Hello dear readers, I’m back to report on the Series Turn. It’s four series long, so it took a while. But it was worth it. You might wonder why I don’t give too many low ratings. Simples. If I don’t like something, I stop watching. And I loved this.
At the risk of repeating myself, Turn: Washington’s Spies (originally titled Turn and stylized as TURИ: Washington’s Spies) is an American period drama television series based on Alexander Rose’s book Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring (2007), a history of the Culper Ring.
The story covers events from 1776 to 1781 and features a farmer from Setauket, New York and his childhood friends. They form an unlikely group of spies called the Culper Ring, which eventually helps to turn the tide during the American Revolutionary War. The series begins in October 1776, shortly after British victories, recapturing of Long Island and the Port of New York for the Crown, leaving General George Washington’s army in dire straits.
But it’s going to be a long and bloody war.
It is an engaging, atmospheric historical drama that blends espionage, character-driven storytelling, and Revolutionary War intrigue into a series that is both entertaining and surprisingly educational. It’s one of those shows that manages to feel fresh even when dealing with well‑known historical events, largely thanks to its focus on the lesser‑known Culper Spy Ring and the ordinary people behind it.
It is full of twists and turns that keep the audience fully engaged.
Samuel Roukin as Captain John Graves Simcoe gives a great, memorable performance. He comes across as quite the psychopath, bringing fear even to those on his own side.
The overall narrative strikes an appealing balance between historical accuracy and dramatic tension. While the series takes creative liberties, the core storyline is grounded enough to feel authentic.
Highlights:
- The slow-burn pacing allows character motivations and relationships to develop naturally.
- The spycraft elements—coded messages, invisible ink, dead drops—are fascinating without feeling overly dramatized.
- The show explores moral ambiguity, portraying both sides of the war with nuance and complexity.
The finale is a clear example of this. A war of good and evil was not fought between Britain and the UK, but in the souls of individuals themselves. America won the war, resulting in some being returned to slavery. Simcoe went on to become the Governor of a part of Canada and ended slavery in the area.
Five stars out of five from me.
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