Enlarge / Wait a second... does JK Simmons have a twin? (credit: Starz)
Warning: This post contains references to scenes in the first half of Counterpart S1.
All throughout season one of Starz’ Counterpart, we’ve been captivated as much by the show’s inter-dimensional diplomacy and technological advances as its primary spy conflict. This sci-fi/spy mash-up has succeeded in no small part because of its thorough consideration of each and every detail. JK Simmons portrays two major characters, choosing how real-world Howard subtly reacts with a glance versus Prime-world Howard choosing a glare. And series creator Justin Marks handed staff a 10-page manual before production as if they were all employees of the show’s fictional governmental office needing to learn payroll procedures.
That subtle-yet-crucial level of scrutiny on the show even extends to things most viewers don’t notice, like the very picture in front of their faces. Veteran cinematographer Luc Montpellier loosely describes the role of a cinematographer as a major to the director/creator’s general, but he oversees everything dealing with image capture (having input on things like lighting and camera selection to staging and post-production feedback). For Counterpart, that meant conceptualizing two distinctly different visual palettes—and being comfortable with the necessary tech tricks to pull off the show’s contrasting sci-fi and vintage flourishes.
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