As you may remember from my episode 1 recap of American Gods, I don’t remember the book it’s based on due to what I can only assume is cosmic conspiracy, some kind of obscure blood curse or other karmic movings in the universe. So I don’t remember too much about the role of Laura in American Gods, and by “too much” I mean anything at all.
But Emily Browning is such a bafflingly underrated actress that I was really excited to see more of her in the role of Laura Moon, especially upon hearing that her role would be greatly expanded for the show. Browning brings a sense of world-weariness, cynicism and despair to Laura, coupled with heart-tugging vulnerability and shrouded in raggedy shreds of hope. It’s easy to see why Shadow was drawn to her.
(Whittle and Browning have major, major chemistry, by the way. Romance novel chemistry. Romance novel cover chemistry. Menopause warning, ladies, keep a fan at your side.)
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Laura wants a change, but can’t imagine what that change might look like or how to make it happen. She wants to feel whole and happy, but doesn’t know what to do to make that a reality and is willing to try anything. Browning’s portrayal is a compelling look at someone suicidally depressed whose reckless search to feel anything at all winds up biting them right on their perfect ass.
The scene where she sits Shadow down to explain, business-like, that her unhappiness is causing a feeling of growing resentment and she must do something to address it is practically a template for Shadow’s future dealings with Mr. Wednesday. Laura thinks she’s being perfectly rational in concluding that robbing the casino is the only way to curb her resentment and happiness, but Shadow is not equipped to combat her brain’s dysfunctional reasoning that sees “rob a casino” as not only a solution, but the optimal solution.
Mr. Wednesday’s reasoning for what may seem irrational isn’t executive dysfunction, but the result is quite the same: Shadow staring across the table at mad propositions and taking them on despite the insanity.
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Is Laura a horrible person? Maybe, but who cares? If all characters on TV were saints, we’d have nothing to watch. Lambasting a mentally ill character for suffering horribly beneath the kind of dreary, daily pain we see Laura suffer feels like aiming at low fruit. Horrible or not, if you’ve ever had experience with the kind of numbing, fatiguing depression Laura is clearly suffering from, there’s still something to relate to and a reason to root for her, despite her, uh, death.
Speaking of her death, the most unrealistic thing in all of American Gods is definitely going from fucking Ricky Whittle to sucking Dane Cook’s dick. Sorry to put it so crassly, but that’s like going from a Maseratti to a broken bicycle you’re just kind of doggedly calling a unicycle so the kids don’t make fun of you for your raggedy-ass bike.
Other notable parts of episode 4:
Shirley Manson, the soundtrack of my youth, coming through with that classic Garbage tune, “Stupid Girl.”
Ricky Whittle’s deft portrayal of Shadow before all these supernatural shenanigans, all footloose, fancy-free and dripping with charisma.
Dead Cat Warning. I got too used to all those happy, carefree cats trotting around after Anubis. I’d have gotten a little fucked up too, Laura. One thing after another...
Laura’s shocking disrespect to Anubis. Girl! (Why did Laura see Anubis in the afterlife anyway? Because she’s a suicidal atheist and those belong to Anubis now? She’s definitely not some kind of devout Egyptologist.) When she slapped Anubis’ hand I almost slapped hers. Don’t be rude!
“I lived my life, good and bad, definitely not light as a feather.” But I wonder what would have happened if she laid her heart on the scale. Does Anubis’ scale register pity, mercy, extenuating circumstances?
Anubis is so goddamn handsome and has so much commanding presence. Menopause alert!
The entire scene between Laura and Audrey. You know the friendship is real when you’re cussing out your dead whore friend as she passes excruciating post-death gas on your toilet, then help her sew her arm back on and drive her to go stalk the husband she cheated on. #JustGirlyThings
The misery in Laura’s face when she remembers the last thing before her death. “Oh.”
Is it weird to say that Audrey’s reaction to Laura crawling back from the dead one-armed to have awful cramps on Audrey’s toilet and get her arm sewn back on was…. really realistic? The hysteria, anger, grief, pain and slow acceptance of an impossible situation was really well-played.
The flies all over and around Laura, constantly.
Shadow’s presence as a beacon of golden warmth. Finally, Laura has a direction she can go in where things feel warm and right - a direction she had all along, but didn’t realize until it was way too late.
She may have died sucking his best friend’s dick, but crawling straight out of the grave to kick the spines out of Technical Boys’ little boys? Her baffled reaction to her newfound power and strength? Tearing Shadow down from that awful noose? The glorious parade of slo-motion Kool-Aid everywhere? Come on, Laura gets at least one (1) point for all of that.
Anubis and Ibis crossing the street. That perfect dog! Anubis’ outfit! Bye!
The whole scene where Anubis and Ibis pretty Laura up to make her look as if she’s still alive, pinning her arm back into place, threading the muscles back together, painting life back into her skin all with the touch of true artisans. What’s their motivation? Is there a hint when Ibis points out that Shadow will thank whatever god sends his lost love back to him?
“Don’t move. You’re still tacky.” The shade, Ibis!
Like other episodes of American Gods, episode 4’s rating is sky-high at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. What did you think? What were your stand-out moments? Got any sympathy for a poor lost soul? Feel free to talk about Laura Moon and American Gods episode 4 in our comments section below, and don’t forget to check out episode 5 on Starz this Sunday, May 28 at 9 p.m. EST.
