The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episode 3: Travelers

18th March, 2018.

Yes, I know … the simple fact I can smell cocoa?

Is possibly not something to write home about.

Or a post about.

But … ?

As I know Debbi and her husband, Rick, will know — after their visit, back in the day — I gave up smoking some seven years ago: not long after my nephew, Jude, was born.

So … ?

Being able to smell any thing — tea, cocoa, someone’s perfume, me own rather sweaty armpits* — is sort of amazing.

With the possible exception of the armpits …

~≈§≈~

At ANY rate … ?

Today is, officially?   The day of the Mini/Small/Lesser† beast from the East.

In other words?   A second batch of bad weather: coming in after last week’s Beast From the East.

Frankly?

I stayed indoors for most of it.

Venturing out with the intention of getting some milk from the local shop: but coming home with some washing up liquid, and some incense.   And a lighter: to light the incense.

Sense of smell, remember?

Frankly?   I wanted indoor to smell nice, as well as — ha! — clean.

At ANY rate … ?

I’ve been at home: laundering, making videos, editing metadata on my video library …

And wanting to catch up with something.

More episodes of Series 2 of Man in the High Castle.

It’s intriguing.

~≈§≈~

Episode 3 — The Travelers‡ — sees Juliana (Alexa Davalos^) getting used to her new life in Reich controlled New York: undergoing the vigorous medicals the Reich insists on, before an intrusive question and answer session.

Back in San Francisco?   Frank (Rupert Evansª) is working with Ed and Children (DJ Qualls and Brennan Brown, respectively) to pay off their debt to the Yakuza.

And Obergruppenführer Smith arranges for Juliana to go into hiding in Reich controlled America.   Whilst making sure his seriously ill son, Thomas — Quinn Lord — doesn’t get put to death at the hands of the especially harsh Genetic Purity laws.

That … ?   Could have known on effects … 

~≈§≈~

Now … ?

Good … ?

Hell, yes!

I have to admit, at this time of night, I’m not necessarily putting my upmost focus on any one given thing.

Just to give you an example, I’ve managed to distract myself playing a new game on the iMac.

But … ?

There’s one seen — where Rufus Sewell’s Obergruppenführer Smith — kills Dr Adler (Kevin McNulty): in order to stop the Dr reporting his son to the authorities.

The look on the Obergruppenführer’s face?

Is best described as frighteningly blank.

Blank … fearsome … 

And riveting.

Right now?

I’m very aware that alternative history shows are not going to be for everyone.

But … ?

Think about it like this.

We know that the Obergruppenführer, a senior Nazi official, has been ordered to kill his own, much loved son.

In order to follow the strictures of a regime he loves.

I have a feeling this conflict is going to be one off the central strands of this second series.

It’s what I believe is turning The Man in the High Castle from an alternative history … 

Into a watchable human drama.

I’m staying glued to it, thank you …

*        I’m nearer my armpits than you are.

†        Here, watch this …

‡        As I recall?   There’s a lot of discussion about whether the word is spelt with one ‘L’ or two.   This episode’s title has one, the 1977 role playing game from Games Designer Worksop?   Has two.

^        She’s a competent actress.   But my suspicion is STILL that Amazon hired her to advertise its AI voice recognition assistant.

ª        Who I still think looks like The Man in the High Castle’s version of Clark Kent.   Come on, mild mannered, glasses, alliterative name … can any one spell Übermensch?