The Man in the High Castle

Thread Starter

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
Anyone else watching/watched this? Or read the book?

No spoilers please, but your overall opinion would be interesting.

I binge-watched the first six episodes last night. I hope it's not going to get stupid like Lost did.
 

joeyd999

Joined Jun 6, 2011
5,234
I binge-watched the first season. I loved it. The imagery is fantastic -- and will require a couple watchings to catch it all. The personalities and actions of the Nazi and Imperial Japanese characters are exactly what one would expect had their cultures not evolved from their pre-WWII state.

The American attitudes left me depressed. I really think that the average American has too much fighting spirit to be cowed so easily...but maybe -- in light of current politics -- my perception is wrong.

I think they overdid the technological advancements of the German people under Nazi rule. Not that the Germans are not ingenious as a people, but socialist governments (National Socialist, Communists, etc.) tend to eat their most intelligent, most productive, first.
 

Thread Starter

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
Maybe you can clear up one detail for me. I thought that Juliana told her parents about Trudy's death right away, but in a later episode (6 maybe) they didn't seem to know. What did I miss?
 

joeyd999

Joined Jun 6, 2011
5,234
Maybe you can clear up one detail for me. I thought that Juliana told her parents about Trudy's death right away, but in a later episode (6 maybe) they didn't seem to know. What did I miss?
I watched all 10 episodes in one day over Thanksgiving.

Since then I've acquired voluminous quantities of unrelated data, resulting in a purge of insignificant trivia older than 3 weeks.

Unfortunately, the purge is secure and irreversible. The information you require cannot be recovered, even by the best data recovery experts you might be willing to pay for.

And I would not submit to the process.
 

Thread Starter

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
I am now starting episode 10, so soon I will have all the information required.


ETA: I watched. I learned. I am finished.
 
Last edited:

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
My favorite example of the "technological advancements of the German people under Nazi rule" involves something as simple as the field telephone, as contrasted with the American version.

The American version used a simple earth ground return and a single wire. It was very lossy and hard to hear. The German version used a metal shielded pair and had excellent fidelity.

When setting up a position cables were strung as needed. When taking over an enemy position standing orders has he troops cut any communication wires they encountered.

When retaking a position the Germans would send out technicians to reconnect the ends by splicing on connectors (which had to be stored and issued). The Americans by standing order would just twist the ends together.

Basically, the Germans would never get their system working again. Americans were back up and running in short time with no real extra effort.

I wonder if Arthur C. Clarke was aware of this when he wrote "Superiority," a story I thing every engineer should read while still young enough to still be influenced.
 

Thread Starter

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
There was a lot to like about the shows as detailed by JoeyD.

Although not technically a "spoiler," you may want to avoid reading the rest of this post if you haven't yet watched TMITHC.










Despite having read and enjoyed every science fiction book I could find as a pre-teen, I don't like sci-fi as a casual element in what is otherwise a "real world" novel. I understand that the story is presented as alternative history and is not meant to be taken as truth, but still am annoyed when non-realistic events are used to explain mysterious circumstances in a novel. It's a little like using the old "awaken from a dream" gambit, which seems like a cheap copout by the writer(s).
 

killivolt

Joined Jan 10, 2010
835
I really wouldn't watch it, although I enjoy watching WWII movies.

History Channel and Hitlers BuzzSaw (
). Advanced in it's design and should have proven to be more affective but the concept was lost to difficulties with it's implementation. It was effective once it was set up, devastating to Men on the Battle Field. But, I watch a ( Documentary on John M Browning's life Story) they Quoted:

If the Germans were to have the M2, they would have possibly won the War.
The M2 was very affective on the ground, rate of fire is half that of the BuzzSaw, yet it only required one person the move and position rather than three. I believe the attention to details like these are what one the war, his Guns in many respect's were superior, but the Allies fought with more vigor than he believe and they offered each a great deal more creativity than he ever thought possible.

As well as, under estimation to the Powers that formed Armies who would eventually defeat them.

kv
 

shteii01

Joined Feb 19, 2010
4,644
I really wouldn't watch it, although I enjoy watching WWII movies.

History Channel and Hitlers BuzzSaw (
). Advanced in it's design and should have proven to be more affective but the concept was lost to difficulties with it's implementation. It was effective once it was set up, devastating to Men on the Battle Field. But, I watch a ( Documentary on John M Browning's life Story) they Quoted:



The M2 was very affective on the ground, rate of fire is half that of the BuzzSaw, yet it only required one person the move and position rather than three. I believe the attention to details like these are what one the war, his Guns in many respect's were superior, but the Allies fought with more vigor than he believe and they offered each a great deal more creativity than he ever thought possible.

As well as, under estimation to the Powers that formed Armies who would eventually defeat them.

kv
You also forgot that MG42 was replacement for pre war designed MG34. I hear that MG42 was much much more simple when compared to MG34.
 

boatsman

Joined Jan 17, 2008
187
The thing is, with all the above comments, you are forgetting that the North American countries have never experienced war at home, the last time being The Civil War. Even though Britain was never occupied (except for The Channel Islands) life was regulated by the air raids and the various food shortages. Britain didn't have the advantage of the US of producing everything it required. There have been a few films about a Nazi occupation of Britain, but nothing like the Man In The High Castle.
 

boatsman

Joined Jan 17, 2008
187
@joeyd999

No, I am not forgetting the September attack. Including the attack on the Pentagon. I was referring to the fact that apart from the shock and the horror it didn't impact the country the same way as being occupied by a foreign power or being bombed daily. I don't mean to imply that it wasn't terrible, just that it was totally different - more like Pearl Harbor only on the mainland.
 
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