Turn: Washington's Spies: Underrated As Always

The ReTURN of Turn!
"You know what Rome looked like before it became Rome, don't you? Some huts on the side of a hill, Little stream running through it. What it became... well, as they say, it didn't happen in a day." - Boyd Crowder, Justified, S01E10


Turn: Washington's Spies is back. With only two episodes aired so far, the outcome is the same as it ever was: this show does not receive the credit deserves. Much like Hell on Wheels, Turn seems to be one of the AMC dramas that just simply got away from public eye.

I'll admit that Turn hasn't always been a flawless show. In the first season especially, the show's lead, Abraham Woodhull, certainly was not compelling enough to carry the entire show on his back. However, as the first season ended and the second began, this problem was solved quite easily. As the world of the American Revolution expanded, so too did the ensemble nature of the show, bringing in characters like Major Hewlett, Major Andre, Robert Rogers, and Captain Simcoe to the forefront, along with Woodhull and his love interest(s). At this point in the series, though Abraham still probably makes up the majority of screen time, the cast is all so valued that it's hard to give a declarative main character.

Once again, the Scottish make the best TV
So then, what's kept Turn so under the radar? A slow start certainly has something to do with it, but amazing shows now in the critical eye, such as The Leftovers suffered from the same virus. Now, Leftovers has much bigger names attached, as well as a Sunday night time slot on HBO, but even so, it's not unorthodox for mediocre beginnings to turn into critical darlings over time. Could it be the fact that the plot is too dense? Certainly, when dealing with spy rings in the late 1700s, the plot can get a bit confusing, but for viewers seeking out great television, or for history junkies, this shouldn't be a real problem. Is it the Monday night timeslot? Didn't seem to hurt Fargo or Better Call Saul. For my money, Turn is far stronger than the recent season of The Walking Dead or the current season of Fear the Walking Dead, but in terms of viewership and critical reviews, it isn't even close.

Beginning the third season, the intrigue going in is already huge. After a stunning cliffhanger at the end of season two, seeing Robert Rogers choke Abraham half to death before announcing his plans to use him for some sort of greater scheme, we pick up right where we left off - Abe's father accusing him of spying, Hewlett and Simcoe getting close to war, Arnold becoming so disenfranchised he'll inevitably turn sides, and Rogers playing some sort of odd middle ground. All of these plot threads have their own upsides, making the show work in a hell of a lot of plot for 45 minutes, while still paying deep attention to the inner workings of each character.

The best part of the show thus far into the third season is Robert Rogers. As a character who, at first was more of a lovable villain than anything, he's morphed into someone who adds a level of true threat to the show, even more so than the more classically villainous characters on the show. Rogers, after having been betrayed by the crown, is certainly not jumping sides to the patriots, but he's certainly plotting something for revenge. That something involves using Abraham as a pawn, but with all the trouble Abraham is in currently, Rogers must think and act even more cleverly than before. On Monday night's episode, we saw just that go down, as Rogers disguised himself as a jittery patriot spy in order to get more information on Abe's work. He does all of this with such a wry sense of humor, courtesy of the fantastic performance by Angus MacFadyen, that Rogers truly steals every scene.

In addition, the work of the supporting cast continues to pay dividends in every side plot. Simcoe and Hewlett, the dark and light sides of the British army, are headed for a fatal clash, as announced at the end of Monday's episode. To lose either of these characters would be a shame, but in a drama like Turn, where history is allowed to be changed and an enormous audience isn't really demanding any fan favorite survive, anything could happen at any time. This means that aside from Abraham, when the battle between the two generals occurs, any outcome could happen. As seen time and time again in the latter half of season one and all throughout season two, few shows can build up as much tension in a showdown as Turn.

Eggs Benedict Arnold?
Finally, as history-breaking as some aspects of the show are, such as the character of Robert Rogers or John Graves Simcoe, the true historical accounts work just as well in the altered universe. Turn recognizes its limitations in terms of changing history. Characters such as the aforementioned Rogers can easily be re-done for dramatic effect (Rogers wasn't even Scottish in real life,) but with more pivotal players like George Washington or Benedict Arnold, the show basically keeps to its historical roots. In the plot of Arnold, we see the internal struggle go on in every episode. As a devout follower in the revolution, he truly wants to fight for the cause. However, due to his hotheadedness and injury that kept him away from the battlefront, he finds himself cast aside from the field and left to do managerial duties in Philadelphia. Add that to a romantic love triangle, and we see the reasons why the most famous betrayal in American history went down,

It's funny, with my spring schedule of dramas each week including Fear the Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, The Path, and now Turn, a part of me would say Turn is the strongest of the bunch. Though it probably varies week to week, it's every bit as good as the major shows going on currently.

Oh well - perhaps it's just for the me and the lucky few to enjoy. As long as Turn keeps getting renewed, I'll keep watching.

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