Prime Video’s The Man in the High Castle premiered 10 years ago, but it’s not too late to binge-watch this great TV series. Based on Philip K. Dick’s 1962 novel of the same name, the show takes place in an alternate version of the United States in which the Axis Powers had won World War II. The Man in the High Castle centers on a variety of characters living in this divided society controlled by Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. Airing four seasons from 2015 to 2019, The Man in the High Castle stars Alexa Davalos (Clash of the Titans), Rufus Sewell (Old), Joel de la Fuente (Law & Order: SVU), Brennan Brown (Chicago Med), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Planet of the Apes), Luke Kleintank (Midway), and Rupert Evans (Charmed). The Man in the High Castle has garnered significant acclaim, winning two Emmy Awards and scoring 84% overall among Rotten Tomatoes critics.
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For those who haven’t seen the show, The Man in the High Castle would make a fantastic binge-watch in the near future. The entire series spans just 40 episodes, meaning that bingeing The Man in The High Castle shouldn’t take longer than a couple of weeks. Boasting layered characters and relevant political themes, this underrated Prime Video gem will hook those who love history and sci-fi. Moreover, The Man in the High Castle is effortlessly addicting and brimming with mystery. Despite the show’s under-the-radar status, TV lovers should give The Man in the High Castle a chance.
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The Man in the High Castle Is Perfectly Binge-Worthy
Shows commonly deemed binge-worthy must possess a strongly addictive quality, and The Man in the High Castle has just that. The series’ seamless blend of alternate history and sci-fi makes it unique, and its riveting story threads will surely keep viewers engaged all the way through. In terms of characters, The Man in the High Castle features an array of perspectives and plot lines that will never cease to captivate audiences. Davalos’ Juliana Crane evades one danger after another as she strives to unravel the mystery of a series of films depicting a foreign reality. Meanwhile, de la Fuente’s ruthless inspector Kido bears down on rebels in the Japanese Pacific States. Other interesting character arcs in The Man in the High Castle include Frank Frink’s (Evans) journey of working with the American Resistance as a Jewish man and American Nazi Obergruppenführer John Smith (Sewell), whose loyalty to the fascist Germans takes an intriguing turn over the course of the show.
In a vacuum, The Man in the High Castle is perfectly gripping, as its palpable suspense, unexpected twists, and constant tension make it easy to watch multiple episodes in one sitting. But the series gets even better when viewed in the context of today’s world. Despite The Man in the High Castle‘s setting in the decades after World War II and its portrait of a completely different outcome, the show’s universe illustrates a strikingly dystopian society that appears more and more similar to the United States in the present day. Of course, The Man in the High Castle‘s sci-fi and multiversal elements dull some of the realism, and the real-life U.S. is not governed by foreign powers in the same way. However, The Man in the High Castle‘s overarching narrative about life under a far-right authoritarian regime will resonate with many.
Despite Its Critical Acclaim, The Man in the High Castle Is Largely Overlooked
Even though The Man in the High Castle received plenty of praise while it aired on Prime Video, the show struggled to gain traction with mainstream TV audiences. Similarly, the series has not grown in popularity much in the decade since its premiere. Amazon tried to market The Man in the High Castle to the masses in the beginning, though a massive advertising blunder involving Nazi symbolism plastered on New York City subway trains only generated negative press. Per The Guardian, the ads were so offensive that then-Mayor Bill De Blasio publicly called for their removal.
So while the general public may not have been introduced to The Man in the High Castle in the right way, the show deserves more positive attention. Considerate of its heavy subject material, The Man in the High Castle provides an insightful and entertaining window into an alternate history that remains true to real-world politics. Even though it premiered 10 years ago, The Man in the High Castle still makes for a worthwhile viewing. Anyone who hasn’t heard of the show needs to add it to their watchlist now.
The Man in the High Castle is available to stream on Prime Video.
