The Americans

[jleves]

I'm surprised I can't find any reference to this series on the yard. Originally an FX series that is now free on Amazon Prime about two KGB agents posing as an American couple/family in the early 1980s (Reagan Era). It's really interesting, pretty well scripted and acted - of course they have to take some liberties or leaps with the premise and pace, but very historically accurate with real world events from that time. First season was quite good and every season after is better which is unusual for a series. Really highly rated and reviewed.

It's a definite time suck with 13 1 hour episodes for 6 seasons but well worth it if you are into spy stuff and/or interested in the cold war. Beware - Definitely adult material with violence, sex, language etc.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm surprised I can't find any reference to this series on the yard. Originally an FX series that is now free on Amazon Prime about two KGB agents posing as an American couple/family in the early 1980s (Reagan Era). It's really interesting, pretty well scripted and acted - of course they have to take some liberties or leaps with the premise and pace, but very historically accurate with real world events from that time. First season was quite good and every season after is better which is unusual for a series. Really highly rated and reviewed.

It's a definite time suck with 13 1 hour episodes for 6 seasons but well worth it if you are into spy stuff and/or interested in the cold war. Beware - Definitely adult material with violence, sex, language etc.

Watched a couple seasons, but eventually kind of stopped. Keri Russell definitely not playing the Felicity role here. She is lovely however.

 

[John]

Watching it now, halfway into Season 2 at this point. Interesting series, brutal at times with the murders etc. Definitely don't watch it with the kids around. Keri Russell is uberhot in it.

 

[ZooCougar]

I need to finish it. I love this show. But I think it’s one of those series that went too long

 

[Waquoit]

I'm pretty sure the Americans had some discussion on the Yard when it was running.

 

[jleves]

I need to finish it. I love this show. But I think it’s one of those series that went too long

I don't know that it went too long - I like how they change the dynamics from season to season so it stays pretty fresh. I'm half way through the final season and I'm kind of done with the missions, politics, etc. and now just really want to know how they end it. A season less and I would feel cheated, a season more would have definitely been too much.

 

[TheChamps990411]

I'm surprised I can't find any reference to this series on the yard. Originally an FX series that is now free on Amazon Prime about two KGB agents posing as an American couple/family in the early 1980s (Reagan Era). It's really interesting, pretty well scripted and acted - of course they have to take some liberties or leaps with the premise and pace, but very historically accurate with real world events from that time. First season was quite good and every season after is better which is unusual for a series. Really highly rated and reviewed.

It's a definite time suck with 13 1 hour episodes for 6 seasons but well worth it if you are into spy stuff and/or interested in the cold war. Beware - Definitely adult material with violence, sex, language etc.

I remember seeing part of the first season then stopped watching then decided to just binge it whenever the series ended. Really good show i totally forgot about but will be binging asap.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

It just showed up on Hulu. I am only halfway through season 1, and it is really good.

My only complaint is that the Russians are a little too smart and too deep into the American government. If we were as heavily infiltrated in real life as the U.S. is in this show, USSR might have won the Cold War.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It just showed up on Hulu. I am only halfway through season 1, and it is really good.

My only complaint is that the Russians are a little too smart and too deep into the American government. If we were as heavily infiltrated in real life as the U.S. is in this show, USSR might have won the Cold War.

Season 1 is terrific. Season 2 is good. They start to run out of ideas in my view and it starts to feel manufactured.

 

[John]

Season 1 is terrific. Season 2 is good. They start to run out of ideas in my view and it starts to feel manufactured.

Paige gets extremely annoying in later seasons.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I am struggling a bit with this show through the 10th episode. The drama and the characters are really good, but the plot is a bit crazy. Philip and Elizabeth just do whatever they want.

Spoiler

Kill a counterintelligence FBI Agent? \Ignore orders about killing one of their team and let him get into a gun fight with Washington DC cops? Kidnap a senior CIA officer? Sure. Their cover would have been blown if any of those things happened, but they are doing all of it and there are no consequences for any of it..

 

[HuskyHawk]

I am struggling a bit with this show through the 10th episode. The drama and the characters are really good, but the plot is a bit crazy. Philip and Elizabeth just do whatever they want.

Spoiler

Kill a counterintelligence FBI Agent? \Ignore orders about killing one of their team and let him get into a gun fight with Washington DC cops? Kidnap a senior CIA officer? Sure. Their cover would have been blown if any of those things happened, but they are doing all of it and there are no consequences for any of it..

I think we are supposed to believe that an attractive couple, with kids, who appear to be Americans, wouldn't be subject to scrutiny as potential Soviet agents. Remember, this is before the digital era. You couldn't even get good driver's license data between states.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Spoiler

The escape at the end of Season 1 was ridiculous. There was no way they could have escaped that situation given that there were 20 agents there. The FBI and CIA are a combination of storm troopers and the cops from the Blues Brothers. Stan has already at least considered that there might be something wrong with Elizabeth and Philip, and then they don't make it home on the day a trap goes bad, but does not think anything is amiss?

And separately, Nina becomes a double agent without a Stan thinking anything was going on? He wouldn't have the safe house watched the day he was going to Exfil a Soviet?

And Martha Hanson doesn't think anything is up with her freak "husband"? She works in a spy agency. This show practically gives the Soviets superpowers.