer?

I and some other people managed to narrow her down. She is a goddess who gains her power via eating during the point of orgasam.
She is a old goddess. That's evens your new god/old line Horus Heresy style.

Her name was said during thr scene. Some link also to queen of Sheba.
We got some off stuff googling that...

The "random" scenes are a nod to the book, where every few chapters we get a little insight into the wider world, specifically to show that there's more going on outside the Wednesday/Shadow thread, as well as to illustrate the nature of the world the Gods inhabit, i.e. they follow a very Pretchettesque (no surprise, given his and Gaiman's friendship) concept in that they are powered by rememberance, belief and worship, and can never truly die until they're forgotten.

Equally, anything humanity puts faith in can become a god, hence the latest scene with the mammoth skull. In a time when man was ignorant of the way the universe worked, they'd worship pretty much anything. They worshipped the mammoth as it was what fed and clothed them, with the death of the priestess and the arrival of the buffalo (which saved them from starvation) the tribe that worshipped the mammoth ceased to do so, and in a time with no written record, that god eventually became completely forgotten and disappeared.

The new Gods are representative of how humanity is now less concerned with old religion, and fame, celebrity and technology have become the new "religion" hence creating Gods that represent them.

I loved the Blowing a Kiss scene. Seeing the Techkid get his teeth knocked out was hilarious. Not as funny as Mad Sweeney racking himself on the car door though.

I genuinely LOL'd. The Sweeney stuff is great, because it all happens off camera pretty much in the book, but what they're showing him going through is absolutely plausible given where his character's heading and the path he ultimately travels.

 cuda1179 wrote:
I loved the Blowing a Kiss scene. Seeing the Techkid get his teeth knocked out was hilarious. Not as funny as Mad Sweeney racking himself on the car door though.

I would not be the least bit surprised if that door racking was accidental because he pulled it off so naturally.

Took me a moment to figure out what you were on about there. You foreigners and your funny slang!

God (gods!), what a weird show... !

Have to say am really enjoying it. Have read the books (which I can only remember bits and pieces of) so have some idea of what's going on, but am watching it with someone who hasn't and is getting a bit lost in places (I keep saying that it will make sense eventually..I seem to remember that it sort of does!)

I loved the animated intro of the last episode, and the sequence of the old lady meeting Anubis after she has slipped off the chair.

Another thing.. this is probably the first show I have seen that fully justifies a 4k TV. The imagery, colours and general picture clarity are absolutely incredible. You can tell so much effort has gone into the AV side of things, bits of it are like a piece of art.

Tonights episode was a good change of pace. I really love when the dive deeper into the lore. I really enjoy Mr. Jacquel and Mr. Ibis and the scenes they are in.

Watched 5, the ones with police station and Mr wensday facing the new gods.

Solid episode. Zombie wife, unlucky leprechaun, its all compeling stuff.

Apparently the next one is the season finale did I see? Feels really short.

This is the current paradigm for TV shows.

Short seasons. It's easier to get 8-10 episode seasons budgeted for than the old paradigm 26-ep syndication seasons.