Counterpart (2017–2019) User Reviews

Not Fair!

[lenord-97628 · 9/10 · 6 February 2020]

I hope it's not true only 2 seasons of this incredibly addictive series. Always seems to happen when there's something good it goes away due to the bottom line. I've always been a fan of Simmons work, his lowkey anti-hero style is always superb this role here is typical of his abilities, in fact it's hard to see flaws in any of the actors, all believable in their roles.I just finished season 1 and can't wait to dive into season 2 even knowing I will Not see a fitting ending, no 3rd season what a pizzoff I could see this concept going on for years.

Another great show cancelled. Unbelievable.

[dalefl · 8/10 · 1 April 2020]

I'm halfway through season two of this fantastic show. In the process of finding out when three is coming out and I find it's been cancelled. Then I see the reason why and I am dumbfounded. It's too male. Let me repeat it so it sinks in. It's too male. What does that even mean? Half the cast is female with some of the most central plot aspects including the most bloodthirsty killers on the show. Who thinks like that? They pulled the plug on one of the best shows on television because it didn't revolve around enough women? That is one of the stupidest reasons I have ever seen. I guess Kartrashians isn't male enough and that ridiculous Oak Island show isn't stupid enough. Unbelievable.

Good Quality Genre TV That Can Appeal To Non-Genre Viewers

[SAJK007 · 8/10 · 15 February 2018]

I suppose I am not surprised at a lot of the negative reviews here. This is a subtle show. If you like your science fiction without starships, loud photon torpedoes and men throwing cars at one another --then this might well be for you!

The direction, acting and script are all top notch. The pilot episode gave a taste of everything you can expect form the series, whereas the series has settled into a slow reveal as it answers the questions posed in the first episode.

J.K.Simmons is exceptional. The subtle changes in personality, bearing and voice he portrays, enable the viewer to see the different characters even from a distance. None of the other actors (so far) have to try their hand at this form of subtlety, but JK (an actor I've always liked) is brilliant at it.

The setting is superb. Berlin is such a refreshing change as a backdrop to this story and the truly international cast also bring something to the table that is not in a lot of other shows these days.

As I said earlier, this may not be for everyone, but if you like good acting, great locations, good production values and a slow burn, solid story then this is for you!

Again...WHY do they cancel ALL the shows that make you have to pay attention?

[lolly67 · 10/10 · 6 February 2020]

I am in the last 11 minutes of Season 2 Episode 10 and wanted to see when the next season was. I fell across this show on Amazon Prime and was completely engaged as soon as I started watching. LOVE J.K. Simmons, so I knew it would be good, but I had no idea how good. So many other talented actors just made it even more fun to watch.

VERY sad it is not continuing, and shallow no-brain shows like Survivor, Bachelor and Kardashians are still on. 👎🏻

Why on earth would they cancel this show?

[orchidami · 10/10 · 12 November 2019]

This was like the best,most original,excellent cast,excellent story,excellent writing and really just entirely fantastic acting. Why would they cancel a show that is so good? Who makes these ridiculous decisions. It was so unique and so entertaining that really irritates me that it was cancelled.

SUPERB

[richardhoehn-25081 · 10/10 · 28 December 2019]

Why in the world was this only given two seasons?? The Cold War spy vs spy story line may sound dated, but really it's not: It's a Cold War between two parallel universes (basically). The acting is superb. J K Simmons is great, as is the supporting cast. Rich character development.

Starz can't take a win

[ranchofiesta · 10/10 · 18 October 2022]

Just like a lot of other reviewers, I wondered loudly "WHAT?? Only 2 seasons?? WHY?" I was drawn in half way through the first episode! I found Counterpart on Amazon Prime and wondered why I'd never heard of the show. I have Starz and I do not remember ever seeing this. I love J. K. Simmons! I would remember this show!

Anyway, I searched "why did Starz cancel Counterpart?"

Oh. My. Wait until you see this.

The reason for canceling, is the reason Starz really needs new people running the company.

