Turn: Washington's Spies Season 3 Episode 4 Review: Hearts and Minds
Megan King
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Alright you guys! We're digging into all that the world of histories spies provides on AMC's series beginning with Turn: Washington's Spies Season 3 Episode 4.
But, If you read the post earlier today, you caught up on Turn: Washington's Spies Seasons 1 and 2 (which ended with Abe in the spy cellar with a rope around his neck.) Here are my thoughts on the first three episodes of the season so far.
(Yep, they still have the same theme song. Sigh):
Turn: Washington's Spies Season 3 Episode 1 The episode was called “Valediction,” I called it “Betrayed by Blood.”
Abe had it all figured out! He had an unlikely new ally in Rogers (who did remove the rope from Abe’s neck, BTW) because Rogers was consumed by revenge on the King. Rogers vowed to keep the spy ring safe. OK, he didn't vow anything, but he knows Sam Culper and the spy network will lead him to Andre for revenge.
Abe didn’t count on his own father turning him in to Major Hewlett. Kevin McNally is superb as Abe's dad, Judge Woodhull, who is always perched atop a horse at base camp on Mt. Everest with an oxygen tank at the ready if he needs to climb higher.
Back in Philly, Benedict Arnold felt slighted by everyone, especially his country.
Did you see that huge copper bathtub in the middle of the bedroom next to a fireplace? Swoon.
Turn: Washington's Spies Season 3 Episode 2 The name of the episode was "Cold Murdering Bastards," but I renamed it "Strange Alliances," as circumstances threw together some unlikely pairs.
1) Abe and Major Hewlett: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. After Abe’s cover is blown, Hewlett threatened him with his pistol. Eventually Anna convinced Hewlett to use Abe and the rebels to lure and kill Simcoe, their mutual foe. Hewlett ordered Abe to leave Setauket with his family after the deed is done.
2) Rogers and Abe: Back in the bunker, these two enjoyed somewhat of a bromance, having planted evidence and moved a body together while bickering like a rookie cop and the veteran one day from retirement.
3) Major Andre and Townsend (Culper Jr.): England’s intelligence czar had no idea when he walked in that establishment for a drink that he’d be playing draughts with Gen. Washington’s inside man in New York. Townsend just passed along to the rebels that Reverend Worthington was the spy in Washington’s camp. Townsend is so cool.
Turn Washington's Spies Season 3 Episode 3, "Benediction." Nope. I didn't have anything witty to rename this one!
Ben Tallmadge executed Reverend Worthington but was captured himself by a familiar foe. He eventually rode away on his captor’s horse.
Anna decided to forge a letter so that she may marry Hewlett and move to England and away from Abe, who is determined to kill him. Hewlett had other plans...
In Philly, Peggy’s older sister Betsy is set to marry Neddy Burd at Christmas so that Peggy and Benedict Arnold can marry in the spring. Neddy and Betsy Burd? Too adorable. Of course that schemer Peggy continued to work on her finance’s fidelity to the new country.
Back on Long Island, Caleb’s men, Rogers and Simcoe's Rangers clashed at Rocky Point. The three men survived, but Caleb retreated by boat and Rogers suffered an eye injury.
Now that all the catching up is done, on with our review of Turn: Washington's Spies Season 3 Episode 4, "Hearts and Minds." Let's dig in!!
What I like about this series is that every week there is a mix of the History Channel, a Hallmark movie, and Die Hard.
Here, the proportions are a bit off.
I love me some Hallmark. Give me any Hallmark production – sprinkled in Splenda, sponsored by Velveeta – I will happily consume it. But this episode of Turn, at the risk of overdoing the food metaphors, was a bit too syrupy.
First, a mysterious woman rescued Ben, who had collapsed outside her home in rural New Jersey. He had been shot in the leg, and she popped out the bullet, sewed him up and nursed him back to health. He told her he’s a minister who was ambushed on the road.
Her name is Sara and she shared that her husband was killed one year ago by thieves on the same night Ben showed up. As soon as Ben was feeling better, Sara the lonely widow made her move.
I’m pretty sure that paragraph was a Hallmark movie a few Christmases ago.
