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The Man in the High Castle (Amazon)


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Old 19-12-2015, 17:02
daisyduck1976
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The worst thing about the show is I feel the two lead characters Joe and Juliana are actually kind of dull. The subplots (ie. Tagomi and Wegener's scheming) and secondary characters (especially Burn Gorman's Bounty Hunter) are more interesting than what's going on with these two and the newsreel
Yes I find them boring too. After being really interested from the pilot, I have given up at episode 4. It looks beautiful, but it's hardly gripping.
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Old 19-12-2015, 18:13
dantay24uk
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I am glad I stuck with the series as the last three or four episodes were particularly good. Definitely in agreement with what others have said about Julianna but particularly Joe! They're both dull and Joe seems like a character shoehorned as a pretty face where as I think Frank and McCarthy were a lot more likeable.

But it's John Smith that is the star of the show. Him and Tagami are fascinating.
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Old 20-12-2015, 21:35
Mandark
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I took it to be that he was the most senior SS officer in the American Reich.

NYC is presumably the most important city, given that Washington was nuked in WW2, and Smith's rank of Obergruppenführer is one of the highest SS ranks.

I'd like to have known more about his background, though, given that he was American and not German. How did he get where he was?
You'd expect John Smith to have been one of those pre war Nazi sympathisers of German heritage. But I don't think it comes across enough the power that he must wield.
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Old 21-12-2015, 14:02
derek500
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Second ten part season commissioned.
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Old 22-12-2015, 14:44
GDK
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Good news indeed.

Some of my friends gave up after the pilot - they felt it was too slow - but I think it's a great, thoughtful exploration of that world and what it means to be free. It's very disturbing to see most of what we know as a free society easily accepting the Nazi ethos and falling into line. It's very believable in that sense.
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Old 24-12-2015, 02:47
xynaria
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Second ten part season commissioned.
Don't tell me .... they felt they hadn't sufficiently explored the concept of inanity enough with the first series and were so very capable of doing even worse...bravo ...... bravo I say !!!
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Old 24-12-2015, 11:48
GDK
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Don't tell me .... they felt they hadn't sufficiently explored the concept of inanity enough with the first series and were so very capable of doing even worse...bravo ...... bravo I say !!!
Merry Christmas to you too!

Why do people feel the need to "contribute" to a discussion about something they evidently don't personally enjoy?
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Old 24-12-2015, 13:25
xynaria
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Merry Christmas to you too!

Why do people feel the need to "contribute" to a discussion about something they evidently don't personally enjoy?
It's a discussion thread on peoples reactions to a series is it not?. IMHO The Man in the High Castle had immense potential.............one that was squandered very badly.

Merry Christmas
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Old 24-12-2015, 14:28
seejay63
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Merry Christmas to you too!

Why do people feel the need to "contribute" to a discussion about something they evidently don't personally enjoy?
It does seem pointless. I wonder how people would feel if I went on the Eastenders/Coronation Street/X Factor, etc threads and said what a load of old tosh they are?
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Old 24-12-2015, 15:48
yellowlabbie
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Merry Christmas to you too!

Why do people feel the need to "contribute" to a discussion about something they evidently don't personally enjoy?
It really isn't necessary, anyway I am thoroughly enjoying it and so is my hubby.

Merry Christmas.
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Old 24-12-2015, 16:02
MrQuike
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The theme song really annoys me. I like Edelweiss normally but the way she pronounces it 'Edelweish' is so annoying.
I enjoyed the entire series and so did the rest of my family. I really liked Julianna.... but that really was one annoying dirge of an intro.
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Old 28-12-2015, 15:52
GodAtum
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I have been burned by US Tv series before so I am reluctant to watch this. I loved Lost when it started but they took 6 seasons to answer the fundamental questions, so i just asked someone what was the island and they answered in a few sentances.

So my question is who made the newsreels?
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Old 28-12-2015, 19:14
MR_Pitkin
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God that was a tough slog, and for what??

Can't see where they're going to go with the second season??

And if Hitler is the man in the high castle, why are the resistance sending him the tapes?
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Old 28-12-2015, 21:03
Thorney
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God that was a tough slog, and for what??

Can't see where they're going to go with the second season??

And if Hitler is the man in the high castle, why are the resistance sending him the tapes?

Its already been said by the producers he isnt the man in the high castle
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Old 29-12-2015, 21:37
wazzyboy
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It's ok, the world of the show is fascinating and really intriguing, it's very powerful seeing classic American imagery with the swastika daubed on it, or integrated with Japanese culture. I also like the tension, with Hitler nearing his end and Japan/Germany holding their breath as to what will follow when he inevitably dies.

