Looking for a gripping historical drama to binge-watch in March? Prime Video’s popular dystopian alternate history series, The Man in the High Castle, is coming to Netflix on 11 March – and you might want to add it to your watchlist.
The series, which first aired in 2015 and ran for four seasons, is based on Philip K. Dick’s alternate history novel and imagines a world where the Allies lost World War Two. The Nazis, along with Imperial Japan, have split America in two, with Germany controlling the East Coast and Japan ruling the West Coast, while the Rocky Mountains have become a neutral zone.
Frank Charles Spotnitz (The X-Files) created the series, while acclaimed filmmaker Ridley Scott (Gladiator) served as an executive producer. So it’s safe to say viewers are in safe hands.
This chilling, complex thriller has been praised for its suspenseful yet disturbing plot, as well as for its high production value and meticulous world building. If you like alternate history dramas, it’s worth checking out The Man in the High Castle.
Find out more below…
What is The Man in the High Castle about?
The drama is set in a parallel universe where the Axis powers won the Second World War. The action begins with the assassination of US President Franklin D Roosevelt in 1933, which alters history and triggers a series of events that eventually lead to the victory of the Axis powers over the Allies.
The synopsis explains: “While Germany controls much of the East Coast and Japan controls the West Coast, the Rocky Mountains have become a ‘neutral zone’ — and ground zero for a resistance, led by a mysterious figure known only as ‘the Man in the High Castle.’
© Liane Hentscher“While some citizens struggle against the fear, oppression and inequality, others accept their lives, as compromised and unfulfilling as they might be. But after a series of enigmatic films surface depicting a world vastly different from their own, some begin to question the very nature of their reality.”
What have viewers said about the series?
The series has been hailed as a “masterpiece” and a “must-watch” by viewers.
One person wrote in an online review: “I decided to squeeze in the pilot. Needless to say, seven episodes later I was still watching. The storyline is incredible. The acting is great,” while another hailed the drama as “one of the best shows I have ever seen.”
© Liane Hentscher/Amazon StudiosAnother viewer praised the show as a faithful adaptation of the novel, adding: “It is visually impeccable, great cinematography and CG and art direction, script is pretty close to the original book, excellent pacing, very good acting.”
Meanwhile, the series was met with positive reviews from critics, with The Telegraph describing the show as “stylised, stylish” and “absorbing,” while The Hollywood Reporter hailed the series as a “bold, intriguing, visually-impressive effort”.
Who stars in the series?
Alexa Davalos (Mob City) leads the cast as Juliana Crain, a young woman from San Francisco who is living under Japanese control. She stars opposite Rupert Evans (Bridgerton) as Juliana’s boyfriend, Frank Frink and Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat) as John Smith, an SS Obergruppenfuhrer investigating the Resistance in New York.
© Prime VideoOther cast members include Bella Heathcote, DJ Qualls, Joel de la Fuente, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and Chelah Horsdal.
The Man in the High Castle comes to Netflix on 11 March.
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