The Man in the High Castle

Judge by the episode alone, without comparing the detail of the book it base on, it can be said that this show is of top quality, the grim, rusting, stressed and 60s styling photography, the camera angles and choice of equipment used at the time all looked extremely authentic.

That super sonic liner sequence was wonderful, it doesn't feel overly CGI for a TV show at all, then the nazi reception room sequence also shows the production quality in fine details.

It is a spy, psychological story with surreal elements and the show managed to capture that so far.

Any one with know a thing or two about ww2 history or a scifi fan would appreciate the effort spent here to make the world as authentic as possible in a TV budget.

If it was granted more episodes and the production quality remains, then it would easily be short list for the best mini series of 2015!

9/10

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.

The first two season are great, worthy of 8 or maybe even 9/10! The plot idea is simple but effective, most characters are interesting and acted well (with some exceptions), and the plot twists are very good! Some of the characters's choices are terribly stupid and annoying, but the rest is so good that you can almost forgive them.

That is, the first two seasons. Season 3 is a total mess. Few interesting moments, but for the most part it became a serie that has no idea what it is and where it wants to go, with bunch of useless story lines that start nowhere and go nowhere.

Watch the first two seasons, they are worth it! But then stop there.

I love the first 2 seasons. The plot was incredibly shocking. The actor Rufus Sewell (John Smith) is definitely the star of the series. A fascinating character that talks to you with his eyes. The first runner up is of course Joel de la Fuente as Inspector Kido. On the other hand, the weakness of the series is the character of Juliana Crain played by Alexa Davalos. She was ok in Season 1 but her character turned to annoying upto Season 4.

Despite some unnecessary scenes in Season 3 made just to satisfy the diversity dilemma of the West, I give this show 9 Stars for the great and unbelievable moments it provided.

The pilot episode was exceptional. It held my attention and made me believe in such an alternate history.

I have read the book, and although it is different, it is an incredible adaptation. If the book was turned into a show without any edits, it would be far too complicated and very hard to enjoy (although the book is incredible).

The acting, story, and visuals are spot on and only intensified what I had imagined when I read the book. When I first read the book, I had hoped for a movie to be made from it, but a show will be a much better pace for such an though-provoking and intelligent story.

I want more episodes!!