The worst thing about the show is I feel the two lead characters Joe and Juliana are actually kind of dull. The subplots (ie. Tagomi and Wegener's scheming) and secondary characters (especially Burn Gorman's Bounty Hunter) are more interesting than what's going on with these two and the newsreel
Regular folk caught up in an extraordinary situation might well be less than intrepid I suppose. In that sense I don't mind them as they are. I also quite like that almost everyone seems conflicted on some level.
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Old 29-12-2015, 21:52
GDK
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It's a discussion thread on peoples reactions to a series is it not?. IMHO The Man in the High Castle had immense potential.............one that was squandered very badly.

Merry Christmas
Well then, why not actually discuss what you thought was so bad about it instead of just giving us the benefit of your negative opinion? What you've posted isn't what I call a discussion. Posters on a thread like this are usually well disposed towards the programme, but want to discuss what they did and didn't like and speculate about certain things and share news about the show.

It's bizarre to post on a thread just say, "I didn't like it." if that's all you have to say. Most people who disliked a show would not be bothered to post on a thread about it.
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Old 31-12-2015, 13:47
Blockz99
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after watching at least 4 episodes I got bored. could not take much more so I jumped to the last episode. still bored.
Episodes 1 -5 are a tad slow and concentrate too much on the films/resistance. Episodes 6-10 bring in more interesting characters (smith) and is well worth watching.
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Old 31-12-2015, 17:30
Virgil Tracy
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well that was a long slow slog , it started well , but really there was barely enough story for 2 hours .

must admit i did lose focus a bit , do we know why -

Spoiler


.
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Old 01-01-2016, 12:51
hardeep
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well that was a long slow slog , it started well , but really there was barely enough story for 2 hours .

must admit i did lose focus a bit , do we know why -

Spoiler


.
Spoiler
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Old 02-01-2016, 15:42
xynaria
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Well then, why not actually discuss what you thought was so bad about it instead of just giving us the benefit of your negative opinion?

Basically because the inference of responding posts was that no one wanted to consider anything but praise. As I said IMHO the idea behind The Man In The High Tower drips with potential and most of the ideas you could play with within that framework were either ignored or dealt with in an inane or one dimensional manner .It's been turned into yet another 'glossy' surface that doesn't bear much scrutiny. For instance if Germany had indeed won the war would the 50's and early 60's car designs been as they were??? exceedingly unlikely but I guess they 'look cool' so that's OK. As the show didn't engage me very well I've managed to forget most of it already except being annoyed at how flatly and patronisingly it was presented. I don't think I could muster the resources to sit through it again just to articulate better why I found it so bad sorry.

Interestingly perhaps it seems that if you post 'yeah I loved this' no one is going to question your lurve but if you found it lacking in any way you are called on to justify it and accused of negativity.

It's bizarre to post on a thread just say, "I didn't like it." if that's all you have to say. Most people who disliked a show would not be bothered to post on a thread about it.
I think you may just find they do, unless they've suddenly stopped in the last few months and I've missed it.............................
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Old 02-01-2016, 18:16
petely
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I am glad I stuck with the series as the last three or four episodes were particularly good. Definitely in agreement with what others have said about Julianna but particularly Joe! They're both dull and Joe seems like a character shoehorned as a pretty face where as I think Frank and McCarthy were a lot more likeable.
Joe seems to me like someone who stumbled into the plot, just wanting to get laid. However, he now finds himself a pawn in a bigger game and it's quite interesting how he realises this (esp. after Smith's ultimatum).

But it's John Smith that is the star of the show. Him and Tagami are fascinating.
Yes, Those two make the show.
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Old 24-01-2016, 09:06
Matt35
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Just watched ep9.
Spoiler
this show gets better and better. I wonder if it will eventually be on sky. Would be a shame if it isn't.
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Old 24-01-2016, 12:19
seejay63
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Just watched ep9.
Spoiler
this show gets better and better. I wonder if it will eventually be on sky. Would be a shame if it isn't.
This is what's puzzling. They see Frank being killed, but obviously it isn't Frank because he's there watching it, so how would they then assume that Joe was a Nazi on the basis of a film which can't possibly be real?
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Old 24-01-2016, 12:40
Matt35
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This is what's puzzling. They see Frank being killed, but obviously it isn't Frank because he's there watching it, so how would they then assume that Joe was a Nazi on the basis of a film which can't possibly be real?
They don't know what to think after that. Saw last ep and im not sure what actually happened at the end. Be interesting to see where they go with season 2.
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Old 16-10-2016, 21:59
Lushness
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I'm glad i waited a year after release to watch this. Now I only have a couple months to wait until season 2. Great show, very high production values. I didn't find it slow at all, I was gripped from start to finish.

I found myself really rooting for John Smith definitely a favourite character for me.
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