I found the first few episodes of American Gods lacking but the show finally hit its stride with number four, "Git Gone." Below is a sample of what I wrote for Macmillan's Criminal Element blog. Go ahead and click over for the remainder of my two 1/2 cents:
There's a real slow turning of the narrative page here (yet when slow is done right, it can be exciting, à la Twin Peaks) that wasn't clicking in the first three episodes, and the compartmentalization of the book that kept the reader enthralled just didn’t have the same effect in the show. For someone who likes it when filmmakers stay true to the book, I have to admit that I’m glad they expanded the Laura Moon character in “Git Gone.” It provides a much-needed backstory to her relationship with Shadow, and it made this episode the first exceptional one of the series.