AMC has no shortage of fantastic original programming and has managed to keep it for years. The cable network has introduced “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” and “The Walking Dead” within the past 10 years. Since these kinds of shows obviously have their off seasons, a responsibility comes along to fill the void of spots held by their juggernauts while they prepare for the next season.
TURN became one of these shows, filling the void for The Walking Dead’s 8PM CT/9PM ET schedule on Sunday night. I’ll admit that I was a bit surprised when I first saw the program, mostly because it’s not often you get a TV show that utilizes a revolutionary United States as a back-drop.
It’s hard to teach etiquette to some people
TURN features many real historical figures and does a very good job of balancing its historical responsibilities while also being consistent thriller. What it suffers from however, could be sins too big for it to come back for a second season, as it just wrapped up its first season today.
As previously stated TURN takes place during 1776-1777 during the American revolution in Setauket, New York. Jamie Bell (Jumper, The Adventures of Tintin) plays Abraham Woodhull, a farmer who eventually becomes part of the Culper Spy Ring. The Spy Ring played an important part in the revolutionary war and much of its content is based off of the book Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring.
A spy ring where everyone stands around looking at one guy
What plagues TURN early on is the sheer amount of characters and content necessary to be able to follow the program. The setting and plot don’t necessarily need much introduction, but after having viewed almost half of a season I still had issues maintaining a foothold on the many sub-plots.
While these large amounts of information may be daunting at times, there are many characters worth paying attention to. Kevin R. McNally (Pirates of the Caribbean) and Angus Macfadyen (Braveheart) bring a tremendous presence to the small screen. Macadyen in particular plays Robert Rogers, a career soldier whose portrayal in this show varies slightly from the alcoholic he earned the reputation of being. McNally however, portrays Richard Woodhull, local judge and father of Abraham.
Again with the staring…
McNally is one of the reasons why I chose to return to this show after each week, as his acting skills are on full display. While I have seen him in many successful roles before, he nails his portrayal of the Woodhull patriarch. His struggle as a local judge and father bring an added drama and weight to the struggles of British occupation in the New York town the show is based out of.
Outside of that TURN’s biggest mistake may be the length of time needed for its plot to thicken. The mid-season mark of this show finally brought intrigue and internal conflicts within Abraham’s personal life and that of his former fiance Anna Strong (portrayed by Heather Lind.) Anna’s role in the spy ring becomes one of the larger points of intrigue; leading to much of the drama between the Woodhulls and the British occupation.
Many strong characters, not enough time
FINAL RATING: 2.5/5.0
Don’t get me wrong, I did like TURN by the end of the series. The only problems that plague the series are episodes that feature too little movement and save everything for the last 5 minutes. By the mid-season mark this show began to pick up steam, however it may be too late for it to survive for another year. The cast of this show is fantastic throughout, but can’t do enough to lift up the dry writing at times.
Photo credit(s):
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