The Americans -- Season 5

[Troublemaker]

The season premier will be broadcast on Fx tonight at 10pm.

Good episode. That answers the question from last season as to why William would infect himself with the Lassa virus.

[RPS]

It will be fascinating to find out where the show is headed. The cold open with a new fake adopted son and a new fake family raised the stakes again. So now (as filled in by the rest of the episode) we have a fake family (the Eckerts) with a fake son (Tuan), a fake family (the Jennings) with real kids (Paige and Henry), and a real father with a real son (Mischa and Mischa, Jr.) that he has never met. Interestingly, the opening song of this season's soundtrack is what Devo considered a “fascist clown” anthem: “That’s Good.”

The agonizing final scene shows that spywork isn’t glamorous. It’s a painstaking, gruesome, dangerous business. And as is so often the case with The Americans, you don’t really know what you’re in for until you’re in over your head.

I'm ready for a great ride.

[Troublemaker]

It will be fascinating to find out where the show is headed. The cold open with a new fake adopted son and a new fake family raised the stakes again. So now (as filled in by the rest of the episode) we have a fake family (the Eckerts) with a fake son (Tuan), a fake family (the Jennings) with real kids (Paige and Henry), and a real father with a real son (Mischa and Mischa, Jr.) that he has never met. Interestingly, the opening song of this season's soundtrack is what Devo considered a “fascist clown” anthem: “That’s Good.”

Yeah, I'm wondering which kid (real or fake) will turn out to be the biggest pain in the butt for Philip and Elizabeth this season. They're all going to be problematic in some fashion.

Also, over in Russia, the show might be setting up a clash between Oleg and his father if Oleg does a really good job in his new anti-corruption role, and it threatens some of his father's friends.

[RPS]

Yeah, I'm wondering which kid (real or fake) will turn out to be the biggest pain in the butt for Philip and Elizabeth this season. They're all going to be problematic in some fashion.

Actually, before all is said and done (in Season Six), the other real kid (Mischa, Jr.) may well cause them the biggest problems.

Also, over in Russia, the show might be setting up a clash between Oleg and his father if Oleg does a really good job in his new anti-corruption role, and it threatens some of his father's friends.

Absolutely.

[Troublemaker]

Actually, before all is said and done (in Season Six), the other real kid (Mischa, Jr.) may well cause them the biggest problems.

Right, I was counting Mischa Jr as a possibility for being a headache.

I don't think it'll take him until Season 6 either. Otherwise, that'd be a really, really long subplot of him getting to America and finding his pop. Possible, but I think he'll make contact this season.

[RPS]

I don't think it'll take him until Season 6 either. Otherwise, that'd be a really, really long subplot of him getting to America and finding his pop. Possible, but I think he'll make contact this season.

I think so too. But I think it will take a while before things all go south in a hurry. This show never rushes.

[Matches]

Loved the first ep but spent about the first 15-20 minutes trying to figure out what the heck was going on... for a minute I thought they had done another time jump and were flashing forward to Philip/ Elizabeth in a new cover identity. Love this show so so much.

[Troublemaker]

Playing catchup a bit now that Duke's season is over.

I liked the X-files shoutout in episode 2. Both the greenhouse scene and Stan's new girlfriend, Marita Covarrubias. Although I suppose most will know her from Walking Dead.

[RPS]

Playing catchup a bit now that Duke's season is over.

I'm caught-up now too. I watched episode 2 on Tuesday evening and #3 last night. I have been wrestling with my rooting for the "bad guys" since the show has been on and the addition of the midges...yikes. This storyline is setting up a version of the USSR that Paige (and her parents) can fully get behind. I don't know where this story element is going (obviously), but the US has quite the history of biological warfare. That said, Nixon officially and publicly ordered an end to all research on offensive biological weapons in 1969.

Roxy Music's “More Than This” and its dark undercurrents opens and closes episode 3.

It's interesting how Elizabeth often plays Philip like a mark and honey-potted him again in #3 (while dancing wearing a cowboy hat and with "Old Flame" playing on the radio). Elizabeth is disgusted by Alexi but he's getting to Philip (his story about his father being dragged off to the Gulag and not being allowed to visit him was chilling, which explains why Elizabeth played Philip -- she's got "good instincts"). Earlier in the episode Elizabeth told Paige that "a relationship is complicated. You don’t share everything. You hold back what you need to. Everybody does.” Oof.

Mischa is in Yugoslavia now but getting closer to his father while everything seems to be converging on Paige, anxious to hide in the closet, crazy about Matthew but being sucked into the family business nonetheless.

Matthew tells Paige there's nothing they can do about their "messy" world. Paige isn't so sure and seems pleased that her parents think (and have told her) otherwise.

Fantastic irony -- Paige: “Is it hard pretending to be other people?” Philip: “Yeah, sometimes. It’s really hard.”

Philip's last line was excellent. “Should we tell Paige about this?”

And we got to see Martha again.

Episode 3 is really, really good.

[budwom]

I stand corrected. I had predicted Martha was at State Toilet Paper Works #2 when in fact she was perusing
the canned mackerel or whatever it was...when I visited Moscow in that era (1983) I can tell you that's exactly how the
shelves looked...vacant...except for an occasional huge pyramid of mackerel or some other item...

[gus]

So was the kid who plays the son not signed back for this season? He's been in no scenes, and there's usually an explanation as to why he's not there. And also, in one of the promos I watched (the scene where the family is walking by the water and a sub launches a missile behind them) they very carefully framed it so you couldn't see his face clearly.

[Troublemaker]

So was the kid who plays the son not signed back for this season? He's been in no scenes, and there's usually an explanation as to why he's not there. And also, in one of the promos I watched (the scene where the family is walking by the water and a sub launches a missile behind them) they very carefully framed it so you couldn't see his face clearly.

