Washington's Spies update

[sholio]

I'm in early season three now, and somehow along the way this show has actually gotten really good (and surprisingly honest about the corrupting effects of spying, even on - or maybe especially on - likable, decent people). So much double and triple dealing, and blackmailing, and moral compromises, and heightened emotions. It's reached the point where the characters on both sides are well-developed and sympathetic, and everything is likely to end badly, and it's all made of AAAAAAAAA.

Comments

[sheron]

*laughing quietly on the sidelines*

[sholio]

EVERYTHING IS FINE.

[sovay]

It's reached the point where the characters on both sides are well-developed and sympathetic, and everything is likely to end badly, and it's all made of AAAAAAAAA.

Great. Nerd hero and John le Carré.

[sholio]

YES!! Honestly, I say as of late season three, this show has gone from being cheesy period drama entertainment to actually getting quite good. I am absolutely loving the character arcs, some of which are going very dark.

[sovay]

I am absolutely loving the character arcs, some of which are going very dark.

Okay, tell me which episodes I need to watch in order to (a) follow the arc of this dork who came in from the cold (b) understand the weight and relevance of when the rest of the show gets good.

[sholio]

Hmm! That's a hard question to answer for this show, because it's so intricately plotted, and part of what makes the later seasons so riveting is all the emotional setup from earlier. The first season is markedly worse than the others, though. Or at least more uneven and considerably more black-and-white in its morality.

If you're mainly watching for Burn Gorman, I'd say watch the first episode for sure (it introduces most of the characters and sets up a bunch of plot and character threads). Then probably 1x04, which is basically Burn Gorman's character at his worst and gives you context for the starting point of his character arc that provides a nice contrast to where he ends up later on, and then 1x09-10 (the last two episodes of the season) and then everything from 2x01 onward.

If you like the first episode and find yourself interested, though, I'd say you could at least try going straight through. (Maaaybe skip 1x05, which is essentially the show tying itself into a logical pretzel trying to explain why the British offering freedom to their slaves is actually the evil choice and the slave owners are the good guys. As season 1 episodes go, that was pretty much the nadir for me - well, that and 1x08, which is a horribly embarrassment-squicky episode involving a horrendous caricature of a carousing dinner party and one of the female characters pretending to be a prostitute to collect information there.)

Anyway, I felt season 1 was entertaining but very uneven, then season 2 really levels up in depth and complexity, and season 3 levels up yet again, but you really need the background of season 2 for it.

Each season is just 10 episodes long, which makes it a bit more manageable than longer shows.

isis might also have some suggestions for viewing order and skippable episodes!

[sovay]

That's a hard question to answer for this show, because it's so intricately plotted, and part of what makes the later seasons so riveting is all the emotional setup from earlier. The first season is markedly worse than the others, though.

I am a veteran of Babylon 5: I'll work it out.

[sholio]

Honestly, I think you will absolutely LOVE Burn Gorman in this. He is fantastic.

[sovay]

Honestly, I think you will absolutely LOVE Burn Gorman in this. He is fantastic.

I will do my best to see for myself.