Some 20 years after that loss, the United States and much of the world has now been split between Japan and Germany, the major hegemonic states. But the tension between these two powers is mounting, and this stress is playing out in the western U.S.
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Reviews
Community reviews for The Man in the High Castle, shown here with its season details.
m
mgenth
6.0
How appellant the idea of a multiverse where the wavefunction collapse doesn't turn realities unreachable from the other quantum fluctuation results, in brief terms, referring to the "Many Worlds Theory" or the different view of Laura Mersini-Houghton. So the gods want, personna dream. As if the kraft happens, the series goes beyond the original work, admiringly well. The details, scenarios, characters. As a youngster I read mostly the twisted Philip K. Dick stories, those with bugs... Who knows how many, forty years ago? Not me.Heinlein or Le Guin, The Stars My Destination, the Heechee saga, Dorsai, even "old style space operas" by EE Doc Smith, Clifford Simak, to name a few, seemed to leave a clearer picture than Philip K. Dick which one must reread here and then considering the number of superb cinema and TV "Adaptations", too much to refer or choose one as "the best".
Not a fan of dystopian literature or ordinary TV series. But nothing of ordinary is here at play and there are Utopian undeniable traces. Art, decadence, suffering and resilience, life at its fullest. Love, and the hero within each child to crown the cake.
This work of distinguished direction, production, excellent acting and good pace, constitutes a good ensemble, rising the level and not defrauding our founded expectations. For personal reasons I usually expect the conclusion or at least two sequences and then let some distance from trailers, critics. Tasted it at a given opportunity. Better late than sorrow.
It was a pleasure to follow, in a row, three seasons of The Man in the High Castle. Congratulations to the crew.
Honored, with a bow.
t
tmdb32847728
9.0
# One of the best TV dramas in recent memory
<b>First, a disclaimer:</b> I've not read Dicks' original version of <i>The Man in the High Castle</i>, nor do I intend to read it. I am judging the show entirely on its own merits, without any influence or critiquing related to the novel.
## On to the review!
I'm going to keep this short and simple, so you don't have to read a shit-ton of stuff and so that I don't write any spoilers. Here's what you need to know:
As a sci-fi story, <i>The Man in the High Castle</i> falls a bit short. The showrunners tried to wrap up the sci-fi bit at the end, but they did a pretty piss-poor job. Budget cuts? Rushed delivery? Who knows? Fortunately, the sci-fi aspect of this story isn't actually what makes it great.
What makes <i>The Man in the High Castle</i> great storytelling and great television is the alt-history and the in-depth character story arcs; in particular, the story of the Smiths—the highest-ranking family in the Nazis' American Reich—is absolutely fantastic. In John and Helen Smith, we get to explore what it might have meant for regular Americans to throw their lots in with the Nazi Party had the Axis powers won WWII. Through dialogue and flashbacks, we get to see how joining the Nazi Party twisted both John and Helen into persons unrecognizable from their alt-world selves. Truly, the Smiths' story arc was easily my favorite, and it is the backbone of the show. You will never feel sorry for John or Helen, but you will understand them—and you will feel sorry for their children.
Add to this mix some solid intrigue and action, plus a strong, capable female protagonist, and you will see why <i>The Man in the High Castle</i> is really good television.
Also, don't let my initial talk of the sci-fi component scare you off. The showrunners may not have done a great job of resolving that part of the story, but the characters' stories were all resolved to my satisfaction. (Well, with one exception, but...it didn't ruin the show for me.)
I recommend this show highly to people who enjoy:
- Military fiction
- Historical fiction
- Alt-historical fiction
- [Light] sci-fi
- Political intrigues/dramas/thrillers
G
GenerationofSwine
1.0
So, the problem that we are facing with this is that the episodes exceed the story. It's the same problem that a LOT of television shows on streaming services suffer from. They have a few too many episodes for the story they are telling in the season.
About 8 episodes per season and about 5 episodes of actual story. The result is so much filler that it seems to drag and not really accomplish anything of value.
However, the story is interesting, as is the world that it is set in. Unlike A Handmaiden's Tale, or really, a lot of other shows, it doesn't feel like you are being lectured to.
But it does feel like it dragged. All they needed to do was lesson the amount of episodes to fit the story, or add a subplot or two more and it would have been a killer show.
Instead, the result is a good show that has been stretched until it's paper thin
And then season 3 hit and what was good was replaced with woke messaging. And the lectures became nonstop.
Episodes
Episode 1
The New World
7.6
Jan 15, 201560 min66 votes
Joe Blake, a resistance fighter, leaves German New York with cargo for neutral Colorado. In Japanese San Francisco, Juliana Crane receives footage of the Allies winning the war and a bus ticket to Colorado from her sister. There, she meets Joe. Joe reveals a dark secret.
Episode 2
Sunrise
7.7
Oct 23, 201560 min59 votes
Juliana and Joe are becoming closer and closer in the neutral Rocky Mountain states. Juliana finds a job in a local cafe and receives information of a mysterious King James bible in a local bookshop. Frank is tortured and interrogateed by the Japanese Occupation Military Police back home to know about Juliana's whereabouts.
Episode 3
The Illustrated Woman
7.5
Nov 20, 201558 min53 votes
Joe and Juliana must act quickly as a vicious bounty hunter known as The Marshal arrives in Canon City. Tagomi makes plans with Wegener to pass valuable secrets from the Reich, and Frank plots his revenge against the Japanese.
Episode 4
Revelations
7.4
Nov 20, 201554 min49 votes
Joe is increasingly torn between duty and his growing feelings for Juliana. While Ed tries to stop Frank from making an irrevocable decision, Smith's investigation is interrupted when he has trouble with his witness, and Tagomi's plan goes awry as events take a dramatic turn at the Crown Prince's speech.
Episode 5
The New Normal
7.3
Nov 20, 201550 min51 votes
Juliana returns home, only to discover new clues that lead her closer to unraveling the mystery behind the films. Meanwhile, Joe faces a tough debriefing upon his return home. Kido begins his investigation into the events surrounding the Crown Prince's speech, while Tagomi and Wegener make a last-ditch attempt to complete their mission.
Episode 6
Three Monkeys
7.8
Nov 20, 201556 min50 votes
Joe celebrates VA day at Smith's house. Juliana accepts a job working for Tagomi as she continues her search for answers. Smith invites an old friend to join the celebrations with surprising results.
Episode 7
Truth
7.3
Nov 20, 201556 min49 votes
Juliana makes a startling discovery about her sister's death. Frank reflects on recent events and makes an important decision about his future, and Tagomi gains greater insight into Juliana's past.
Episode 8
End of the World
7.6
Nov 20, 201555 min48 votes
Juliana and Frank make plans to escape the Pacific States, only to be dragged back into danger by Joe as he tries to retrieve a new film. Meanwhile, Smith's loyalty is put to the ultimate test when confronted with a startling family discovery.
Episode 9
Kindness
7.9
Nov 20, 201550 min48 votes
With time running out, a desperate Frank is forced to put his life on the line to help Joe. The pieces finally fall into place for Smith as he uncovers who was behind the assassination attempt. Tagomi is devastated when he's confronted with the consequences of his scheming, and Kido's investigation takes a dramatic turn when he makes an important discovery.
Episode 10
A Way Out
8.1
Nov 20, 201560 min51 votes
As revelations abound, Juliana is forced to make the hardest decision of her life. Wegener returns to Germany to carry out his mission. Smith risks becoming the prey as he goes hunting with his assassin, and Kido desperately tries to close his investigation before his time runs out.