# The Americans; season 5 (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255 "2017-03-03T01:15:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/141 "2017-04-04T15:40:30Z")
I’m struggling to care this season. It’s almost like a different show than previous seasons. No, scratch that, it turned into something different with the disease stuff middle of last season and there’s far less seductions and actual intrigue now. I get that the USSR is failing, and sometimes get a view into the only occasionally stated things, such as the normal citizens in the USSR don’t actually know they are at war in Afghanistan (Olegs brother’s funeral for instance). The food shortage was well publicised in the west at the time. I also remember reading a recent article which reckoned the soviet union really fell to pieces once the military started to lose trust with the government, which was a product of fighting a silent losing war in Afghanistan. Might cover that sort of thing as well… ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/142 "2017-04-04T18:56:37Z")
I’d agree it has been heavy on set up. In fact, there is so much hanging in the air there surely has to be a huge shitstorm pretty soon - you know when you sense a big old storm is coming in … We have the usual dramas of P&E overworked, Stan being Stan, etc, but half-bro Misha is about to rock up without a word of English, Henry is _surprisingly_ mutating into Tim Berners-Lee, P&E will realise The Centre is losing the plot, what’s up with Stan’s new gym bunny …, Paige is desperate to _do something_, Martha’s field work for the Soviet Gov is going to bring her to Oleg as well as a back channel to Stan (okay, put that down as _speculation_), and the Vietnamese kid is a loose cannon who may have to be ‘reassigned’. The show runners have shown us in the past they know what they’re doing - this has to properly kick off very soon. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/143 "2017-04-04T19:01:28Z")
Funny observation I saw on Twitter: if they did this show from Henry’s point of view it would basically be Freaks & Geeks. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/144 "2017-04-04T19:11:13Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Me. She’s still got the clueless smugness of a teenager, plus the fervor of the newly converted in the spy business. She wants to be the bestest spy ever, but she won’t acknowledge that she doesn’t know every thing, and mommy really knows best More than that, given how hard core her parents’ training was before they were sent abroad to become spies, you’d think they would not tolerate the bratty behaviour from their own daughter. By they do. They capitulate to her every whim and defiance. The church thing, the boyfriend thing, the petulance when being told “no”… So completely out of character, especially for Elizabeth, to put up with Page’s b.s. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/145 "2017-04-04T19:19:20Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > More than that, given how hard core her parents’ training was before they were sent abroad to become spies, you’d think they would not tolerate the bratty behaviour from their own daughter. By they do. They capitulate to her every whim and defiance. The church thing, the boyfriend thing, the petulance when being told “no”… So completely out of character, especially for Elizabeth, to put up with Page’s b.s. The conflict you describe is at the heart of the show, and the marriage, and the family. ---
**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 5, 2017, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/146 "2017-04-05T03:56:06Z")
So Henry’s thing was underwhelming, but expected. I don’t have kids, but shouldn’t the Jennings be slightly annoyed that they both had to come in to a meeting at school, without being given any idea why, over moving Henry up to a higher level math class? :dubious: I liked Elizabeth’s reaction to realizing the truth about the grain experiments; especially how not-upset she is over that guy they killed compared to Phillip. Oleg’s parents’ surprise matchmaking was adorable. I wonder if the Centre will accept Elizabeth’s conclusions, or insist there was to be a plot against the food supply & keep pressing them. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/147 "2017-04-05T07:59:16Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > I get that the USSR is failing, and sometimes get a view into the only occasionally stated things, such as the normal citizens in the USSR don’t actually know they are at war in Afghanistan (Olegs brother’s funeral for instance). Well, thats really stretching the truth. The fact the Soviets were in Afghanistan was not a secret to anyone in the USSR. The Soviets claim was that they were only in a supporting role and that was not totally inaccurate, the major thrust of the USSR was training and some of the heaviest fighting was in special forces and Army Aviation. as well as Air Forces at times. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/148 "2017-04-05T10:14:08Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Well, thats really stretching the truth. The fact the Soviets were in Afghanistan was not a secret to anyone in the USSR. The Soviets claim was that they were only in a supporting role and that was not totally inaccurate, the major thrust of the USSR was training and some of the heaviest fighting was in special forces and Army Aviation. as well as Air Forces at times. Didn’t they send in an assassination squad to kill their choice of sitting president at some point (and the president didn’t even know this)? [Operation Storm 333](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Storm-333) ---
**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 5, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/149 "2017-04-05T14:38:50Z")
The Soviet public knew there was a war in Afghanistan; what the government was trying to suppress was how badly it was going and what the casualties were. Hence Oleg’s father (a loyal member of the nomenklatura) anger at his son not getting proper military honors at his funeral. Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/150 "2017-04-05T15:09:06Z")
I like P+E wondering if Stan’s gym bunny is one of “them” or not. Left hand, right hand. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/151 "2017-04-05T17:03:19Z")
