Thumbs Up for 'Turn: Washington's Spies' & 'Sons of Liberty' TV Period Dramas!

America’s first-ever spy network made up of childhood friends, is the brilliant (and true) plot-line of the drama TURИ: Washington's Spies (2014-2017). Whether you like history, drama, love stories, or action intrigue; if you haven’t yet seen it yet, TURИ: Washington's Spies is the riveting TV series you should binge-watch next! (It started out on AMC, but is now available on Netflix or Prime Video.) Created by Craig Silverstein with various directors for different episodes; it is based on Alexander Rose’s book: "Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring".

The Culper Ring of spies on which the series ‘turns', was indeed a real network of spies operating undercover for the colonists and against the British, during the American Revolutionary War. (How had I, a history buff, never heard about this before watching this TV series? Not once, was it mentioned in any of my history classes!) Just as in this show, the Culper Ring was made up of every-day people and organized by Major Benjamin Tallmadge during the British occupation of New York City in 1778. Their purpose was to provide General George Washington with information on the British army—Washington directed their operations.

I was intrigued from the first time I saw and heard the opening theme song by Matt Berninger and Joy Williams called: “Hush”. Here’s a little clip from it, so you can see why:

As the story began to unfold, I wondered, “Why does the actor who plays Abraham Woodhull, the Long Island cabbage farmer, seem so familiar?" When I saw the actor’s name in the credits: Jamie Bell, I realized, “Wow, this is the kid who played ‘Billy Elliot’, all grown up!” He does such a believable job in portraying the lead in this series, that you’ll soon forget all about the dancing lad. I want to ask his character: "Isn't spying stressful enough, Abe? Do you really need to get caught up in a love triangle, too?" I didn't know whether to root for his wife or for his first love.

Some of the main characters in this series are "good” characters and some are “bad” (depending upon if you’re for America or the British, of course). As the series progresses, the line between good and bad get a little blurred at times... But, we must remember this was based on real people, and no human is good all the time or bad all the time—except for the sleazy British Lieutenant-Colonel John Graves Simcoe (portrayed by Samuel Roukin)… THAT villain is pure evil ALL the time! In an AMC behind-the-scenes video, creator Craig Silverstein explained, "There’s something a little wrong with Simcoe."

Of course the British had their spies, too. I enjoyed teasing my husband when traitor General Benedict Arnold (portrayed by Owain Yeoman) appeared in this series, because genealogy shows he’s descended from him way, way back. My husband taunted back, “Well, he was a hero in Great Britain, so it’s all in your perspective!” (In his defense, my husband's also descended from the American President John Tyler.)

I’m always curious about who they get to portray General George Washington in historical dramas. Ian Kahn was an excellent choice to make the icon (who was such a huge part of American history), seem more real.

The conclusion I reached from watching TURИ: Washington's Spies is that many common people made great sacrifices for the revolutionary cause. Little did I realize while I was being entertained, that I’d understand American history better after watching it.

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If you enjoy TURИ: Washington's Spies, then you should check out ‘Sons of Liberty’, a 2015 miniseries (available on the History Channel, Starz or Prime Video); directed by Kari Skogland. While some fret that not every little thing is historically accurate, most of it is. I found it gives insight into what motivated our founding fathers. Seeing their different personalities emerge under duress is fascinating! After this first season, I am hooked!

Of all our Founding Father heroes in the historical archives, what a pleasant surprise it was to discover the main character in this plot is Samuel Adams (portrayed by Ben Barnes). To be truthful, before watching this show I never realized how much of a leader Sam Adams was in what became the American Revolution. It was Sam Adam's call for colonial non-cooperation (after colonists felt the British Constitution was not being followed); that resulted in British troops being assigned to Boston—which ultimately led up to the awful Boston Massacre. Here's a trailer for 'Sons of Liberty':

So far, the show has been about how Sam Adams and his defiant friends lit a spark and fanned the flames which erupted into a Revolution. You will gain insight into the Continental Congress as it becomes clear what a born leader General George Washington was (so excellently portrayed by Jason O’Mara). In other scenes, we are reminded of how some of these historical figures had previously fought right alongside the British, in what they called: “The Indian Wars”.

The thing that most surprised me about this miniseries was how Benjamin Franklin’s dark side was exposed (portrayed by Dean Norris)! Frankly, I never knew Franklin HAD a dark side... Previously, I had only known Benjamin Franklin as a brilliant statesman; but ’Sons of Liberty’ reminds us our Founding Fathers were not so different than us, with faults and failings just like the rest of us.

John Hancock’s personality transformation is another brilliant surprise (portrayed by Rafe Spall)—but I don’t want to ruin it for you by giving any details.

If you are looking for a bit of romance, sparks fly between Joseph Warren (portrayed by Ryan Eggold) and Mrs. Margaret Gage (portrayed by Emily Berrington). I made a point of writing “Mrs.” because her character is married to British General Thomas Gage (portrayed by Marton Csokas), the Governor of Massachusetts. Isn't that just asking for trouble?

I am eagerly awaiting Season 2 of the ’Sons of Liberty’. In both of these series, it takes a few episodes to get the stories rolling. But it’s worth the binge-watching! If you watch both 'TURИ: Washington's Spies' and then ’Sons of Liberty’, not only will you enjoy these dramas; you will have gained a deeper understanding into the personalities and motivations of America's Founding Fathers—how and why they did something ‘Revolutionary’! You will better understand how and why they revolted from King George and the British empire. In both TV series, unlikely groups of friends fight for freedom from tyranny; and as a result, a new nation, the United States of America, is forged. For these reasons alone, both TV series are worth a watch.