American Gods airs explicit gay sex scene

BOLD new TV series American Gods aired its third episode over the weekend, featuring what may be the most explicit gay sex scene ever depicted in a TV show.

The series, adapted from the beloved Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, follows gods of ancient cultures as they clash with new American gods like Media and Technology.

Each episode contains a ‘Coming to America’ segment which shows how regular people interact with gods.

The new segment is a very literal interpretation of that title.

In the sequence, down-on-his-luck salesman Salim (Omid Abtahi) winds up in a cab driven by a djinn (Mousa Kraishbtahi), a supernatural figure from Arabian and early Islamic mythology.

The two men connect while discussing their misfortune, and Salim recognises the djinn for what he is.

When they reach Salim’s hotel, he offers up his room number and they proceed to have sex in a scene that features prominent full frontal nudity (though any penises therein are computer-generated).

The series is run by Hannibal and Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller, who is gay.

After seeing the first cut of the scene, he had to go back to those involved in shooting it because it wasn’t realistic.

“I was like, ‘Okay, unless he has a 12-inch, candy-cane cock and can fuck around corners, his dick’s not getting in him. So you guys need to go back and figure out where holes are,” Fuller recalled saying.

The scene breaks ground not just in terms of its explicitness but in featuring not only two men of colour, but also unabashed intimacy between two Muslim men.

Speaking at a panel for the show producer Michael Green said, “I saw it as a story of a god giving a man permission to be himself and to enjoy sex and to be made love to.”

“It’s about a communion of sorts,” Fuller said. “I hope there are Middle Eastern young men masturbating to that scene.”

The series is produced by U.S. premium cable network Starz, which has not shied away from male nudity in the past on shows like Spartacus.

American Gods airs on Amazon Prime Video, which launched in Australia last December.

It stars Ian McShane, Ricky Whittle, Crispin Glover, Pablo Schreiber, Yetide Badaki, Bruce Langley and Australian actress Emily Browning, with Cloris Leachman, Kristen Chenoweth, Gillian Anderson featured in recurring roles.