Certainly his day
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.
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/1151190.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.
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.
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/1151190.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.