mbloyd

I understand that this episode marks the point in the season when lots of fans started being extremely disappointed with this season as a whole, but I have to disagree. The only complaint I can recognize with this season is that the overall alien mystery series plot is mostly a subplot this season, so I can understand the disappointment that may cause for some. However, that isn't necessarily a negative.

Naomi's and Amos' respective storylines this season are spectacular (at least, through the eight episodes I've seen). I very much enjoyed getting to see more of Amos' backstory, and seeing him in his hometown of Baltimore could've been the entire season and I've have been satisfied. Meanwhile Naomi, prior to this season the most neglected core character, is arguably the season's main character, and rightfully so. Her past isn't exactly fascinating, but facing enemies alone really lets her character (finally) shine.

The other subplots of the season (with Avasarala, Alex and Bobbie, and Holden) aren't quite as good, but none of them are duds. Overall not as good as season 4, but still better than season 1-3 (which were also good).

By the end of this episode, the season is more than two-thirds of the way complete, and there's never been less of a sense of urgency. The big cliffhanger ending of the last episode does not result in any major game-changer when we pick up where the action left off. The show takes the least interesting possible path following the cliffhanger. In this episode, we learn more about Joe without getting to know him any better. There is no other prestige drama with a protagonist as hollow as Joe. The writers are uninterested in giving the actor playing him anything to do besides stare blankly and try to evoke deep internal conflict. Juliana fares better, because she's given more to do. The Trudy storyline that takes over the episode is a little desperate. Maybe there's a payoff coming that makes it all worth it, but the show hasn't earned much trust. As usual, the most interesting parts of Man in the High Castle are happening on the fringes. This is especially true regarding antiques dealer Robert Childan. His and Frank's decision is unexpected, but feels right.

There's something especially unsettling about a Nazi in a green cardigan. From the beginning, many of the show's most disturbing moments have centered on Obergruppenfuhrer John Smith: even the incongruity between his showy German title and comically ordinary American name reads like a three-word summation of The Man in the High Castle's themes. So it makes sense that the first episode to spotlight the SS officer would be especially effective at encapsulating what makes this alternate world so disquieting when The Man in the High Castle is at its best. The show, at this point, has developed a pattern of using incredibly coincidental chance meetings to drive the narrative. This is on display when Juliana has yet another coincidental crossing of paths with someone. With the end of Three Monkeys, the show has left all of its main characters in intriguing places, all the better to keep us wondering what's next.