American Gods Review: Fire and Ice (Season 3 Episode 7)
After a quieter episode, the action heats up on American Gods Season 3 Episode 7, “Fire and Ice.” The show finally starts to make some bold moves and answer questions raised earlier in the season.
A big question it answers is what the connection between Bilquis and Shadow means for the show. Now that Bilquis knows she’s an Orisha, she finds out that her destiny intertwines with Shadow’s destiny more than she previously knew.
The prophecy she learns from visiting a woman named Eugenia, who happens to be the midwife from Shadow’s birth, creates some new intrigue for American Gods. Bilquis must find Shadow’s “other half” in order to save the world.
For viewers who’ve grown bored by all the vague, ominous statements about Shadow’s fate, the introduction of Bilquis’ mission is sure to pique their interest again.
Much like the change in Bilquis’ story, Laura’s meeting with the New Gods also increases the stakes of her character’s journey. The bargain she strikes could give her everything she wants or it could lead to her second death. No pressure.
American Gods is putting its female protagonists front and center this season, and it’s a very welcome change from the supporting roles they once played. For Bilquis especially it’s long overdue.
Unfortunately, not all of the developments on the episode are as successful at creating momentum for the show.
The sudden focus on Wednesday being hunted down by his rogue follower Johan comes from out of left field. It doesn’t add much to the plot since Johan’s only motivation seems to be insanity which is a little mundane for a show about the gods.
It does, however, lead to a great performance from Ashley Reyes who perfectly captures how someone would freak out after learning their boss is actually an ancient god. Cordelia has been fun to watch all season, but it’s even more fascinating to see how she reacts to this new information.
Given the option to leave Wednesday and get out of her contract, Cordelia chooses to stay. Her decision gives you the chance to think about what you would do in her situation. Could you go back to a normal life after knowing gods walk among us?
Tyr’s decision to double-cross Wednesday during the conflict with Johan also makes little sense based on what’s happened in the season so far. While the two characters don’t exactly get along, he’s never appeared particularly motivated to take Wednesday down either.
By the end of the episode, this new subplot turns into just another reason for Shadow to leave Lakeside when Tyr tricks him into thinking Wednesday is in danger. This is especially disappointing considering Shadow is getting close to a breakthrough in the Allison case.
His visions throughout the episode provide clues that he can’t quite make sense of yet, but it’s clear he’s tapping into something connected to the town. Sadly, his leaving town also leaves the Lakeside plot to fizzle yet again.
Just when American Gods finds a direction, it takes an unnecessary turn. Unexpected twists can provide excitement for a show, but not when they come at the expense of already established plotlines.
Why should viewers continue to invest in the show when important plotlines are constantly being put on hold or ignored? It’s frustrating, to say the least.
With only three episodes left it’s hard to predict what kind of conclusion this season will bring. I hope it includes more answers about Lakeside than we’ve been given so far.
Additional Thoughts:
- Salim admitting that he doesn’t want Laura to end up like Sweeney or the Jinn is quite touching, but his character deserves more to do than constantly worry about other people.
- Wouldn’t it be cheaper to buy a pair of ice skates? Renting them from Hinzelmann seems like a rip-off. If I wasn’t suspicious of Hinzelmann before I definitely am now after seeing what prices she’s charging.
- I can’t be the only one who shouted, “Kiss! Kiss!” at my TV during that hot tub scene. The Shadow-Marguerite ship is real.
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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Breeze Riley
Breeze Riley is a pop culture enthusiast who decided to turn her love of watching too much TV into a hobby writing about it. Although she's a convention-going sci-fi and fantasy nerd, she's just as likely to be watching an off-beat comedy or period drama. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic.