# The Americans, Season 2. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123 "2014-02-24T17:51:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/1 "2014-02-24T17:51:25Z")
Starts on Wednesday. And I must say, the trailers look promising. ---
**Author:** ![BrokenBriton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@BrokenBriton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrokenBriton)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/2 "2014-02-24T22:38:58Z")
That end of season 1 montage was something else. S1 was a little variable at times but was really rather clever too. Def worth sticking with imo. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2014, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/3 "2014-02-25T00:16:08Z")
I can’t wait. 🙂 So are we doing boxed or unboxed spoilers in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/4 "2014-02-25T07:19:31Z")
Loved season one, and looking forward to the new season. I wish Margo Martindale was still in the show though…she won an Emmy for Justified, and did a hell of a job on The Americans - such a waste that she is on that stupid comedy The Millers. But I digress… The Americans is a great show and hope they keep the pace and twists and turns coming like they did in the first season. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/5 "2014-02-25T16:38:22Z")
> [@BrokenBriton](#): > > That end of season 1 montage was something else. > > S1 was a little variable at times but was really rather clever too. Def worth sticking with imo. I’ve forgotten where we left off last season. Is there a season 1 recap video you’re referring to? ---
**Author:** ![JacksMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/839c29/32.png) [@JacksMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacksMom)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/6 "2014-02-25T19:23:09Z")
[http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2014/01/m-the-americans-season-2-margo-martindales-return-and-more-from-the-eps.html](http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2014/01/m-the-americans-season-2-margo-martindales-return-and-more-from-the-eps.html) (I just picked the first article that came up on search.) I love Margo Martindale, and her character. I haven’t seen The Millers (don’t like comedies) but her character on that show can’t possibly be better than Claudia. ---
**Author:** ![MsJinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@MsJinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsJinx)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/7 "2014-02-26T02:05:15Z")
The recaps on [IMDB.com](http://IMDB.com) or [TV.com](http://TV.com) are good refreshers. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2014, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/8 "2014-02-27T04:16:14Z")
Well that did not disappoint. 🙂 So did Phillip and Elizabeth actually plan for Paige to catch them 69ing, or was it just a happy accident? ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/9 "2014-02-27T04:49:39Z")
Just an accident, I think. Now have some bacon. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/10 "2014-02-27T05:03:48Z")
Oh, and a slight anachronism of the sort I don’t usually notice–the mustard bottle at the party (Henry’s birthday?) early in the episode. So far as I can recall, that particular design of (French’s?) mustard squeeze bottle wasn’t a thing until the 90s, at the earliest. Back then, I always remember us having the barrel-shaped bottles (of Plochmann’s) with the narrow red nozzle for mustard. (Why the crap do I know this much about mustard bottles?) ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/11 "2014-02-27T08:25:52Z")
Did anybody else think that the family [spoiler] of the other couple was doomed?[/spoiler] I did. ---
**Author:** ![Rudiger\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rudiger\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rudiger_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/12 "2014-02-27T14:48:27Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > Oh, and a slight anachronism of the sort I don’t usually notice–the mustard bottle at the party (Henry’s birthday?) early in the episode. So far as I can recall, that particular design of (French’s?) mustard squeeze bottle wasn’t a thing until the 90s, at the earliest. Back then, I always remember us having the barrel-shaped bottles (of Plochmann’s) with the narrow red nozzle for mustard. > > (Why the crap do I know this much about mustard bottles?) This drove me nuts, too. Plochman’s _still_ has the barrel shaped bottle they always had and it’s a better visual, too. Shit, prop guys, get it together! Other than that, though, another great episode. And Rhys in his Martha wig cracks me up every time. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/13 "2014-02-27T18:48:13Z")
Solid start. There’s almost too much good television in the winter months. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/14 "2014-02-28T15:03:43Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Loved season one, and looking forward to the new season. > > I wish Margo Martindale was still in the show though…she won an Emmy for Justified, and did a hell of a job on The Americans - such a waste that she is on that stupid comedy The Millers. But I digress… > > The Americans is a great show and hope they keep the pace and twists and turns coming like they did in the first season. The previews of future eps at the end of the season opener showed her at least coming back for some cameos. ---
