Gaiman’s source material has always been a complicated, imperfect beast, but one with so much potential, an arena in which to explore what makes America, well, America, and all that it holds sacred. Though the writing does feel improved over Season 2, the heart of what made this show particularly weird and exciting under the tutelage of Fuller and Green is still missing. (now played by Dominique Jackson), but efforts to “right” and focus the story leave the whole thing feeling at a loss. There are certainly worthy attempts at mixing it up here, like the reincarnation of Mr. Unfortunately, the show handles it all quite predictably, both in tone and measure.

For those who’ve read the book, the location is familiar, home to a spooky mystery and its own cast of characters that - you guessed it - result in Shadow getting into a lick of trouble. Wednesday (Ian McShane), understandably wants to get away from all this Old and New Gods stuff, and finds himself hiding out in Lakeside, Wisconsin. Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), dealing with the fallout of learning that his father is in fact Odin/Mr. The current point in the story doesn’t help matters much, either. Music cues and set pieces feel cringeworthy and tired, and the execution of the aesthetic tricks and flourishes made into flights of fancy by Season 1 showrunners Bryan Fuller and Michael Green now feel shoehorned in and out of step. But in its third iteration, things have taken a far more dull and formulaic turn. Not that this is surprising, given its rocky second season. And try though it might to give us something new again, the magic that carried the series into creation is decidedly absent.

With a third new showrunner in as many seasons, the Neil Gaiman adaptation’s jump from page to screen has been a meandering and dramatic tale all its own. In its third season premiere - one lauded as a return to form by cast members in interviews - the show is rebooting itself yet again.

American gods season 1 episode 3 cast