Per Deadline - "Starz COO Jeffrey Hirsch addressed the cancellation at the TCA summer press tour and admitted that the show's audience was "too male" to fit into its new female-focused strategy" (oh wait. It gets better) "Counterpart was a great show, we had great partners in MRC and Justin is a great writer, but it was a very complicated show, a very male show." (yes, really 😳)

So, ladies, you're just not bright enough to follow this "very complicated show", it's for guys only, honey, so get in there and make a sandwich for me while I watch the last episode of Counterpart. Chop chop! Oh, and a beer...

I'm a woman. I managed to follow the story.

Jeffery Hirsch, you are an idiot.

Crying Shame

[mfilby-96979 · 10/10 · 9 January 2020]

In the days of trash TV designd for ill educated simpletons a show like this never had a chance, shows like "blind spot" and "Lucifer" get countless formulaic seasons boring people to tears whilst Stars go and Cancel the one good show that's been put together in years, obviously top drawer acting and locations are simply not enough to keep the brain dead masses entertained, the shows cancellation really was a crying Shame

Perfect!

[jrwygant · 10/10 · 16 December 2019]

Only two seasons? Obviously not simple enough for most viewers. And not enough plot cliches. I watched every episode of the two seasons and never felt cheated or regarded as too dumb to follow the story. However, if you're looking for science-fiction, this is not it. The parallel worlds element is kept in the background. These episodes were character driven and shined with excellent acting and great scripts -- a lot about relationships, who we think we are, and how others see us. I have always been a J.K. Simmons fan, but I've never seen him so good. And the rest of the cast deserve equal praise for what they delivered. Yes, it could get a little confusing at times, but nobody I know nodded off through any of it.

Below the expectation

[IrakliKandelaki · 6/10 · 23 February 2018]

I was highly intrigued by the first episode but this show has disappointed me. First and foremost, it lacks some sci-fi elements. As we already know (nothing to spoil here), the main character finds out about another dimension, but as a viewer, you can't find any scientific hypothesis behind the idea. A Sci-Fi show should be progressing some theory/hypothesis to a certain level that's beyond today's understanding. It SHOULD make you think about the reality you live in right now and how does it correlate to the idea present in the show. Just walking through the tunnel is banal and simply not enough. Second, things progress really slow. The dialogues seem to be dull, while it should give you a new sense, an idea or a philosophical insight, especially in this kind of a show.

I read a lot of reviews here and didn't believe them, still continued watching but no, this show isn't good. The End. The only thing makes it 6/10 is acting. J.K Simmons' transformation into different (but the same actually) persons is brilliant.

This show ought to have a ton of rewards

[sara-lorenzen-811-601421 · 10/10 · 23 September 2019]

I don't understand why Counterpart hasn't gotten more attention. The manuscript is so clever, the acting is superb and the cinematography is amazing. It is deep and thoughtprovoking and fun and thrilling and just the best spy show, I can remember.

Technology?

[jerrywwaldon · 7/10 · 3 August 2020]

Okay...the main world has smartphones, but they only have monochromatic computer monitors? And, both worlds have the same kinds of cars?

Wanted so badly to like this, but it is just too slow

[eabreininger · 3/10 · 7 February 2018]

I was so looking forward to this show. Yes, it uses concepts that are sometimes overdone (parallel universe, various spy tropes), but it had the potential to be unique with older cast members and lack of a budding romance as a central focus. They could have taken that to some great places, but so far (episode 3) they have not. The spy stuff is typical spy fare, the sci-fi portion is run-of-the-mill. The acting is great, but the story itself lacks interest, originality, depth, and pacing. I feel no emotional connection to any of the characters. I hope it improves, but I am not holding my breath.

Exceptional in so many ways

[csb2019 · 10/10 · 1 February 2020]

I could (positively) rant about this show for hours as it is not only well written, courageous in selection of location, timeline and characters but also monumental in actors' performances.

