I did watch the premiere of American Gods last night. Just a caveat: I read the book 15 years ago and am dismayed at how much I have forgotten. As a result, I'm approaching this show with enough ignorance to be surprised by some of the minor scenes but not as a neophyte. Therefore, I'll talk about the show itself with some passing references to the book. I simply do not remember the book enough to make a side-by-side comparison.
Is it worth getting Starz to watch American Gods? Considering that a season is only eight episodes, you could subscribe for two months (maybe three) and catch the entire season. During that time, you can watch the Force Awakens, the new Ghostbusters, and other movies. Starz is one of the cheaper premium channels, so it may be worth it to throw money at them for a couple of months. If you're still uncertain, you could wait until all eight episodes have aired and subscribe for one month so you can stream it. It might even work with the 7-day trial period.
But is it a good show? If the premiere is any indication, I think it is, but it won't be for everyone. The story is weird. It's not Dirk Gently weird, but it tells a tale of old gods trying to stay relevant in modern America. Gods of sex and war must contend with new gods of media and technology. You're going to see some wacky stuff here.
Another possible obstacle for the show is its pacing. I don't even know if the entire book is told in these eight episodes, but I suspect not. It plods along much like Man in the High Castle, which was also not written as a television show. It is very much full of style, but it's not sacrificing substance for style. The substance is still there, but Bryan Fuller wants you to appreciate his vision, and his vision is grand.
The show is full of absurd violence. It's not a direction I would have considered, and I could see this working against the show. It has its fair share of gritty fights that may evoke scenes from Fight Club, but it also has visually incongruous scenes of violence. The blood is vibrant in contrast with the dark look. The first death of the series is so ridiculous that I feel even Quentin Tarantino would think it was over the top.
But you know, it works. Bryan Fuller is an accomplished creator, and he's working with a great book. Even better, his cast is phenomenal. They bring these outlandish characters to life in a way that we don't even care how absurd the scenes get. This is about faith in America, and there is no pussyfooting about.