Turn - Ep 1.1 - Pilot - Review - "Rebels and Redcoats"

"Alas, that love, so gentle in his view
Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof"
- Richard Woodhull & Major Hewlett (from Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet)

The Revolutionary War is one of the most celebrated stories and the focus of AMC's new period drama, Turn. The ten episode first season will be set in Autumn of 1776 and is based on the acclaimed book by Alexander Rose, Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring. I have not read the book yet, but I am an avid fan of Revolutionary history and the founding of The United States. The story of the Founding Fathers and what they accomplished against a mountain of odds is fascinating and anyone who enjoys period shows should find something to love about Turn. And who doesn't love a good spy story?

The first episode, Pilot, introduces us to Abraham Woodhull, played by Jamie Bell, a cabbage farmer from Setauket, Long Island. The colonies are right in the middle of their war for independence and Abraham just wants to live a simple life with his wife, Mary, and their son. It's important to know some terms of the time period in order to understand the show a little better. The Rebels are citizens and soldiers that seek independence from the British Crown, while Loyalists are followers of the Crown. The pilot episode does a wonderful job of creating a fine line between the heroes and villains and who we should be rooting for. Ninety minutes are spent establishing whether or not Abraham, our main hero, will join the Culper Spy Ring or not.

Abraham has many friends on both sides of the fence and his choice to join the Rebels or Loyalists is further complicated by the fact that his father is partial to the Crown. Abe gets caught coming back from smuggling goods to his friend Caleb Brewster (Daniel Henshall) and this is where he meets Benjamin Tallmadge (Seth Numrich). These two friends are actual figures from America's history who helped organize the Culper Ring. Ben attempts to recruit Abe to join the spy ring, however, he is reluctant at first. Abe finally decides to help and we get a glimpse of how a spy ring would operate in that time. He only asks that his two friends kill the Redcoat Captian, Simcoe because he has it in for Abe. Abe finds and reads a cryptic message of Major Hewletts that reveals a siege on a Rebel safe house in Meig's Harbor. In light of this information the Rebels catch the Redcoats by surprise and kill them all except for Captain Simcoe. Ben and Caleb decide to keep him alive to find out who the Redcoat's mole is in the Rebel camp.

I've been excited for this show to air since I heard about it last year and now that it's here I can't wait for the following episodes. Turn has a lot to offer fans of any genre. It has heroes, villains, spies, lies, love and war. Plus, I am a big advocate of short season as they, most of the time, remove filler episodes and tell a richer story. The first episode might have felt a little slow at first, but it found its bearings quickly and the story was satisfying right to the very end. I believe the season will contain enough thrills and mysteries to keep us entertained for the ten episode first season.

Thoughts and Discussion

- Who is the mole in the Rebel Camp? Is it Caleb? He gave a funny look when told him that's why he kept Simcoe alive.

- Will Abraham's father keep his secret or is it possible that Major Hewlett can find out on his own that Abe lied to him about his story?

- Will we see Selah Strong again? He was sent away to prison for the tavern fight, but Abe gave Anna Strong, his ex-fiance, enough coin to buy his parole.


Thank you for checking out my Review! Please comment below so we can discuss the episode and show further.

About the Author - Geo N

My name is George and I am from Detroit, MI. My favorite shows are The Blacklist, Hell On Wheels, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, LOST, Sons Of Anarchy, Sleepy Hollow and countless other shows. When I'm not watching tons of TV, I enjoy reading, playing hockey, comic books, weightlifting, and writing. Thanks for checking out my post.