JK is gold and so are all the others, no exception. Producers even brought in german acting legend Hallervorden for the show, so: Gold. In every regard.

If you don't need a happy ending for everyone and shallow entertainment with useless dialogue but instead appreciate deep characters, complex plots and unexpected outcomes, go for it. It's worth it!

Brilliant

[theredandwhitekey · 9/10 · 11 December 2017]

Unexpected, dark, quirky, Counterpart is a noir sci-fi fantasy playing in today's world but within a setting mixed with modern (2017) and retro (1970's) locations and gizmos- The story is not about the past, it is about the present, but of 2 parallel worlds that connect through a secret doorway or hallway, and just as it mixes between the contrasts in these 2 worlds in the story so does it mix in its set design, with a little hint of dystopia here and there.

It builds up in a fascinating way and thankfully has just enough of Looper and not too much so as to make it genuinely unique. With a genuinely unique lead actor.

A must watch for its high quality story telling, character build up, set design, music, editing and classic yet seamless directing.

The first episode's tempo and mood are a good sign for what's to come as far as the story, very well approached, mystifying and might branch to the unexpected.

Well done STARZ

One of the few best shows on TV in recent years

[virgilshi · 9/10 · 18 February 2019]

I want to thank all the staff on this show, especially the cast and the writers. Salute.

A Promising Beginning...And More

[atlasmb · 10/10 · 22 January 2018]

The first episode opens with a hint of something sinister.

Then we meet Howard Silk (J. K. Simmons), an affable everyman, a schlub with little ambition or backbone. Still, the mechanics of his job are a real tease. Like most viewers, I know the series revolves around an alternate reality, but much is not explained early on. When Howard, who has worked the same job for thirty years, says, "I don't know what we do here", it hints at a huge mystery .

He fills his personal life with games of Go and reading tomes to his comatose wife.

Then, the alternate reality impinges on Howard's life and everything is changed. Like layers of an onion, the details of a clandestine reality peel away, leaving plenty more to discover.

Simmons gets to play with multiple aspects of his character, making for an enjoyable viewing that revolves around many acting nuances.

The show is a contemplation on experience versus free will. And it explores the possibilities that might result from different life choices.

Though Howard Silk starts as a victim of his own life, and his professional choices, this story is not like "The Prisoner", where the truths can never be known. Counterpart" promises plenty of fun in discovering those truths. And the end of episode one hints at more depths. This ride of discovery looks very promising indeed.

Update 2/17/08: A few more episodes in, I am upping my grade to "10". This has a good plot, well written.

I think viewers could benefit from visual cues that distinguish between the two worlds.

Excellent

[sue-67752 · 9/10 · 5 February 2018]

I really enjoyed the two episodes I watched. I am not a lover of far fetched Science Fiction but do enjoy the intelligent and well thought out. It is a slow burner so if you like action packed escapeisum this is not for you.

This has been well written and extremely well acted, I just wish there was more TV like this.

Not easy to follow but interesting concept.

[deloudelouvain · 7/10 · 9 June 2018]

Just finished watching sthe first season and so it's now time for a little evaluation. While the beginning was very confusing, and that because of the lack of explanation, you just have to sit through the first episodes to slowly start understanding what's going on. So it's one of those series that you have to focus all the time otherwise you might just become completely lost. That the actors play two different characters all the time isn't easy to follow either, so here again you need to concentrate all the time. But the more the story advances the more you want to know what's going to happen. The cast is good, with J.K. Simmons as the best actor as so far. I don't know if this show is going to make it for long but I could do with a couple more seasons. I just hope they are not going to milk the story like we are used to when it comes from America. So far so good.

