# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/61 "2013-02-06T16:14:33Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > She’s hardly a monster. She’s a product of her country and her KGB training. Good television characters should be flawed and complex, otherwise they’re boring. Look at a character like Tony Soprano. He was far more brutal than Elizabeth, and yet plenty of people found themselves rooting for him. They did because the show handled it. Wasn’t there a huge kerfluffle a couple of seasons in where people thought they were making him too nice, so they had to bad him up again? The KGB were worse than Klansmen. They were the equivalent of Nazis. It’s curious that people here feel that they don’t have that reputation. The whole period was one of “they’re scum so our scum have to be as badass as their scum” and that led us into madness. The show runners will have to handle this in some way. Other KGB agents can’t be the villains every week. So I’m curious who will be. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/62 "2013-02-06T16:54:14Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > He is. I rewatched the scene and he told his son “Anyone can book travel, but you have to keep the executives happy. That’s how you keep accounts”. I also noticed taht Phillip and Elizabeth were introduced in 1962, but didn’t make it to the US until 1965 (and Elizabeth still wasn’t ready to have sex). One imagines the KGB would’ve been them spend most of those 3 years living together as a couple even if they didn’t insist on consumation. Are they even legally married? 😕 I don’t think there’d be any point in them getting married before they left the USSR; would they have made a stop at one of those quikie wedding chapels after arriving in the US? It would be one less document they needed to forge. They certainly must have a marriage certificate as part of their cover identities. Whether or not it is a forgery or if they got married legitimately after they arrived in the US isn’t clear. I didn’t notice if she had a ring on her finger in the hotel room A/C scene. However, my guess is that things would be simpler for the operation as a whole for the couple to arrive in the US with their whole back story in place (which would include a forged marriage certificate/license) rather than have the agents tend to that job themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/63 "2013-02-06T18:16:24Z")
> [@Headrush042](#): > > I thought it was well within his established character up to that point. He’s already let the mission take a back seat to “taking care of his own,” multiple times. He’s also displayed a very cavalier attitude regarding his abilities as a spy (re: how easy he thought it would be to evade the KGB should they defect). I don’t think he shares the same risk vs reward calculus that you do. Concur. I thought it amplified what we’d already seen about Phillip…that his “fake” family was far more important to him than “the mission.” ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/64 "2013-02-06T21:14:38Z")
Not going to watch it. Characters are unsympathetic, no matter how much they try to give heroic qualities to Rhys’ character. The show is not going to explore the good points of communism or anything to explain their loyalty to the “homeland”, so they will remain pawns of a shadowy organization with no redeeming qualities. Also, in a few seasons '89 is bound to hit and what are they supposed to do then? ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/65 "2013-02-06T23:26:42Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > \ > > BTW, please tell me that I’m not the only who really enjoyed the scene where Phillip was doing the country line square dance in the mirror while his daughter looked on absolutely mortified. > > To me that rang so true though it’s also a bit traumatizing to realize I’ve reached the age where I identify with the parents in such scenes in instead of the kids. Nope, you’re not the online one. I loved that scene. > [@Flander](#): > > Am I the only one who thinks Matthew Rhys looks a LOT like Zach Braff from Scrubs? I was thinking more of Julian McMahon from Nip/Tuck. But I can see Braff, too. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/66 "2013-02-07T14:40:28Z")
I enjoyed last night’s episode (Feb 6). They show the personal struggle the spies go through, without making them _too_ sympathetic (they’ll do their job, come hell or high water). I figured everyone’s first question about last night’s episode would be: Is there really a poison that would kill someone in 3-4 days, that wouldn’t have a readily available or identifiable antidote, and said antidote would be very effective? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/67 "2013-02-07T19:01:03Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Also, in a few seasons '89 is bound to hit and what are they supposed to do then? I suspect when Glasnost and Petstroika come along, the Jennings will be quietly reassigned to the China station. ---
**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:** [February 7, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/68 "2013-02-07T19:09:31Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > I figured everyone’s first question about last night’s episode would be: > > Is there really a poison that would kill someone in 3-4 days, that wouldn’t have a readily available or identifiable antidote, and said antidote would be very effective? I don’t know the answer to that question in general, but re: at least the beginning and middle part of that question, it’s hardly for certain they were telling the truth about any of it ;). ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/69 "2013-02-07T20:05:51Z")
I considered the truth/possible bluff aspect of it, but: She gave the antidote once she got the all-clear signal, and there was no one else there to put on a show for, so at least she believed it to be the case. ---
