Turn: Washington's Spies

Turn: Washington's Spies
Genre	Period drama
Created by	Craig Silverstein
Based on	Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring (2007) by Alexander Rose
Written by	Craig Silverstein (teleplay)
Starring	Jamie Bell Seth Numrich Daniel Henshall Heather Lind Meegan Warner Kevin R. McNally Burn Gorman Angus Macfadyen Samuel Roukin JJ Feild
Opening theme	"Hush" performed Joy Williams, Matt Berninger and Charlie Peacock
Composer	Marco Beltrami
Country of origin	Template:TVUS
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	10 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Craig Silverstein Barry Josephson
Producer	Larry Rapaport
Production location	Virginia
Cinematography	Lol Crawley
Editor	Andrew Seklir
Running time	42–43 minutes 64 minutes ("Pilot")
Production companies	AMC Studios Sesfonstein Productions Josephson Entertainment
Original release
Network	AMC
Release	April 6, 2014 (2014-04-06) – present

Turn (stylized as TURИ) is a period drama based on Alexander Rose’s book Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring (2007), a history of the Culper Ring. AMC first aired a promo for the show during the fourth mid-season finale of The Walking Dead on December 1, 2013; the premiere aired on April 6, 2014.

Plot

In 1776 and 1777, a Setauket, New York farmer and his childhood friends form an unlikely group of spies, called the Culper Ring, who eventually help turn the tide during the American Revolutionary War. The series begins in October 1776, shortly after British victories recaptured Long Island, Staten Island, and New York City for the Crown and left General George Washington's army in desperate straits.

According to the first episode's introductory card titles: "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

• Jamie Bell as Abe Woodhull
• Seth Numrich as Benjamin Tallmadge
• Daniel Henshall as Caleb Brewster
• Heather Lind as Anna Strong
• Meegan Warner as Mary Woodhull
• Kevin R. McNally as Judge Richard Woodhull
• Burn Gorman as Major Richard Hewlett
• Angus Macfadyen as Robert Rogers
• Samuel Roukin as John Graves Simcoe
• JJ Feild as Major John André

Recurring cast

• Ian Kahn as George Washington
• Jamie Harris as John Robeson
• Michael Gaston as General Charles Scott
• Stephen Root as Nathaniel Sackett
• Amy Gumenick as Philomena
• Idara Victor as Abigail
• Robert Beitzel as Selah Strong
• King Hoey as Cicero
• Brian T. Finney as General Charles Lee

Episodes

Season		Episodes	Originally aired		DVD and Blu-ray release dates
			Season premiere	Season finale	Region 1	Region 2	Region 4
	1	10	April 6, 2014 (2014-04-06)	June 8, 2014 (2014-06-08)	TBA	TBA	August 27, 2014

