The main character, Juliana Crane (Alexa Davalos), is a woman that has a past filled with injuries. After her recovery, she decided to take up the defensive martial art of Akido with a Japanese class of students. In this class, Juliana identifies with the Japanese in a way that raises eyebrows from some of the other characters in the show (like her step-father, who isn't much of a saint either). She has the misfortune of seeing (or hearing) the death of her half-sister, murdered by the Kempeitai, a brutal Japanese police force tasked with identifying traitors, maintaining the peace, and ensuring Japanese control of the west coast. Juliana's half-sister, Trudy, leaves her the first film before she is killed; and that is where the story begins to unfold. Juliana is suddenly tasked with bringing the film to the neutral zone to seek out a contact working with the resistance. Without any word to her family, her friends, or her beloved boyfriend, Juliana scurries away to fulfill Trudy's dying wish. Her boyfriend, Frank Frink (Rupert Evans), is most affected by the sudden departure of the woman he thought loved him. Questioning her love and loyalty, Frank is left to deal with the repercussions of Juliana's sudden departure.
Swipe to the east coast, where the viewer meets a young, rugged looking fella' named Joe Blake (Luke Kleintank). I believe this character to be one of the true antagonists of this season; not only because he is a double agent actually working for the Nazi's, but also because he is what causes so much trouble for Juliana and the resistance. It isn't that he necessarily wants to cause problems at times, but, because his goals are internally different than Juliana's, he is always attempting to manipulate the situation to his favor (naturally). He is sent to the neutral zone by his overseer, Obergruppenführer John Smith (Rufus Sewell), to recover the new film (the one Juliana has in her possession) that has surfaced. Juliana and him meet soon after that. I think that one of the most powerful scenes of this season was during Blake's journey to the neutral zone. He is seen by a Nazi police officer when he blows a tire, and, after an odd display of kindness from the man (he offers to fix his tire and even gives Joe his lunch), the police officer asks for his papers. Joe, of course, is undercover as a member of the resistance, so he knows (but the audience doesn't at this point) that he is in no real danger; but does not want the inconvenience of having to blow his cover in any way. All of the sudden, a flurry of ashy colored snowflakes fall from the sky. When Blake asks the man what they are, the police officer replies that it is Tuesday, the day when the hospital burns the cripples, terminally ill, etc; like it is any other day where it is routine to burn people alive. The viewer witnesses the look of angst on Joe's face at discovering that this was happening, which suggests Joe's general disagreement with his employer's methods. Not only that, but the police officer was an American soldier during the war, only joining the Nazi police force for what must be an important reason (we don't find out). It goes to show how much one can turn a blind eye to evil acts just because they are used to those acts occurring, even if their moral compass would normally be spinning out of control. He fought in a war to rid the world of such acts, but ends up acting like, "Oh, it is just Tuesday, no biggie." Who knows, maybe the police officer was disgusted when he first found out the Nazi's burned people alive still, but, over time, his attitude changed as he identified himself more and more with his former enemies. If one thinks about it, the more it makes sense. Imagine a group of people believing they are supporting a just cause because they have identified themselves with a leader they thought would bring them to a world of prosperity; and the more they see other people in their identified group accepting these terrible crimes as morally correct, the more they accept it as well. They had decided that Hitler was right in what he set out to do, and so there could be no other alternative. Still, there is no excuse that can justify the heinous crimes enacted by the Nazi party during World War II; although it is a very real phenomenon, as Philip Zimbardo discusses thoroughly in his book, The Lucifer Effect. This scene is also powerful because it brings the despicable nature of the Nazi regime to light for the very first time in the show. It allows the viewer to see Joe Blake as a man with a now justified reason to fight for the resistance, even though people watching don't know that he is actually a Nazi agent. That is why, to me, this scene is the first time he questions his loyalty to the Nazis; a seed planted for him to justify falling in love with Juliana. These films that I spoke of are a threat to the Axis powers because they show a world where their enemies have won the war, a world where there is hope; and that is a feeling they don't want their subjects experiencing. They want them to understand that there is no chance of ever bringing them down. But Blake's loyalty becomes consciously muddled once he realizes his feelings for Juliana are authentic. His new feelings towards Juliana seem to spark some sort of hopeful future where he can leave everything else behind him. But hope is an illusion that he can't seem to find the solution for. He is constantly reminded of his duty as a Nazi agent, and, in the end, it is what controls his hope, his future.
