The Sympathizer (miniseries)
| The Sympathizer | |
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| Based on | The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen |
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| No. of episodes | 2 |
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| Network | HBO |
| Release | April 14, 2024 – present |
The Sympathizer is a historical black comedy drama miniseries based on the 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen. The series was created by co-showrunners Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar, with Park directing for the series as well. The series premiered on HBO on April 14, 2024, and is produced by A24 and Rhombus Media.
Premise[edit]
The series is based on the story of the Captain, a North Vietnam plant in the South Vietnam army. He is forced to flee to the United States with his general near the end of the Vietnam War. While living within a community of South Vietnamese refugees, he continues to secretly spy on the community and report back to the Viet Cong, struggling between his original loyalties and his new life.[1]
Cast[edit]
Main[edit]
- Hoa Xuande as the Captain, a police captain in Saigon who is secretly a communist spy for the North
- Robert Downey Jr. in several antagonist roles including (in order of appearance):
- Claude, a CIA agent who mentors the Captain
- Professor Hammer, the Captain's Orientalist grad school professor
- Niko, an auteur filmmaker making a film on the Vietnam War, based on Francis Ford Coppola
- Ned Godwin, a Congressman in Southern California trying to appeal to the local Vietnamese American population
- Toan Le as the General, a high-ranking Southern Vietnamese general that the Captain serves under
- Fred Nguyen Khan as Bốn, the Captain's childhood best friend
- Duy Nguyễn as Mẫn, the Captain's other childhood friend and his handler
- Vy Le as Lana, the General's daughter and the Captain's love interest
- Ky Duyen as Madame, the General's wife
- Phanxinê as the Major
- Kieu Chinh as the Major's Mother
- Alan Trong as Sonny, a Vietnamese American reporter and the Captain's former college rival
- Sandra Oh as Ms. Sofia Mori, a middle-aged Japanese American secretary who develops a sexual relationship with the Captain
Supporting[edit]
- VyVy Nguyen as the Major's wife
- Kayli Tran as the Communist Spy
- Scott Ly as Gunner Dao
- David Duchovny
- John Cho
- Marine Delterme
Episodes[edit]
| No. | Title [2] | Directed by [3] | Teleplay by [4] | Original air date [5] | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Death Wish" | Park Chan-wook | Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar | April 14, 2024 | 0.20[6] |
| 2 | "Good Little Asian" | Park Chan-wook | Park Chan-wook & Don McKellar and Naomi Iizuka | April 21, 2024 | 0.15 |
| 3 | "Love It or Leave It" | Park Chan-wook | Park Chan-wook & Don McKellar and Mark Richard | April 28, 2024 | TBD |
| 4 | "Give Us Some Good Lines" | Fernando Meirelles | Park Chan-wook & Don McKellar | May 5, 2024 | TBD |
| 5 | "All for One" | Marc Munden | Park Chan-wook & Don McKellar and Maegan Houang | May 12, 2024 | TBD |
| 6 | TBA | Marc Munden | Park Chan-wook & Don McKellar and Anchuli Felicia King | May 19, 2024 | TBD |
| 7 | TBA | Marc Munden | Park Chan-wook & Don McKellar | May 26, 2024 | TBD |
Production[edit]
In April 2021, Viet Thanh Nguyen announced that his novel The Sympathizer had been optioned by A24 to be adapted into a television series with Park Chan-wook directing. Rhombus Media is also involved in the production.[1] In July, HBO ordered the series from A24, and Robert Downey Jr. joined the project in a producer and co-star role.[7] The state of California awarded the production over $17.4 million in tax credits ensuring significant production would take place in state.[8] Marc Munden and Fernando Meirelles were also hired to direct some episodes of the series.[9]
Casting director Jennifer Venditti opened a worldwide casting call in order to find a main cast of Vietnamese descent, ultimately hiring Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Vy Le, and Alan Trong.[10] Recurring roles for Sandra Oh, Kieu Chinh, and Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen were also announced in November 2022, and Downey was portraying several supporting antagonistic roles representing the American establishment.[11] In May 2023, Scott Ly and Marine Delterme joined the cast, in recurring roles.[12][13]
Filming took place in Los Angeles and Thailand.[10] Downey shaved his head for the series in order to save time required to use a bald cap for each of the various characters he portrayed. A significant portion of Downey's performance was also improvised.[14]
Release[edit]
The series premiered on HBO and became available to stream on Max on April 14, 2024.[15]
Reception[edit]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 49 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "The Sympathizer does a solidly satisfying job of adapting its ambitious source material, conveying its core themes even as it occasionally struggles with its structure."[16] On Metacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 79 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[17]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Bui, Hoai-Tran (April 7, 2021). "Park Chan-wook is Directing a TV Adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer-Winning Novel The Sympathizer". /Film. Archived from the original on April 8, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
- ^ "HBO TV Schedule". HBO. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
- ^ Rice, Lynette (February 15, 2024). "'The Sympathizer': HBO Reveals Debut Date, Trailer For Limited Series". Deadline. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "The Sympathizer". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "Shows A-Z - sympathizer, the on hbo". The Futon Critic. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ Pucci, Douglas (April 16, 2024). "Sunday Ratings: Billy Joel's 100th MSG Concert on CBS Tops in Latter Three Half-Hours of Prime Time - Programming Insider". Retrieved April 20, 2024.
- ^ Porter, Rick (July 15, 2021). "Robert Downey Jr. to Produce, Co-Star in The Sympathizer Drama at HBO". The Hollywood Reporter. PMRC. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ Patten, Dominic (July 18, 2022). "Star Wars Series Skeleton Crew, Shonda Rhimes' White House Drama The Residence, & Robert Downey Jr's The Sympathizer Adaptation Awarded Big CA Tax Credits". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ Petski, Denise (January 20, 2023). "The Sympathizer: Marc Munden & Fernando Meirelles To Direct HBO/A24 Series, Three Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 25, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Porter, Rick (November 9, 2022). "HBO's Post-Vietnam Series The Sympathizer Sets Main Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. PMRC. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
- ^ Petski, Denise (November 10, 2022). "The Sympathizer: Sandra Oh Among Three Cast In HBO & A24's Drama Series Adaptation". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
- ^ Bell, BreAnna (May 11, 2023). "HBO's The Sympathizer Adds Scott Ly to Cast (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa (May 19, 2023). "French Actor Marine Delterme Signs With WME, Joins Cast of HBO Spy Series The Sympathizer by Park Chan-Wook (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ Gardner, Chris (January 16, 2023). "Park Chan-wook Praises Robert Downey Jr. for Remembering Every Crew Member on 'Sympathizer' Set: "He Gives Them Each a Pat on the Back"". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023.
- ^ Canfield, David (February 15, 2024). "How Robert Downey Jr. Helped The Sympathizer Pull Off an Audacious, Ferocious Adaptation". Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024.
- ^ "The Sympathizer: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ "The Sympathizer: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
