Set in the captivating world of espionage, intrigue and government conspiracies, Counterpart dives into the mysterious world hidden beneath the surface of everyday existence. The show explores themes of identity, fate and lost love, posing the eternal question, “What if our lives could have been different?”
The series follows Howard Silk (Academy Award-winning star of Whiplash and Spider-man J.K. Simmons), a lowly cog in the bureaucratic machinery of a Berlin-based spy agency. When he discovers that his organisation is hiding a secret gateway into a parallel dimension, Howard is thrust into a shadowy world of intrigue, danger and double crossing… where the only man he can trust is Prime (also played by Simmons), his near-identical ‘counterpart’ from this parallel world.
The 10-part drama has already received a glowing reception from international audiences and critics alike, with a “Certified Fresh” rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes:
"Counterpart... uses its graceful and well-modulated sci-fi elements to ask thoughtful questions about missed opportunities, identity, and what happens when people get unexpected chances to remake their lives.
"And if that weren’t enough, “Counterpart” is also a handsome, character-driven serial for adults. It avoids many of the traps of the Prestige Drama category: It’s brisk, sardonic, and has moments of bittersweet sadness, but it’s not enamored of predictable grimness or uninspired transgression. And whatever genre you gravitate to, “Counterpart” is made immensely enjoyable by excellent performances from J.K. Simmons and Olivia Williams, among others."
"There’s a lot going on in “Counterpart.” Imagine your classic spy story, packed with double agents, secret sources, coded messages, and all that tricky secret agent stuff, but throw in a parallel dimension where every character has a double who looks exactly like them but is otherwise quite different."
"Simmons changes his posture, tone, facial expressions, his walk and even what appears to be his breathing to differentiate the milquetoast Howard from bad-ass Howard. Every element of each portrayal is convincing."
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J.K. Simmons features in a multi-faceted dual lead performance, supported by a stellar international cast comprising Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense, Hyde Park on Hudson), Harry Lloyd (The Theory of Everything, Game of Thrones), Nicholas Pinnock (Captain America: The First Avenger) and Nazanin Boniadi (Homeland, Hotel Mumbai). Academy Award® nominee Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game) directed the first episode.
Source: SBS
Created, written and executive produced by Justin Marks (The Jungle Book, Rewind), the dual-language English and German series emerged from his keen interest in British spy classics from the likes of Ian Fleming and Graham Greene, combined with his desire to create an American/British hybrid series.
Counterpart is streaming now at SBS On Demand:
