Revisionist History…

This year’s presidential election played on a divided nation, with some predicting an authoritarian future and others rolling their eyes and telling the other side to chill. We won’t debate any of that here, but it’s interesting that Amazon on Friday premieres Season 2 of a decidedly intriguing look at what might have happened had fascism taken root in America many decades ago. “The Man in the High Castle” explores an alternative reality in which the Nazis and Imperial Japan won WWII, with the Japanese taking over the western half and the Germans running the eastern portion. Series star Alexa Davalos doesn’t hesitate to draw parallels. “Art imitating life or life imitating art,” she says. Whatever the case, it seems like this series may have legs. Davalos points out that the first season “only scratched the surface” of the Phillip K. Dick novel upon which it’s based. “I feel like there’s always going to be material to go back to from the book. I don’t know where it will go,” she says. “There’s no boundary with Phillip K Dick.” After a critically acclaimed first season, expectations are high for Season 2. The idea that history could have gone such a different direction is perhaps what makes this show such a rich exploration. As series co-star Luke Kleintank puts it, “they should show this in high school… It makes you ask questions.” To be sure, the “what if” nature of this show becomes an addictive narrative for those who want to immerse themselves in an alternate world, expertly crafted for the high drama. And don’t worry: Despite any supposed “divided America” parallels, this isn’t an overtly political show. The truth is that people of all political stripes can enjoy this exploration of what might have been had a World War gone the other way. Oh, and one more thing: This is Amazon, so all 10 episodes are available immediately on Friday. Yep. There goes your weekend.