Not sure if given a 10 before, but this show is faultless

[boydpeters · 10/10 · 27 June 2019]

After watching the abomination that is Brightburn, it was refreshing to find a serious well written, well acted, original, gripping, juicy, hanging, hooking

Everyone associated with the show should be applauded

Put a few nights aside because you will binge

Homeland, The Bureau (french), Counterpart. Load up and enjoy

Soap opera disguised as sci-fi espionage thriller

[SeriousMayhem · 7/10 · 28 April 2018]

The show starts off slowly but promising and I expected to be in for quite a ride, but in the end it never truly delivers. Its focus seems to be set mostly on character drama, where the espionage theme just serves mostly a secondary role and the sci-fi aspect is ultimately underused.

I had hoped for a really clever and intelligent story that would develop over the course of the season, but after watching all the episodes, I have to say that it's simply not there.

At best, the only motivation for anything that happens seems to be "we don't like them". But other than one incident, which isn't even explained but merely mentioned a couple of times (which is silly in itself given how huge it actually is), there's no apparent motivation whatesoever as to why one side wouldn't like the other side. As a viewer, you're just seeing stuff happen because it happens. Cold-war because cold-war.

There's a good amount of decent action and on average at least 1 person gets killed per episode as part of what appears to be a plan. However, again as a viewer, you're just seeing a random person you hardly know or don't know at all (and as such don't care about) get killed, because of reasons which aren't explained. Some of it is "explained" in the last two episodes, but even then the drive behind it just lacks reasonable motivation.

Between the action and the main story, there's a lot of character drama and a good chunk of that is on the level of soap opera. Not all of it serves a real purpose and sometimes it just drags on a bit too much.

During the last 4 or so episodes, things start to happen so conveniently so often, I found it hard to suspend my disbelief. Very lazy writing, looks like they were in a hurry to wrap it up. Certain aspects of the show are also made mysterious for the sole reason of appearing mysterious. There's no substance there. Again, lazy.

Acting overall is top notch and J.K. Simmons delivers a great performance as both Howards, especially in the first half of the season, where he portrays the diffences in personality and character so well, you don't even need another clue as to who you're looking at; you could notice just by his walk, for instance. This subtleness sadly mostly fades during the last couple of episodes, and not just because of what's happening story-wise.

I also liked Harry Lloyd's portrayal of Peter Quayle.

The general atmosphere and the setting in Berlin is great.

All in all, it's not a bad show, but it's also never more than an average show, despite obvious potential for being way more than that. 6,5/10, rounding up to a 7.

Counterinteresting

[madameminty · 3/10 · 10 March 2018]

Quite frankly I can't bear to watch it anymore simply because the lines analogous to "who do you work for?" and "what's your source?" happen 80 times per episode, no one knows anything about anything, and the powers of both sides use... public information as bargaining chips in negotiations?!

It seems like the show attempts to create this sense of fake mystery; tell us that this information is hard to obtain, but at the same time it clearly shows it isn't. Makes the characters look... stupid. Of course, there's some of the real deal, but it feels tainted by the above. The drama just doesn't work with clueless characters surrounded by pretend secrets.

The counterpart world essentially stuck in the 80s is as uninteresting as it is a standard dystopian cliché. It's unbearably slow and tedious, and repeats empty scenes. There is no thrill if you find yourself falling asleep, now is there?

The sci-fi element is a gimmick quickly forgotten. There's a tunnel, that's it. The implications of it are not explored deeply enough in my opinion.

I can't find anything else engaging or unique enough about the show. If you want a show about scheming and politics, there's always Designated Survivor. If you want sci-fi, including parallel universes, how about Star Trek Discovery?

Can only be rated as EXCELLENT!

[ernavegante · 10/10 · 10 April 2018]

I am 5 minutes of finishing the 10th episode and after nine and a half episodes can only rate the series as EXCELLENT. Actors are brilliant, plot is interesting. Acting by JK Simmons is a masterpiece!

Brillant

[alanmckennahaiti · 10/10 · 20 November 2019]

I really enjoyed this show, utterly compelling and I loved it.

Counterpart

[dhratz · 10/10 · 30 June 2019]

This is a very fascinating show with a great intricate plot and terrific acting, Unfortunately, STARZ saw fit to cancel it after 2 seasons.