TURN: WASHINGTON'S SPIES

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I just finished the first season of AMC’s Turn. The series is a dramatized account of the Culper Ring, the spy ring organized at the height of the Revolutionary War during the British occupation of New York City. Despite having a terrible name (why didn’t they call it The Culper Ring?), it’s very good with high production values, solid acting, and some quality scripts. The first season moves expertly between several sets of characters, balances big and small personal drama well, and manages to offer lots of suspense and tension while still having a good bit of action.

If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it whole-heartedly. It’s engaging viewing and an excellent reminder that America began as an act of bold, political protest. It also further confirms my conviction that for spy fiction to be successful, it needs to be set in the past.

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