An immaculate, terrifying alternate history that is accurate down to the buttons. I love period pieces, and this scary projection of a post WW2 hegemony ruled by the Japanese and German empires certainly fits the bill. Every costume, building, landscape, vehicle, street and interior room is accurate down to the woodwork and spoons - such a delight to watch.
It's interesting in itself to see the crushed American psyche in the face of utter defeat, humiliation and occupation by mortal enemies. This alternate history makes the American century seem a fantasy, certainly it took tremendous courage to make this series.
It's also nerve wracking watching the razor thin tightrope walked by the various protagonists on the winning side, as they try to navigate the internal dangers of their own ruthless regimes.
The suffering of the common Americans reminds me of the brutal oppression we have witnessed around the world by autocratic regimes over the last 100 years - that in itself is a rich irony.
The series is also a study on what it takes to bring down oppressive empires. Each of our dear protagonists - Joe, Juliana and Frank - are guided by their positive moralities on a destiny of greatness. It's particularly interesting to see how the entire arc of history can be rewritten by a single good or bad deed, by a single done or undone action.
The machinations of Obergruppenfuhrer Smith, Trade Minister Togumi and Chief Inspector Kodi-Tai are particularly interesting. Both men stand on mountains of corpses built by their empires, and out of a deep sense of duty and honor, they maneuver to preserve their nations from further bloodshed and destruction, working always in the shadows.
The searing images of enflamed Americans chanting Blood and soil do not seem so distant from our current epoque, nor do they seem alien and impossible. We are indeed witnessing history, with so-called freedom loving Americans flirting with fascism.
It is heartening to see the universe is in balance, with the terrible personal price paid by men of previous principle, who sold their soul for survival at all costs. The arc of history does indeed bend toward justice.
Ultimately this is a series about the Power of ideas to revive a forgotten dream, to restore hope and courage to the absolutely downtrodden and conquered. Symbolism is the most powerful motif, present endlessly across all domains of the various powers. Images and the ideas attached to them move people to action.
It is quite interesting to see the underlying Metaphysics and laws of the universe being respected in this multiverse spanning series. As a fan of Fringe and other SciFi benders, it is nice to see a return to alternate timelines and realities, and how they interplay with each other according to 'rules'.
I appreciate the 4th season in particular as it highlights the tremendous racial atrocities that these regimes are capable of, and the personal horrors of the victims. Oftentimes minorities are under-represented in such shows, and it is welcome to see the producers avoid that mistake. The humanization of minority victims was detailed and appreciated. The 4th season also does a great job of reinforcing the belief that we are who we are, even in the multiverse.
There were some loose ends left that did not completely tie up the threads, especially around the multiverse. I guess I need to watch and read some analysis from smarter folks. It's normal that cerebral series like this leave some ideas for interpretation.
The series finale was amazing, Hollywood level production values, astounding special effects. I am truly impressed by Amazon studios. Their offerings give HBO a run for their money.
Review of The Man in the High Castle
