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The Americans - S6 - The Final Season of the Keri Russell / Matthew Rhys spy drama - FX Wednesdays
- Thread starter Cornballer
- Start date
Yeah, and she maybe went a bit overboard because it was Paige and not some random field operative.
If Elizabeth's caught and convicted by show's end, I might actually cheer a little. She could at least catch up on some sleep in jail.
I just really hope she doesn't die. Dying would just be an escape from the hell I hope the true believer endures in her conclusion.
whenever I watch this fucking show I always get a bunch of snacks and brew some coffee to consume while watching as one does but every fucking time I get so enthralled by what's happening on the screen I fucking forget about it all and now the episode is over and my coffee is cold fuck
Not very many other things have this affect on me and it's fucking bullshit fuck this
Not very many other things have this affect on me and it's fucking bullshit fuck this
Absolutely amazing episode. From a rather slow-burn of a show The Americans in it's final season goes full Le Carre and "Metal Gear Solid 3".
Some of the shots are great too:
Amulet with a pill is a fantastic visual gimmick that constantly reminds on Elizabeth's commitment to the cause.
As always, Jenning's kitchen hosts the most dramatic arguments on political subjects and in this episode during one of those Philipp realizes he HAS to "work" his own wife (and possibly -- stop her).
"Dead Hand" system is a real thing and still works. A minor goof but in Russian they'd say it's a "Perimeter system", "dead hand" is it's american name:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Hand
The movie they were watching was:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Does_Not_Believe_in_Tears
And main character of that movie is definitely similar to Elizabeth in their steely but also somewhat alienating resolve.
Some of the shots are great too:
Amulet with a pill is a fantastic visual gimmick that constantly reminds on Elizabeth's commitment to the cause.
As always, Jenning's kitchen hosts the most dramatic arguments on political subjects and in this episode during one of those Philipp realizes he HAS to "work" his own wife (and possibly -- stop her).
"Dead Hand" system is a real thing and still works. A minor goof but in Russian they'd say it's a "Perimeter system", "dead hand" is it's american name:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Hand
The movie they were watching was:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Does_Not_Believe_in_Tears
And main character of that movie is definitely similar to Elizabeth in their steely but also somewhat alienating resolve.
Maybe season 5 was necessary to set it all up.
Premiere was outstanding. Chills throughout. We're witnessing one of the greatest final seasons ever for a show right here guys. Brace yourselves.
Premiere was outstanding. Chills throughout. We're witnessing one of the greatest final seasons ever for a show right here guys. Brace yourselves.
I thought that was the case, speaking of which I can't be the only hoping both Philip and Elizabeth get it in the end. I can't bring myself to root for them, Liz especially.
Man, it was good to see Philip happy, at least for the first part of the episode. This is not going to end well for either of them.
I always thought I was weird for wanting both of them get caught since the first season (#teamstan), though I've come around on Philip.
I always thought I was weird for wanting both of them get caught since the first season (#teamstan), though I've come around on Philip.
Yep, great premiere, the showrunners are so fucking good. The sense of dread looming over every character is palpable. I keep picturing the look on Henry's face when he eventually realises his entire family betrayed him, it's going to be devastating (a shame he's not a great actor so we probably won't get that scene).
I'm also nervously anticipating Stan finding out about his neighbours...
...damn, this season's going to be amazing. Spy v Spy was always going to be the end point, the two characters have always been at conflict ideologically. This story was never going to have a happy ending. :(
I'm also nervously anticipating Stan finding out about his neighbours...
...damn, this season's going to be amazing. Spy v Spy was always going to be the end point, the two characters have always been at conflict ideologically. This story was never going to have a happy ending. :(
I feel like the conflict might come to a head early in the season and the last couple (maybe even few) episodes could be a long epilogue, maybe even one without half of the Jennings team. I could easily see an epilogue carried only by Stan, Martha, or whoever the survivors are. Throughout the series the Jennings have left and assuredly will leave a hell of a fallout.
The premiere was great, as usual. Loved how Elizabeth was like "Nah man it's all good it happens" after Paige told her the Navy guy had her photo ID but as soon as Paige drove away Elizabeth was like "fuck!" and ran over and stabbed the dude in the neck to get it back.
Was it actually absolutely necessarry to stabby-stab that dude, though? It struck me as a killing kind of emotionally driven and stress relieving, not unlike when Philip stuffed that guard on the bus, although in Philip's case I believe it was necessary... and committed passionately. How likely is it that evidence would really come back to bite them? Then again, Liz's modus operandi has always been SUPER ELIMINATE ALL THE WITNESSES.
Was it really necessary and am I just buying the the bullshit she sold Paige?