**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:** [February 7, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/70 "2013-02-07T20:43:26Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > I considered the truth/possible bluff aspect of it, but: > > She gave the antidote once she got the all-clear signal, and there was no one else there to put on a show for, so at least she believed it to be the case. [spoiler]Good point, though it could have just been something to slow or stop symptoms rather than prevent death. But I’m thinking more the claim that “no doctor or emergency room could figure it out” might be a bit of an exaggeration. I’d actually like it better if it were a bluff, because I dislike magic poisons, unless somebody can think of a viable candidate. One thing I did like in that respect was the fight with the relative. Knowing martial arts doesn’t make you superman and it was nice to see a big burly guy giving Philip trouble for a minute despite his superiority.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/71 "2013-02-07T20:56:09Z")
I concur on both your spoiler-boxed points, Tamerlane. I also liked how, when they weren’t in eyesight of the maid, the stress of the whole situation was etched in their expressions. And not just stressed by the difficulty of the assignment, but by the human toll they were directly causing. One subplot item left Mrs. Raza and I puzzled: What’s with the Swedish woman leaving his car suddenly, in the middle of nowhere? She didn’t seem angry (the opposite, actually). And he seemed puzzled, too. ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/72 "2013-02-07T23:32:52Z")
Re: the Swede: I just figured it was to underscore her batshit insanity and foreshadow future instability/problems to be caused by her. I was actually wondering if he was going to kill her in that scene. ---
**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:** [February 8, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/73 "2013-02-08T00:10:53Z")
> [@Headrush042](#): > > Re: the Swede: > > I just figured it was to underscore her batshit insanity and foreshadow future instability/problems to be caused by her. I was actually wondering if he was going to kill her in that scene. Agreed, that was my take as well and… …I think when Philips quietly said “don’t threaten me” he was about 30 seconds from driving someplace secluded and eliminating her. Crazy Swede quickly shifting gears to her batshit fantasies of their picturesque life with the falling snowflakes probably saved her life ( if didn’t exactly ease Philip’s tension ). ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/74 "2013-02-08T02:18:53Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Also, in a few seasons '89 is bound to hit and what are they supposed to do then? The show is set in 1981. Most shows would sell their soul to last 8 seasons. Just watched Episode 2 and I am really enjoying this show. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/75 "2013-02-08T05:40:23Z")
I really enjoyed the poison umbrella. Nice nod to history, there. And ricin did take three days to kill Georgia Markov. There weren’t any treatments for ricin poisoning back in the day, though, other than supportive care. For that matter, I don’t know if there are any today. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/76 "2013-02-08T09:39:31Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > I really enjoyed the poison umbrella. Nice nod to history, there. And ricin did take three days to kill Georgia Markov. There weren’t any treatments for ricin poisoning back in the day, though, other than supportive care. For that matter, I don’t know if there are any today. I believe that they are. In the Markov case the issue was that no one knew what they were looking for. I like the maid angle. I hope they pursue it. She is quite an asset for them and historically support staff have been very useful as assets for the simple reason that everyone seems to treat them as furniture. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/77 "2013-02-08T14:21:31Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > I like the maid angle. I hope they pursue it. She is quite an asset for them and historically support staff have been very useful as assets for the simple reason that everyone seems to treat them as furniture. I can’t imagine them using her again. She worked only at the point of a gun, and even _then_ she almost preferred to let God come up with the antidote to her son’s poisoning. Plus, she comes with a big, angry brother. They used her because they had to, because they were in a corner. Best thing to do now is make sure she never sees them again. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/78 "2013-02-08T14:41:16Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > I can’t imagine them using her again. She worked only at the point of a gun, and even _then_ she almost preferred to let God come up with the antidote to her son’s poisoning. Plus, she comes with a big, angry brother. They used her because they had to, because they were in a corner. Best thing to do now is make sure she never sees them again. A big angry brother who had his arm broken.She is useful to them. They have her earlier treason and frankly who would believe her if she told her story. ---
**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:** [February 8, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/79 "2013-02-08T17:29:49Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Also, in a few seasons '89 is bound to hit and what are they supposed to do then? Eh, Look at MASH. It lasted seven years longer than the actual Korean war it was set in. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172/80 "2013-02-08T17:52:02Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > It will take me awhile to get over “Gay Kevin” from Brothers and Sisters now being the horny Russian dad. I’m having trouble with this myself. After watching all five seasons of Brothers and Sisters, I’m having difficulty buying him as this character at all and not just because he’s playing a straight character now. Oddly, I was a Felicity fan too, and I’m having a lot less trouble with college student –\> spy than irritating self-righteous lawyer –\> spy. How old is Elizabeth supposed to be? It threw me that the flashback to the rape scene was supposed to be 21 years earlier. Russell is only 36 and I sure as hell didn’t buy her being 15 in that scene… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fx-series-the-americans-starts-jan-30th/648172.md?page=5)