iWorld
Amazon renews ‘American Gods’ originals, starring Whittle & McShane
MUMBAI: Amazon has announced that the highly-acclaimed Amazon Original Series American Gods, which premiered on 1 May, has been renewed for a second season. At present, American Gods is among the top 10 shows in India on Amazon’s international Prime Video service.
Amazon claims American Gods, produced by FremantleMedia North America, garnered an overall rating of 8.6 on IMDb and a top critics score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Prime Video vice president – international Tim Leslie said, “We’re bringing a second season of Neil Gaiman’s riveting story.”
As is known Amazon Prime Video is offering 30-day free trial for watching these and other Hollywood and Bollywood movies, US TV shows, kids’ programming and Amazon Originals.
In Season one, viewers encountered a war brewing between Old Gods and New. The traditional Old Gods, with mythological roots from around the world, fear irrelevance as their believers die off or are seduced by the money, technology, and celebrity offered by the New Gods. Adapted from the award-winning novel by Neil Gaiman, American Gods stars Ricky Whittle (The 100, Austenland) as protagonist ex-con Shadow Moon, Ian McShane (Deadwood, Pirates of the Caribbean) as Mr. Wednesday, who enlists Shadow Moon as part of his cross-country mission, and Emily Browning (Sucker Punch, Legend) as Shadow’s wife, Laura Moon. American Gods Season one also features Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) as Media, the mouthpiece for the New Gods, Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies, Wicked) as Easter, Pablo Schreiber (13 Hours, Orange Is the New Black) as Mad Sweeney, and Yetide Badaki (Aquarius, Masters of Sex) as Bilquis.
Written by Neil Gaiman in 2001, American Gods has been translated into over 30 languages and earned numerous accolades including Hugo, Nebula and Bram Stoker Awards for Best Novel.
Bryan Fuller (“Hannibal,” “Pushing Daisies,” “Heroes”) and Michael Green (“Blade Runner 2049,” “Alien: Covenant,” “Murder on the Orient Express,” “Kings,” “Heroes”) are writers and showrunners. David Slade (“Hannibal,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”) directed the pilot and additional episodes. FMNA’s Craig Cegielski and Stefanie Berk are executive producers along with Fuller, Green, Slade, Adam Kane and Neil Gaiman. Senior Vice Presidents of Original Programming Marta Fernandez and Ken Segna are the Starz executives in charge of “American Gods.”
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
