Turn: Washington's Spies

It's a crazy world out there in 2020 currently, and discovering this series comes at the perfect time. With all the craziness during this election; the fires in the west, the polarization of our government; the lies, the pandemic; all of it; this series couldn't have come at a better time. I only just learned of it. And it does my heart good to see how our country was formed! Each night as I watch this series, I find the hope and passion that I once had for this country, that, at least, for awhile, I lost. It's an incredible lesson for today in that we watch our country be earned. I've heard our country be called, "The Great American Experiment" as if to insinuate that, as all experiments, ours could fail. And nowadays it seems to be failing. But watching this series I am reminded of the tremendous passion and true grit it took to form our nation. And yes, it could still fail. But this series is reminding me that Americans have true grit and are made of stuff that is resilient. Watching what our ancestors endured back in the 1700s has made me, once again, believe in who we are. This country was forged by people who wanted true freedom and the right to choose their own destiny. We still want that! We are Americans, and we will get through this time as well.

I absolutely love TURN! This is simply a PHENOMENAL SHOW with a great cast. It's every bit as much intrigue as Sherlock and Holmes & King Henry the 8th meeting up with all the modern day politics of Scandal and the patriotism of West Wing....It's even better as it's based on our OWN history! Amazing story of events that happened in our own backyards! Every time I watch I want to learn more. Go online and you will be impressed to learn how much of this history actually happened. The writers have done a great job. They really bring history alive with all the virtue and vices of these people from angst, passion and arrogance to the sacrifice, drive and courage of these people. Lieutenant Simcoe is a despicable savage but I can't wait to see what he will do next and how the spy network & local people work to take him & others down! Watch it and pass it on! It will make you proud to be an American! I want to see more! SPREAD THE WORD TO HELP IT GROW.

I've been craving something of quality along these lines set in this period ever since that magnificent HBO John Adams miniseries of five or six years ago. I feel like failing on my knees and thanking the TV gods that AMC made the shift into television, because BOY do they do it right.

What's so refreshing about this series is the glimpse it gives us into the daily lives of regular citizens on Long Island attempting to negotiate their lives during this turbulent period in our history. Stories of this era often focus exclusively on the political figures and the generals involved.

These are people who have grown up together and in many cases been driven apart due to the respective sides they've chosen in the conflict, Tory vs Patriot. There are no real villains in this equation, since it's possible to make a good faith argument both for the rightness of maintaining allegiance to the Crown and the rightness of seeking independence due to unjust treatment.

It's fascinating to watch these political allegiances play out within the context of relationships, impacting friendships, romantic couplings, even family relations.

The spy angle is intriguing, well integrated into the story, and hooks you from the start. The acting, directing, cinematography, as so often with AMC, all top notch. Hooked, thrilled, emotionally invested, can't wait to see more!

AMC does it again! Hooked from the 1st episode. Can't wait for April 13, 2015!

So I decided to take some time and let you guys know my thoughts on this one. I absolutely love period pieces, and this one doesn't fall short of the great ones. It's hard to fathom how much information that never becomes public knowledge during a war. Being a veteran, you get to see a lot of things that the public will never know about. So its refreshing to see, in theory, what could have possibly been going on behind the scenes. In my opinion, this plot line is perfect for a lengthy series. I know that several things are fabricated to entice audiences, but they seem to have done their homework on this one. If my history teachers didn't just cover the broad strokes on the Revolutionary War, I would have been more engaged in class. Shows like this expand your thought process, and get you thinking outside of the box. Well Done!

The producers of this movie showed inner fortitude in bringing this series to life knowing the dismal history of RevWar movies in either general excellence, box office success or both.

For example, does anyone remember Al Pacino in the 1985 movie "Revolution?" He played an American frontiersman of Scottish ancestry-- "Yo...the British are comin'." Or "the Patriot" from more recent times, a Mel Gibson vehicle that was really "Lethal Musket: This Time It's Personal."

"The Crossing" was the best RevWar movie (a series, more accurately) up until now, AFAIC. And, for completeness sake, HBO's "John Adams" was a another excellent series, but this was not about the RevWar, specifically. But "Turn" is brilliantly conceived, written, cast and outfitted; as an amateur RevWar/George Washington guy, I have long anticipated this AMC series and expected a lot. I was not disappointed.

The first 90 minute episode concentrates on how the Culper Spy Ring was put together among a bunch of small town chums from Setauket, Long Island (NY). The producers stay as close as possible to the real story, and the mix of accents adds to the realism. The writers/director do not shy away from violence as is not a surprise for cable--so little kids may not be right for this.

But, in an age when the American Revolution is hardly taught in schools, this is a welcome addition to the meager film history of that period, and great documentation of the sufferings that our Patriot ancestors went through for our freedoms.