She’s definitely in too many scenes for there not to be something about her. So either KGB or FBI, with a leftfield glance at Mossad because of previous seasons. Duly noted she claimed to have served for 12 years. I like that they’ve given Henry applied maths/algebra because it truly is something you get or don’t - it’s perfect for the lazy nerd. Paige however insists on interacting with humans and is already developing her first relationship drama - teenage girls, eh. I like that dad had absolutely nothing to say whatsoever at all on the subject at dinner. Oh yes. Oleg kind had his pick of the spice girls there. I think he may check out Homely Spice (left of the three), if only for old times sake. The Misha thing is a bit cringy. We all know they’ll meet eventually. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/152 "2017-04-05T18:45:23Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > I’m struggling to care this season. It’s almost like a different show than previous seasons. It’s definitely less espionage and action, more dealing with the emotional cost. But I still think it’s fascinating and riveting. To each his own. I don’t think it’s out of the question that Mischa might end up not ever meeting Philip. Maybe he continues to try, the center kills him, and Philip finds out, leading to a series-climaxing conflict between him and the center (which has been building over the run of the series), with Elizabeth being forced to pick a side, and Paige caught in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/153 "2017-04-05T22:14:16Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > She’s definitely in too many scenes for there not to be something about her. So either KGB or FBI, with a leftfield glance at Mossad because of previous seasons. Duly noted she claimed to have served for 12 years… Or CIA. They want information about Stan that they could use to make their overtures to Oleg credible–though of course they are currently (apparently) stymied by Stan’s ultimatum. But if she _is_ CIA, the assignment was made before Stan dropped his little bomb. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/154 "2017-04-05T22:33:36Z")
Yep, probably a very good call. More generally, was Andropov the leader when Stan’s new boss pointed at portrait on his office wall? If so we’re still in very early 1984. Interesting data point; we’re probably 13-14 months away from Mikhail Gorbachev taking charge … after this wheat debacle, Philip is going to be seriously pissed off when he finds out his handlers blew of Misha, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/155 "2017-04-05T23:45:22Z")
I’m pretty sure Sam’s girl is CIA. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/156 "2017-04-06T00:07:52Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > I don’t think it’s out of the question that Mischa might end up not ever meeting Philip. Maybe he continues to try, the center kills him, and Philip finds out, leading to a series-climaxing conflict between him and the center (which has been building over the run of the series), with Elizabeth being forced to pick a side, and Paige caught in the middle. I don’t remember what happened to Mischa’s mother. For some reason, I thought she’d died - but the handlers say that she defected? (Defected from life?) No matter what, I want something non-tragic to happen to him. When Gabriel said they’d send him back, it was awful - he went through so much to get there. Couldn’t they find somewhere to hide him here? For some indeterminate amount of time until maybe he _could_ meet his dad? Maybe, at least, some kind of tape exchange like Elizabeth had with her mother? On the lighter side, Oleg’s dad’s Chuck Woolery impression was great. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/157 "2017-04-06T00:23:53Z")
I predict that the Center will ask P&E to kill Morozov to prevent him from defecting. Of course, they’ll find out that he’d never had any intention of defecting. And he’d been working to improve crop yields instead of harming them. After that and the death of Mischa (at the hands of Stan’s woman?), Philip will finally turn against the Center. But then what? He can’t run. Stan won’t be any help. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/158 "2017-04-06T03:43:50Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > I don’t remember what happened to Mischa’s mother. For some reason, I thought she’d died - but the handlers say that she defected? (Defected from life?) > No matter what, I want something non-tragic to happen to him. When Gabriel said they’d send him back, it was awful - he went through so much to get there. Couldn’t they find somewhere to hide him here? For some indeterminate amount of time until maybe he _could_ meet his dad? Maybe, at least, some kind of tape exchange like Elizabeth had with her mother? > On the lighter side, Oleg’s dad’s Chuck Woolery impression was great. If I recall correctly, Mischa’s mother told Philip she was abandoning the Soviets and defecting for real. She told Philip about their son and asked him to defect with her. (Obviously, he said no.) She must still be in the U.S. somewhere; Mischa may even have a clue as to where she is – after all, he was able to escape to the west because of all the intel she left for her. Claudia and Gabriel might just decide to keep Mischa around in the hopes of tracking down a traitor. As for Oleg’s dinner party, I have a hunch that the woman on his left (the woman who offered her condolences) will become a new love interest, despite his disinterest now. It was too much of a buildup - 'Here’s Contestant #1, here’s contestant #2, …annnnnd here’s CONTESTANT NUMBER THREE!" and she got actual lines, which leads me to think she isn’t just some throwaway character. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/159 "2017-04-06T03:52:23Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I’m pretty sure Sam’s girl is CIA. Would a CIA agent actually fuck an FBI guy to get info and what would the CIA want from Stan? I was thinking foreign agent for a while but it would be super easy to check up on her and see if she really served 12 years and I doubt that could be faked. Whatever she is, I bet that Philip and Elizabeth figure it out and it puts Stan in danger. Then they will have to let him know what’s going on without blowing their cover. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255/160 "2017-04-06T08:30:40Z")
I think the “served 12 years” was the time her marriage lasted. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-americans-season-5-open-spoilers/781255.md?page=9)