Season 1 (2014)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	"Pilot"	Rupert Wyatt	Teleplay by: Craig Silverstein	April 6, 2014 (2014-04-06)	2.12
In autumn 1776, in Setauket, New York, Abe Woodhull tells his wife, Mary, the war will end by Christmas. After a battle in New Jersey, Ben Tallmadge escapes in Queen's Rangers attire but not before being shot by Robert Rogers. Ben goes to meet General Charles Scott to insist his men were ambushed, as the enemy knew they were coming. Ben suggests a spy should be hired, but the general declines. At a tavern, Abe defends the proprietors in a fight instigated by British Captain Joyce. British Major Hewlett orders Joyce back to England to be court martialled and cashiered, and releases Abe into the care of his father, Judge Richard Woodhull. Richard warns his son to stay away from people who chose "the wrong side". In Brooklyn Harbor, Rogers is paid as a mercenary. Major John Andre asks him to ambush a rebel safe house in Connecticut. Rogers refuses when Andre balks on doubling his price. The next day, Joyce is found dead just outside Abe's farm. The new British captain, John Graves Simcoe, launches an investigation into the murder; the tavern owner and Abe are prime suspects. Abe meets his old friend Caleb Brewster, who tries to recruit him into a spy ring. Abe initially refuses but does not report his friends to the authorities. Abe is intercepted when headed home across the water and is accused of smuggling, and perhaps spying. When Abe returns to town, he is arrested and questioned by Hewlett and Judge Woodhull. Abe claims a group of rebels attacked him, and he gives a list of false names from neighboring Hempstead. Several days later, Abe's father visits Abe to tell him no men by those names exist. Abe has lied to his father, who because of it says he will no longer protect Abe.
2	"Who by Fire"	Ed Bianchi	Craig Silverstein	April 13, 2014 (2014-04-13)	1.87
After Abe warns her she is a suspect in Captain Joyce's murder, Anna looks through Joyce's belongings, which are still in her house, for evidence that will exonerate her. She finds a love letter suggesting a signal to meet. In a Connecticut jail, Ben and Caleb interrogate Simcoe, who refuses to give answers. He mocks the rebel cause, and Caleb beats him. Rogers begins tracking the soldier who left the Ranger bonnet at the ambush scene, which leads him to investigate Joyce's murder. At the tavern, he questions Abe and Anna, who produces the love letter and suggests Joyce was killed by a jealous husband. After being discovered by Abe, John Robeson admits that he killed Joyce for blaming him for starting the tavern brawl. Robeson also admits his intention to make Abe a scapegoat. Ensign Clayton emerges and attacks Abe. Rogers emerges, kills Clayton, then confronts Robeson. Rogers lets Robeson live, but only to serve as Rogers' agent in Setauket. Abe is sworn to secrecy but tasked with monitoring Robeson. General Scott saves Simcoe from death and orders Ben to report to Fort Lee to face disciplinary charges. Concerned about Anna's safety, Abe tells her to stop hanging petticoat signals for Caleb and then ends all contact with her.
3	"Of Cabbages and Kings"	SJ Clarkson	Michael Taylor	April 20, 2014 (2014-04-20)	1.40
Ben, Caleb, and General Scott, with a bound Simcoe in a cart, lead a military convoy to Fort Lee. On the way, refugees tell them the fort has been taken by the British, and General Washington may have been captured. A farmer lets the men stay the night. Brothers Quill, Eben, and Newt guard Simcoe, and Caleb leaves them, stating he is scouting ahead. Eben thinks Caleb is deserting and worries that they are fighting for the losing side. The brothers ambush the new arrivals to exchange them with the British for pardons and money. Ben surprises the brothers, killing all but Newt. Scott orders Ben to execute Newt or face a court martial, but Ben refuses to shoot the lad, insisting Newt was the most passive of the three. Scott shoots Newt, and says Ben will face a court martial. Richard and Abe arrive at the Royal Army-controlled New York City. They are greeted by Colonel Cook, Richard's contact, and Richard introduces Abe as his son and business partner. Over dinner, the three men negotiate the Woodhull's sale of pigs to Cook, who then follows up an earlier conversation with Richard about trading cauliflower. Abe realizes Richard is selling cauliflower grown on Anna's farm, whose produce Richard admits will be divided among loyalists, in the wake of Strong's imprisonment. Abe and his father argue, and Abe leaves. He arrives at King's College, his law school alma mater, where he learns from Hessians camped there the invading army will be marching to Trenton. Abe later tells this to Caleb. Anna learns that Simcoe is alive, but she tells Abe he's dead. She and Abe are able to secure a boat for Caleb's escape.
4	"Eternity How Long"	Adam Davidson	Andrew Colville	April 27, 2014 (2014-04-27)	1.30
