I'm guessing Tagomi isn't dead. He's too much of a major character to kill off and this is too intelligent a show to kill a character for no reason other than shock value. Plus, if they were going to kill him we'd have seen it at the end of the episode. My guess is he'll either warp into an alternate timeline or Joe will decide not to kill him. By the way, that scene in which he was at the painter's house showed him opening up to an extent that we haven't seen before, but it was also tense to watch. I was just waiting for Joe to take a shot.
Juliana's part in the plot is the weakest at this point. Her role in the alternate timelines plot is simply cast aside as we see her and Joe's affection. I'm sure something will come of it, but is it really realistic to suspend the race to understand alternate timelines for this? I'm sure the alternate timelines plot will end up throwing them in interesting situations at some point, but it hasn't happened yet.
Then there's Ed's story and Nicole's story, which are both set to become a whole lot more interesting. Even though it's been building up to this already, it initially seems a bit much to have two gay couples portrayed in one episode. However, they both have different narrative purposes. For Ed, kissing a man is one of many expressions of the freedom he has in the neutral zone that has been suppressed in Japanese territory. The way he carelessly offers to pay more money for an item is also an expression of that freedom. When he and Robert are robbed, that's one more chain link breaking, one less reason to go back to Japanese territory. It's a real interesting arc that the show has now set Ed on, his search for meaning in a land thst isn't ruled by an oppressive government. His presence in the show is justified again. Meanwhile, Nicole is in a dangerous place to be a lesbian. Her relationship with this woman is almost like an act against the Reich that she makes propaganda films for. I think she's being sent in a narrative direction that will ultimately lead to her losing faith in the Reich. In her private scenes, you can see she thinks more about the regime than she lets on in public. And speaking of the propaganda, the way the Reich is planning to erase American history is sinister and fascinating, especially when compared to Japan which seems planned to take a lighter touch towards the Americans.
John Smith's story doesn't get as much focus this time, except for a brilliant and disturbing dream sequence in which his guilt at being an enforcer of an evil regime is shown. We also finally get to see Frank and the resistance. We learn about their plans and also about their precarious dilemma: the more they encourage people to resist, the more responsible they are for the consequences those people suffer.
This is my favourite episode so far this season for how it developed the characters, and how it hints that it will tackle more issues, such as the persecution of homosexuals and Jews. 8.9/10
Juliana's part in the plot is the weakest at this point. Her role in the alternate timelines plot is simply cast aside as we see her and Joe's affection. I'm sure something will come of it, but is it really realistic to suspend the race to understand alternate timelines for this? I'm sure the alternate timelines plot will end up throwing them in interesting situations at some point, but it hasn't happened yet.
Then there's Ed's story and Nicole's story, which are both set to become a whole lot more interesting. Even though it's been building up to this already, it initially seems a bit much to have two gay couples portrayed in one episode. However, they both have different narrative purposes. For Ed, kissing a man is one of many expressions of the freedom he has in the neutral zone that has been suppressed in Japanese territory. The way he carelessly offers to pay more money for an item is also an expression of that freedom. When he and Robert are robbed, that's one more chain link breaking, one less reason to go back to Japanese territory. It's a real interesting arc that the show has now set Ed on, his search for meaning in a land thst isn't ruled by an oppressive government. His presence in the show is justified again. Meanwhile, Nicole is in a dangerous place to be a lesbian. Her relationship with this woman is almost like an act against the Reich that she makes propaganda films for. I think she's being sent in a narrative direction that will ultimately lead to her losing faith in the Reich. In her private scenes, you can see she thinks more about the regime than she lets on in public. And speaking of the propaganda, the way the Reich is planning to erase American history is sinister and fascinating, especially when compared to Japan which seems planned to take a lighter touch towards the Americans.
John Smith's story doesn't get as much focus this time, except for a brilliant and disturbing dream sequence in which his guilt at being an enforcer of an evil regime is shown. We also finally get to see Frank and the resistance. We learn about their plans and also about their precarious dilemma: the more they encourage people to resist, the more responsible they are for the consequences those people suffer.
This is my favourite episode so far this season for how it developed the characters, and how it hints that it will tackle more issues, such as the persecution of homosexuals and Jews. 8.9/10