[Amazon TV] Phillip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle

I'm guessing the show is only loosely based on the book like Blade Runner. I guess I'd be bummed out if I finished the book, only to find out that they will flesh/fluff the show out to several seasons and end up at the same resolution as the book. Let's go Illustrated Woman!

 

Started this show yesterday. So far I really like it. Definitely promising.

 

I don't remember it being slow & boring...

 

i'm confused. how is there film of the allies winning the war yet the nahtzis rule over us?

only watched the pilot but I'm hooked.

 

I'm guessing that's one of the reveals you shouldn't be asking about.

 

I think that's the point. Either it is doctored footage by this Man in the High Castle as they mention, or it's real and somehow The Nazis have convinced the world they won the war. I apparently need to brush up on my WWII history..who am I kidding, I need to learn my WWII history...from Wikipedia.

 

They're on the island in Lost .

Jk, anyways.

And I don't think reading the book will hurt the story. The show is about other people in that world. You just know what's going on if you read the book.

 

If you read Philip K Dick's books, that is exactly what he does over and over. His characters always reach a point where they are unsure about what is real and what isn't. IIRC, the book they used to build Blade Runner, basically you only learn about halfway through the book that everybody has been replaced with an identical android. In the short story that was used to create Total Recall, the main character slowly learns that the person he thinks he is is not real. In A Scanner Darkly, also made into a movie, the main character is taking a drug that creates a split personality - he has two seperate lives, one as a junkie, one as a cop, and the cop half is informing on the other half. Another with a major helping of mind**** is UBIK.

He essentially ended up going crazy, thinking God was talking to him through alien space satelites, so ultimately, he became performance art for his own themes.

A straight up "alternate reality" book wouldn't be very Philip K Dick, because the telling of the story makes that reality very clear. He has to include some ambiguity and obfuscation. If you are sure, exactly, what is going on, it isn't Philip K Dick.

 

Blade Runner was supposedly directed with an intention about Deckard's character. I don't think they can reach a resolution in a tv series without addressing the reality though. It's entirely possible the movies are just a means to mystify the title character and the plot refocuses on the characters once we meet him. Ultimately, and this is just the nationalist in me, I expect this series to end with America winning, or at least the Reich losing.

 

Just finished episode 5 and this is pretty decent so far. Some of the dialogue and characterization is spotty but the excellent visuals and world-building make up for it.

 

Like it so far. Up to ep 4. But

Spoiler

The Marshal is a dumb character. A little too comic book villain for this show.

Everything else is pretty decent.

 

About to finish the 7th episode and this has been really good. The video quality of Amazon's 4k HDR is some of the best I have seen as well if you are a junkie and have a set that can do HDR.

 

Ubik might be my favorite of his and a total WTF.

 

Finished it today. I really enjoyed this show and can't wait to see where it goes. The set design alone is amazing and the story is very compelling.

Spoiler

I cannot tell where this is going. I'm ignorant of the books and kind of liked that there is no resolution as to who the "man in the high tower" is at the end of the season or if he even exists.

The ending seems to suggest that this reality isn't real and that the subjects are either dreaming it or can shift through realities? I honestly can't tell!

Spoiler

Luckily the Marshal doesn't make another appearance during the season.

 

I dont know if its a dumb character but its played awful. Actor is going way over the top. Comic booky as you said

 

I recognized him from Torchwood and though
I horrible impersonation of a Texan by a Brit

Rocket River

 

Just finished. It was very good.

 

I thought it was ok but not great.
I think I maybe coming off the Jessica Jones High

I did not care for the ending of the principle characters

Rocket River