Also, part of me (and I know I'm not alone on this so admit it, you monsters) is like Yeah! Fuck that guy! That was a disgusting, terrifying way to pick up a date. But of course he didn't deserve to eat shit to death.
Was it really necessary and am I just buying the the bullshit she sold Paige?
Also, part of me (and I know I'm not alone on this so admit it, you monsters) is like Yeah! Fuck that guy! That was a disgusting, terrifying way to pick up a date. But of course he didn't deserve to eat shit to death.
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Excellent premiere! Glad to see the show start off so strong after the last season, which IMO was the worst one by far.
She probably could have gotten away with just knocking him out and stealing his wallet, but I think it was mostly just stress relief like you said.
What a strong start.
I got chills while watching the season preview after this episode.
I think shit is gonna end bad for everyone, especially for Elizabeth.
I got chills while watching the season preview after this episode.
I think shit is gonna end bad for everyone, especially for Elizabeth.
You're not alone on that at all, actually. I thought it was a subtle nod to everything going on in the world. Oh, you want to see how a Russian spy deals with a creeper? It was kind of brilliant. She's cracking but she's a mother. She's protective, blowing off steam, thematically appropriate. One of my favorite moments in a premiere I didn't actually love. It felt overstuffed to me, tons of montages, everything a little too "cute and perfect." I never expected all of our leads to cross paths; maybe that's on me. I also thought it was completely unsubtle in a lot of ways, which is so unlike the show. Lots of explicit explaining. I like that The Americans is generally obtuse, that it doesn't spoon-feed its (small, loyal, and utterly dedicated) audience. Didn't feel that way this time. Felt like, heeeeey, we've been gone for a while, probably some newbies / bingers jumping in. Let's hold their hands.
I love the show and overall thought it was an OK episode. Not their best, though lots of intriguing setup. Prior to this episode, it would've been completely reasonable to believe we were building to a final season built around Stan somehow exposing the Jennings. What if that never happens? What if it's truly just Phillip vs. Elizabeth? I can dig it, though I do think it'll be a mix of both. Can't wait to see where everything goes. Don't want it to end.
^In that post I meant to say "I know I'm not alone" actually and I totally just messed up and omitted "not." xD
on that night in the papers or on the news, Elizabeth is kind of fucked, right? Parentally, not criminally I mean.
And also, if Paige catches the report of that guy's brutal and seemingly random murder
on that night in the papers or on the news, Elizabeth is kind of fucked, right? Parentally, not criminally I mean.
Good question! I want to say maybe, but he has no idea it's anywhere near the extent it is. Maybe he thinks it's just very elementary training and pre-school spying, not the real damn deal.
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Probably. You have to wonder if she was intentionally delivering information to Elizabeth with that not-so surreptitious conversation with Aderholt's wife.
Great start, the opening montage was fantastic with everything shown on Elizabeth and Phillip's face with no words needed. The music getting louder while the general told Elizabeth was very weird, I assume it was sort of a PTSD reinforcement especially with the song choice (just follow orders).
Elizabeth kinda fucked up with the marine guard, she took back Paige's wallet but she left the guys wallet on the body which means police will automatically know its not just a robbery. Doubt there will be any fallout from that.
Great start to the season, hope they can keep the plot tight and focused and driven. Its gonna be Phillip vs Elizabeth soon I think, which is heartbreaking.
Elizabeth kinda fucked up with the marine guard, she took back Paige's wallet but she left the guys wallet on the body which means police will automatically know its not just a robbery. Doubt there will be any fallout from that.
Great start to the season, hope they can keep the plot tight and focused and driven. Its gonna be Phillip vs Elizabeth soon I think, which is heartbreaking.
That's what I was thinking - the reports of his murder will surely be on the news and/or in the papers and Paige is sure to see them. She should be able to put two and two together and figure out what happened quite easily.
If Liz was thinking cool she might've nabbed his whole wallet and frisked any valuables from him to make it look like a mugging, which probably wouldn't prevent Paige from putting two and two together but it might've helped a little bit with everything.
And yet i saw that majority of viewers still asking what was the meaning of necklace or why Elizabeth was a nurse... Quality of (some) TV might get higher, quality of viewers -- not so much.
Speaking of nurse role. I noticed that how tightly they spy on summit guy not only in the cafe scene with Norm and whatsherface (Maryanne i think was her name? she was the one who had to calm down last season after seeing P&E carrying the body of random lab worker into car's trunk) but also third operative who also doubles as second shift nurse for artist wife.
Also another note -- other operatives don't know that Paige is Elizabeth's daughter. She probably introduced her just as yet another agent.
I highly suspect she is actually Stazi or Mossad.
Yeah, some people think she could be CIA, too, to keep an eye on Stan. I just don't think they are going to let him be happy so I'm sure she's something.
