Although it’s still a bit odd to sympathize with a Nazi like John Smith, his story remains as compelling as ever. Associating the intrigue of John Smith’s rise to power as the new Oberst-Gruppenführer with propagandists and self-interested politicians will no doubt weave a complicated web around Smith and his family, not only because of what they did to hide Thomas’ illness but also due to the trauma Helen clearly still feels in the wake of her son’s sacrifice. Edgar Hoover and founder of the American Nazi party, George Rockwell, was a nice touch as well.
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The use of actual historical characters like J.
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The film that Tagomi shows Juliana in which Joe Blake escorts her and others in jumpsuits through a tunnel with a flashing light will almost certainly be a focus in the coming season, and The Man in the High Castle should be applauded for getting straight to the heart of the new story arc. Fortunately, the insanity of last season’s near nuclear holocaust has cooled to a cold war allowing the Trade Minister to worry about the financial problems of an arms race and Inspector Kido to concentrate on apprehending the violent ex-priest, Hagan. This disconnectedness is communicated with admirable subtlety in this opening episode.Īt the same time, the premiere wastes no time getting the sisters together with Tagomi so that speculation can begin about the nature of the multiverse.
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Even Juliana confessing that she killed Trudy’s father is met with detached understanding the George Dixon who died wasn’t really this Trudy’s dad anyway. Trudy and Juliana certainly yearn to reunite with the sister they each lost, but it’s clear that their lack of shared history will keep them from ever truly being family again. The younger Crane sister’s growing discomfort and eventual seizure add an interesting twist to the “traveler” idea by raising the question of whether they are physically compelled to return to their own universe. Trudy’s presence also brings home the idea that Tagomi’s journey to our reality was not an isolated occurrence. The brilliant side effect of demystifying Abendsen is that it puts Juliana squarely in the center of the metaphysical mystery: why is she in every film, including the fake? This question alone piques interest in the new season tremendously.
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A fortuitous start!Įven Abendsen makes more sense now! The fact that his role as the curator of so many mysterious films began with a fake that he made on a lark, prompting travelers from other realities to bring him evidence that worlds where the Nazis didn’t win did indeed exist, puts everything into perspective. Juliana Crane and Joe Blake in particular feel much more true to their original selves than they did last year, and the addition of a Neutral Zone storyline gives us hope that we’ll see more of that third culture in the coming season. Similarly, the passage of time within the story helped the principal characters shift into roles that are both new and familiar to viewers who enjoyed season one. We may have had to wait almost an extra year for The Man in the High Castle season 3, but it appears to have been worth the wait. The Man in the High Castle Season 3 Episode 1 This review contains spoilers for The Man in the High Castle.