Shadow makes himself at home in Lakeside and Wednesday attempts one final gambit to win over Demeter.

This season of American Gods is really growing on me, thanks in no small part to the drama between Ian McShane’s Wednesday and Blythe Danner’s Demeter. We discover in a flashback how Odin first met the goddess – even though it was his compatriot Tyr who was in love with her – and what happened to make him leave.

Using the medium of shadow puppetry, Wednesday narrates what happened and why he did what he did – the play within the play being the connection to the episode’s title, a quote from Hamlet. These moments and the eventual resolution are some of the strongest we’ve seen to date in the show.

Back in Lakeside, Laura visits her husband who now has to deal with the reality that she’s no longer dead and is looking to kill Wednesday – his father. Laura returns to Salim, who is hearing voices from the TV, and after failing to find Wednesday at a cancelled memorial gig, they meet Mr World, who is now in the form of Danny Trejo (Predators).

The hunt for missing local girl Alison continues, but the police have no clues, and her safe recovery is becoming increasingly. Shadow suggests that he may be in town longer than he intended, and he has an unexpected reunion with Sam Blackcrow.

Verdict: Each story thread feels well nourished, finding the show in rude health. It’s in a lot better place than this time last season. 8/10

Nick Joy