American Gods Review: Moon Shadow (Season 2 Episode 8)
The truth leisurely comes to light on American Gods Season 2 Episode 8, “Moon Shadow.”
Shadow using the World Tree to wipe away the threat becomes the episode’s big moment, but the opening minutes are, by far, the most fascinating use of the episode’s time.
The tying of The War of the Worlds broadcast produced by Orson Welles to the idea of fear from Mr. World is an incredible way to introduce the episode. The notion of fear being tied to the belief of what’s possible in the imagination is a powerful thing to start with.
It helps frame the season’s meandering in a profound way. We’ve seen what is possible throughout, and the fear the unknown is an undertaking the show pulls off with grandeur.
When American Gods digs deep into the imagination and makes it the gateway to what’s possible on the show, there’s this feeling that there’s infinite possibilities of what could come next. Shadow’s potential god-like powers at the climax is a perfect use of this concept.
Shadow is on a precipice, for the second time using godly powers (the first being creating a snowstorm in season one) and giving his origins as Wednesday’s son more light. It’s there for us, but done with suggestion and hints.
The episode is, unfortunately, mired with a lot of false starts. Laura promises to kill Wednesday, but because he’s off having a nice meal (a completely strange way for his character to close out the season), she leaves with Sweeney’s body rather than doing as she said.
There’s no tying up of Laura’s resurrection, where there’s a moral conundrum of Sweeney’s blood potentially being the source she needs (which I figured is the hint of her rubbing her boot in his blood), or if she will use the potion on him to bring him back. The strand just ends.
The episode builds up how fear takes hold of people and makes them do crazy things in order to feel safe, but it only eats at Salim, some officers, and a tip line center. It feels as though there needed to be some more to that, but ended up only as a great set-up.
One major incentive of “Moon Shadow,” however, is it’s a gorgeous hour of television. The grandness of simple scenes like Ibis and Nancy playing chess, of New Media setting technology against Shadow and Wednesday, of the police rising up against the mortuary, are all beautifully shot and wonderful visuals.
For the season finale, American Gods does not go the extra step when the step is right there in front of it. There’s a hesitation, like the show isn’t quite ready to take things further when there’s more to come.
Now there’s a splitting up of sorts, Laura, Shadow, Salim and the Jinn on their separate ways. Perhaps the third season will cover more ground this way, since bringing everyone together led to even more of a standstill.
American Gods Season 2 Episode 8, “Moon Shadow,” is a strong episode in production, but suffers under keeping its cards close to the vest, especially for a season finale. The strings set up beforehand continue on, leaving some dissatisfaction, even as pretty as the whole hour is.
Despite the overall disappointing tone, the show is still quite enjoyable, and never boring. There’s a spell of excitement to American Gods, and a confidence. For that, despite its faults, the finale does not come off as a failure, but as a too-careful pausing point.
What did you think of this episode of American Gods? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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American Gods airs Sundays at 8/7c on STARZ.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.