# Trying to get into "The Americans" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 8, 2017, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722 "2017-03-08T19:32:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/41 "2017-03-10T18:56:45Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > You’ve given it a fair shake. If you aren’t drawn in after seven episodes, just give up. To be fair, the reason I ask is because I was one of the folks that gave “Parks and Recreation” like 15 episodes and then bailed and after that it apparently got really, really good. So, I figured it’d be good to ask. ---
**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 10, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/42 "2017-03-10T19:11:09Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > To be fair, the reason I ask is because I was one of the folks that gave “Parks and Recreation” like 15 episodes and then bailed and after that it apparently got really, really good. So, I figured it’d be good to ask. Ah, gotcha. Parks & Recs did get noticeably better after the first full season, so that has to be more than 15 episodes of finding its feet, I think. The Americans is what it is (and some of us find it stupendous) by the end of the first episode. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/43 "2017-03-10T19:35:27Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > To be fair, the reason I ask is because I was one of the folks that gave “Parks and Recreation” like 15 episodes and then bailed and after that it apparently got really, really good. So, I figured it’d be good to ask. Parks & Rec changed. After the first season, the writers regrouped, made some changes to the cast, shifted the focus of the show, made definite changes in who the characters were and how they related to each other. This show doesn’t have those same types of changes. ---
**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:** [March 10, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/44 "2017-03-10T20:20:01Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > …And I’m saying this as one of the people who thinks it’s one of the best shows on television. More accurately, my opinion of The Americans is on par with that SNL parody commercial of all the critical over-praising of The Sopranos. > > That was SNL season 10 episode 25, but I can’t find video anywhere online for that parody commercial. If anyone can help with that, it would be much appreciated. I realize this is a tangent, but: you must have meant “season 25, episode 10”…if that’s the case, Wikipedia says the episode aired January 15, 2000. A search turned up a review of the show that MAY give the title of the commercial parody: “Critics Love the Sopranos.” However, that may or may not be of much help. The title alone doesn’t bring up a clip. Hulu may have it, but I don’t have Hulu and Search there may not be working correctly for a non-user—it brings up an endless list of clips from all their holdings, not just from SNL (or _The Sopranos_!). (Note that Hulu says it has “eighteen full seasons” which might, barely, include the target year.) ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/45 "2017-03-10T20:36:23Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > … I noticed that they were portrayed as having super powers of violence, seduction, or impersonation whenever the plot called for it. I just didn’t believe in it. Not trying to talk you out of your likes and dislikes: but when I think of “super powers of impersonation” the first thing that came to mind was the old Mission: Impossible TV show. After a few seasons, every episode hinged on one member of the IMF donning a mask that gave him the ability to impersonate a bad guy. Even as a 12 year old kid, I was like :rolleyes: seriously? Nothing remotely like that in The Americans. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/46 "2017-03-10T22:01:35Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Not trying to talk you out of your likes and dislikes: but when I think of “super powers of impersonation” the first thing that came to mind was the old Mission: Impossible TV show. After a few seasons, every episode hinged on one member of the IMF donning a mask that gave him the ability to impersonate a bad guy. Even as a 12 year old kid, I was like :rolleyes: seriously? > > Nothing remotely like that in The Americans. There are a lot of disguises used aren’t there? There is a lot of seduction with ulterior motive right? I found this show to basically put them in situations where the drama is whether they are found out. So since they are the stars of the show they must be “super killers”, and quickly dispatch someone no matter how improbable it is. Anybody who gets in their way dies. And they are the bad guys. It’s not an appealing premise. You know how the whole thing plays out before it happens. And no realism will ever intrude, like bystanders, accidents, the woman losing an encounter, someone seeing through a disguise. That happens and there is no show. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/47 "2017-03-10T22:28:32Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > There are a lot of disguises used aren’t there? There is a lot of seduction with ulterior motive right? > > I found this show to basically put them in situations where the drama is whether they are found out. So since they are the stars of the show they must be “super killers”, and quickly dispatch someone no matter how improbable it is. Anybody who gets in their way dies. And they are the bad guys. It’s not an appealing premise. You know how the whole thing plays out before it happens. And no realism will ever intrude, like bystanders, accidents, the woman losing an encounter, someone seeing through a disguise. That happens and there is no show. Disguises, yes; impersonation, no. Phillip and Elizabeth almost always wear wigs and, in Phillip’s case, a mustache when they’re working with a client (dupe? agent? mark?). But not because they want to impersonate a particular person; but just because they want their appearance to be different from the one they use in their every day, non-spy roles. Just to minimize the chance of being recognized by someone they have a relationship with, when they’re just out to dinner with the kids. So when Elizabeth puts on a blonde wig, is she “impersonating” a MaryKay saleswoman? No; she’s just in her alternate persona, who happens to be blonde. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/48 "2017-03-10T22:32:03Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Disguises, yes; impersonation, no. Phillip and Elizabeth almost always wear wigs and, in Phillip’s case, a mustache when they’re working with a client (dupe? agent? mark?). But not because they want to impersonate a particular person; but just because they want their appearance to be different from the one they use in their every day, non-spy roles. Just to minimize the chance of being recognized by someone they have a relationship with, when they’re just out to dinner with the kids. > > So when Elizabeth puts on a blonde wig, is she “impersonating” a MaryKay saleswoman? No; she’s just in her alternate persona, who happens to be blonde. And this matters how? (ETA: So she’s impersonating someone who isn’t herself?) ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/49 "2017-03-10T22:35:33Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > And this matters how? > > (ETA: So she’s impersonating someone who isn’t herself?) I dunno; it seems to be an issue with you. I’m fine with it. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/50 "2017-03-10T23:42:11Z")
The disguises didn’t bother me that much (they didn’t necessarily use multiple disguises on the same person), except when their play was to have sex with the person. Because, are you telling me that no ‘mark’ ever tried to run their fingers through the spies hair during sex, which could accidentally pull the wig off? ---
**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:** [March 11, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/51 "2017-03-11T01:41:07Z")
Martha caught on to the fact that “Clark” (Phillip) was wearing a hairpiece. (Sorry, was that a spoiler?) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2017, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/52 "2017-03-11T05:16:38Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > I have had the available seasons stood by ready to watch ‘some day’ simply because Keri Russell is one of the most lovely creatures ever to have been born… This may interest you, then: [http://build.aol.com/video/58c04aa4d85a1003ec39fdc9/](http://build.aol.com/video/58c04aa4d85a1003ec39fdc9/) ---
**Author:** ![Miles\_Standoffish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/54ee81/32.png) [@Miles\_Standoffish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miles_Standoffish)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722/53 "2017-03-11T16:12:59Z")
They film in my neighborhood in Brooklyn a lot. Paige’s church had a potluck dinner in the basement of a huge church I frequent, while they filmed Elizabeth bedding a spy in the vestibule upstairs (they made it look like a bedroom of course, not a church vesitbule). Sometimes the production company puts flyers around asking people to park their cars out of sight so it doesn’t ruin the 80’s ambience. I like the show. There are a few plot holes, and every now and then some of the 80s references feel a bit off. But for the most part it’s very well done. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-get-into-the-americans/781722.md?page=2)