Fearing Caleb's escape will preface a rebel attack, Hewlett must think of ways to fortify the garrison. His plan is to use gravestones from the Setauket church cemetery. Richard is given three days to decide which ten will be removed. Abe warns him the town will turn against him if the gravestones are removed, adding that the town should turn against Hewlett; Richard ignores the advice. Caleb gives Abe's report on the Hessians' march on Trenton to Ben, mentioning Abe's success. Ben urges General Scott to share the intelligence with General Washington. When they refuse to reveal their source, Scott burns the unverified report. Ben and Caleb later fabricate a scouting report and fold Abe's intelligence inside. Scott declares the fake worthy of passing to Washington, overlooking the real one. Andre and Philomena trap General Charles Lee into saying he supplied the British with the location of the safe house, where the ambush occurred, but Lee insists he doesn't know about the attack. Andre reveals that he is Lee's contact to whom the information is given. They then discuss a plan in which Lee escapes, and his hero status propels him to become the new commander of the Continental Army. Lee would then urge the Continental Congress to surrender. Abe suggests Richard call Hewlett's bluff and lead the townspeople against him, since Hewlett does not want to lose Setauket. Richard likes the idea. There is face-off in the cemetery. Richard intervenes, invokes God, and starts digging up his son Thomas' gravestone. Hewlett tells Lt. Appleton this is "how you tame a colony...through winning their hearts and minds".
5	"Epiphany"	Michael Uppendahl	Aida Mashaka Croal	May 4, 2014 (2014-05-04)	1.24
It's Christmas in Setauket. Richard signs a bill of attainder against Selah Strong, which Hewlett posts at Strong Manor, that includes a phrase about granting freedom to his slaves. The slaves celebrate. The next day, Abe tells Richard he wants to go to New York to try and sell additional goods to Robert Howe's army. He asks for Colonel Cook's letter that affords passage through British checkpoints. Richard refuses and Abe later sneaks into Hewlett's room to copy a letter from Hewlett's desk. Anna appeals the attainder to Hewlett, saying unprepared freed slaves don't know how to fend for themselves. Hewlett says the male slaves are being shipped for war and has made arrangements for Abigail. Ben is told to prepare for a secret mission. He and Caleb find themselves among an entire fleet in the Delaware River. After jumping into the icy water to save a boat gun, Ben loses consciousness into the new year, when Caleb tells him the men have marched on to Trenton. Abigail offers to spy on her future employer, Major Andre, if Anna protects Cicero, a slave, while she's away. Anna agrees. She and Abe later share a highly passionate kiss but are interrupted by Baker recommending Abe join his family at Whitehall. In Trenton, Ben and Caleb learn the army successfully ambushed the Hessian soldiers. Washington heeded Abe's report. Across the creek, Andre suggests General Cornwallis attack the rebels. Cornwallis, believing Washington's entire force is over there, decides against a night attack. Back at City Hall, Rogers asks Lee the name of the dragoon who escaped. Lee gives him the name, Benjamin Tallmadge. The next morning, Cornwallis raids the opposite bank, only to find it abandoned. Abe is welcomed by his family at Whitehall, where they dine with Hewlett and other Redcoats. At Continental headquarters in Morristown, New Jersey, Washington asks Ben about Abraham Woodhull.
6	"Mr. Culpeper"	Eagle Egilsson	Mitchell Akselrad	May 11, 2014 (2014-05-11)	N/A
British and American soldiers exchange POWs. A limping Simcoe is one of them. Washington dictates a letter to Howe indicting the barbaric prisoner treatment on ships. He then introduces Ben and Scott to Nathaniel Sackett, who praises Abe's accurate intelligence. Washington orders them to investigate Ben's "spy chain" idea and report back with a recommendation. Simcoe and others arrive at Andre's estate. Andre interviews them, one of which is Lt. Terrence, a spy for Washington. At dinner, Simcoe kills Terrence for incorrectly reciting his regiment's motto. Andre says he planned to try to turn Terrence into a double agent. In New York, Rogers suggests a fight between the brawling Jordan and Titus that others can wager on. Later, Jordan wins the fight and Rogers welcomes him into the Queen's Rangers. Awasos approaches, speaking in Abenaki, to tell Rogers that Ben's brother, Samuel, has been reported held aboard the prison ship, the HMS Jersey. In Long Island, Abe is ambushed and interrogated by Cyrus, a colonial soldier separated from his unit. Abe insists he himself is a spy. Cyrus doesn't believe him, asking why he didn't join the militia. Abe says they cannot win. They start fighting. A group of Redcoats arrive and shoot a charging Cyrus dead. Abe suggests Cyrus was planning on assuming his identity and escaping to the city. He is told solo travelers are no longer being allowed into New York. Sackett shows Ben a way to send messages using hard-boiled eggs, alum, and vinegar. Ben tells Washington the spy chain will work, but only with mutual trust. He again asks how Washington obtained Abe's name. Washington tells Ben in private he obtained Abe's name from one of his spies: Nathan Hale, Ben's friend at Yale who was recently hanged by the British. Scott is sent to the war front, and Ben is promoted to Major and put in charge of the intelligence branch. Abe is then given an alias, "Mr. Culpeper", and Ben is asked to pick a first name. He chooses "Samuel".
