Man in The High Castle Season 3 (1 Viewer)

[mattCR]

Season 3 starts streaming today

 

[Sam Favate]

Watched the first one last night. It's such a good show. I wish it had come back sooner. I was having a hard time remembering all the details of what happened. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to this season, and glad it has been renewed for a fourth.

Hey, Frank Spotnick is not involved anymore, is he?

 

[Matt Hough]

I saw the first episode this afternoon, too. I was VERY grateful for the recap that begins the episode since I had forgotten certain things that it brought back into my head.

 

[mattCR]

Damn this season is DARK. I'm not binging it all at once. Just went through two eps. I will wait a few days and grab the next two. Holy cow. So much to take in..

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I held off on my most recent Prime free trial waiting for this to drop.

Just finished the third season. The worldbuilding continues to be terrific, but the storytelling was a bit too slow for me. Where they ended 3x10 is where I would have wanted to be at about 3x07. Season two ended with a big swing. This season ended with some big events, but the most consequential stuff was on the cusp of happening rather than actually happening.

Rufus Sewell deserves a lot more attention than he gets for his performance as John Smith, the American whose happiness and contentment is on an opposite trajectory from his catastrophic rise through the ranks of the North American Reich. Himmler is an obvious, disgusting, alienating sort of evil. Smith's variety of evil is a lot more compelling to watch, because he knows better, is compelled to be better, but does the evil thing anyway. Smith is appalled by the world that he was an important architect of creating. And a devastating portrait of what happens when you allow the ends to justify the means.

Hey, Frank Spotnick is not involved anymore, is he?

His executive producer credit is a courtesy since she developed the book for television. He was fired halfway through production on the fourth episode of the second season. The remainder of that season was completed by committee, with the various departments running autonomously, and the writers working via consensus.

For this third season, Amazon parachuted in Eric Overmyer from another of its high profile series ("Bosch") to serve as showrunner. After production finished, he returned to "Bosch". Filming for Season 4 of "Man in the High Castle" commenced in August. No word yet on who took over as showrunner.

Ironically, the season that was completed by committee is my favorite thus far.

 

[Matt Hough]

I certainly agree about Rufus Sewell, a wonderful performance of a most compelling character. I'm only three episodes in season three, but the character remains my favorite on the show.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I have watched the first four episodes, and have been the enjoying the show as usual. I, too, was grateful for the recap before episode 1, as I had forgotten a lot in the past year. And I agree that Rufus Sewell is terrific as John Smith. One question -- is the actress portraying his wife the same one from the first two seasons? If so, they have done a fine job making her look pretty bad to match her emotional state in this season, including a significant weight gain.

 

[Sam Favate]

One question -- is the actress portraying his wife the same one from the first two seasons? If so, they have done a fine job making her look pretty bad to match her emotional state in this season, including a significant weight gain.

Yes, that's Chelah Horsdal. She's played the role since the beginning. And she's currently filming season 4, which started production in August.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

So, I am a Philip K. Dick fan and having read this story I don't actually feel that there is any way that you could expand this out to 4 seasons of shows. Hell, it would be pretty comprehensive in every detail just to do this in a single season or a film.

My question here is for anybody that read the original story...

Are they just sort of expanding on Dick's idea here and writing all new stuff based upon it?

I mean I don't really see how they could do this any other way.

I have not watched any of this show but obviously have a big interest.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

So, I am a Philip K. Dick fan and having read this story I don't actually feel that there is any way that you could expand this out to 4 seasons of shows. Hell, it would be pretty comprehensive in every detail just to do this in a single season or a film.

My question here is for anybody that read the original story...

Are they just sort of expanding on Dick's idea here and writing all new stuff based upon it?

I mean I don't really see how they could do this any other way.

I have not watched any of this show but obviously have a big interest.

The TV show is much different than the original novel -- there is much more depth to the world, and most of the story lines were not even part of the book. I would say the TV show just uses the book as an idea to build upon.

 

[mattCR]

This series has some of the best set design and costume work of any series I've ever seen. I respect a lot of great work in other shows, but not only does it flesh out the universe it does it in a way where the sets and costumes reflect the culture you are in and you can sense that shift from Japan-German-neutral zone areas.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Are they just sort of expanding on Dick's idea here and writing all new stuff based upon it?

All of the main characters in the book are characters in the TV series: Bob Childan runs his Americana antiquities shop, and finds a market for the products crafted by Frank Frink, of buried Jewish ancestry. Frank was married to Juliana, who in turn becomes involved with Joe Cinnadella (who goes by several other names). Tagomi is still a high-ranking Japanese trade official. Hawthorne Abendsen is still the titular "Man in the High Castle".

That being said, things are significantly fleshed out from the book. Hitler, while fading, isn't nearly as far gone at the start of the series as he is in the book. The intrigue within the Nazi Party is far more complex than in the book; while many of the players are the same, the outcome is different.

This third season started to dive into the concepts from the published chapters from Dick's uncompleted sequel, especially the idea of Nebenwelt, with a lot more specificity.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Watched the first episode of season three this weekend. I'll probably be knocking out 2 or 3 a week vs. just binging the entire season. Still very enjoyable and I am really enjoying Rufus Sewell's work in this series. Really strong stuff.

The streaming for episode one just looked awful in the darker scenes. Incredibly blocky, sort of like a first year DVD with severe MPEG blocking. The lighter scenes were okay, but just okay. I'll be watching episode 2 (and maybe 3) tomorrow and I hope the video has a marked improvement over what I watched this weekend. (I haven't watched it in a few weeks, but Jack Ryan on the same playback chain looked really strong, even in the darker scenes.) (???)

- Walter.

 

[Sam Favate]

The streaming for episode one just looked awful in the darker scenes. Incredibly blocky, sort of like a first year DVD with severe MPEG blocking.

I'm still waiting for blu-ray releases of seasons 1 and 2, which at some point a few years ago Amazon said were coming, but that seems to have changed. I always find the blu-rays of streaming shows (Amazon, Netflix, CBS AA, etc.) always have a better picture and better sound.

One problem with this season for me is that many people are often whispering, which makes it hard to hear through my TV. If I was playing through the blu-ray player, which is hooked up to the stereo, I'd have more sound options.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

One problem with this season for me is that many people are often whispering, which makes it hard to hear through my TV. If I was playing through the blu-ray player, which is hooked up to the stereo, I'd have more sound options.

Sounds like it's time to connect your TV to your receiver, Sam.

 

[Sam Favate]

Sounds like it's time to connect your TV to your receiver, Sam.

Oh yeah, that's overdue.

 

[dana martin]

amazon does offer subtitles........

I'm still waiting for blu-ray releases of seasons 1 and 2, which at some point a few years ago Amazon said were coming, but that seems to have changed. I always find the blu-rays of streaming shows (Amazon, Netflix, CBS AA, etc.) always have a better picture and better sound.

One problem with this season for me is that many people are often whispering, which makes it hard to hear through my TV. If I was playing through the blu-ray player, which is hooked up to the stereo, I'd have more sound options.

but the question then is it a bluray release or a 4 k release, BD works for me as i haven't gone UHD yet

 

[Sam Favate]

Episode 5 for me last night. Whoa.

I had to eat my words about Smith's storyline being the only compelling one.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I finished the season this morning. They certainly set things up for some interesting story lines next season. I will say no more.

 

[Matt Hough]

I watched episode 6 this afternoon at lunchtime. So subtly suspenseful. I'm loving the new season.