# 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:** 13
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/241 "2013-03-23T19:21:15Z")
I’m not saying there are not other or even better ways to do it. What I’m saying is that the Soviets were very suspicious of their people, that they had the true ideals, that they were not seduced by the American way of life, etc. So for the Soviets, it makes sense to foster teams that rely on each other and then report back to HQ on each other. And marriages don’t always work out. They’re often some of the most difficult relationships, and many couples do not have the honesty of the ideal. Look how prevalent infidelity is. Stack that on top of a relationship that they must trust each other. So I can see how the Soviets especially would desire more of the “make it look good” rather than “be emotionally bonded to each other” arrangement. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/242 "2013-03-23T22:37:42Z")
Adults can change accents. Plenty of actors these days are foreigners playing Americans, it seems. Certainly, not EVERYONE can change accents as an adult, but it can be done. Anyway, why no episode next week? Doesn’t seem to be anything else on FX worth preempting it for, just some rerun of a crummy movie. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/243 "2013-03-23T23:30:16Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Plenty of actors these days are foreigners playing Americans, it seems. Including the guy playing Philip - he’s [Welsh](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Rhys#Early_life) :D. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/244 "2013-03-25T00:47:28Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Adults can change accents. Plenty of actors these days are foreigners playing Americans, it seems. Certainly, not EVERYONE can change accents as an adult, but it can be done. Agreed, though when we saw them as teenagers first meeting each other, didn’t they already speak American? That would seem to indicate immersion from a young age. Not as young as 7, though. We saw Elizabeth at 7, when that guy tried to deliver that crate of goodies to her and her mother. No English at that point. > [@](#): > > Anyway, why no episode next week? Doesn’t seem to be anything else on FX worth preempting it for, just some rerun of a crummy movie. I wondered that myself. Doesn’t appear to be anything related to the NCAA tournament. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/245 "2013-03-25T01:04:20Z")
Doesn’t mean she wasn’t going through intensive English training at 7, just that she was with her mother. She could’ve still been doing English immersion for 8 hours a day at that point. I doubt they’ll ever address that in the show, but no reason to rule it out. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/246 "2013-03-25T07:22:05Z")
That’s actually a fair point. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/247 "2013-03-25T11:59:44Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Well, I doubt he expected to need a dead-man switch. The shape charge was probably intended as the kind of security where he has the controller in his hand when the attack comes through the door. He just used the opportunity when it presented itself. What is a “shape (shaped?) charge anyway”? I assumed it was something that was designed to be directional rather than blow the whole place to smithereens. It sure looked like the guy got blown there to me. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/248 "2013-03-25T12:41:49Z")
I’m surprised that nobody has picked up on the fact that Phillip is tired of taking Elizabeth’s crap, and was trying to kill her when he threw the charge at her. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/249 "2013-03-25T13:50:36Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > What is a “shape (shaped?) charge anyway”? I assumed it was something that was designed to be directional rather than blow the whole place to smithereens. It sure looked like the guy got blown there to me. [Basically, yeah](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaped_charge). That doesn’t necessarily mean that when you have one tossed at you in a hotel bathroom it won’t pretty much ruin your day. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/250 "2013-03-25T19:27:03Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > What is a “shape (shaped?) charge anyway”? I assumed it was something that was designed to be directional rather than blow the whole place to smithereens. It sure looked like the guy got blown there to me. A shape charge makes the blast directional. So he could have a large blast cover the door entry zone while remain safe a few feet on the other side. But if you throw the shape charge into the bathroom and it happens to be facing him when he hits the button, he will be downrange of the blast and get its full effect. And this same episode had a block of plastique the size of a couple of batteries create a fireball and take out a house, so I wouldn’t rely on the accuracy of the show’s depiction. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/251 "2013-03-25T19:35:12Z")
