The Man in the High Castle (TV Adaptation of Philip K Dick's novel)

A TV adaptation of Philip K Dick\'s novel The Man in the High Castle by Amazon set in an Alternate Universe where Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan won World War 2 and divided the US into three blocs with the West Coast controlled by the Japanese, the East Coast controlled by the Germany and the Rocky Mountains serving as buffer zone between the two.

I just watched the pilot and it has a unique premise and it appears the pilot has made some changes from the novels like character\'s names.

What do you guys think?

Never read it but I like Philip K Dick and love alternate history so I approve.

Well this is good. After critical acclaim for the Pilot episode, Amazon has ordered an entire series for The Man in the High Castle.

I just finished the first season about half an hour ago. I need more time to think about it, but I'm interested in seeing others' thoughts.

I've finished watching the first three episodes. Right now, I'm torn between this, House of Cards (US), and Jessica Jones for my pick as the best series on a streaming service right now. The series well acted and paced, but it's disturbing as hell. I still can't get over the fact that Frank's sister and her kids were gassed to death by Kido... fuck me. ;_;

When I first saw the Marshall, all I could think of was Dr. Hermann Gottlieb doing a cowboy accent. It might've started as Narm... until he mutilated and hung the bookkeeper. Let's just say his quirks make him one of the most unnerving characters in the series (which, for a story set in an Axis-occupied US is really saying something).

edited 24th Nov '15 1:58:14 AM by sanfranman91

I'm about to start episode 6 and this show is fantastic. Already one of my favorites, the political intrigue, the characters, the fleshed out universe...

My favorite character as of this writing is Tagomi, The Chessmaster with his soft-spoken manner trying to stop a world war from breaking out all the while being a Trade Minister. His actor (our beloved Shang Tsung, it's so nostalgic for me seeing him again, even better as such a great character) really gets the subtlety and moral conflict of the character. He reminds me somewhat of Lord Varys in the context of "schemer who seeks to avoid bloodshed at all costs".

Finally watch the 1st season. Very interesting show. I grew to like some characters like Smith and Tagomi since even though they're supposed to be the bad guys, some of them are sympathetic like Smith, despite being a ruthless man to the Reich, loves his family and is devastated when he learns his son has a degenerative muscular disease which his son has no place in Nazi society where such people are to be exterminated.

Of course the twist at the end of the last episode was great with Hitler hinted to be The Man in the High Castle and Tagomi appearing in our world in 1960s America.

Can't wait for the 2nd season.

Though I'd say Smith is more analogous to Inspector Kido in that regard. They are both the expert hunters of "the enemies of the state" who employ utterly ruthless techniques and have Undying Loyalty towards their nation, and both posess sympathetic traits (Smith has the love for his family and Inspector Kido has his Noble Demon qualities, refusing to sell out for the Yakuza for example).

Tagomi is closer to being the equialent of Rudolph, his close friend. They are both the Token Good Teammate for their respective sides, and both seem to somewhat realize the atrocities their nations have comitted, and struggle with a sense of My Country, Right or Wrong.

2nd season trailer.

2nd season to air on December 16.

I'm so hyyyyyyype

I just finished season 2. You know, funnily enough, I started thinking about exploring an alternate universe within my own work, before it was revealed the show actually deals with alternate 'verses. Can't wait for season 3.

I finally watched the second season. There were a lot surpises, twist and revelations like Joe Blake's heritage, Tagomi's travel to our world, the power struggles in Berlin and how The Man in The High Castle manipulated everyone.

I love the fact the series shows how Grey everyone is from the Resistance to the higher ups that it makes you hard to root for.

Finally finished season 2. Outstanding. Eagerly awaiting season 3.

The moral ambiguity of this show is really a sight to behold. Every character is so dense and so complex.

edited 22nd Dec '16 7:46:51 PM by Gaon

Amazon has created Resistance Radio as a way of immersing users into this world by having them listening to different broadcasts from Resistance fighters in the neutral zone.

https://resistanceradio.com/

I just finished season 2. Love the show. I absolutely loathe Juliana Crane though.

Why don't you like her?

