The Man in the High Castle

[Chankgeez]

Still haven't watched season 1 and still wanna. Am totally still interested in hearing people's opinions on this still.

[mysteryroach]

It's not the greatest thing in the world. But it does what it sets out to do: tells a story about a hypothetical axis-occupied America. Which is a pretty cool premise. And they succeed in doing the premise justice and making it worthwhile watching (which is difficult when there's so much choice for good tv out there) - but if you're looking for Breaking-Bad/Mad-Men quality TV this aint it. In terms of quality, I'd compare it to 11.22.63, except maybe a little bit worse? Not bad by any means. In fact, quite good. But not a "masterpiece" in what is currently a golden age of good television.

Something that bugged me was that almost every shot had a camera filter on it that made all the colours incredibly washed out and lifeless. This was almost certainly a stylistic choice to show how hopeless and downtrodden life is like for Americans within the japanese states. However while it was a stylistic choice that was effective in what it set out to do, it does make it incredibly laboureous to watch at times. The neutral zone suffers from the same problem. And even though the comparatively idyllic Reich introduces some much needed colour to the mix, they still make it feel incredibly flat and faded.

Anyway, it's a show that mainly coasts on having a good concept rather than providing incredibly thrilling tv that you can't peel your eyes away from and will be subject to many water-cooler conversations. Having said that, they absolutely handle the concept adequately. And by "adequately" I don't mean "phoned-in by-the-numbers 90's-TV quality - just good enough to exist, not get cancelled, and to have viewers that watch it non-ironically" like that show Zoo, or Arrow, or something similar. It's actually good. You won't be disappointed unless you expect Casa Blanca.

[lordgalvar]

Season two is much better than season one...It still has its problems, but the acting has improved overall. I think they've done well enough expanding the plot past the novel, but the more mystic side is kind of lacking. The mystic stuff is still there but it is different and more kind of fluid I guess...It just doesn't feel like the creators are as interested in that stuff (much like Scott taking out the religious side of blade runner...This leaves more in though). Just a different take.

Some of the events are kind of handled strangely and abruptly and others are drawn out kind of randomly.

Beyond the acting, the the next least polished part of the show is the scene transitions: they can feel straight Days of our Lives soap style....Say something, stern question reply, freeze on face about to reply for a bit too long, next scene.

Overall, I thought season two made the kinda lame season one worth the watch. The show is catching it's stride I think. Like others have said, not the best show but a totally worthy watch with some bright points and some flaws.

[sears]

It's not the greatest thing in the world. But it does what it sets out to do: tells a story about a hypothetical axis-occupied America. Which is a pretty cool premise. And they succeed in doing the premise justice and making it worthwhile watching (which is difficult when there's so much choice for good tv out there) - but if you're looking for Breaking-Bad/Mad-Men quality TV this aint it. In terms of quality, I'd compare it to 11.22.63, except maybe a little bit worse? Not bad by any means. In fact, quite good. But not a "masterpiece" in what is currently a golden age of good television.

Something that bugged me was that almost every shot had a camera filter on it that made all the colours incredibly washed out and lifeless. This was almost certainly a stylistic choice to show how hopeless and downtrodden life is like for Americans within the japanese states. However while it was a stylistic choice that was effective in what it set out to do, it does make it incredibly laboureous to watch at times. The neutral zone suffers from the same problem. And even though the comparatively idyllic Reich introduces some much needed colour to the mix, they still make it feel incredibly flat and faded.

Anyway, it's a show that mainly coasts on having a good concept rather than providing incredibly thrilling tv that you can't peel your eyes away from and will be subject to many water-cooler conversations. Having said that, they absolutely handle the concept adequately. And by "adequately" I don't mean "phoned-in by-the-numbers 90's-TV quality - just good enough to exist, not get cancelled, and to have viewers that watch it non-ironically" like that show Zoo, or Arrow, or something similar. It's actually good. You won't be disappointed unless you expect Casa Blanca.

Maybe I should try 11.22.63. I read the book.

I think -- and I have no technical knowledge whatsoever, just a hunch -- those filters are often used to disguise the CGI. The filters were my least favorite part of the Lord Of The Rings movies. In this series I bet that a lot of the sets and backgrounds are CGI.

[jrfox92]

Watching S2 now.
I actually prefer it over the first. Mostly because they pretty much axed the whole love triangle bullshit.

[Chankgeez]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/mor ... aa55d27e01

[Invisible Man]

Missed this thread, but watched the first season with Invisible Woman. I am a patient man, but Jesus this show is slow. Now a few eps deep in season 2, and there are some where I'm not sure I could accurately summarize the plot because nothing happens.

