Certainly his day

[selenak]

Ian McShane has been cast as Mr. Wednesday in Bryan Fuller's tv version of American Gods. This is a gift from the casting heavens, and I'm now at the "I WANT IT NOW WHY ISN'T IT 2017 ALREADY" stage about this show.

However, it occurs to me that I should employ spoiler cuts when raving about how this is perfect, because not everyone has read Neil Gaiman's novel. Wednesday is my favourite depiction of Odin in any media so far, and one of my hopes ever since a tv version of American Gods has been announced has been that it's going to bring back non-Marvel versions of the Norse gods in the public consciousness. Because the Marvel versions really have precious little to do with Norse mythology, Loki and Odin being the most glaring cases in point. (That was in fact why I kept away from any Marvel comics depicting them for years, after having read one, and why it took me more than a year to watch Thor the movie. Though I finally came around to accepting the Marvel gods as their own thing.) Gaiman's Wednesday, magnificent bastard, charming con man and ruthless sacrificer, has-been who really isn't prepared to be, is just the type of role McShane should excell at. Incidentally, back when I read the novel I figured out who he really was as soon as he said "you may call me Wednesday, for today is most certainly my day", but it takes about thirty to forty pages more until it's spelled out to the reader. I wonder whether Fuller will make it clear from the start or will play a little guessing game? And how long until the first tweet asking why Low Keye isn't Wednesday's son? Seriously, the fact that Marvel made Loki Odin's adopted son instead of his trickster blood brother was one of the most off-putting changes for me back in the day, and due to the movies, I bet it's what everyone not familiar with the mythology believes these days.

Something else the casting reminded me off: someone really needs to write that crossover where Jimmy McGill meets Mr. Wednesday, for all the obvious reasons.

And now for a couple of fanfiction recs:

Doctor Who:

once upon a time in nazi-occupied france:

"He's sitting in a cafe in Vichy France (he was aiming for 2042) and waiting for his lunch when Missy plops down in the chair opposite him." This is a conversation they've had before, it's just the first time they've both been able to consider it.

In which the Twelfth Doctor, post Clara, meets Missy again. This is one of those stories which manages to do justice to the long history between the Doctor and the Master, and to write them specifically in these particular regenerations, not interchangable with earlier ones. It's perfect. (BTW, my favourite details is that Twelve got himself the flame throwing guitar from Mad Max, because he so would.)

Black Sails

Both recs are spoilery for 3.06, so with due deference to those friends on my list whom I've managed to convert into watching the show but who haven't arrived there yet, I shall hide them beneath

The Price of Sand:

After Max choses the future of Nassau over Anne and Jack, she and Eleanor come to an unexpected understanding and agreement. Great take on the fact Max just made a similar choice to Eleanor's from the start of season 1, and how this impacts her understanding of the past.


Immersed: another episode tag, this one about Silver's conflicted feelings re: Flint.

Comments

[wee_warrior]

It's such a fantastic casting. I'm really looking forward to this adaptation more and more (while still trying to keep myself in check, since they will do something I won't like, and I don't want to get disappointed, just because I fell into the "every detail has to look like the novel in my head" trap.).

I'm still not over the Marvel depiction of both Odin and Loki, I'm afraid. Tom Hiddleston may be a fantastic actor, who is really charming to boot, but Loki would eat Marvel Loki for breakfast, and eat the dish and tray besides. The Norse trickster god, a Byronic hero with Daddy Issues. *shakes head*.

I figured out Mr. Wednesday at the same point, and got Shadow relatively quickly, too, but it took me embarrassingly long to figure out the other one. Like, literally more than half the book. I mean, the name is standing right there, you only have to read it out loud...

[selenak]

Hey, same here. And to make it even more embarassing for me, Gaiman used the same pun in the name for the character in The Kindly Ones, the big showdown in Sandman, plus American Gods itself gives a really heavy hint when Shadow realises all the cons Wednesday mentioned to him were two men cons...

I'm bouncing up and down at the prospect of this series, I tell you!

[jesuswasbatman]

The coverage I've seen suggests that it may be more an open-ended drama series about the characters than an adaptation of the novel plot - eg hints in coverage suggest that the Technical Kid seems be playing a much bigger role than he does in the novel.

[wee_warrior]

I can deal with that - although I doubt they'll ax all of the plot, the war makes for a good general backdrop, and especially the plot in the town seems too good to pass up. (I hope they give some of the goddesses more to do, though, and maybe make Sam's role bigger, since the important female roles are a bit scarce otherwise.) I'd be more worried about them fitting the tone of the book - once upon a time, Eric Kripke was ever so briefly attached as a possible showrunner, and that would have been a catastrophe. I have way more trust in Fuller.

[neotoma]

Yes, this is a lovely bit of casting. McShane is quite capable of playing charming and monstrous at once.

Is there any word on who is playing Loki yet?

[selenak]

Not that I know of. Personally, I'm hoping for an unknown, because Loki's true identity shouldn't be obvious the first time the (unspoiled) audience meets him. And if they cast a big name actor, it will be.

Now that we have a Shadow and a Wednesday, I'm very curious who will play Laura, because she needs to be someone who can do charming and frightening!

[laurashapiro]

Whoa, that is some spectacular casting! I am mostly interested in who they get for Mr. Nancy, though.

[selenak]

The question there would be: will they cast with an eye to the possible spin-off? Since Anansi Boys would work both as a miniseries and as a standalone movie.

[laurashapiro]

I actually prefer Anansi Boys, TBH. I'd love to see that happen!

[saturnofthemoon]

Ian McShane's casting totally made my day yesterday. Also, I totally forgot Loki is Odin's blood brother, because I haven't read Norse mythology since grade school. Mythological Loki is so much better than Marvel Loki.

[selenak]

Infinity plus one better. I'm also partial to Wagnerian Loki, aka Loge, because he has the best theme music. :) More seriously though, this is perfect casting, and the joy of it hasn't yet ebbed a day later.

[likeadeuce]

So excited for this

[selenak]

Next on the wish list: a really good actress for Laura!