7	"Mercy Moment Murder Measure"	Nick Copus	Story by: Joseph Bellotti Teleplay by: Andrew Colville & Michael Taylor & Craig Silverstein	May 18, 2014 (2014-05-18)	1.08
Aboard the Jersey, Rogers learns Samuel Tallmadge died of dysentery. He is shown the prisoner that knew Samuel best, Selah Strong, who Jordan instantly recognizes. Selah tells Rogers he's known Samuel and Ben his entire life. Rogers asks Selah if he'd like to go home. Ben receives word Samuel has been pardoned and is being released. Caleb offers to go pick up Samuel. Abe hates his Culpeper alias, but is surprised to learn it was picked by General Washington himself. Anna's request for Selah's parole is denied when she accuses Richard of forcing a confession to claim and sell Selah's land. Abe asks her to accompany him, posing as his wife for the checkpoints, to New York to sell her cauliflower crop. She learns Simcoe is alive and returned to Setauket. She admits to Abe of covering up Simcoe's escape so Abe would stay loyal to the cause. At Whitehall, Simcoe asks Hewlett's permission to inquire about the Tallmadge and Brewster families. Hewlett agrees, but cautions him. In the woods, Simcoe attacks Abe for "forcing himself" on Anna at Christmas. They are summoned to the church, where Baker tells Simcoe that Anna's dalliance with Abe was consensual. Abe accepts Simcoe's challenge to a duel. Abe wins the first shot, but shoots and misses. Richard and Anna arrive, and she convinces Simcoe to misfire. However, Abe reloads and aims at Simcoe. Richard pleads that it is about more than him. Abe pictures Thomas, Caleb and Ben, then looks at Anna. He lowers his gun and walks away. Jordan accompanies Rogers to ambush Ben, who they think will be coming for his brother. Caleb rides his horse through the woods believing he is collecting Samuel. Abe and Anna set off for New York. She tells him he should have killed Simcoe when he had the chance.
8	"Challenge"	Jeremy Webb	LaToya Morgan	May 25, 2014 (2014-05-25)	1.39
Rogers fires upon Caleb and Selah at the POW exchange, wounding a soldier. He is found and rebuked by British Captain Blake for firing during a truce. Caleb tells Henry to find Ben at camp and mention "Genevieve", a code word indicating a meeting point that Ben will understand. Anna mistakenly tells Abe that Selah is dead. She insists on accompanying him to Andre's dinner. He refuses. She finds Abigail and demands help getting into the dinner. Abe arrives at the party and Cooke introduces the nervous new arrival to Andre. Later, while Abe is singing a song, he sees Anna at the party. Blake arrives at Andre's house with news of Rogers firing on the prisoner exchange. Andre tells him to retrieve Rogers and to kill him if he resists. Anna sneaks into Andre's bedroom and discovers a book of encoded entries. Abe follows and kisses her, but she resists. They later have sex when she learns he started the riot at King's College that resulted in the death of his brother (implying that Abe only broke off his engagement with Anna and married his brother's ex-fiancee out of guilt). Ben encounters Henry's convoy and is told Caleb's code word. He rides off and, drawn by the sound of gunfire, arrives and shoots Awasos then ducks for cover with Caleb as Rogers fires back. Both sides are now at a standoff. Blake arrives and declares it to end by order of John Andre. Meanwhile, Selah tells Ben about Samuel's final days. Ben vows to kill Rogers for using Samuel's name to trap him. Rogers says Selah is not who he says he is; Ben lies, saying Selah is his brother, Captain Samuel Tallmadge. Blake orders Rogers to report to Andre. Meanwhile, Simcoe tells Robeson he is investigating a rebel conspiracy and inquires about Ben, Caleb and Abe. Robeson advises him to track down the petition for the New York convention. Hewlett recalls Richard saying Selah Strong was named as a delegate to an illegal body. He encourages Simcoe to continue searching for Setauket rebels.
9	"Against Thy Neighbor"	Ken Fink	Michael Taylor	June 1, 2014 (2014-06-01)	1.17
