Turn: Washington's Spies
Turn: Washington's Spies is an American period drama television series based on Alexander Rose's book , a history of the Culper Ring. The series originally aired on the AMC network for four seasons, from April 6, 2014, to August 12, 2017.
Plot
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 recapture Long Island and the Port of New York for the Crown, and leave General George Washington's army in dire straits. The first episode opens with the following introductory text:Autumn 1776. Insurgents have declared war against the Crown. Following a successful naval landing, His Majesty's Army has forced Washington's rebels into the wilderness. New York City serves as military base of operations for the British. The Loyalists of nearby Long Island keep vigilant watch out for sympathizers and spies.
Cast
Main cast
- Jamie Bell as Abraham Woodhull
- Seth Numrich as Captain Benjamin Tallmadge
- Daniel Henshall as Lieutenant Caleb Brewster
- Heather Lind as Anna Strong
- Meegan Warner as Mary Woodhull
- Burn Gorman as Major Edmund Hewlett
- Samuel Roukin as Captain John Graves Simcoe
- Kevin R. McNally as Judge Richard Woodhull
- Angus Macfadyen as Major Robert Rogers
- JJ Feild as Major John André
- Ksenia Solo as Peggy Shippen
- Ian Kahn as General George Washington
- Owain Yeoman as General Benedict Arnold
- Nick Westrate as Robert Townsend
Recurring cast
- Idara Victor as Abigail, code named Agent 355
- Darren Alford as Cicero
- Andrew McKeough as John Carter
- Robert Beitzel as Selah Strong
- Jonny Coyne as Colonel Jonathan Cooke
- Brian T. Finney as General Charles Lee
- David Furr as Walter Havens
- Michael Gaston as General Charles Scott
- Amy Gumenick as Philomena Cheer
- Jamie Harris as John Robeson
- Aldis Hodge as Jordan/Akinbode
- Thomas Keegan as Ensign Baker
- Alex Miller as Colonel Joseph Reed
- Taylor Roberts as Rachel Clark
- Stephen Root as Nathaniel Sackett
- John Billingsley as Samuel Townsend
- Ralph Brown as General Henry Clinton
- Stuart Greer as Officer Yates
- Josh Price as Freddy Morgan
- Brian Wiles as Marquis de Lafayette
- Lilli Birdsell as Martha Washington
- John Carroll Lynch as James Rivington
- Sean Haggerty as Colonel Alexander Hamilton
- Adam J. Harrington as Lieutenant Gamble
- Edward Akrout as Amos Parker
- Kelly AuCoin as Hercules Mulligan
- Chris Webster as John Champe
- Mark Halpern as Lieutenant Appleton
- Laura Meakin as Hesther Carney
Episodes
Production
Turn: Washington's Spies was renewed for a second 10-episode season on June 23, 2014, which premiered on April 13, 2015, and for a third 10-episode season on July 15, 2015, which premiered on April 25, 2016. On July 26, 2016, Turn: Washington's Spies was renewed for a fourth and final 10-episode season, which had a two-hour premiere on June 17, 2017.Reception
Season 1
The first season of Turn: Washington's Spies received mixed reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes rated the season 54%, based on 39 reviews, with an average rating of 6.28/10. The site's consensus reads, "Turns uneven treatment of the American Revolution is more frustrating than exciting and memorable." On Metacritic, the first season scored 61 out of 100, based on reviews from 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".Season 2
The second season received positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a rating of 90%, based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 7.38/10. On Metacritic, the season has a score of 68 out of 100, based on reviews from 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".Season 3
The third season received positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a rating of 100%, based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 8.0/10.Season 4
The fourth season received positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a rating of 80%, based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 7.55/10.Historical accuracy
The series deviated from history in certain instances:- Abraham Woodhull was unmarried and childless during the period in which he was a spy. He did not marry Mary Smith until 1781 and did not have a son named Thomas.
- Anna Strong was 10 years older than Abraham Woodhull. There is no evidence to suggest that they had anything other than a professional relationship.
- Edmund Hewlett is a fictitious character. The commander of the garrison at Sektauket was Richard Hewlett, although he did not succeed John Andre as spymaster. Richard was married with 11 children, and there is no evidence of an affair with Anna Strong.
- Richard Woodhull was not killed in a skirmish.
- Robert Rogers did not engage Benjamin Tallmadge in a battle.
- Abraham Woodhull did not join the regiment of loyalist American volunteers founded by Benedict Arnold.
- Nathaniel Sackett survived the war.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Episode | Result |
Home media
The first season of TURN: Washington's Spies was released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 17, 2015; it became available on Netflix on March 25, 2015. The second season was released on DVD on March 22, 2016 and became available on Netflix on April 11, 2016. The third season was released on DVD on November 8, 2016. and became available on Netflix on June 4, 2017. The fourth season became available on Netflix on December 1, 2017.Comics
On March 26, 2014, AMC released the digital comic TURN: Origins, illustrated by Steve Ellis, that portrays childhood and adulthood events from the lives of several of the series' main characters, including Abraham Woodhull, Benjamin Tallmadge, Anna Strong, and Caleb Brewster.On April 10 and April 15, 2015, AMC released the first and second chapters, respectively, of a second digital comic, TURN: Rivals, that portrays the past rivalry of George Washington and Robert Rogers.