Then it wouldn't be based on Dick's work at all, not a sci-fi, just an alternative history. A what if. Which is fine, but that's not what this story is about.
What I mean is that it's not a mistake, it's by design, which also invalidates the notion that it's a gimmick.
First and foremost, you're rallying against the very core of the story, right down to the title. Who do you think the Man in the High Castle is? What is it about the films then and could that possibly have anything do with end game?
The alternate universe aspect of the show, the sci fi aspect, where Tagomi can shuffle i-ching twigs and enter a parallel universe, for me, is just gilding the lily, throwing in one more thing to deal with, and lessening my involvement in the show.
The i-ching is not the mechanism that allows him to do that, as far as I can tell. In fact, I don't think they intended for you to think that. He uses the i-ching to view portends; then he also meditates, which eventually leads him to cross over.
I don't think you've finished Season 2, so I'll not say anymore, except that there are indications from other people that i-ching has nothing to do with that. If you have finished Season 2, say so and I'll tell you what I mean by that in spoiler tags.
Also, I wish people would quit comparing shows to LOST whenever they're presented with mysteries. A good story doesn't spell everything out to you, especially not piece meal along the way, but instead gives you clues and invites you to think.
The fact that LOST left so many of those clues unanswered doesn't mean that another show with mysteries is going to do the same.
Brevity is the soul of wit.
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The_Idiocrat
8 years ago
Then it wouldn't be based on Dick's work at all, not a sci-fi, just an alternative history. A what if. Which is fine, but that's not what this story is about.
Dick's book never featured a literal travelling to an alternate universe and bringing back physical objects - it was an ambiguous vision
Tagomi had of what could have been, just like Abendsen's book. It's an idea of reality.
The film-makers have chosen their route because instead of
The Grasshopper Lies Heavy being a book within a book it's a film within a film which makes perfect sense with the change of medium but they also did it to create a stronger visual mystery mcguffin for the audience to latch-on to - albeit one that's hard to resolve within the grounded level of the series in general, so for many people looking for a 'proper' answer, it may never have a satisfying resolve.
This means they could've played it 2 ways:
a) the films are a 'special effect' - making the films a convincing alternate reality, like our wartime footage, would be difficult considering the tech of the era but it could be explained, somehow - or
b) people can actually travel to different dimensions which is an even bigger fictional leap for the audience to take but affords a more sci-fi fantasy scenario. So far they seem to have opted for the latter.
It's difficult to know how succesful this ultimately is because there are more seasons to come where this may be explored more deeply but I don't think they needed to be so heavy-handed in the dimension-hopping for the series to dramatically work within the realm of its ideas.
Dick's book is more subtle in this regard.
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Danusha_Goska
8 years ago
Hi, no, I have not yet finished season two.
Please understand: if the alternative timelines work for you, that's great. They're just not working for me. I experience them as a distraction from the other rewards I get from watching this -- the alternative "what if" history, the aesthetics, the actors and performances.
http://www.amazon.com/Save-Send-Delete-Danusha-Goska/dp/1846949866
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NotASpeckOfCereal
8 years ago
Please understand: if the alternative timelines work for you, that's great. They're just not working for me. I experience them as a distraction from the other rewards I get from watching this -- the alternative "what if" history, the aesthetics, the actors and performances.
Understood.
My point was not that you were wrong, but that without the films, that conspiracy, etc., it would just be a completely different story.
Of course, there could still be a conspiracy of some sort.
Brevity is the soul of wit.
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HarveyMidnight
8 years ago
The i-ching is not the mechanism that allows him to do that, as far as I can tell. In fact, I don't think they intended for you to think that. He uses the i-ching to view portends; then he also meditates, which eventually leads him to cross over.
Furthermore, both Tagomi and his assistant Kotomichi, crossed timelines when they were meditating to deal with the grief over deceased loved ones-- "wishing to see them again", so to speak.
There's also the coincidence-- maybe-- that the 'double' of Mr. Tagomi in the 'USA' timeline has killed himself-- and the Juliana of that world confessed that she MISSED him. Likewise, Trudy has been killed in the Nazi timeline, and Juliana missed her... and a 'double' of Trudy has now shown up.
So it may actually be a 'thing' that, the crossover-mechanism includes mentally wishing yourself to a place where people are hoping you'll show up.
Sometimes fires don't go out when you're done playin' with them.
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