Finally saw it........this season will be dark AF. So much set up in that first episode and it's all so terrible :(
Seeing Oleg and Phillip talking was king of warming for some weird reason, even if it was terrible information.
Seeing Oleg and Phillip talking was king of warming for some weird reason, even if it was terrible information.
No one is making it out of this with a happy ending. I have to think Paige won't go along with this shit once she realizes how evil her parents can be, but is she really still that obtuse at this point?
How could Elizabeth even want Paige to go through what she's going through. She's too far gone.
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I'm generally watching tv on a significant time delay these days, so if anyone wants to post reviews and the like in a timely fashion, please do. If not, I'll get to it later when I have time to catch the episodes.
- Sepinwall's review
- Onion A|V Club review
- Indiewire review
- Vox panel discussion
- Slate Podcast for this week (guests: Weisberg, Fields, director Chris Long, costume designer Katie Irish)
- Vanity Fair: The Real-Life Russian Saga That Inspired the Final Season (Fields/Weisberg interview)
- NY Mag: The Importance of Peter Gabriel to The Americans
- Sepinwall's review
- Onion A|V Club review
- Indiewire review
- Vox panel discussion
- Slate Podcast for this week (guests: Weisberg, Fields, director Chris Long, costume designer Katie Irish)
- Vanity Fair: The Real-Life Russian Saga That Inspired the Final Season (Fields/Weisberg interview)
- NY Mag: The Importance of Peter Gabriel to The Americans
Thanks for the updates you've done all this time Cornballer, I have always appreciated it.
Damn, KGB has Liz running ragged. Bad enough she's doing like 5 jobs for them, but her reward is a mission so critical it requires a cyanide necklace. They did a great job in displaying just how exhausted she is and the contrast between the life Phillip is living right now.
Phil out here watching hockey games and line dancing, only for Mother Russia to pull him back in. To spy on his wife no less.
Oleg got dragged back too, and dude has a newborn baby. It was cool seeing Arkady again though.
Phil out here watching hockey games and line dancing, only for Mother Russia to pull him back in. To spy on his wife no less.
Oleg got dragged back too, and dude has a newborn baby. It was cool seeing Arkady again though.
Man, serves me right for trying to find a free / different way to watch this show.
I don't expect to get a commercial-free experience while watching the show for free of course, but I was willing to pay for a month or two of DirectTV Now or SlingTV at ~$30-35/month to watch The Americans and a couple other shows. But I forgot that even in the world of paying a lot of money for cable it still comes with ads, regardless of whether it's through Comcast or an over-the-top service like these.
Plunked down $25 to just buy the season pass outright. Started watching with no ads immediately. Ahhhhhhhhhh
I don't expect to get a commercial-free experience while watching the show for free of course, but I was willing to pay for a month or two of DirectTV Now or SlingTV at ~$30-35/month to watch The Americans and a couple other shows. But I forgot that even in the world of paying a lot of money for cable it still comes with ads, regardless of whether it's through Comcast or an over-the-top service like these.
Plunked down $25 to just buy the season pass outright. Started watching with no ads immediately. Ahhhhhhhhhh
Is Oleg's wife one of the women from the dinner scene last season?
Good start. The downfall presumably coming from pitting Elizabeth and Phillip on opposing sides is great and much better than a potentially worn-out on-the-lamb or double-agents angle. Episode could have used a bit less of the contrast between the two - look at Phillip out and about against Liz drudging from one identity to another.
Would also have liked more Paige time. The time-jump eliminated the chance to see her participation ramp-up. Not quite sure how much she knows now or how she's on board staking-out people. This plot line seems too have been pacified too quickly and easily.
Good start. The downfall presumably coming from pitting Elizabeth and Phillip on opposing sides is great and much better than a potentially worn-out on-the-lamb or double-agents angle. Episode could have used a bit less of the contrast between the two - look at Phillip out and about against Liz drudging from one identity to another.
Would also have liked more Paige time. The time-jump eliminated the chance to see her participation ramp-up. Not quite sure how much she knows now or how she's on board staking-out people. This plot line seems too have been pacified too quickly and easily.
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Nice catch!
What a tense episode. It looks like a great weight has been lifted from Phillip and it looks like Elizabeth is getting worse and worse.
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A couple additional interviews:
The Cut: Holly Taylor's American Dream The Americans' star on the end of her show — and navigating the industry on her own terms.
Business Insider: 'The Americans' creators share their feelings on ending the show after 6 seasons
The Cut: Holly Taylor's American Dream The Americans' star on the end of her show — and navigating the industry on her own terms.
Business Insider: 'The Americans' creators share their feelings on ending the show after 6 seasons
And damn at the time skip. Elizabeth has been doing it alone for several years. The travel agency looks even more successful.