Last week’s ratings for The Americans seemed to take a fall after the overnights were reported, but three days later, we found out there was a significant uptick in viewers watching it on their DVRs. It’s good to know people are watching it, even if they’re a few dates late on it. If you’re a DVR viewer, please stop by after you’ve seen the episode to discuss.
Indeed, The Americans is getting more complicated rather than less, as the series progresses and more moving parts come into play. There’s a lot going on through three episodes. It’s definitely a show one needs to pay attention to, although last night, there was one rare but brief exposition dump, as though the writers were listening when some in the audience were like, “Wait a second. Back up. What exactly is going on here?”
Let’s get to it, and we’ll tell you what’s going on.
The Setup — The major crux of what’s going on, and the revelation that drives this story, is that we find out that the KGB spy who was killed in the premiere episode attempting to abduct a Russian defector actually had a secret wife and child in Philadelphia. Phillip discovers that through a classified ad left in the newspaper by the secret wife, and the FBI discovers it from their spy in the Russian embassy.
The Mark — Her name is Joyce Ramirez. She’d been married to the dead KGB spy, Robert Owen McKenzie, for about a year. The question is: What does she know? Will her information be valuable to someone? Or put someone in danger?
The Players — Elizabeth and Phillip, the latter of whom was very close to Robert, need to find Joyce and figure out what she knows. The catch? The FBI also knows about Joyce, and they interrogate her to find out if she has intel that might put the KGB’s secret spy program in danger. How can Phillip and Elizabeth remove her with the FBI tracking her?
The Shill — Gregory (Derek Luke) is an American recruited into the KGB by Elizabeth. He does surveillance and pulls off missions for the KGB, and who would suspect a black Russian spy? The FBI just assumes he and his crew are drug dealers because the FBI is racist. Here’s the rub: Gregory is in love with Elizabeth. Elizabeth was once in love with him. Now? Not so much, but Gregory is not going to take no for an answer, even if it means confronting Phillip, revealing their years-long affair, and pissing Phillip off in the process. However, Gregory is successful in abducting Joyce before the FBI can.
The Complication — At first, Joyce doesn’t know anything, but because she can’t keep her damn mouth shut, she connects the dots and, after living with a man she assumed sold drugs for a year, it quickly dawns on her that he’s Russian spy (shut up, Joyce!). That puts Elizabeth and Phillip in jeopardy, but Phillip feels he owes a duty to Robert to protect Joyce. Joyce also had a piece of paper left by Robert with an invisible coded message, which reveals the name and number of a dirty FBI agent.
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I had decently high expectations going into this series, seeing as everything I saw online was singing pre-air praises. I am not disappointed so far.
Obvious continuity errors really bug the hell out of me. First, they weren’t in Philadelphia. There is not 117th street in the city. They should have just called it New York and been done with it. Also, there were no big face hundos in 1980. Is it that difficult to have fact checkers?
Godamm I wish I’d been here for the comments-a-thon in this post. I haven’t read all of te comments so I don’t know if this has been said but here it is:
I LOVED when Robert was talking to Phillip, trying to get him. Dude… ROBERT IS FUCKING RUSSIAN. NO ONE CAN OUT SILENCE YOU LIKE A RUSSIAN. GODDAMM.
That being said I think that also explains the lack of connection with Phil/Eliz. They are Russian. They are spys. They are under deep cover. They’ve lived probably their whole lives being uptight and on guard. It’s going to take a while for them to warm up. Phillip I think is more on the way than Elizabeth, at least where their relationship is involved. I WANT MORE MISSION COMPLETED YOU’RE SO SEXY WHEN YOU KILL FOR ME sex….
I hate to go Austin Powers, but what if Richard Thomas (John-Boy) is a …….mole? Yeah, I went there.
I kept saying “John Boy! Stop being so mean!”
Solid analysis, Dustin.
I am quite a fan of the tone this show sets up. Two Russian spies in Reagan era America trying to pull off tasks for the KGB while keeping up their American appearances doesn’t need any levity. It should be dark and heavy. I also think that in a show like this non of the characters should be safe. It would fit to have Phillip killed in duty while Elizabeth covers it up to look like a bad robbery.
I loved the scenes where Gregory operated, spotting the surveillance and then shutting them down. Those were really well directed and suspenseful. And a very strong episode this was, overall. Best yet.
yes they were. was going to comment the same thing. so well done.
Badges…..we need stinkin’ badges for this show….
spies don’t wear badges. We need knives in our shoes.
I also like that my history degree coincides with my TV watching; it makes the whole drunken 6-years worthwhile.
That degree is already paying for itself now.
My history is pretty derp. I know about Regan assassination attempt, 99% sure it had to do with psycho who was obsessed with Jodi Foster (whoa, he really missed on that, she prefers tacos over hotdogs [wink,wink]) I know a little about Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ which i think was a complete bomb (punny)…What other events can we expect/would you like to see?
Lord knows it won’t do you any good if you’re watching History Channel or H2.