Anyway, I am thrilled that after two seasons, the producers finally gave the pride of Setauket a lady! The elation doesn’t last long. Ben didn't want to lie anymore, so he confessed that he is a soldier in the Continental Army.
This did not please Sara, as we learned that her hubby was murdered by rebel soldiers who were stealing their crops. She’s Tory all the way! They struggled for her gun, just as – KNOCK KNOCK – the Royal Army search party was here.
Ben readied the weapon. Sara surprised Ben and said nothing. She closed the door and told Ben she never wanted to see him again.
What Would Hallmark Do? Obviously she’ll reappear later this season, right?
Back in New York, a brooding Major Andre just learned that the Sisters Shippen will be married in the new year. Miss Peggy’s wedding date has been set for March 1. He immediately sent Abigail to Philadelphia to deliver a message to the future Mrs. Arnold. Shippen will be married in the new year. Miss Peggy’s wedding date has been set for March 1. He immediately sent Abigail to Philadelphia to deliver a message to the future Mrs. Arnold.
When the message arrived, General Arnold was shocked to find out his counterpart on the other side was asking for intelligence, not begging him to lead the troops, as he’d hoped.
He told his wife-to-be:
My honor is the one thing that I have carried through this war intact and I intend to preserve it.
General Benedict Arnold
Ha! Good one, general.
WWHD? This crept into Lifetime movie territory, where the young and beautiful woman uses sex and flattery to manipulate the older, ego-driven, desperate man into doing whatever she wants. In this case, she wanted him to spill Washington’s secrets. Arnold started composing his reply to Major Andre.
While he awaited a response from Peggy’s fiance, the melancholy Major Andre asked his current lover to style her hair exactly like Peggy. Creepy.
Let’s move over to Long Island, where they are never short on blood and bullets, right?
Not this week, as Anna was desperate to marry Edmund (in order to save him from Abe) after showing him forged divorce papers.
Abe went to see his father, then promptly declared:
As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a father.
Abe
Ouch. He’s there to show his local Magistrate divorce papers he thinks are fake. After that visit, he told Anna that he knows about the forgery. And so does Judge Woodhull (remember that high horse/road situation?)
Abe tried to force her hand.
Call off the wedding now.
Abe
She doesn’t. As Edmund and Anna were about to say their vows – at the most Hallmark of Hallmark movie moments – Judge Woodhull exclaimed: “I object.”
He explained that the papers were forged and by getting married, Anna would be committing bigamy. Anna shocked everyone by confirming the accusation, and then blameed Edmund,whom she claimed orchestrated the entire thing. A stunned Edmund looked at the woman next to him who was seconds from becoming his wife, and lied for her, probably because he thought it’s the honorable thing to do. Ugh.
Anna fled Setauket, Edmund wrote his resignation letter and decided to go home.
I am done with the colonies...I had hoped to embrace this new world but it seems the romance, as always, was one sided.
Major Hewlett
My whole body drooped when he said that. Doesn’t anyone genuinely like this kind soul? Poor, poor Edmund, left staring out the window like a Joe Biden meme. So sad I wanted to cry.
WWHD? Damn you Hallmark! At this point, I’m losing interest in your ambition. I'm thinking back to the Die Hard part of the previous episode, when Caleb, Simcoe and Rogers did battle in the forest. Where the hell is Rogers? Is he missing an eye? Did Caleb lose all of his men? Where is Simcoe licking his wounds? Will Bruce Willis make a cameo?
Hopefully (most of) those questions will be answered next week, and maybe the neglected History Channel will get back in the mix as well.
What did you think of Turn: Washington's Spies Season 3 Episode 4 ? Fire away in the comments below.
And don't forget, you can always watch Turn: Washington's Spies online via TV Fanatic. See you next week!
OTHER THOUGHTS:
- Now that America’s money troubles are known to the enemy, I'm assuming we will see Alexander Hamilton in Washington’s camp soon.
- Where is Anna headed? And do I care?
- 18th century insult of the week: Milksop – a weak or ineffectual person. General Arnold uses this term in Turn: Washington's Spies Season 3 Episode 4 to try to encourage Neddy to propose to Becky quickly: “Long engagements are for milksops who can’t finish the job.”
Megan King is a staff writer for TV Fanatic.
