Last night during the winter finale of The Walking Dead (read Dave’s recap here), AMC unveiled the first trailer for its new upcoming drama series Turn, and it's now available online for all to see.  Billed as “the untold story of America’s first spy ring,” the show begins in the summer of 1778 and centers on a New York farmer named Abe Woodhull (Jamie Bell) who bands together with a group of childhood friends to form the Culper Ring, a group of spies who turn the tide in America’s fight for independence.  It’s definitely a different kind of series for AMC, but the network is at a bit of a crossroads with Breaking Bad gone and Mad Men ending in 2015, so they’re no doubt looking for another breakout hit to go alongside The Walking Dead, which will probably run for many, many more years.

The brief teaser for Turn is indeed promising, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what this spy thriller set in the 18th century has to offer.  The show also stars Seth Numrich, Heather Lind, Meegan Warner, Kevin McNally, Burn Gorman, Angus MacFadyen, JJ Field, and Samuel Roukin.  Turn will premiere on AMC in spring 2014.

Here’s the official synopsis for Turn:

“Turn” is a layered, character-driven spy thriller set during the American Revolutionary War. Based on remarkable new research featured in the book “Washington’s Spies,” by Alexander Rose, the untold story of America’s first spies has finally been decoded and declassified.   “Turn” tells the tale of Abe Woodhull (Jamie Bell), a farmer living behind enemy lines in British-occupied Long Island, who bands together with a group of childhood friends to form The Culper Ring, an unlikely team of secret agents who would help turn the tide of the war in favor of the Rebels.  Their daring efforts also revolutionized the art of espionage, giving birth to modern tradecraft as we know it today, along with all of the moral complexity that entails.   A vibrant story with contemporary significance, “Turn” turns history into suspenseful and resonant entertainment.

“Turn,” from AMC Studios, was developed and written by Craig Silverstein (“Nikita”) who also serves as series showrunner. The pilot was directed by Rupert Wyatt (Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes). Barry Josephson (“Bones,” Enchanted) from Josephson Entertainment is executive producer.  The series stars Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, King Kong, The Adventures of Tintin) as Abraham Woodhull, Seth Numrich (“The Good Wife”) as Ben Talmadge, Daniel Henshall (The Snowtown Murders) as Caleb, Heather Lind (“Boardwalk Empire”) as Anna Strong, Meegan Warner as Mary Woodhull, Kevin McNally (Pirates of the Caribbean: On StrangerTides) as Judge Richard Woodhull, Burn Gorman (The Dark Knight Rises) as Major Hewlett, Angus MacFadyen (Braveheart) as Robert Rogers, JJ Field (Captain America: The First Avenger) as Major John Andre and Samuel Roukin (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1) as Captain Simcoe.