Back in San Francisco, Frank Frink has learned to question his behavior as a stand-up citizen for the Japanese. He was a hopeful man who followed the rules, who didn't like to get involved with anything that would possibly get him in trouble with the Japanese. But, because of Juliana's disappearance, he becomes caught up with the Kempeitai--who attempt to pry information as to where her, and the film's, location is. The man in charge, Chief Inspector Kido (Joel de la Fuente), questions him, holds him captive, and eventually holds his sister and her children captive as a bargaining chip, threatening to kill them if Frank doesn't cooperate. Kido hadn't realized though that Juliana's bag was stolen by some woman on the bus, and, so when they find the bag, they release Frank. His sister and her children were only used at leverage at first, but it was too late. . . . Kido had already killed them. The transformation is instant within Frank. Once there was a loyal subject, and right away there is a man with nothing to lose. His new attitude brings about a vengeful side not yet seen in his usually submissive character. He buys a gun illegally in hopes to assassinate the Japanese Prince and Princess at a public speech. Many of the smaller plot lines, with a lot of the side characters (like Trade Minister Tagomi (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) and Rudolph Wegener (Carsten Nargaard)), are at play during this speech; both trying to plant Nazi plans on a Japanese scientist. Frank, though, is unable to assassinate the Prince at the speech because someone else beats him to the punch. It is at this point where he runs away, dropping a necklace he had made for Juliana on the ground where he was standing. After the crowd clears out, Tagomi searches the streets for no apparent reason (maybe looking for clues) and stumbles upon the necklace. I think the Trade Minister found an insightful meaning in the heart shaped locket; a terrible event happens and yet he finds this glimmering reminder of a hopeful future. There is a lot of significance in this locket that the writers of the show do not tell the viewers, but instead allow them to figure it out for themselves. More on that in a bit. Frank is eventually discovered to be the sole suspect in the assassination plot, and so he forges a plan with the help of his friend, Ed McCarthy (DJ Qualls), to escape San Francisco with Juliana.
After the attempted assassination, Juliana returns from a failed trip to the neutral zone with her head hung low. The film was given to her contact in the end, but only more questions arose inside of her: Who is this "man in a high castle"? What will she do now that she has seen so much? How will she live a normal life? Well, she doesn't live a normal life after that. Everything becomes a complicated mess after she returns, including her relationship with Frank. Unable to shake the recent events, Juliana uses information from a resistance fighter to help her secure a job working for Tagomi in hopes that she can uncover more clues about what is going on. She eventually discovers that her stepfather works for the Japanese as one of the head honchos in charge of spying on the American citizens. She then finds out that it was him who had Trudy killed in hopes that his efforts would actually save her. I think this is another important part of the show because it shows how far regular American citizens would go to secure the safety of their family. They join with the enemy to ensure safety from the enemy (like the police officer who helped Joe with his truck most likely did); only to find out that this illusion of hope is everywhere they turn. After all, turning a blind eye eventually turns the whole world blind. This same illusion can be observed with Rudolph, the Nazi illegally in San Francisco to plant the plans on the Japanese scientist. His character is interesting, because he is one of the men who has had enough of the killing, enough of what the Nazi regime stands for. He, like his friend, Tagomi, searched for hope in their lost world. So he planned to betray his country, only to be discovered by Joe's boss, and his old friend, John Smith--and is arrested soon after. Instead of being executed, Rudolph is given the opportunity to kill Hitler by a German officer who wants to take over the decaying dictator's position. Rudolph sets out to Hitler's castle and finds the old dictator watching the many films that were thought to be going to the man in the high castle. Instead of killing Hitler, Rudolph kills himself. Quite poetic once the viewer remembers that he has had enough killing, and so decides to end his own life. The show doesn't specify, but is this where all the resistance's efforts end? After all, Hitler is a man in a high castle (quite literally). Only season 2 will uncover the truth, but I don't think he is. That would be too simple!
With a new film arising almost out of nowhere, Juliana sets out to discover where it could be. She uses her position as the Trade Minister's assistant to her advantage. On the other side of the map, Joe's character is strengthened with the reveal of a supposed wife (or girlfriend) and little boy. It isn't said whether or not the son is his or if that is his wife, but one can assume that they mean a good deal to him; which begs the question: Why did he fall for Juliana? Was there something new and exciting about her that a stay-at-home mom couldn't provide for him? He definitely does love his family in New York City, for they are exploited when he is caught snooping around his boss' (John Smith) house while celebrating the Nazi version of Veteran's Day. Smith uses Joe's family as leverage to force him to travel to San Francisco in search for the new film. It is here where things really take off. Juliana is still convinced that Joe is working for the resistance (he saved her life in the Neutral Zone), so she accepts his help with open arms to find the film. The night comes when she is set to leave San Francisco with Frank, but it happens to be the same night as when she and the resistance plan on obtaining the film. Of course things don't pan out, and her and Frank are forced to stick around. Juliana and Joe are captured by a Japanese man who stole the film, but only Juliana is able to be rescued by the resistance--leaving Joe in the hands of the ruthless criminal. Juliana doesn't accept that Joe is left there, so she asks Frank to give her money to buy his freedom. Not really liking that Juliana wants to help save some other man's life with the money they were going to use to leave San Francisco, Frank eventually gives into her request on the sole condition that he go to the Japanese man himself to plead for Joe's freedom. Once out of his cell, Joe sees the film sitting on the man's desk and remembers his life or death mission. He has to get that tape to save his family, to save himself. There are no other options. So he kills the man, Frank and him escape, and they eventually meet up with Juliana. Joe leaves the film with them, and draws the pursuers away. It is at this moment when Juliana and Frank decide to watch the new film that has caused so much trouble. Instead of revealing what the world would look like if the Allies had won the war, the film depicts a different kind of reality. There is a lineup of resistance fighters about to be executed, and among them is Frank. The Nazi soldier performing the executions is, none other than, Joe Blake. After the film finishes, Joe enters the auditorium where the couple was hiding out. Enraged, Juliana screams at him demanding to tell her if it were true, if he has been a Nazi agent the whole time. Joe doesn't answer her. Instead, he steals the film and leaves.
