Here is the thing, Westworld wasn’t the best television series of 2016 – it wasn’t even the most mysterious or… well, weirdest.
If it were up to me, I’d give every television award possible (maybe except from the comedy ones) to The Man in the High Castle. Amazon Prime Video (or whatever it’s called) finally has its flagship show.
The Man in the High Castle is basically a thought piece (or an extended Black Mirror episode) which imagines a world where Germany and its allies won World War 2. While I enjoyed the first season, it always felt like it was one big set up job, but season two is the happy ending.
This Philip K Dick adaptation is the slowest of slow burns. Nothing comes to the audience quickly, nor easily for that matter. It may feel pretentious to some people. It could also come off as irresponsible and dangerous. They are the only things that come close to negatives, and I disagree with every single one of them.
I love how this season doesn’t hold your hand and explain every part of the plot. It damn sure doesn’t give a fuck if you understand a character’s motivation – or how a character can travel between different realities.
Yeh, there are multi-realities in this show.
Oh, and I am in love with Alexa Davalos.
If I can pick one reason why I was utterly taken aback by this show then it would all come down to one word – Nazis.
The way The Man in the High Castle deals with the iconography, military and citizenry of the number two all time villain (number one being Satan) is awe-inspiring. It is the only piece of culture I have ever consumed that has made me see the ‘humanity’ of the most evil people to ever walk on this planet.
One minute you’re sympathising with a disabled boy and the very next moment you remember that he is a Nazi – a Jew and black-folk hating Nazi.
If there was ever a theme to this show it is simply that every one is flawed. Every one is human – even racist motherfucking Nazis.
And the result of this is a very uncomfortable, but thought provoking watch. And emphasis on uncomfortable. It is uncomfortably brilliant.
