"The Man in the High Castle": Wait for Season 3

The Man in the High Castle, based on the incomprehensible novel by Philip K. Dick, is set in a parallel world where the Axis won World War II by dropping an atomic bomb on Washington DC.  It's 1962, about 15 years after the war ended, and the eastern part of the former United States is now the Greater Nazi Reich, with its capital in New Berlin (formerly St. Louis).  In New York City, people are going about their lives, working at 9 to 5 jobs, listening to pop music (no rock and roll here!), watching Rock Hudson movies and tv shows like Guess My Game (What's My Line? in our world).

Young, eager Joe Blake (Luke Kleintanj, left) volunteers to help the resistance.  Gruff cell leader Don (Mike Rispoli) disapproves of recruiting kids who never even knew the old America, but he grudgingly gives him the job of driving a truck all the way across the Greater Reich to Canon City, Colorado, in the Neutral Zone in the Rocky Mountains.

Suddenly stormtroopers burst in, shoot a lot of the resistance workers, and haul Don off to be tortured for information (bare hairy chest). But Joe manages to escape (for some reason the Nazis don't fire on his truck).  He drives without incident except for a flat tire, which he fixes with the help of a friendly cop.  Curious about what he's carrying, he investigates, and finds a mysterious film.

Meanwhile, in the Japanese Pacific State (formerly California), Juliana (Alexa Davelos) is studying akido, buying tea, and being happily assimilated. Suddenly her sister Trudy shows up and announces that she's "found the way out." So she's joined a cult? She gives Juliana a packet just before she is shot by the police.

Juliaana takes the packet home and finds a bus ticket, an address in the Neutral Zone, and a film that appears to show the Allies winning the War.Her boyfriend Frank (Rupert Evans) tells her that it is one of the treasonous films produced by the mysterious Man in the High Castle to fuel the resistance.  They should turn it in to the police.

Instead Juliana takes Trudy's place on the bus. On theway to the Neutral Zone, her bag is stolen, so she has no money. But she has the film.

She arrives in Canon City, Colorado at -- you guessed it - the same momentas John.  100 to 1 they'll be falling in love.

Meanwhile Pacific States  Trade Minister Tagami (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), preparing for a visit by the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan, has a secret meeting with a Nazi official.  Hitler is in failing health, and when he dies, his successors,either Himmler or Rommel, will certainly start a war. Atom bombs dropping on San Francisco. Gulp.

Beefcake:  Apparently the only time people take their shirts off in this world is when they are going to be tortured.

Gay Characters:  Frank's coworker, played by DJ Qualls, is gay,but we don't find out until Season 3.

Heterosexism:  Looking ahead through the episode guide, I see lots of husbands and wives.

Science Fiction:  No one starts moving back and forth between the parallel worlds until Season 3.

Reflectiosn of The Handmaid's Tale: Lots.

Parallels to Our World:  Not enough.  Just a movie and tv show reference, and a couple of songs. I want to know what Elvis Presley is up to.  And the Kennedys. And if I Love Lucy exists

My Verdict:  Dystopias are fine, except when you are living in one.  C.