It is beautifully shot, but wer'e mostly watching it because of the lack of better options.

[jrfox92]

It is beautifully shot, but we're mostly watching it because of the lack of better options.

Probably the main reason anyone watches it.

[aedes]

Anyone watch season 3 yet?

[Benn Roe]

I'm a few episodes deep in the new season. I think I like the show a lot more than most people in this thread, though.

[jrfox92]

Currently trudging through the season because I can't stop getting bored/confused.

Sidenote:

SPOILER : show

Am I the only one that thinks it's funny that they've created this whole plotline about trying to get to Scranton?
Is there gonna be an episode where they fight it out at Schrute farms or something?
Is Amazon using this entire series to allow for a backdoor pilot of a reboot for The Office only in this new universe?
Does this mean that Dwight will be a real Nazi this time?!?!

[aedes]

I have yet to start...I won't click the spoilers but i really want to.

[lordgalvar]

Season 3 feels even slower so far. One hour feels way longer.

Some plots have come out of nowhere or I forgot/missed them during season 2. The characters at times do some random actions that I don't know if they fit overall with the character or arc. Some good stuff and I think they've gone in the right direction in some ways, but, eh...I do chores while my wife watches and intermittently come back during an episode...she tells me nothing happened haha.

Nothing better to watch though. Only at episode 2 or 3 though (we started the weekend it came out).

Spoiler kinda:

NSFW: show

Dude from Knights Tale is like, "I have damaging info other people have and I will use it if you don't report to me...I know that other dudes coming for me have same info, but I'll hurt you more in the same way".

Reporter lady is like, "Oh no! Yes, I'll do what you say."

And they introduce Hoover (is he supposed to be j Edgar?) And other politicians that kind of make the whole thing more convoluted even though their motivations don't really make sense...

The Japanese admiral changes his story which makes sense, but then gives the fugitive they've been looking for for years I guess to some dude with no punishment? I can't imagine anything works that way...the trade minister all the sudden has way more power? That scene was kind of weird. And the admiral going like, "be nice now" which I get why as a counter F.u. to the reich, but the administrator detective guy is like, "nope, I'm gonna keep on keeping on with the way things have been"

Then the whole sister thing and bad actor double agent American German guy goes rouge...I don't know..it feels random.

I'm sure it will get more tied together and better...just been kind of a hard, long watch

[The Eristic]

Season 3 feels even slower so far. One hour feels way longer.

Yeah, I find myself having a REALLY hard time getting through this season. I'm a little over halfway, but I can only handle a single episode per sitting vs binging it previously, and when an ep is over, I'm more relieved than interested in what actually happened. Combined with the dead serious tone and the filters cooling everything down, the even slower pacing has kinda pushed it over the line into comatose and has made it too much of a slog. I'm only watching still to see what happens with the Trade Minister, as he's the sole likable character in pretty much any sense, imo.

[lordgalvar]

Yeah, I find myself having a REALLY hard time getting through this season. I'm a little over halfway, but I can only handle a single episode per sitting vs binging it previously, and when an ep is over, I'm more relieved than interested in what actually happened. Combined with the dead serious tone and the filters cooling everything down, the even slower pacing has kinda pushed it over the line into comatose and has made it too much of a slog. I'm only watching still to see what happens with the Trade Minister, as he's the sole likable character in pretty much any sense, imo.

Agree, especially with bold. I do think opgruberwhatevwr dude from Knights Tale is doing a good job with what he is given...and I think some of the stuff with him is interesting...but some stuff, not so much...descent fleshing out for a bad guy I guess.

Less spoiler, more ramble.

NSFW: show

There ain't much to the book and I guess they gotta stretch the concept to make it a series (and make most of the changes they did...most I agree with overall. Newsreel is better for tv than books, etc). It makes for slow pacing because the series thus far has tacked on plots over a sparse central plot and played it pretty sequentially.

I think little stand alone episdoes featuring fringe characters that go toward the overall world building and personal discovery of that character in this world could have helped the pacing...kinda like an x-files monster of the week structure or flashback episodes (a concurrent timeline episode for the Japanese admiral would have been kind of neat or Smith backstory during the war...stuff like that that breaks up the slow moving plot). On the other hand, the walking dead completely sucks at this structure (not to say that they are any kind of series to emulate haha )

I haven't felt the need to re-read the book in near 20 years. Dick kinda got to the point too quick in it, then made a point to tell the reader explicity what he has already told them via the story...I get why it's slow paced even after fleshing it out.