When approached to co-executive produce HBO’s new Vietnam war-era spy thriller “The Sympathizer,” Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell initially hesitated due to the complexities of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel. However, after thorough consideration and a packaged concept presented by co-showrunners Don McKellar and Park Chan-wook, they agreed to take on the project.
The series, set in the 1970s at the end of the Vietnam War, follows the central character known as the Captain, a half-Vietnamese, half-French communist spy navigating complex allegiances. The narrative structure, involving time jumps and multiple languages, posed significant challenges for adaptation.