Henry was briefly in episode 1 of this season, and he was very, very tall. I think his appearances could be limited because his height will break suspension of disbelief for some.

Then again, it will be hard for the writers to resist juxtaposition of Tuan and Henry, or Philip's Russian son and Henry when Russian Son arrives. So I don't know what will happen.

[RPS]

Henry was briefly in episode 1 of this season, and he was very, very tall. I think his appearances could be limited because his height will break suspension of disbelief for some.

In an interview with both showrunners about season five, Joel Fields says, "We can say that this season, there will be more Henry story unfolding."

[jimmymax]

I really loved the show for a season or two but the endless Martha and doe-eyed Paige / Pastor Tim threads did me in. I got fed up and deleted the timer from the DVR. I only just realized there was a new season and (not remembering I had lost interest since I'm getting to that age) hurriedly got caught up. I'm ready to bail again. My sense is that the story line that was initially pitched has played out, but being a hit there must be more since it's a money-maker. The writers stay an episode or two ahead of filming and the show suffers. One fascination though -- given the protagonists' countless trysts over the years I am impressed with Russian '80s wig-adhesion technology.

[Troublemaker]

Haha, I don't agree. At all. But to each his own.

[RPS]

The writers stay an episode or two ahead of filming and the show suffers.

Numerous reports have noted that The Americans is a rare television series that it is almost fully planned out in advance and that each season is written before filming. That's partly because the CIA has to clear the scripts (because one of the creators/showrunners used to work there) and that takes time. The creators have insisted they have known from the beginning where the show is headed and how it will end.

You're free to dislike it, of course, but your proposed explanation for why you don't like it doesn't hold up.

This week's episode opened the season up. Pastor Tim is back and introducing Paige to Marx. Paige is starting to spy on her own. Mischa made it to NYC. Stan's new girlfriend is suspicious (game recognizing game?). Elizabeth and Philip are tired of the work-required honey-potting.

Not a lot of action this week. The only viewer discretion warning for the episode was for language. What gives?!

[Troublemaker]

Numerous reports have noted that The Americans is a rare television series that it is almost fully planned out in advance and that each season is written before filming. That's partly because the CIA has to clear the scripts (because one of the creators/showrunners used to work there) and that takes time. The creators have insisted they have known from the beginning where the show is headed and how it will end.

You're free to dislike it, of course, but your proposed explanation for why you don't like it doesn't hold up.

Yeah, most of the themes and tensions on the show date back to Season 1, even Episode 1. Such as Elizabeth being the true believer and Phiip being "shaky." I didn't know that the series was all-the-way mapped out ahead of time but not surprised. The cohesiveness is there.

This week's episode opened the season up. Pastor Tim is back and introducing Paige to Marx. Paige is starting to spy on her own. Mischa made it to NYC. Stan's new girlfriend is suspicious (game recognizing game?). Elizabeth and Philip are tired of the work-required honey-potting.

Not a lot of action this week. The only viewer discretion warning for the episode was for language. What gives?!

The last two episodes ("Kansas" and "Lotus") have been very good. The reveal that AgriCorp was looking to feed the hungry, not starve them hit P & E like a ton of bricks. Can't wait to see what happens from here.

[Matches]

The last two episodes ("Kansas" and "Lotus") have been very good. The reveal that AgriCorp was looking to feed the hungry, not starve them hit P & E like a ton of bricks. Can't wait to see what happens from here.

I was a little surprised that E was so quick to take that guy's word for it on that topic. Trust but verify, no? Even if he believed that's what he was doing, perhaps his superiors were co-opting his work? I dunno. But yea, particularly for P the knowledge that he killed a completely innocent person for being in the wrong place at the wrong time hit him pretty hard.

In re: the honeypotting thread - I wonder if the show would ever go the route of having P or E contract an STD? I'm not sure that would even be an interesting storyline but it seems like a logical consequence of some of the stuff they do, especially in an 80's setting where awareness of that sort of thing was only budding.

Not sure how I feel about Stan's GF. Could be P's paranoia given that he was working the gym scam on someone at the exact same time.

[Troublemaker]

I was a little surprised that E was so quick to take that guy's word for it on that topic. Trust but verify, no? Even if he believed that's what he was doing, perhaps his superiors were co-opting his work? I dunno. But yea, particularly for P the knowledge that he killed a completely innocent person for being in the wrong place at the wrong time hit him pretty hard.

In re: the honeypotting thread - I wonder if the show would ever go the route of having P or E contract an STD? I'm not sure that would even be an interesting storyline but it seems like a logical consequence of some of the stuff they do, especially in an 80's setting where awareness of that sort of thing was only budding.

Not sure how I feel about Stan's GF. Could be P's paranoia given that he was working the gym scam on someone at the exact same time.

Little piece of trivia. The actress that plays Stan's g/f used to be on the X-files, where she had to learn a little bit of Russian to play her character. So I'm slightly leaning towards she's KGB but wouldn't be surprised if she were just a regular person. I wonder what P's main concern is wrt Stan's g/f -- (a) that his friend Stan not get honeypotted or (b) that the KGB might blow it with Stan, does endangering P & E. Probably a little bit from both columns, but P being the sentimental type, I wouldn't be surprised that (a) is the main motivator.

[Troublemaker]

Last night's episode ("Crossbreed") was quintessential slow-burn prestige drama.

Nothing much happened plot-wise, but sooo much happened character development-wise and emotionally.

If you can watch last night's episode and enjoy it or even think that it was great, then you can watch The Americans. Or Better Call Saul, or other slow-burn prestige dramas.