If you're caught up on American Gods and you're dying for something just as magical and intense... you might be out of luck. It's a pretty unique series based on one of the greatest novels ever written. That doesn't mean that there aren't some shows that have similar elements that you'll enjoy, though! There's even another program written by the same author, Neil Gaiman, available for streaming on Prime right now, making it a fantastic time to be alive.
Whether you love the gods, the violence, the wild scenarios or the deep magic, there are a few shows that can help tide you over until season three of American Gods.
Good Omens
The most recent show to provide many of the same elements found in American Gods happens to have been written by the same author, Neil Gaiman, along with the late, lovely Terry Pratchett. The Amazon Prime series Good Omens is all about the end of the world, and while it's angels and demons, and not gods, at its core, there are also the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and other supernatural elements.
Good Omens isn't nearly as dark and gory as American Gods. In fact, it's tween and teen-friendly, and it's much more lighthearted. But it features some of the same themes and its whimsical writing makes it so much fun to watch.
Lucifer
If you need more biblical themes with a hefty dose of the dark, Lucifer might interest you. It's very loosely based on the comics, which, surprise, were created out of Neil Gaimain's Sandman comics world. There's a pattern here. Lucifer is that Lucifer, Lucifer Morningstar, also known as Satan. He's also abandoned his title as Prince of Darkness to come up top to run a nightclub and serve as a consultant for the police department. It's obviously much more riveting than it sounds.
Originally airing on Fox, the program is now on Netflix, which will be producing the show's fifth and last season.
Game Of Thrones
By now, everyone has at least heard of the hit HBO fantasy drama Game of Thrones, which was based on the George R.R. Martin series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Martin has yet to finish the series, and the show, which ended this year, surpassed the book series timeline.
Although many viewers found the final season rushed and unsatisfactory, the majority of the program, which is filled to the brim with magic, creatures, gods and violence, was riveting and impossible to tear away from. Watching the contenders fight over the most uncomfortable seat in all of Westeros is highly addictive. The zombies and dragons certainly help.
Preacher
Many fans have hailed Preacher as the sister show to American Gods due to its central theme. The AMC series features many of the same elements we see in American Gods, including strong supernatural occurrences. Based on the DC comic book of the same name, the series is about a sinful preacher and the many dark, fantastical things in his life, including vampires.
The same kind of violent storytelling can be found in this series, which is is well-made with great reviews, but it does still have a final season that will be aired this year, so it might leave you hanging if you attempt to binge it right away.
Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina
If the magic and gore of American Gods is what you're after, the new Netflix series The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina might help satisfy your appetite. It's not nearly as gruesome and chaotic as the Starz show, with more of an older teen feel, but it's definitely full of spells, monsters, blood and sacrifice.
This isn't the Sabrina many of us grew up with but the one of the newer horror comics. Gone are the talking familiar and cutesy spell work. They've been replaced by demons, cannibalism, torture and many other forms of darkness. While Harvey is present, he's also certainly not the main focus, and the series has a much more "woke" feel than many others, whether of Sabrina's original timeline or present day.
Westworld
Another viscerally visual show, Westworld isn't exactly the same as American Gods but it's full of sex, violence and unique themes. It's about an amusement park where the wealthy can enact their most hedonistic desires upon the robots of the park without any consequences, which gets rather ugly.
The cast of the show is incredible, especially Ed Harris's character, although watching it may make you never want to see him in a film again. The HBO science fiction western has further star power, since it was also based on a novel written by another famous author, Michel Crichton. It's not about gods and magic, but tech and science, yet the effect is similar.
Legion
While it isn't the exact same topic, the FX series Legion has similar themes. It's based on the X-Men comics, which means it's less than six degrees of separation away from American Gods, since Neil Gaiman wrote Marvel 1602. Explorations of mental illness, the concept of being a mutant and other themes are all explored, which leads to plenty of supernatural-like occurrences, including appearances by the Shadow King.
Legion is just well-done TV. It has a Rotten Tomatoes approval rate over 90% and it carries the same visual flair we've come to expect from American Gods. It's also complete after three seasons, so there's nothing to leave you hanging as far as waiting for the next season goes.
The Leftovers
For a strong dose of Christian mythology, check out The Leftovers, a drama on the HBO network. The supernatural mystery has a grim tone, much like American Gods, and it involves the sudden disappearance of 140 million people. It also features cults, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and plenty of other biblical references.
The Leftovers did get a bit of a makeover midway through the series, but since then it's received some critical acclaim as well as developed a cult following. Given that the show is complete after three seasons, it would be a good one to watch through since you don't have to wait for what's next.
Twin Peaks
Who killed Laura Palmer? After you see Twin Peaks, you'll know. Long before his Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Desperate Housewives days, Kyle MacLachlan starred as Special Agent Dale Cooper in the supernatural drama. He's brought in to investigate the death of a homecoming queen but ends up getting in way over his head for more than that.
Part mystery, part horror, the show is filled with horror tropes, cool surrealism and plenty of suspense. Like many of the shows here, it developed a cult following that eventually led to it being brought back for another season decades after its cancellation.
Supernatural
Supernatural is entering its 15th and final season this fall on The CW, so if you haven't ever seen the show, if you get binging, you might be able to catch up in time for the premiere. The popular program, which has launched everything from Hot Topic swag to conventions of its own, features two brothers taking on the supernatural monsters of the world together.
The show is dark, but it's more teen-friendly and not as violent or sexual as American Gods. Some seasons have wider arcs than others, and some feature more of a "Monster of the Week" format. The show has plenty of gruesome moments, urban legends, mythology and magic to keep you entertained, and since there are almost 300 episodes to get through, you're bound to stay busy until next the season of American Gods if you pace yourself.