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The Sympathizer
Genre
Created by
Based on The Sympathizer
by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Directed by
Starring
Country of origin
  • United States
  • Canada
Original languages
  • English
  • Vietnamese
No. of episodes2
Production
Executive producers
  • Park Chan-wook
  • Don McKellar
  • Robert Downey Jr.
  • Susan Downey
  • Amanda Burrell
  • Niv Fichman
  • Kim Ly
  • Ron Schmidt
  • Viet Thanh Nguyen
  • Jisun Beck
  • John Sloss
  • Ravi Nandan
  • Hallie Sekoff
Producers
  • Inman Young
  • Jes Anderson
  • Ted Pacult
Production locations
  • United States
  • Thailand
Production companies
Original release
Network HBO
ReleaseApril 14, 2024 (2024-04-14) –
present (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

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

Main

  • 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):
  • 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

Episodes

No.Title  [2]Directed by  [3]Teleplay by  [4]Original air date  [5]U.S. viewers
(millions)
1" Death Wish" Park Chan-wookPark Chan-wook and Don McKellarApril 14, 2024 (2024-04-14)0.20 [6]
2" Good Little Asian"Park Chan-wookPark Chan-wook & Don McKellar and Naomi IizukaApril 21, 2024 (2024-04-21)0.15
3"Love It or Leave It"Park Chan-wookPark Chan-wook & Don McKellar and Mark RichardApril 28, 2024 (2024-04-28)TBD
4"Give Us Some Good Lines" Fernando MeirellesPark Chan-wook & Don McKellarMay 5, 2024 (2024-05-05)TBD
5"All for One" Marc MundenPark Chan-wook & Don McKellar and Maegan HouangMay 12, 2024 (2024-05-12)TBD
6TBAMarc MundenPark Chan-wook & Don McKellar and Anchuli Felicia KingMay 19, 2024 (2024-05-19)TBD
7TBAMarc MundenPark Chan-wook & Don McKellarMay 26, 2024 (2024-05-26)TBD

Production

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

The series premiered on HBO and became available to stream on Max on April 14, 2024. [15]

Reception

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

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "HBO TV Schedule". HBO. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  3. ^ Rice, Lynette (February 15, 2024). "'The Sympathizer': HBO Reveals Debut Date, Trailer For Limited Series". Deadline. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  4. ^ "The Sympathizer". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  5. ^ "Shows A-Z - sympathizer, the on hbo". The Futon Critic. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ "The Sympathizer: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  17. ^ "The Sympathizer: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved April 16, 2024.

External links

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