Man in the High Castle - Amazon

I’m glad it’s not just me!
I also keep the subtitles on when I’m watching.

 

I finished Season 3 last night.

Once I got past the contrivances (back in Season 1) I was able to let myself flow with the story more easily, again, despite everyone being cast too pretty. I can't do that with every show, but with this one, the setting and overall scheme of the show always kept me coming back for more.

Since I basically binged three seasons, there was no wait for me. Thus it probably slid down better than others have written about.

Plus, John Smith is was one of the most complicated and confusing characters I've seen in a long while (equaling only Philip from The Americans, perhaps).

Smith plays the good soldier, which sometimes forces him to commit heinous acts, yet he often questions the commands, and the nature of blind obedience, though he doesn't question when his superiors are around. I keep waiting on him to flip sides, to bring his good caregiver side out for a better cause. He's very intelligent. Sometimes manipulative. He's bought in, though it appears he's seeing past the artiface of what he originally bought in to. A lot of his actions simply make me wonder if he's redeemable.

I thought it was funky and unnecessary to bring back Frink. That was a bridge a little too hard to cross. Otherwise, I like most if the little side plots, because they keep the story moving like a good book (no, I haven't read Dick's original).

Now, I wait like the rest if you for Season 4. There was a lot of good setup to look forward to.

 

Yep, just finished Season 2 and couldn't believe how good it was. One of the best seasons of tv ever, along with Mad Men and Breaking Bad's best seasons.

 

Thats what I was wondering.

 

Uh... Season 3 has been out for a while.

 

Well that was premature. I'm almost finished watching Season 3 and what a stinker it is. So disappointed. Season 2 was riveting. Season 3 is a snooze. And what's with the sudden concurrent homosexual storylines? That came out of nowhere and reeks of pandering. Of course, there were many other more important missteps in this season. I sure hope they regain some footing in Season 4.

 

Gave up after Season 2.

Regarding the comment on subtitles, wife and I are doing the same with most shows we watch these days.
It seems the dialogue is mixed to low and/or the actors mumble continuously.

 

Just finished Season 3. I'll watch Season 4 just to see what happens, but I'm disappointed with a lot of what I see as many unrealistic elements. I'm not talking about the science fiction angle. I realize science fiction is by its nature is unrealistic. But even the most outrageous sci-fi or ghost story plot must have an internal consistency. Such a story can set up just about any scenario it wants, but it must establish and adhere to its own internal rules or it's just "anything goes".

Spoiler: Season 3

For example, Juliana Crain decides to infiltrate the Nazi-occupied eastern portion of the US toward the end of Season 3. She obtains false identification, but it never occurs to anyone that she should try to adopt some sort of disguise. She is wanted just about everywhere, and her photo is circulating among Japanese and Nazi law enforcement from New York to San Francisco. They couldn't at least have her cut and dye her hair? Is the actress that vain? Are the writers that stupid? Both? Then when they get to the Poconos, she and her compatriots just waltz right up to a ridge overlooking the top secret Nazi project to surveil the area. Were real Nazi's that careless? These are supposed to be real Nazi's, right? That is Heinrich Himmler, right? Just why do they want to invade an alternate reality anyway? Wouldn't it be prudent to send a team of spies in first before you get jiggy with Wehrmacht? They had better perimeter security around the witches castle in the Wizard of Oz.

I really recommend the book

Spoiler: Book

, which fortunately is devoid of any science fiction angle. Its brilliance lies in its ability to make you feel like you are living in Japanese-occupied US - the focus of Dick's narrative - and question any post-World War II reality. Unlike the series, the "Grasshopper Lies Heavy" in the book (itself a book and not an 8mm film) even misstates our own reality, proposing, it would seem, a third reality (which is where Season 4 should go, but I doubt it).

Ultimately, I see it as an opportunity lost (much like 11-22-63) . Nice paycheck for Dick, I hope, but not a lot more.

 

For his heirs, maybe. He died in '82.

 

Really! The audiobook - which is well-presented - is posted on Youtube in a manner that led me to believe he was still alive.

 

I'm about halfway through Season 3, and it's quite a let down from Seasons 1-2. Too slow, too disjointed, characters not acting in character, sex quotient upped to 11 for no discernible reason, etc. Feels like they must have changed showrunners/writers. I am ambivalent about finishing the season, but since there's a Season 4 coming, I may trudge through...

What a disappointment.

 

I loved the first season and the rest were OK.

 

Yes. What was the plot point of the relationship between the two women? They seemed to have about eight subplots going with half of them essentially unnecessary. They'd focus on one for three minutes and move on to the next.

 

The book was great.

 

Coming in a bit late, but I've just started watching it. I like alternative history stories.
Anyone else read Gregory Benford's recent novel, The Berlin Project? I recommend it highly.

 

Wow. The fourth season rocks.

 

Oh snap! I didn't know it started today. Thanks for the reminder!

 

I had no idea it started, will get on that!

 

I watched the last episode of last season to catch up, plus the recap. Then I only had time for the 1st episode of Season 4.

Ep.1 - I really like how they

Spoiler: The good

flip-flopped between two worlds, especially the world with a happy

John Smith and family. However, I generally don't like it when they introduce

Spoiler: The bad

a whole new clutch of characters in a final season. The BCR was hinted at, I know, yet they felt rushed in.

Most of that is nitpicky, because you know, I've only seen the first episode of the new season.

If I was going to take a hard stance on anything, though, it would be,

Spoiler: The rest

how in the hell did Helen let her children go with Smith, alone? She didn't want to go; I get it, but better to be close to her children than let the father corrupt them, totally, or worse, they find a genetic fault with one. That just didn't ring true that she would do that.

One thing I'm afraid of his making John Smith a one-dimensional character, when up until now he's always been so complex, wondering if he can ever be redeemed. It has always felt like it was a possibility. I'm not so sure now. He's totally cut himself off from his wife. I don't think anything good can come of him.

 

I still haven't finished season 1 yet. Two eps to go tonight. I was unsure of it early on but I think I'm hooked now.

 

Just started season 3 a couple of days ago when I realized I was behind the 8 ball with a new season starting up. I got 2 episodes in to season 3 and realized I missed the last 2 episodes of season 2 so now I am playing catch up.

 

Easily done!

 

Finished at last. That is the first season that took me two days to complete. Now how long until Bring On The Jubilee is on Amazon?

However, I do want to thank Amazon for not dragging this out like other shows. To quote William Shakespeare in the The Merry Wives of Windsor, “Better three hours too soon than a minute too late."

I will wait a few days before posting comments or discussing this season. Spoiler: The only thing I did not like is the absence of arguably the best character in Season 4.

However, if you have read all ten pages and are reading this now, you should have expected a spoiler, or two, or a hundred by now.

 

Stick around. Answers in episodes two, three and four. As,to the BCR, I get the sense that the plan was for five seasons and they were told they would only get four resulting in considerable storytelling compression, characters eliminated off screen and some loose ends. Still a darn fine show.

 

Just finished binging the final season. I really liked it. One can certainly find flaws in it, but overall I think they chose one of the best possible approaches to the season and the finale.