'The Sympathizer' Premieres Tonight—Here’s How to Tune In

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Your next HBO Sunday show? The Sympathizer. Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning book of the same name, the series follows a Vietcong spy in Los Angeles at the end of the Vietnam War.

The project is full of heavy-hitters: Visionary Korean director Park-Chan Wook (Decision To Leave, Oldboy, The Handmaiden) is co-showrunning and executive producing with Don McKellar, as well as directing the first three episodes. Robert Downey Jr. playis multiple characters (prosthetics and all) fresh off of his Oppenheimer Oscar win. Sandra Oh is also in the cast as Ms. Sofia Mori.

Joining these titans is Hoa Xuande, who stars in the lead role. After appearing in A Stitch in Time and the live-action Cowboy Bebop, it took eight months for the Vietnamese-Australian actor since his first audition to officially land the role. But once he was cast, he was in good hands sharing scenes with Downey. “It can be really intimidating when you work with someone like him and you know that he’s going to run circles around you, but he lent this comforting hand on my shoulder and just said, ‘We’re in this together,’” Xuande told Vanity Fair.

Below, how to watch his breakthrough performance, Downey’s many faces, and Park’s cinematic take on TV.

When do new episodes drop?

After tonight’s premiere, new episodes of The Sympathizer debut on Sundays at 10 P.M. on HBO and Max. Catch the full schedule below.

• Episode 1, April 14 at 10 P.M. ET/PT

• Episode 2, April 21 at 10 P.M. ET/PT

• Episode 3, April 28 at 10 P.M. ET/PT

• Episode 4, May 5 at 10 P.M. ET/PT

• Episode 5, May 12 at 10 P.M. ET/PT

• Episode 6, May 19 at 10 P.M. ET/PT

• Episode 7, May 26 at 10 P.M. ET/PT

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