At the end of Season 1, Juliana is used as bait to lure a desperate Joe out so that one of the resistance fighters can kill him. Instead, Juliana lets Joe escape safely with the film on a boat. This scene should be confusing to viewers, because it is the film that Juliana had risked so much for, but for some reason she feels that killing Joe is not the way to obtain her objective. Maybe somewhere deep inside she loves him back; even after discovering the truth about his allegiance. Maybe she understands that he doesn't want to be a Nazi anymore, and that there is a deeper reason for him needing the film. After all, throughout the length of the series, viewers can see Joe's transformation unravel. By the end of the season, he is being forced into missions by his boss. One can assume that he will not stick around with the Nazis much longer during Season 2; and maybe Juliana somehow knew that too. After all, he did save her. I don't think Juliana can forget that act of kindness, especially since she knows he, supposedly being this evil Nazi agent, is capable of such virtue. Maybe it is hope, eh? Let US hope that it isn't an illusion in her case.
The last scene is where the sci-fi element to the story really comes into play. Viewers see Trade Minister Tagomi meditating with Juliana's locket in his hands on a bench outside. Moments later, he is in a completely different timeline--he has somehow traveled to a world where the Allies have won the war. BOOM! The cliffhanger. So what was so important about that locket that allowed him to travel to this alternate timeline? It wasn't the first time he meditated while clenching the locket in his hands, so was he trying to travel to this new world throughout the whole season? My theory is that the locket, to Tagomi, represents hope--a hope that every main character in the show discovered to be an illusion. Maybe there is something special with Tagomi, though, something that allows him to travel to this new world; and the locket is used as a sort of totem to allow him to cross over. The locket, which represents hope, is what Tagomi needed to believe that there was a better world, where there was freedom, peace, and equality. All he had to do was envision it (which is what it looks like he is doing while sitting on that bench). So I also propose that maybe Tagomi is somehow the man in the high castle, or the man in the high castle resides in this new timeline somewhere. Only time will tell.
Overall, Season 1 of The Man in the High Castle was a pretty solid beginning with a lot of potential. I really liked how the science fiction aspect of the show was underplayed to the point that, when it finally did show up, I was left wanting more answers (and obviously more science fiction!). There are some political messages being relayed throughout the different episodes. For example, one that stood out to me was the use of this alternate reality (where the Axis powers won the war) to explore how much the reality we are used to (Allies winning the war) can really be similar to theirs at times. Of course we are not burning our sick and injured, but the world we live in today is far from this perfect place that Tagomi probably thinks he has traveled to. I think that is what he will discover while staying in the new timeline (assuming he doesn't know how to get back)--that no matter the result, there will always be inequality and an unbalance of power. A pretty deep message, I think.
Last, but not least, there are few aspects of the show that aren't all "frickin' sharks with lazer beams attached to their heads"(in the perspective of writing and acting). First, I can admit that sometimes I was unconvinced by the actors performances. That is not to say that they are all excellent actors, but that there were moments where the writing and their acting didn't exactly match up quite right. This only happens a few times, in my opinion. Also, whatever happened to Juliana knowing that defensive form of martial arts, Akido? From what I saw in the first episode, she sure knew how to protect herself; yet she never uses these skills on anybody (i.e. the man on the bridge who was trying to kill her). Maybe it was a mishap in the writing, or maybe they meant to--I am unsure. Hopefully next season viewers will be able to witness Juliana kicking some butt again, but I guess we shall see. All in all, though, The Man in the High Castle is an entertaining and thought provoking piece of television. Although it is not perfect (most shows aren't), I am glad that Amazon has renewed it for a second season, and can safely say that anyone with a taste for something edgy and historical should at least try out the pilot. Next I will read the book; because the show has risen my curiosity to the point where I feel it is necessary to do so. After reading five A Song of Ice and Fire books, I can confidently say that watching a season of a show before reading the source material has its effect on me. Also, I love reading. I guess that is a plus in these situations.
My rating: 8.4/10
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