As most of you will recall, I was extremely happy with last week’s installment of Turn. Stories of moral conflict and humanity, especially of those that history has romanticized, are very important and must be told. While not all readers agreed with me (I’m used to this by now), last week’s episode (love it or hate it) set the stage for what promises to be a roller coaster of a final few episodes. Last week got me energized and excited for the show, and this week certainly didn’t let me down.
This week on Turn: Washington’s Spies: Caleb and Ben are too late to save Hewlett, so they hatch their own plan to save Abraham. Washington gives Benedict Arnold a new assignment. John Andre and Peggy Shippen become victims of France’s alliance with the Continental Army. Hewlett and Simcoe both return to Setauket, and to Anna. Robert Rogers is betrayed.
I know. I KNOW. I will be the first to admit that I complained about the slow start to the season. I complained about it last season, too. However, if the slow start is a must for the show to build the way it has (I doubt it is, but hey, what do I know?), I will not only appreciate it but advocate it. Things are firing on all cylinders now for this Revolutionary War drama, and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s coming next.
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m naturally interested in history and war adaptations for screen. If there’s a new war movie coming out that has even a little historical basis? I’m there. So of course, when AMC announced Turn, I was beside myself. I loved the idea. I’ve not always been a fan of the way that the story has been told, but that is due in large part to the large quantities of characters I was expected to follow. With a large cast like that, one tends to forget names, and carry torches for their favorite characters less passionately. But, as previously stated, Turn‘s slow burn technique is working. I noticed this evening how happy I was to see Abraham and Caleb reunited, albeit briefly. I was ecstatic to see Hewlett return to Setauket, and I even felt disappointment for Benedict Arnold. What I love about this show is that it can take your interest in something historical and make it come to life, and add layers to something already interesting. While a lot moved forward in this episode, and the dramatic stakes were raised, I’m most impressed with the way the show has built up these layered characters.
I have to shout out Daniel Henshall’s Caleb Brewster. Speaking as an American who is VERY competitive, I tend to side with the Continental Army. My admission of bias notwithstanding, I think that Caleb is one of the most interesting characters on the show. Henshall’s performance has layers to it. Caleb’s motivations are clear, and that makes him fun to watch, but you can tell there’s always something a little extra on it. I LOVED the scene in the Ben Franklin-esque submarine barrel that he used to infiltrate NYC. I always get disappointed when we don’t see a lot of Caleb, so I guess you know why I liked this episode! I would watch a show entirely about Caleb (but I wouldn’t be mad if there was some Tallmadge and Washington).
There was so much good stuff in the episode I’d hate to leave things out. The reunion between Simcoe and Hewlett was BRILLIANTLY cold. There was so much tension in that scene and I loved every minute of it. I always find that when I have sympathy for someone I know to be a villain, that’s the work of true genius on screen. Remember how you felt bad for Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2, or (maybe) felt bad for Anakin (just a little bit) in the Star Wars prequels? I (usually) chalk that up to excellent writing and a great character portrayal, and that’s what I felt with Owain Yeoman’s Benedict Arnold. We all know that Arnold (REVOLUTIONARY WAR SPOILERS AHEAD) turns and fights for the British, but the story of how he gets there is more nuanced and complicated than I could have imagined.
I’m very impressed with Turn’s latest installment, and if they told me anything this week, it’s that they know how to keep the momentum going. Hopefully, they continue this same approach as Turn inches toward its close.
What did you guys think? Did you enjoy the episode as much as I did? Let us know!!
Turn: Washington’s Spies airs Mondays at 10/9c on AMC.
[Photo via AMC]
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I absolutely love this show. I’ve always been enthralled with the American Revolution, having loved HBO’S JOHN ADAMS. But this show, THIS show, is a glorious honor done to that time and that amazing struggle for liberty. It does for me what JOHN ADAMS almost did, which is truly care for and be wondrously inspired by it’s characters as real people, not just immortalized figures that are impossibly beyond the reach of humanity. George Washington kneeling in the snow at Valley Forge….Abraham telling his father that as long as he has breath in his lungs, he would never give up….Benjamin doing all he can to protect and honor General Washington….Abraham refusing to abandon the Culper Ring and it’s cause…..it’s all just so amazing to see and witness on screen. Every single performance is riveting, and the drama, while it may deviate somewhat from history, remains faithful to the importance of the events and to the feelings they SHOULD evoke from the viewers. I am in awe of this program and am actually dreading the finale since I know we’ll have to wait so long for Season 3. The wait will be maddening. And thank you for your thoughtful reviews of TURN. It’s wonderful to see a critic appreciate it for all it’s virtues.
Again, I couldn’t agree more. Great recap and review. Riveting episode, and the series has never been better. I see that the ratings, however minimal, keep incrementally improving (in the key demos). Stellar performances, with Burn Gorman’s Hewlett leading the way.
TURN going back to its usual good quality after a terrible episode last week…
I really enjoyed Caleb’s scenes. Can’t say he’s my favourite character, he’s a bit too much of a “comic relief” guy to my taste, but in small doses like this, I really appreciate him. I laughed so much in the “Turtle” scene and the ones that followed…
Also agree with you that the Simcoe/Hewlett reunion was brilliant.
But everything was brilliant in this episode. I was also glad to finally see Arnold again. I really love this actor, and the dialogue was great too.
AND the introduction of Lafayette was so enjoyable! I love the actor they’ve chosen. For me, it also showed that in a couple of seconds, with Washington’s tearful eyes, you can portray more efficiently his fragility and desperation as a leader, than with all the nonsense we saw last episode. The previous episode only had me rolling my eyes and almost laughing at the absurdity of the lines and the heavy-handed narrative devices, whereas this short scene truly moved me.
Really, why resort to silly hallucinations, cheesy flashbacks, not-so-subtly metaphorical card games and conversations with imaginary people, for the best part of a really LONG 40 minutes, when all it takes is a good script, two good actors and tearful eyes. And we instantly get it : Washington’s been under a lot of stress, he was desperate, he knew he couldn’t hold on much longer without help… and the relief of getting that help suddenly overwhelms him. And it’s beautiful. This is the reason I love TURN.