Meanwhile in 1700s historical drama land

[sholio]

So I started watching Turn: Washington's Spies on Netflix because Burn Gorman is in it, and have now marathoned two seasons (two more to go!). This show is visually gorgeous period-drama brain candy which can best be described as an EXTREMELY biased version of actual American history in which the rebels are Everything That's Good, and George Washington is basically Jesus. This show entertains and irritates me in approximately equal measure. This is really not AT ALL the best time for me mentally to deal with the show's particular brand of rah-rah patriotism.

On the other hand, they attempted to cast Burn Gorman as a smarmy, unlikable British bureaucrat but by late season two have accidentally turned him into a dashing, geeky romantic hero instead, which is turning out to be relevant to every last one of my interests. I had assumed that he was a very minor character because I've never actually seen anyone talking about this show and had just seen a couple of pictures of him in period costume. I wasn't expecting all of this ... everything.

I wrote up a brief, tongue-in-cheek account of my descent into Turn Hell on Tumblr (contains fairly extensive spoilers for the Burn Gorman part of the plot and not much else): https://laylainalaska.tumblr.com/post/626785721870663680/a-brief-history-of-my-relationship-with-turn

This show also has Aldis Hodge (from Leverage). Unfortunately he's stuck in one of the not so great storylines because every time this show tries to deal with the entire issue of slavery in the American colonies it ends up being headdeskingly tone-deaf and terrible.

But then some of the spy stuff is incredibly fun, with all the double-dealing and having to do terrible things to preserve your cover and so forth. (I really like spy stuff.)

I am not sure to what extent I'd recommend this show, exactly, but I am finding it very entertaining in a "very pretty and problematic and totally batshit and some storylines I just fast-forward through" kind of way.

Comments

[sovay]

On the other hand, they attempted to cast Burn Gorman as a smarmy, unlikable British bureaucrat but by late season two have accidentally turned him into a dashing, geeky romantic hero instead

I FORESEE THE ABYSS IN MY FUTURE.

[isis]

I recommended this to you ages ago! Why haven't you watched it yet??? ;-)

[sovay]

Why haven't you watched it yet???

BECAUSE I WATCH ALMOST NO TV THAT ISN'T MINISERIES OR EVEN THAT ISN'T.

[isis]

BUT BURN GORMAN!!!!1!one!

[sholio]

Not gonna lie, I think the Burn Gorman parts of this would be extremely sovay-compatible. Also, I may be contemplating fanfic.

[sovay]

Not gonna lie, I think the Burn Gorman parts of this would be extremely sovay-compatible.

DAMMIT.

Also, I may be contemplating fanfic.

Yay.

[sheron]

Also, I may be contemplating fanfic.

lmao

[sholio]

HUSH *chases you out with a broom*

There was a perfectly good h/c setup with very little follow-through, how am I supposed to just pass that up.

[sovay]

There was a perfectly good h/c setup with very little follow-through, how am I supposed to just pass that up.

*waits patiently*

[isis]

I loved this show! Yes, it's cheesy, but what they did with Burn Gorman's character is fabulous. I adored JJ Feild as Major John André OMG, and the Benedict Arnold and Peggy Shippen stuff, it's great. I really liked the Benedict Arnold plotline, in that he wasn't an evil turncoat but a rather messed-up man who yearned for glory. Also Ian Kahn as George Washington is fantastic. And the Rogers arc gets seriously batshit toward the end, just wait.

[sholio]

THIS SHOW IS SO FUUUUUUN. I feel weird gushing about it right now because it is a very "wrong time for this" kind of thing, but I really am absolutely hooked. The cast is just fabulous - Rogers is one of my other favorites (he chews the scenery so excellently), as well as Caleb, and I had no idea I'd get as invested in André as I now am. I also found Benedict Arnold a pleasant surprise - I was expecting him to be Evil McEvil the way Simcoe is, but instead he's actually very sympathetic and basically just an enormous mess.

[isis]

Haha, Simcoe is totally Evil McEvil. I always wondered if Canadians were angry about the way this show portrays him! I agree about Caleb, too, he's wonderful.

[sheron]

Of course he's canadian. LOLLLL

Thank you for that.

[sholio]

Hahaha, I hadn't even realized he was a real person! I assumed he was entirely fictional. I'm sure his descendants are completely thrilled by having their ancestor portrayed as a sadistic thug, for sure. XD

[yhlee]

I need to resume watching this - I watched two eps and enjoyed it but fell out of it for reasons I don'T remember.

[sholio]

I realize that my above post undersells it a bit lot, but I'm honestly having a LOT of fun watching it.

[yhlee]

It really looked good! But we're on Mo Dao Zu Shi right now and it is almost Legend of the Five Rings: The Anime that I would have sold my right arm for, and L5R is THE TINY FANDOM OF MY HEART so nothing is happening until I finish watching MDZS. XD

[sholio]

Oh yeah, I completely understand! (LOL, I keep putting off watching things I know I'll like, like The Expanse, because I don't feel like I have any mental space for something new, and instead I keep watching brain-candy things I don't think will hook me ... and get hooked on those instead. XD)

Edit: And it's really fun watching you have fun with MDZS; I'm glad you're enjoying it! :D

[yhlee]

Oh gosh, The Expanse is on my list too! telophase speaks highly of it and I think Joe will like it too. *wibble* It's nice to have too much TV to choose from!

[sholio]

I KNOWWWW. My list of things to watch is so long!

I know you're buried in MDZS right now, but I am finding that this show is getting better and better as it goes along. Season 3 is really tense! I'd be interested in your thoughts if you ever do watch ... and maybe one of these days I'll manage to join you in MDZS. :D

[sheron]

maybe one of these days I'll manage to join you in MDZS.

(¬‿¬)

[sheron]

Man I wish S3 of MDZS would come out because it's just getting to my favourite parts :3
(Alas, not until 2021 it looks like.)

[sholio]

Hahaha, so I'm in early season 3 now and I see what you mean about the Rogers arc getting increasingly, entertainingly batshit. Also, this show has gotten seriously good! It's gone from being entertaining but slightly trashy in a guilty-pleasure way, to actually a very good spy show.

[sartorias]

I've got this in my watchlist, but every time I try to get back to American TV I hit something that drives me back to the Asian stuff, which I find so. Much. More beautiful, complex, emotionally compelling. But it's there, awaitin'.

[sholio]

I totally get that! You have to wait 'til you're in the right mood for any given piece of media, or you won't enjoy it as much.

[ellenmillion]

This sounds...fun!

[sholio]

You know, this show started out a guilty, trashy pleasure at the beginning, but by the point where I am now (early season 3) it's gotten genuinely really good.

[gwyn]

I LOVE spy stuff but man, I had to nope out of that show pretty fast. I never finished the first season, I think. Go you for being able to power through!

[schneefink]

I don't think this is for me, but your Tumblr write-up is hilarious xD