I started to watch this series. I have watched 4 episodes so far. Seems interesting enough, but I am not sure I will stick to it. I read a spoiler for this series that made me want to watch it — a kid of a Nazi family commits suicide, I think because he's gay or ill and does not want to shame his family. I found this bit fascinating — how evil the ideology is that it screws even those who believe it and try to live by it. I have not seen this episode yet, but I think I figured out who the kid is. If I don't watch the whole series, I'll probably look up this episode.

First thing, it gives me serious anxiety, so they are probably doing something right, but it may be too hard for me to watch. I'm Czech, and Czechoslovakia was one of the first victims of Nazis (after the annexation of Austria) after the Munich Agreement, and I have to keep thinking — this is what was happening to my people for six years. Also I keep imagining what might have happened to my nation in this time line. Nazis had a neat plan for us — one third to Germanize, one third to displace, one third to exterminate.

Secondly, I find the whole premise with the film reels a bit naive. I imagine that resistance fighters would have more important goals and things to do. I know that stories can be powerful, but so far I don't understand what is so special about those anti-Nazi propaganda films. Will that be explained in any way?

Other stray observations:

• What happened to Soviet Union in this time line? Is it a part of the Reich as well? Or is it similarly split among the Japanese and Germans?
• I find the idea that Bibles are forbidden laughable. Lots of the Nazis were Catholics, the Pope even collaborated with the regime, and I believe they saw themselves as God's chosen nation, as those who were punishing Jewish people for killing Jesus. Also, there's the "Kinder—Küche—Kirche (children-kitchen-church)" thing.

edited 8th Sep '17 10:57:25 AM by XFllo

The thing with the film reels is central to the plot - nay, the entire premise of the show. It will become much clearer in time, and is deliberately vague for now.

As to the Soviet Union, this will also be explained, but in brief: The Soviet Union was annihilated, and Stalin executed. All of its territory belongs to Germany now, save any that was conquered by Japan (can't remember but it's not relevant anyway).

While Hitler was born Catholic, I believe he became increasingly atheist.

In the show Hitler has supplanted Christianity with his own cult of personality. While they keep the religious trappings of the church, he's built up to be more of the messiah figure. Plus, I think it's just mentioned the King James version is banned. There could be 'nazi approved' versions.

edited 8th Sep '17 11:14:09 AM by Hackett13

The Pope's collaboration with Nazi Germany is a very hotly debated subject but most modern-day historians tend to assume a perspective to the effect of "he could have taken a harsher stance against it but he wasn't exactly chummy with Nazi Germany either" and there are evidences of Hitler being increasingly bellicose towards the Pope, to the point of commenting about assassinating him. So it wasn't the most amicable of relationships.

The future of Nazi Germany's religious perspectives is unclear but there has been some speculation that Hitler had plans to remodel or replace Christianity with a Nazified version of it (Lt. Walter Horn who worked with the Allies retrieving some of the Holy Roman Empire's relics from Nazis, believes so, for example) centered around the Roman ("Aryan") St. Longinus.

Overall, it's far from the most absurd perspective on the show. The very concept of Nazi Germany trampling everyone underfoot and basically conquering the world is already mildly ridiculous, the idea that Hitler would replace traditional Christianity with a cult of personality centered around him is far from laughable.

edited 8th Sep '17 1:57:19 PM by Gaon

The church seen in Season 2 lacks all symbols of christianity and none of the hymms used had anything to do with actual religion, so it seems Christianity just doesn't exist there.

Its probably... there on the West Coast.

Season 3 Teaser.

Interesting. So the Nazis have been researching on the people who can travel between universes and are trying to find a way to travel to other universes.

Season 3 trailer.

So while the Nazis are trying to invade other alternate universes, the Pacific States, inspired by films of our world winning WW 2, are more determine to break free from Japanese rule.

Looks like they're going full sci-fi and expanding quite a bit beyond the book, which looks interesting. I hope we'll get to see more alternate worlds than the two main ones. Having the resistance turn the swastika into a peace sign might be a bit cheesy, but I like it. Nice music choice as well.

The comment section looks more or less exactly like I expected it would. The absurdity of all the "It's getting too political!" complaints is both hilarious and depressing.