Get Against Thy Neighbor

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Just to set the record straight, the show is only about 50% historically accurate to the book 'Washington's Spies' written by Alexander Rose. The setting and basic character portrayals are correct, however, Abraham Woodhull was not married during his spying days, and there was no love triangle (quadrangle?) containing Anna Smith Strong. My greatest criticism is that they set it up that Woodhull was motivated to become a spy by wanting to impress and protect Anna Smith Strong....not because of his own beliefs and wanting to take a stand against British oppression; the pillaging and impoverishment of Long Island. I think it's a mistake to assume that audiences will not sympathize with the hero of a story unless his motivation is saving a girl. This is AMC, not the CW.



That aside, Brewster, Tallmadge, Woodhull's father, many of the British characters are very well done. Simcoe has been made quite a bit more evil, and Woodhull himself (according to Rose) was kind of a nitpicker and would frequently complain to Tallmadge and Washington; but I would have left that aspect out too. When I heard about his series, I fully expected Tallmadge to be made the main protagonist, not Woodhull. I like how they are building up Tallmadge's vendetta against the Queen's Rangers, and can't wait to see the show's interpretation of Benedict Arnold, Andre, Agent 355, and Robert Townsend. There is plenty of exciting material they can work with, hopefully a lot less crazy-mixed-up love triangle stuff.



The critics have commented that the story is hard to follow, but all you have to know is that 'Tories' are loyalist colonists that side with the British. They have their own militia groups, like the Queen's rangers, and will not be wearing Red Coats. Secondly, you have to know that the British headquarters and loyalist stronghold is New York City. If any intelligence for the patriot cause is to be gathered (with enough time to do anything about it) it is from there.



So...overall the pilot was good despite how they revamped Abraham Woodhull.