Depends on how you define success, Link. Star Wars as a technology didn’t work, but it did lead to many technologies that are ubiquitous today. Meanwhile, the threat of Star Wars both led the USSR to spend itself into oblivion and helped to cause Gorbachev to blink during the the SALT II disarmament talks with Reagan.
For me, I’d like to see how they’d script the Soviet over-reaction to Reagan’s “The bombers have been launched” blip, or that the Soviets were secretly the cause of the Savings & Loan crisis as a last-ditch attempt to bring down capitalism.
can’t wait til the last season of this show to see the character’s react to Reagan’s “Tear down this Wall!”
@crowder
I believe that by the time we get to that, Phillip and Elizabeth will already be burn noticed and on the run from both the KGB and FBI.
@Paul perhaps they are killed in the Armenian earthquake as a finale? Or they caused Chernobyl?
@Lester Interesting about ‘Star Wars’,
Was talkin with a buddy who’s a history nut, told me about a Korean Airliner that was shot down by Soviets that created a massive anti-Russia hysteria (well, more so) also the invention of the modern day PC he claims might/should play a part in some way..Also MIR space station…
@Lester Did Star Wars really speed up the Soviet demise that much? My understanding was that it was going to happen and Star Wars (I’m using the overall increase in spending by the USSR) only sped things up by about 6-9 months.
In a related note: I loathe Reagan.
@Missing Link – Maybe they could play up on the hysteria that “Red Dawn”, “The Day After” and “Amerika” were considered possible documentaries.
@Beerguyrob Ooooh, that’s good, I’m positive that pop culture propaganda will be placed,
*Red Dawn fuckin owned
@SHough610 – but what would they try to steal to help their side keep up? Whom would they bribe? That’s a whole half-season of story arc, and a good idea.
I personally have been loving the tone of the show so far
Ugh. You’re right – Joyce is/was Marie.
This is my my favorite new show.
Such a strong start from the show, had pretty low expectations going in, Cold War “spy’s” in my mind always seemed primitive and low tech. But the execution of combat,spy tech and planning is really fun in a retro look……
Was there a reference to Gregory and friends being Black Panthers? Being in Philly and anti-US government stance, it might make sense
No references i believe, but it did seem implied, using terms like “The Movement” and “The Cause”…..great character/story addition.
They mentioned that the two met at an SCLC meeting:
[en.wikipedia.org]
yeah, thats what I gathered too. and it makes sense…realistic way to have an american helping the kgb.
Philadelphia had a lot of racial animosity at that point (thanks, Rizzo) so it could be anything.
Also, if you didn’t read the Martindale interview posted earlier I will point you to this quote:
“We’re getting a few Justified people on The Americans, too.”
Whether that means writer, directors, actors, set designers, etc doesn’t really matter. I’m pumped.
dewey crowe for kgb assassin!!!
Aside from John Boy a couple other notes on the show, which I like more and more every week.
It seems that they blew their music budget on the pilot. Haven’t had quite the soundtrack on the individual episodes that we were treated to in the pilot.
I am going to assume the writers know what they are doing as far as the backstory roll out, but I really would like a look at Phil and Elizabeth’s eary time in the states. I am curious howone creates a life out of thin air. My hope is that sometime n the next 2-3 episodes we will be treated to the flashback episode that will explain the early days.
So much of the show plays off of their relationship, both what it used to be and what it is now. Other than the scene in Russia when they meet and the scene when they are in the motel upon getting to America we haven’t actually gotten any insight into the early relationship.
I hope Martindale will be around more than I expect. She was great last night. The scene where he is threatening her and she is startled to her doing the 180 showing her teeth and telling Phillip to never lay a hand on her was classic Mags. Glad to have her back in the FX universe.
I’d be really interested for a post-WWII era show about KGB spies in the US.
I can’t wait for the backstory stuff. I mean Phillip, by enjoying the air conditioning TOO MUCH was always going to be the one to request becoming true American’s first… In the first episode he also seemed to already love Elizabeth, and I’d like to see when that started. Was it before, during, or after they started a family?
Was the guy who sold the secrets to Philip an FBI agent? I missed that reveal.
The guy he met was just the ‘broker’. Whoever provided the secrets was only referred to as an ‘agent’, not specified what agency.
me too JB
John Boy really is not a very good actor.
Took me a min to figure out it was John Boy. I recognized him last week, but couldn’t put it together. I think he’s doing fine. He’s playing the jackass middle management guy fine and that usually mean he will either be one dimensional and hopefully gone quickly or a diminished role. Or he’ll get a good showcase that’ll give let us forgive his jackassery
It just seemed like everything he said last night was typical Lumberg boss speak.I guess the writers are more to blame than John Boy. I apologize and good night John Boy.
Yeah, I think John Boy is being pegged into a specific hole as a bureaucratic impediment to our highly competent agents on the street. He’ll be replaced by Noah Emmerich in the final episode of the season, I suspect.