Patriot
Streaming on Amazon Prime
You know that person that constantly tells you that you HAVE to start watching Breaking Bad, because it’s SUPER good? Well I hate to do it, but this show makes me become that person. It’s one of those shows that many people probably haven’t even heard about, and if someone told them to watch it they’d say “yeah, maybe I’ll start it soon”...but then they don’t. I’ve been there, I get it. I’m going to do my best to explain why it’s a binge-worthy must see and why you shouldn’t put it off any longer.
Patriot is essentially a spy-thriller, but it has very unique qualities that make it far different from a James Bond type spy-thriller. Patriot shows that spy plans don’t work out perfectly like they usually do for Agent 007. This dramedy follows protagonist John Tavner, who throughout most of the show is known by his alias John Lakeman from Milwaukee Wisconsin. John’s father is the director of intelligence for the U.S. government, his brother is a congressman, and John is a U.S. intelligence officer which is basically an undercover spy. After a job that did not go according to plan, he is sent to Amsterdam to lie low. Unfortunately, the things that undercover spies are required to do are not always the easiest to live with, so John partakes in things that are legal in Amsterdam and writes folk songs about the things he’s had to do as a way of coping. These songs probably reveal a little too much classified information as he slips deeper into the rabbit hole of guilt. Here is the first example of his music in one of the opening scenes of episode one. It does a good job explaining the predicament he is in and sets the tone for the rest of the show:
John’s father soon pulls him from Amsterdam for another job, but it’s pretty hard to be a spy when you’re suffering from PTSD. This all sounds super serious, but the show is filled with extremely well written, quirky dark humor. Even though a lot of it is kind of sad, it keeps you laughing hard and often.
The New York Times describes it as “a spy-thriller sendup that combines dark humor and rueful whimsicality in a way that is both endearing and unsettling.”
The Hollywood Reporter wrote “It is, all told, a hugely ambitious undertaking that probably won't get the attention it deserves, and that's a real shame.”
I could not agree more. This show deserves more attention than it is getting, and with the second season just being added to Amazon Prime this is the perfect time to start your binge session.
Grade Report: 10/10
A perfect symphony of drama, comedy, and original music. The best executed unique plot since Breaking Bad.
- James
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