‘American Gods’ Cancelled After Three Seasons at Starz
American Gods will end after its third season on Starz. According to Variety, Starz has decided not to pick up the series for another season, but there is the possibility the show will live on as an event series or TV movie.
Based on Neil Gaiman’s 2001 novel, American Gods follows ex-convict Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) and his chance encounter with the mysterious Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane). Mr. Wednesday pulls Shadow Moon into a mystical world, where Old Gods struggle to keep their power in the face of New Gods.
“American Gods will not return for a fourth season. Everyone at Starz is grateful to the dedicated cast and crew, and our partners at Fremantle who brought author and executive producer Neil Gaiman’s ever-relevant story to life that speaks to the cultural climate of our country,” said a Starz spokesperson in a statement.
Variety also added that the main reason behind American Gods’ cancellation was a dip in ratings. Multiplatform viewership reportedly declined 65 percent in between the show’s first and third season. In addition to that, the fantasy drama also faced tumultuous production cycles and a series of creative hurdles that took their toll on the quality of the series.
Created by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, the show’s critically-acclaimed first season aired in 2017. But Fuller and Green departed after clashing with producer Fremantle, leaving Jesse Alexander to step in as showrunner. Alexander was then removed after Season 2, and Charles “Chic” Eglee took over at the helm alongside Gaiman. With no consistent showrunner, American Gods’ three seasons ended up feeling disjointed from one another.
While we’re saying goodbye to American Gods, fans can take comfort in knowing that a resolution is potentially in the works. Many shows that are cut short don’t get that luxury, so at least we could get some closure on Gaiman’s characters in a way that makes sense for the series.
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