The Man in the High Castle

  • Thread starter MeanElf
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MeanElf

MeanElf

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MeanElf
How have I missed mentioning this (apart from in the alternate history thread) is beyond me...

The pilot and first series came out in early 2015 becoming the most watched in Amazon's Original Series Programme since it started and now series two is up.

Based on Phil K Dick's book from the 60s about an alternative version of history where Japan and Germany had won WWII and subsequently divided up the USA between them. It also is about the mysterious man in the high castle who has film evidence of the Axis powers losing the war.

Rufus Sewell is really good (as always) and I'm looking forward to start watching S2 tonight.

 
MeanElf
Really no one else is interested in this...or is it just a little too close to how things are heading over there?
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Haha! I don't think it's quite that bad. :lol:

I'm thinking about checking this out. I'm a huge WWII buff, and I've always wondered what would of happened if Germany would of won the war(or basically not pissed off Russia). I don't like many series though, I'd rather watch a movie or documentary.
 
My approximate review of season 1:

Bleak
Death
Bleak
Bleak
Death
Bleak
Bleak
Bleak
Bleak
Bleak
Bleak
Death
Bleak
Bleak
Ooh look it's Hitler
Death
Bleak
 
Its real great this program, shame my streaming speed isnt fast, as the beginning credits are like a 240p youtube video, I can hardly make out the writing etc, terrible, and if i rewind or forward, again rubbish quality.. anyone know if it will be on dvd anytime...
 
Oh man, just finished S2 last night. Was glued to the TV for hours. John Smith and his story is incredible, especially the 4D chess in the last episode. Hopefully there's a season 3.
 
Season was fantastic, loved how it basically tied up a lot of the plot threads from season 1 and 2, though I feel like they could almost end the series here with how complete they wrapped it all up. I can see where there's still a few threads to explore though.

So who thinks Frank is actually dead? Didn't see his body but something tells me he probably isn't dead and that the film with Joe shooting him could still come into play if they do a third season.
 
longshot1314
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So who thinks Frank is actually dead? Didn't see his body but something tells me he probably isn't dead and that the film with Joe shooting him could still come into play if they do a third season.
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It does get absorbing. I watched it in the lead up to Christmas week and it was weird 'living' in that world then needing to deal with the Christmas-thing all around me in this one.

My money is on Frank still being in the picture. Thing with even big explosions like that, is that they can strip a person literally naked yet leave them unharmed whilst killing someone stood next to them.

As for loose ends, there is still the matter of how so many film reels from the one alternative time-stream are getting to the man in the high castle. The trade minister and his aide both learned, maybe it was just the result of a few hundred others doing the same over the years. What to me is interesting is that the film Juliana was carrying wasn't an alternative history, but one of their own possible futures - will more surface?
 
MeanElf
It does get absorbing. I watched it in the lead up to Christmas week and it was weird 'living' in that world then needing to deal with the Christmas-thing all around me in this one.

My money is on Frank still being in the picture. Thing with even big explosions like that, is that they can strip a person literally naked yet leave them unharmed whilst killing someone stood next to them.

As for loose ends, there is still the matter of how so many film reels from the one alternative time-stream are getting to the man in the high castle. The trade minister and his aide both learned, maybe it was just the result of a few hundred others doing the same over the years. What to me is interesting is that the film Juliana was carrying wasn't an alternative history, but one of their own possible futures - will more surface?
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Yeah, also raises the question of whether Hitler had future tapes, and how that's different from the case with Tagomi since him and his aide were only able to travel between timelines at the same date. I'm thinking that with the way the timelines work the initial fracturing of the time lines may have started with the tapes that made it to Hitler and subsequently resulted in further fracturing as more made it forward. So that leaves the question of who is supplying the tapes that are coming from the future. I think the only thing that may indicate that Frank may have actually died was the way they showed the shot of him on the beach immediately following the bombing, though it almost feels as if they want to leave that question open ended. Even if he died Trudy showing up at the end basically implies its possible to cross time lines entirely not just in spirit. I'm assuming that Trudy showing up probably has implications regarding how the future tapes migrated.
 
longshot1314
Yeah, also raises the question of whether Hitler had future tapes, and how that's different from the case with Tagomi since him and his aide were only able to travel between timelines at the same date. I'm thinking that with the way the timelines work the initial fracturing of the time lines may have started with the tapes that made it to Hitler and subsequently resulted in further fracturing as more made it forward. So that leaves the question of who is supplying the tapes that are coming from the future. I think the only thing that may indicate that Frank may have actually died was the way they showed the shot of him on the beach immediately following the bombing, though it almost feels as if they want to leave that question open ended. Even if he died Trudy showing up at the end basically implies its possible to cross time lines entirely not just in spirit. I'm assuming that Trudy showing up probably has implications regarding how the future tapes migrated.
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Interesting - I like that idea 👍
...the fracture point of the time-lines, that is. John Smith will have access to those films now, so I'm sure we'll see.
 
Did anybody else finish the show? Thoughts?

I thought the last season was pretty solid, though the ending on the last episode seemed a little rushed. I saw some people online wanted a 5th season, but I think that would've been a bit too slow. They could've added another episode to this season or tacked on 20-30 minutes to the finale.
 
I just watched part of the very first episode (S1) and it felt a bit forced...

It's not captivating me yet...

I stopped after the truck got away... I found it to be lame...had it been real, the truck would NOT have gotten away so easily.


Like someone above has said @Famine ... It is too bleak...

I don't enjoy this type of show... At least if there isn't any smart comedy tied to it...

If it is depressing like this throughout, no thanks.


Please tell me I am wrong to abandon it within 30 min....


Just so you know what I enjoy:
Breaking Bad,
Better Call Saul
Last Kingdom
Marco Polo
Narcos
Twin Peaks
 
Last edited:
CTznOfTime
I just watched part of the very first episode (S1) and it felt a bit forced...

It's not captivating me yet...

I stopped after the truck got away... I found it to be lame...had it been real, the truck would have gotten away so easily.


Like someone above has said @Famine ... It is too bleak...

I don't enjoy this type of show... At least if there isn't any smart comedy tied to it...

If it is depressing like this throughout, no thanks.


Please tell me I am wrong to abandon it within 30 min....


Just so you know what I enjoy:
Breaking Bad,
Better Call Saul
Last Kingdom
Marco Polo
Narcos
Twin Peaks
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Based on what you enjoy, Id say you might wanna stick with it. There are some real curveball twists and turns in this story, on both the character and world level.

This isn't the place for smart comedy though. It's a dark show with very dark themes. Where it's strong is in the characterisation and the realisation of the setting, rather than a particularly witty script.
 

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