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Trailer

The Sympathizer

2024Show1 season7 episodesTV-MA

DramaWar & Politics
76
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb6.8Metacritic806.6Rotten Tomatoes89%71%

A nerve-racking, melancholic drama series about history and politics, with standout direction and performances.

Good for friends night · binge-friendly · thought-provoking

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Shows with

Episodes

1 season · 7 episodes · best: S1E1 "Death Wish" 7.9

Episodes

7.7

Story

Refugee. Traitor. Hero. Spy.

Near the end of the Vietnam War, a spy who was embedded in the South Vietnam army flees to the United States and takes up residence in a refugee community, where he continues to gather intelligence and report back to the Viet Cong.

Feels like

  • Cold War Espionage Thriller
  • Vietnam War Aftermath Drama
  • Meta-Cinematic Satire
  • Psychological Duality
  • Hollywood Industry Critique
  • Immigrant Experience Narrative
  • Complex Political Morality
  • Literary Adaptation Excellence
  • Stylized Period Piece

Cast

24 of 45 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Park Chan-wook, Marc Munden, Fernando Meirelles
Written by
Anchuli Felicia King, Park Chan-wook, Don McKellar
Produced by
Inman Young, Jes Anderson, Ted Pacult
Music by
Cho Young-wuk

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

April 14, 2024 · May 26, 2024 · Ended

First aired
April 14, 2024
Last aired
May 26, 2024
Status
Ended
Length
1 season · 7 episodes
Age rating
TV-MA
Content
Violence, Strong Language, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama, War & Politics
Original language
English
Also spoken
Vietnamese
Made in
Canada, South Korea, United States
Available in
100 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

Adaptational Early Appearance, Racial Face Blindness, Sacrificial Lamb +9

  • Adaptational Early Appearance
  • Racial Face Blindness
  • Sacrificial Lamb
  • Batman Gambit
  • Ambiguously Bi
  • Broken Pedestal
  • Significant Double Casting
  • Trauma Button
  • Hostility on the Set
  • Death Seeker
  • In Medias Res
  • Childhood Friends

12 of 54 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream The Sympathizer?"

Questions about The Sympathizer

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Sympathizer?

HBO Max

In the United States, The Sympathizer streams on HBO Max. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 98 other countries.

Is The Sympathizer worth watching?

76
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 76 (IMDb 6.8, Rotten Tomatoes 89%, and Metacritic 80). Critics rate it higher (85 out of 100) than audiences (68).

Can I half-watch The Sympathizer?

Easy watchDemanding

No, it needs your attention: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for philosophical and 8 for meta narrative.

Will I feel good after watching The Sympathizer?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

What tropes does The Sympathizer use?

Adaptational Early AppearanceRacial Face BlindnessSacrificial LambBatman GambitAmbiguously BiBroken PedestalSignificant Double CastingTrauma ButtonHostility on the SetDeath SeekerIn Medias ResChildhood Friendsand 42 more

TV Tropes lists 54 tropes for it, including Adaptational Early Appearance, Racial Face Blindness, and Sacrificial Lamb.