**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 28, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/15 "2014-02-28T16:33:45Z")
There was some dialog where one of the other agents mentions that Claudia is “still here”. It’s interesting to me how much some of the plot lines follow, or at least include, aspects featured in the real-life Soviet espionage book _Farewell_. For example, when they are in the Soviet embassy and discussing the new Technology employee, I paused and told the Mrs. about how the book emphasized that those from privileged families and sons of prominent figures get most of the plum assignments\*…and so it was. - it was probably the single biggest reason the Soviet spy featured in the book decided to work for the West. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/16 "2014-02-28T17:06:53Z")
So glad to hear Claudia (Margo Martindale) is returning, even if just a few episodes! One of the reasons I love this show so much is that it rings true to me. Back when I lived in Berlin in the 80’s, I taught a Russian spy English. He was Director of Aeroflot (the Russian airlines during the USSR days) and was an amazing person. There were two other ESL teachers and we would take turns teaching him intensive English courses every day for about a month. We agreed we had never had a student like him. You would teach him something today, and by the next day, he had learned every single thing you taught him the day before - without error! The guy was brilliant. The interesting thing was why he wanted to learn English. He had a chance to move to London to work for the branch of Aeroflot there - and he was desperate to move there with his wife and daughter for a better life. It was a fine line for him to dance upon - being a good party member and loyal to the USSR, but at the same time, doing everything possible to move with his family to London. The last day of classes, he invited us to his offices and it was a hell of a “farewell” party for me and the other two teachers. He got us blitzed on vodka and we laughed and laughed and had a grand old time in his office, with the picture of Brezhnev on the wall and the odd Russian color television (about the size of a VW) in the corner of his office. His secretarial staff looked exactly like the women on The Americans in the Russian field offices - equally humorless and dour. I never found out if he ever moved to London, but I always hoped he did - not that I wanted a talented spy there, but if ever someone wanted the best for his family and a chance to escape his surroundings, it was him. Enough with my walk down memory lane - but just wanted to mention that, yes - some of the stories are over the top, but the basics of assimilating into a different culture as a spy in the 80’s is the best aspect of this series. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/17 "2014-02-28T17:30:18Z")
The bit when the spy couples discuss the difficulties of raising kids in America really struck a chord with me. They can’t be proper immigrants nor put forward their own cultural heritage. Did Philip not insist his son play Ice Hockey? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/18 "2014-02-28T18:58:54Z")
The problem with antihero drama like this is that it can be tricky to keep the audience sympathetic to the protagonists, and I thought this episode skated close to that line: [spoiler]To me, it was Philip reassuring the restaurant worker, then coolly blowing his brains out, then telling his wife what a hard day he had. I think this goes past the basic premise of a guy balancing espionage and family and makes him look a bit like a sociopath. Plus, now their kids are potentially in harm’s way. [/spoiler] > [@AK84](#): > > Did Philip not insist his son play Ice Hockey? He did, and that struck me as a tiny bit of Russian nationalism winning out over the need to assimilate, as I think hockey would have been a slightly uncommon choice in the Washington area at that time. ---
**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 28, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/19 "2014-02-28T20:52:39Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > To me, it was Philip reassuring the restaurant worker, then coolly blowing his brains out, then telling his wife what a hard day he had. I think this goes past the basic premise of a guy balancing espionage and family and makes him look a bit like a sociopath. It’s a good point, but I also think they’ve gone out of there way to show that that character has a hard time with their own actions. Very, very good at it, yet kind of hating it at the same time. They are going to have some sort of PTSD for the rest of their life for sure. It just comes down to whether a little self-loathing for evil actions performed are enough to buy some sympathy with the viewing audience. Like you say it is a difficult and delicate line. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123/20 "2014-03-06T10:06:42Z")
Hmm 1. Please don’t let Martha be preggers. 2. Who whacked the other family and whayt exactly did Philip mean that the “center” would take care of the surviving kid. 3. Whose the Nina lookalike with the OD Congressman? 4. DId Nina give Stan a bill of goods? All in all. Many more questions than answers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-2/682123.md?page=2)