The world is incredibly detailed and at times, is enough to distract you from the pacing issues the show is plagued by. Through the poor pacing, mediocre characters and a plot that feels like it drags on a bit too much, the visuals and set design are second to none. Its during these scenes that you really feel the tension between the Nazis and the Japanese, partly due to his performance and partly due to the excellent world building that stays consistent and realistic throughout. There aren’t many stand out performances aside from Obergruppenführer Smith who’s performance is excellent and he effortlessly steals the show as the Nazi Captain. When the awe wears off, is when the show feels exposed but there’s just enough here to see you through to its conclusion which does end on a cliffhanger, prepping for season 2. The first two episodes are really good, with enough intrigue and awe at the world building to see past some of the show’s frailties. As they set out on their journeys across America, they cross paths and both find themselves wrapped up in a larger plot that sees the introduction of strange films that promise to show secrets about World War II. Juliana ( Alexa Davalos), a woman in Japanese occupied territory, searches for her sister’s killer whilst Joe (Luke Kleintank), in Nazi occupied territory is a new resistance recruit. With Germany and Japan forming an uneasy alliance and occupying America, our story follows two key characters on either side of the country. The show has promise and with the tease of a second season, hopefully its just the ticket to improve the issues hanging over show. The Nazi Captain, Obergruppenführer John Smith ( the stand out among an otherwise average cast. What if the allied forces lost World War II and a unified Germany/Japan formed a coalition and took over the world? The Man In The High Castle, based on the book written by Phillip Dick, aims to ask this question and whilst the world is incredibly detailed and fascinating to look at, the rest of the show doesn’t quite hit the same standard.