For those who are unfamiliar, [easyazon_link identifier=”0062572237″ locale=”US” tag=”tvovermind00a-20″]American Gods[/easyazon_link] is a fantasy drama based on the novel of the same name. In light of its name, it should come as no surprise to learn that its protagonist Shadow Moon is caught up in a brewing conflict between the Old Gods out of myth, legend, and folklore and the New Gods representing the preeminent concepts of the modern world. So far, American Gods has met with an enthusiastic response from viewers, which makes it natural for interested individuals to wonder how long it can run.
How Long Can American Gods Run?
The most obvious answer is that [easyazon_link identifier=”B06X18R5W4″ locale=”US” tag=”tvovermind00a-20″]American Gods[/easyazon_link] can run until its source material is exhausted. After all, it is based on a novel with both a beginning and an end, meaning that it is natural for the fantasy drama to cover the full length of the narrative. Something that has been estimated to take between four and five seasons.
However, the obvious answer is too simple and straightforward in nature. For starters, between four and five seasons is no more than a rough estimate, which is a serious problem when the show-makers’ estimates have proven to be less than perfect in the past. In part, this is because predicting the exact number of episodes needed to cover a narrative is a complicated matter, particularly when the end is still so far away. However, it should also be noted that the differences between the written word and the TV screen as storytelling mediums presents not just changes that have to be made to account for said differences but also exciting opportunities that would be a shame to pass up on.
For example, the novel presented the events of the narrative from the perspective of a single narrator. Replicating this narrative choice would not be impossible on the TV screen, but it would make a poor fit when the nature of the new storytelling medium is much better-suited for a broader perspective that extends beyond a single character. As a result, it is not much of a leap for American Gods to go from a more zoomed-out focus on its protagonist to changing the focus to other characters as well, which enriches the narrative in exchange for using up more screen-time. Something that is particularly true because the setting laid out in the novel is stuffed full of figures from myth, legend, and folklore, who come with all of their wonderful narrative possibilities.
As a result, while between four and five seasons is not a bad estimate for the full length of [easyazon_link identifier=”B00E32IR10″ locale=”US” tag=”tvovermind00a-20″]American Gods[/easyazon_link], it would not be impossible for it to run even longer. After all, while the novel wrapped up the plot-lines that it presented to the reader, it was clear that its central figures had plenty of other stories remaining in them, which means potential for more seasons beyond the current estimate.
How Long Should American Gods Run?
At the moment, the show-makers are occupied with Season 2, though a release date has not been announced at this point in time. The CEO of Starz has stated that the fantasy drama could run for an indefinite number of seasons, while the show-makers are on-board with the media project as long as it continues to make sense for them to do so. As a result, even once American Gods covers the events of the novel, it is not impossible for it to continue telling the further stories of its central figures.