It's spring 1777. Hewlett tells Simcoe he lacks evidence of spies and still hasn't found the Patriot petition. Simcoe poisons Hewlett's horse with an apple and suggests Hewlett was the intended target. Simcoe volunteers to investigate Lucas Brewster, who sold the apples to Hewlett. Richard tells Simcoe to consult another expert before executing Lucas and is then shot by a sniper. Simcoe smiles. The bullet gets extracted, and Simcoe reports a torn Bible page used as wadding for the sniper's gun. Hewlett decrees that all town residents shall surrender their firearms, and Reverend Tallmadge remarks to Hewlett that the church was once his. Talmadge later tells tavern patrons that the British took their church, their headstones, and now their guns. Simcoe arrests him. Hewlett tells Abe the evidence points to Tallmadge as the sniper. Hewlett is given the petition and tells Simcoe to arrest everyone on it. Abe offers to take the wounded Richard's place as the magistrate in prosecuting the rebels, and he intensely interrogates Brewster (inciting sympathy and support for Brewster amongst the townspeople) and then Rev. Tallmadge, saying Talmadge grew resentful after his congregation defected from the church, with Richard. Abe demonstrates how Richard was shot and pretends to struggle as he loads the Reverend's rifle. Simcoe takes the rifle but finds the bullet that pierced Richard does not fit the gun. Hewlett later tells Abe he will show mercy on the men and sentence them to ten years on the Jersey. Abe likens that to a death sentence and reminds him the bullet didn't match the Reverend's rifle. Hewlett stresses it is an opportunity to banish a group of disloyal citizens. Meanwhile, Ben tells Washington decoded enemy dispatches show the British plan to attack Philadelphia from the south, rather than the north as scouts have reported. Ben is told to lead troops north to play into Britain's deception, while the Continental Army strengthens the southerly defenses. Caleb and Selah march with Ben's troops. Ben learns his father and Caleb's uncle have been arrested and may face death. He tells Caleb they are going home. At Woodhull Farm, Mary finds Abe's hidden codebook.
10	"The Battle of Setauket"	Oliver Hirschbiegel	Craig Silverstein	June 8, 2014 (2014-06-08)	1.61
At Woodhull Farm, Mary finds familiar names in Abe's codebook. Abe arrives and confides Simcoe shot Richard. A boy tells Simcoe about hundreds of soldiers descending on Setauket. Simcoe sets out to hang the rebel prisoners before Ben and the others arrive. Ben's men charge, but he orders a retreat when he sees his father with a gun to his head. Selah arrives and kisses a stunned Anna. Ben tells Caleb to collect the British's gunpowder from the schoolhouse. Hewlett sees the gunpowder being gathered and orders his men to fire. The schoolhouse explodes. Ben orders Selah to attack Hewlett's flank with some men. Hewlett refuses to level Setauket. Selah's men fire and force Hewlett's retreat into the church. Abe and the others convene. He explains their commuted death sentences, and Ben replies Samuel died on the Jersey and refuses to let his father die the same way. Abe approaches the church waving a white flag. Inside, he offers to trade the captured Redcoats for the rebel prisoners. Simcoe drags Lucas Brewster outside and shoots him dead. Hewlett orders his men to arrest Simcoe, who resists and is gagged by Hewlett. Richard suggests letting the prisoners go so Tallmadge can convince Ben to leave. Hewlett releases them and the rebels fall back. Abe tells Ben that he wants to keep spying—as Culper, not Culpeper. Selah helps Anna into a boat and they launch. Redcoats arrive to watch from the shoreline. Abe also arrives, and Anna apologizes to Selah and jumps overboard to swim to shore. In New York, Andre relieves Rogers as head of the Queen's Rangers. Rogers threatens repercussions and exits. At home, Abe finds Mary burning his codebook. She calls him, among other things, a spy for Washington. Ensign Baker overhears and says he must turn Abe in. Abe shoots and kills him when his offer to leave for good is refused. Mary immediately invents a cover story of Baker being shot while trying to stop fleeing rebels, who then burned down the house. She lights a candle and later joins Abe and Thomas outside. They watch their house burn with Baker's body inside.

Reception

The first season of Turn has received mixed reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the show a 50% based on 32 critics, with an average rating of 6.1 out of 10; as of May 31, 2014, the site's consensus is: "Turn's uneven treatment of the American Revolution is more frustrating than exciting and memorable." On Metacritic, the first season has scored a 61 out of 100 based on 28 "generally favorable" reviews.

Other media

AMC released a digital comic titled, Turn: Origins, on March 26, 2014. It shows childhood and adulthood events from the lives of several of the series' main characters including Abraham Woodhull, Benjamin Tallmadge, Anna Strong, and Caleb Brewster.

External links

• Official website
• Turn at IMDb