On this site I always denounce attempts to add wokeness to what would otherwise be a good show. This tendency has ruined many BBC series, especially when it is present in period dramas.
This show has quite a bit of that, and I didn't like how heavy-handed some of the anti-racist and feminist themes were, but the depiction of racism and male chauvinism in that period rings true. Less forgivable is the gentle treatment of communists, who in this series are kind, compassionate idealists. The supporters of capitalism and free markets are shown as crass and unthinking. I suppose that is how the left may have thought of itself. There is only one bad communist in this film (a Russian handler), while all the democratic capitalists are dreadful. The screenwriters of this film and notorious Stalin apologist Walter Duranty have a lot in common.
Still, I give it high marks because it's a good thriller. The plot makes sense, and the acting is outstanding. Michael Stuhlbarg, Emma Stapleton, Keeley Hawes and others deliver great performances. The period is recreated in a plausible way, at least to a non-expert like me. There are twists and surprises, and even if one quibbles with a plot point or two, it's an engrossing series. It also feels about the right length for the story it is trying to tell.
It could have been better with a little less demonizing of Americans and white males and with a little more realism about the communists of that time, but I would still recommend it highly.
This show has quite a bit of that, and I didn't like how heavy-handed some of the anti-racist and feminist themes were, but the depiction of racism and male chauvinism in that period rings true. Less forgivable is the gentle treatment of communists, who in this series are kind, compassionate idealists. The supporters of capitalism and free markets are shown as crass and unthinking. I suppose that is how the left may have thought of itself. There is only one bad communist in this film (a Russian handler), while all the democratic capitalists are dreadful. The screenwriters of this film and notorious Stalin apologist Walter Duranty have a lot in common.
Still, I give it high marks because it's a good thriller. The plot makes sense, and the acting is outstanding. Michael Stuhlbarg, Emma Stapleton, Keeley Hawes and others deliver great performances. The period is recreated in a plausible way, at least to a non-expert like me. There are twists and surprises, and even if one quibbles with a plot point or two, it's an engrossing series. It also feels about the right length for the story it is trying to tell.
It could have been better with a little less demonizing of Americans and white males and with a little more realism about the communists of that time, but I would still recommend it highly.