The Man in the High Castle
What if the Axis powers* had won the Second World War? (*That’s an alliance of two: Italy does not exist in this universe.) Dick’s novel is more about how easily, with a slight twist in the sequence of events, one type of society could slide into being another type; this series is more about how to resist the fascists. But where that is also a matter of setting the stage for what at times almost resembles a soap opera.
That said, there seems to be a shift between the first two seasons, which are essentially pre-Trump, and the final two, which seem to take a turn towards a different kind of resistance and a less ambivalent attitude towards the resistors. Part of that shift, perhaps, is that the Jews fade away while others are brought to centre stage. The problems or difficulties clearly intensify in the fourth season, where so much of what was built before has simply been ditched, and the increasingly nonsensical story rushes along to an unsatisfying denouement.
Aside from the strange, underwhelming and perfunctory final moment, the trajectory is towards a conclusion in which a white woman, a black woman, a mother and her teenage daughter prove to be those most responsible for bringing down the American Nazi president. Never escapes the limitations of TV, features some poor dialogue and terrible acting, and overall proves to be a case of diminishing returns. Rufus Sewell is clearly the star.
That said, there seems to be a shift between the first two seasons, which are essentially pre-Trump, and the final two, which seem to take a turn towards a different kind of resistance and a less ambivalent attitude towards the resistors. Part of that shift, perhaps, is that the Jews fade away while others are brought to centre stage. The problems or difficulties clearly intensify in the fourth season, where so much of what was built before has simply been ditched, and the increasingly nonsensical story rushes along to an unsatisfying denouement.
Aside from the strange, underwhelming and perfunctory final moment, the trajectory is towards a conclusion in which a white woman, a black woman, a mother and her teenage daughter prove to be those most responsible for bringing down the American Nazi president. Never escapes the limitations of TV, features some poor dialogue and terrible acting, and overall proves to be a case of diminishing returns. Rufus Sewell is clearly the star.
Mini Review: A shift occurs between the pre-Trump first two seasons and the final two, which turn towards a different kind of resistance and less ambivalent attitude towards the resistors. Also, the Jews fade away while others are brought to centre stage. Heads to a conclusion where a white woman, a black woman, a mom and her teenage daughter bring down the American Nazi president. Never escapes limitations of TV; features some terrible acting; overall, diminishing returns. Rufus Sewell is clearly the star.
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