# New FX Series: The Americans (Starts Jan 30th) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 24, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172 "2013-01-24T02:09:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/1 "2013-01-24T02:09:33Z")
The Hollywood Reporter gave the new series, [The Americans](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/americans-tv-review-414778), a pretty glowing review. This is set in the cold war era of the 80’s, with the story about an undercover KGB family. The reviewer compares it to the best aspects of Homeland and he thinks it is already better than Season Two of Homeland (after watching just the first two episodes). Pretty heady praise, but I guess worth progamming on your DVR or checking it out when it starts. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/2 "2013-01-24T02:53:46Z")
I’m looking forward to this. I’ve heard other good things about it, the previews that I’ve seen during **Justified** look interesting, and I’m a sucker for stories set during the Cold War. I’m not sure how I feel about Keri Russell playing a dangerous KGB sleeper agent, but I’m willing to be convinced. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/3 "2013-01-24T16:48:25Z")
I have high hopes for this show. Even if it’s bad the nostalgia show be fun for at least one or two episodes. (The 80’s were my teen years.) ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/4 "2013-01-24T19:49:18Z")
Definitely on my watch list. Here is hoping it does not suck. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/5 "2013-01-24T20:56:30Z")
I’ve been impressed with the promos and have it set to DVR the first episode. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/6 "2013-01-24T21:15:33Z")
Hmm. I had seen something about this, but hadn’t really considered giving it a try, but maybe I will. I hope they don’t try to do a _Homeland_ meets _Mad Men_, though. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/7 "2013-01-24T21:45:42Z")
JJ Abrams has always said he created _ **Alias** _ after asking himself what _ **Felicity** _, played by Russell, might’ve been like if she’d gone into the spy business after college. Now we’ll get to see ;). ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/8 "2013-01-26T00:31:59Z")
I’m not much interested in the premise, but FX makes some killer dramas, so I’ll be there. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/9 "2013-01-26T00:48:04Z")
Because one of the most amazing and gorgeous women I’ve ever known personally is a dead ringer for Keri Russell, I freely admit I will see any movie or TV show she is in for pure nostalgia’s sake (ditto: Zoe Kazan) So I’ll be there. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/10 "2013-01-30T23:40:21Z")
Just a quick final bump - the show starts tonight in case anyone wants to give it a try. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/11 "2013-01-30T23:50:20Z")
I’m looking forward to seeing it. I gave up on The Following though. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/12 "2013-01-31T06:19:18Z")
I like what I see. I really wasn’t expecting… …any children. It makes sense; although I wonder if it’s really worth it? Are children _that_ important to “fitting in” with all the potential complications? I mean they’re keeping prisoners in their own fucking house. :dubious: “Mommy why is there a guy tied up in our trunk?” ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/13 "2013-01-31T06:41:55Z")
Was anybody else getting the deep-undercover KGB sleeper agent vibe from the FBI-agent neighbor, who conveniently moved in next-door during a sensitive time? I know the final scene seemed to put the kibosh on that, but it could have just been misdirection and doesn’t completely rule it out. (He could have just been checking up on his comrades in case they were getting any ideas about turning him/themselves in, which they were.) With the whole sleeper/double agent theme, you just know there are going to be characters whose true allegiances will turn out to be a surprise. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/14 "2013-01-31T13:50:44Z")
I liked the 80’s music behind the action scenes - Tusk! I liked the actors, though she looked awfully glum throughout the whole show. And I always have to suspend my disbelief when some stick insect woman springs into action as a deadly fighting machine. I would think the spy business is a whole lot more mundane, but you have to have some kind of physical fighting to hold the viewers interest. I did NOT like the thought of the ‘bad guy’ trussed up in the trunk of the car for, what, two days? That was really sickening. All I could think was, jeez, just do something! Turn him in, kill him, let him escape, just let him out of the trunk! ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/15 "2013-01-31T14:44:13Z")
I loved it. One of the best pilots I’ve seen in a long time. I’m looking forward to seeing more of this complicated dynamic between husband and wife. Also, Matthew Rhys is hot. I’ve never seen him before and didn’t realize he’s Welsh. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/16 "2013-01-31T14:50:00Z")
Based on what i have seen, I am liking it. I can’t shaking this wierd feeling that if the lead actress cuts her hair it will all go downhill, though. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/17 "2013-01-31T15:26:12Z")
I liked it a lot. The FBI counterintel agent just happening to move in across the street was maybe a little too much of a coincidence, but if the show does something like that, I’d rather them just get it out of the way in the pilot and move on. Very cool use of “Tusk.” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/18 "2013-01-31T19:15:28Z")
Another vote for _Tusk_! I have to admit some confusion with the cast that I think I have managed to sort out without direct help from IMDb. See if you can see resemblances between [Matthew Rhys (Phillip Jennings)](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0722629/?ref_=tt_cl_t5), [David Vadim (Nikolai Timoshev)](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0883008/?ref_=sr_1), and [Joe Urla (blowjob guy).](http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=30755) My source for their names and characters is [tvguide.com](http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-americans-2013/episode-1-season-1/pilot/406308) I had to rewind several time to decide there were three people in those early scenes that I couldn’t sort out. I have had similar issues with the cast of _Nashville_ so maybe it’s just me. 🙂 The flashback to the captain raping Elizabeth back in the 60’s helped me decide he was the one in the trunk and the reaction shot in the meeting with Urla helped me decide his FBI job was why Elizabeth picked him up in the bar. Otherwise I was baffled. Liking the show other than that confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/19 "2013-01-31T19:45:41Z")
I definitely had a problem with Philip and the captain, **Zeldar**. When the captain first showed up in the flashback, I thought he was Philip and said to myself, “So this is where they meet, and all that fighting is supposed to show how they have chemistry, and then they get teamed up, blah blah blah.” And then he raped her, and I thought, “Wait, WHAT?!? He raped her and now they’re married with kids?!?” I was briefly horrified before I was able to make the connection between the the captain and the guy in the trunk. I don’t know if I missed a key piece of information earlier in the show that should have tipped me off earlier, but yeah, those two guys definitely resemble each other. And the show’s dark color pallette wasn’t much help in figuring out who was who. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/20 "2013-01-31T19:54:56Z")
One thing that gives me hope for this show (other than its being on FX) is that [Graham Yost](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003662/?ref_=sr_1) (_Justified_) is involved. He ought to keep things from being predictable while still allowing for unexpected twists that I won’t see coming. I just hope I can get the main players sorted out before they start shape-shifting! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172.md?page=2)