Really liking this show, FX’s stable is getting very impressive. Specific to “Mutually Assured Destruction”… > [@Irishman](#): > > Plus, if the couple gets strong feelings for each other, they are more likely to let their feelings for Mother Russia take a back seat, possibly looking at defecting. Keep the agents focused on their duty and concern for the homeland, not divided between homeland and home. I think that’s probably it; they don’t want the agents more loyal to anyone or anything than to the KGB and the homeland. The incompetence brewing at the Center is poised to test this divided loyalty as the season goes on; capturing and interrogating their own agents, then changing their minds halfway through an operation is a powerful one-two punch of contemptible ineptitude, that will surely drive Phillip and Elizabeth further from the KGB, and possibly toward each other. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/252 "2013-03-26T02:14:11Z")
On another topic, I’m rather liking how The Americans is taking basic-cable nudity to a whole new level. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/253 "2013-03-26T09:02:14Z")
I rather agree. Not because HEY BOOBIES!!! although that never hurts, but simply because it seems so childish to have a serious show skirt around that. Every time I’m thinking “oh, right, this scene was awkwardly shot to avoid nudity because it’s not HBO” I’m taken out of the moment and into evaluating it as a TV show, which pulls you just a bit from the story. We’re all adults, right? This show is not going to appeal to 8 year olds, and even if it did, there’s much worse shit on it than seeing some skin. It’s about time we grew up about this issue. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/254 "2013-04-04T03:19:08Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > On another topic, I’m rather liking how The Americans is taking basic-cable nudity to a whole new level. Tonight’s sex scene was definantly surprising. I knew Beeman’s partner would end up dead, but again, why did they leave a body to be found? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/255 "2013-04-04T16:50:57Z")
Ok, that was an interesting episode. I really don’t get 1. Splitting Philip and Elizabeth up. While I thought the actors (the parents and kids) did a wonderful job in portraying the emotions of a family breakup, we all know its not going to last. 2. The actions of the protagonists and antagonists. They have an FBI agent and they don’t ask the resident WTH to do? I doubt it. Similarly, even in this War on Terror age, I still cannot see the government being okay with cold blooded murder, or at least unauthorized cold blooded murder. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/256 "2013-04-04T17:10:34Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > They have an FBI agent and they don’t ask the resident WTH to do? I don’t think they have any contact with the resident at all. They had the emergency number they used to verify that he was alive, otherwise I assume they have never spoken to him. Direct contact of any sort with embassy staff would be a no-no for a deep cover agent. Their only normal contact is their handler, who I agree _should_ have been consulted. There are various ways you can fan-wank that away based on their mental states, their independent judgement as field agents and current suspicion of said handler. But, yeah - something on _that_ level should have been called in, especially after the big speech about the dangers of an escalating tit-for-tat spy war. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/257 "2013-04-04T17:56:39Z")
One thing that kinda takes me out of this show is all the dirty work these two are supposed to do. They’re firmly entrenched, successfully placed undercover KGB agents, and they’re running around murdering people in public (like Elizabeth shooting the scientist) and in general taking huge risks (like Philip snatching that purse, bugging FBI cars, blowing up scientists’ cars and shit) that could get them caught easily. It just seems like the KGB would not want them running around being so reckless. Don’t get me wrong, I love the show, it just seems strange to me how exposed they make themselves. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/258 "2013-04-04T19:46:26Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > …Similarly, even in this War on Terror age, I still cannot see the government being okay with cold blooded murder, or at least unauthorized cold blooded murder. True, Gaud did say this wasn’t exactly above board. Reagan is not going to authorize the assassination of a ranking diplomat on US soil, especially just after getting the hostages back. Regarding Arkady, was anyone else surprise Elizabeth knew him by name? :dubious: Obviously she’d be aware that there was a KGB resident at the embassy under diplomatic cover, but what’s the point in letting her know his name if she’s not supposed to have any contact? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/259 "2013-04-04T23:15:45Z")
Argh! After two weeks somehow I wound up with 10mins of whatever was on before Americans, and the first 50 mins of Americans. I don’t know if FX or Comcast or who is to blame, but GAAAH! ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/260 "2013-04-04T23:51:49Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > It just seems like the KGB would not want them running around being so reckless. > > Don’t get me wrong, I love the show, it just seems strange to me how exposed they make themselves. Agreed. Unfortunately that’s a hole we’re probably just going to have to accept, because otherwise they wouldn’t have a ( popular ) show. Sex and bullets sell. I was worried about this after the first episode, but so far the balance hasn’t been _bad_. But it could easily go off the rails into silliness if it starts to become the dominant theme. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172.md?page=14)