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Counterpart (2017)

2017 · Drama,Sci-Fi,Thriller · spy-cold-war, sci-fi-speculative

Counterpart poster

Counterpart is a slow-burn US prestige spy thriller set in Cold War Berlin, built around a parallel-universe conceit in which J.K. Simmons plays two divergent versions of the same man — a meek UN bureaucrat and a hardened operative. The show is emphatically character- and dialogue-driven, treating its speculative premise as a vehicle for exploring identity, choice, and the roads not taken. Berlin functions as a character in its own right, lending a distinctly European atmosphere. Reviews are dominated by grief at the show's two-season cancellation and by identification with a smart, patient viewer who rewards careful attention — the show's cult audience is self-consciously elitist about its complexity and dismissive of reality television as its cultural opposite.

From the reviewers

The subtle changes in personality, bearing and voice he portrays, enable the viewer to see the different characters even from a distance.
Berlin is such a refreshing change as a backdrop to this story and the truly international cast also bring something to the table that is not in a lot of other shows these days.
if you like good acting, great locations, good production values and a slow burn, solid story then this is for you!
The parallel worlds element is kept in the background. These episodes were character driven and shined with excellent acting and great scripts -- a lot about relationships, who we think we are, and how others see us.
it could get a little confusing at times, but nobody I know nodded off through any of it.

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