Man In The High Castle Season 4 (Spoilers)
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Watched the first episode tonight. It was powerful enough that I felt like watching something lighter afterwards. And that's a good thing.
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Still grumbling that they killed off Tagomi. Leading off the last season with that (even if they do bring the character back later) is gimmicky writing. And if the actor wasn't available- they should've recast.
But it's still too early to judge I guess. But he was my favorite.
But it's still too early to judge I guess. But he was my favorite.
They didn't even show Tagomi's face when they killed him off in a quick flashback. That was confusing.
It's possible the actor, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, had to commit to the Lost in Space Netflix series. I hope it's just that, and not health issues.
I find the loss of that character and that actor very very disappointing, and hope he will return with dialog in further flashbacks and/or visions. Overall still a great show.
It's possible the actor, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, had to commit to the Lost in Space Netflix series. I hope it's just that, and not health issues.
I find the loss of that character and that actor very very disappointing, and hope he will return with dialog in further flashbacks and/or visions. Overall still a great show.
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I guess when Tagomi disappeared in Juliana's vision, that was Thanos snapping his finger 
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The final tunnel scene had me thinking something like that too. But it turns out they did know:
"Isa Dick Hackett, an executive producer on the show since the beginning, says she learned they'd been canceled when she assembled the season 4 writers' room. [Showrunner David] Scarpa knew from the jump of his involvement with the show."
They intentionally left things ambiguous and uncertain for all major and minor characters, and kinda insane too, in the tradition of author Phillip K. Dick himself.
'The Man in the High Castle' ending explained: Series boss unpacks the 'ambiguous' finale
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I hate endings like that. I don't want to interpret anything. You've told me a story thru 40 episodes; end it properly! I really liked the season until then and was actually thinking "how are they going to wrap this up in an hour?" Easy - they didn't even try to.
It's like seeing a weather forecast starting with words like "then the storm intensifies and something interesting happens for the area...". Then we are to interpret the rest. Who are we to interpret weather models?! Similarly, who are we to end this story?? It's as if the show was canceled at any point during it. To me there is no difference.
Note to self based on that article - no more shows on my watchlist from that guy's novels or Scarpa.
Enjoying the journey is good enough for many, I know, but I just like a story from start to finish, not start to ...you figure it out.
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Watched S4 over the long weekend and I found it so compelling I couldn't stop. But the ending....typical 21st century ending. People, we should expect this type of thing by now. I didn't like it of course, but to me, everything "ended" at the point where Smith killed himself and his protege tears off the ribbon (symbolizing the end of the Nazi regime in the USA). After that, yeah, we get one of those ambiguous endings we've seen in so many SciFi or fantasy shows. I do wonder if they did it this way to keep the idea open for some sort of continuation down the pike. Still, really liked the series and I'm not going to let those last few minutes ruin the series for me.
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Actually, as Stevenj said, I thought they did a pretty good job of wrapping it up. Unfortunately, they didn't stop there...
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I don't think they did. Who are the people coming back? Will the other American nazis follow the guy who pulled his neck thing off? What is Berlin's reaction to America going rogue (if they do)? What about the west coast vs the rest of the country where the BCR renounced going back to the old America? Will there be a civil war and will this result in a rift allowing Germany to just take over again? What about Smith's daughters with their divergent ideas? Curious how the good little nazi daughter processes this.
I get that they want us to be asking these questions. i don't have to like it.
As I mentioned, a story has unfolded for me over 4 seasons - I would like to see it end. A question or 2 left unanswered....fine, but they just pulled the plug mid-story. Why not just stop at any point previously at random - how about S3E4? Or S2E9, S4E6? if you're not going to end it and tell the viewers to just interpret the stopping point, why not take it further - lay out a premise, tell us to craft the story in our heads and not present anything at all?
it's just a cop out to me especially when there is a prescribed time to end and the show and they do so as if it was suddenly canceled. It was, until the end, a great season - probably the best one. This would have been a great penultimate episode.
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The people coming back were after the actual ending. The American Nazis DID follow their new leader (called off the invasion). America didn't go rogue; it was a deal between Smith and the new German leader, where they would divide the world between them. The BCR seemed pretty relieved that they still exist after the invasion was called off; yes, it would be interesting to see what happens next, but the world will go on, so in that sense there will never be an "ending." But they resolved all the major story-lines.
I think the only mistake they made was adding on that little bit with the Portal, which came completely out of the blue.
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I thought the agreement between Smith and the new guy in Germany was to divide the world but with the understanding that America would remain a nazi territory, just more autonomous. Smith did, after all, give the call to bomb the west coast, planned to open camps, etc. If his wife didn't intervene it would have carried through. So to me the main story line question remains, what would Germany's response have been to the new guy in charge (with whom the German guy didn't have an agreement) going back to a non-nazi America? Plus all the other questions, lol.
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Not more autonomous; completely autonomous. It sounded like America would be part of the Reich in name only.
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