I meant to post something yesterday about the premiere of The Americans, but I was evidently so consumed with questions about disturbing commercials that I completely forgot. My apologies. I can and will do better in the future. Anyway, the ratings are in and it looks like FX may have another hit on their hands.
The initial broadcast of The Americans premiere at 10 p.m. grabbed 3.22 million total viewers, 1.57 million of them in the advertiser-preferred 18-49 demographic. Those numbers narrowly edge out the series premiere of Sons of Anarchy in the key demo (the Son premiere drew 1.55 million viewers 18-49) and the American Horror Story series premiere in total viewers (AHS drew 3.18 million total viewers with its maiden episode.) [The Wrap]
Personally, I thought the premiere was really solid, albeit a little forced at times. (The FBI agent/neighbor thing, especially. I don’t know if that was necessary.) And dark. Hoo boy was it dark. I mean, (uh, spoiler alert) Felicity got raped. I really was not prepared for that. I know they gave the usual TV-MA disclaimer coming out of the commercial, but I feel like there should have been a more specific warning before that scene. Something like “Due to mature themes, viewer discretion is advised. Also, if you watched The WB in the late-90s, you are about to be traumatized.” I’m just spitballing here.
What did y’all think? Are you going to keep watching? Feel free to chime in below the GIF of Keri Russell kicking a dude’s head through the wall. (That was a fun sentence to type.)
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I thought the pilot was good with a few, “ugh, really?” moments. I didn’t like Philip going and busting on the one-dimensional pedo (unless it becomes a plot point later) because while it was satisfying it felt like an indulgence that wasn’t believable. I thought the scene in the mall during their initial confrontation was much more powerful because Philip knew he could kick ten shades of shit out of the guy but that it would raise too many questions.
I think this could turn Kerri Russell into a huge star. I love how much she uses little gestures and looks to really flesh out the character.
I think the show has a lot of potential. I hope it tones down some of the less than subtle moments but overall, a good show.
Thought the fight scene worked because it helped establish that Philip isn’t a total pussy. Elizabeth was emasculating the shit out of him for the first part of the episode, and then that (and the choking) helped viewers go “oh, okay, right, he’s still a ruthless sum bitch.”
I guess it’s all about perspective. I saw Philip as more conflicted than emasculated.
I’m with Noob on this one. Elizabeth definitely seemed like she was the only badass on the show until that moment. I’m really excited to see where the show goes from here
I think the scene was necessary because they need viewers to rrot for the Commy spys. If you are American and watching the show Phillip and Elizabeth should be bad guys in your eyes (‘Merica), but for the show to work you need to root for them. What better way to get you rooting for a dude than to have him stick a bbq fork through a pedophile’s groin and hand?
I thought the fight worked because it helped to display how Phillip was becoming Phillip the suburban family man who loves his family.
I loved it. I also thought that the neighbor thing was a little forced but other than that it was pretty great…. maybe I’m also worried that their relationship evolved so fast? Or maybe that was the point because it took them 15 or so fuck years to get to this point and we’re just here to watch it all go down? IDK but I loved it…
I really liked in. Felicity is a freak in the sheets and the casting of Noah Emmerich as the FBI agent is suprisingly good. I also liked Matthew Rhys alot more than what I though I would. I will stick with it for a bit and see where they take me.
I agree. I’m sticking with it! And I was happy to see Noah Emmerich with a leading role in a series. He’s great in so many small roles. But now I actually know is name instead of saying “Hey! The guy from The Truman Show!!”
I thought having them live next to the FBI guy was a little dumb at first, but when they had the scene that revealed the dude lived under cover for years and really knew his shit I just smiled and thought “Well this should get interesting”.
I enjoyed the subtle push-back our KGB leads employed with their “America Rocks!” children. The whole “yeah the moon’s alright, but just getting up into space was pretty awesome, right?” angle.
“Yeah bread is alright, but waiting on line for a long time to get it is pretty awesome, right?”
I LOLed at that. Part of it was Russell’s deliver.
“It’s just a mall”…AKA “Fuck Capitalism”
I really liked it, but how old is Keri Russell supposed to be?
37? 16-17 yr old in 1960 the show takes place in 1981. My guess
I figured she was supposed to be about 40.
She said her dad died fighting the Nazi’s in Stalingrad when she was 2. So that would put her 2 at ’42-43. So if my math/history skills aren’t too bad she would be right at 40.
Funky nailed it.
the lack of age difference on BOTH characters over that 20 year gap was kinda lame. Not saying they had to get all Benjamin Button with the make-up, but maybe she could have shorter hair at least?
If they don’t get more into why the FBI neighbor felt the need to get all breaky-and-entery other than “Oh, he has a Gold Oldsmobuick and I have INTUITION” I’m going to be let down. Also, how did Phil (I watched the pilot twice so I feel familiar enough to call him Phil) know FBI neighbor was in his garage? I felt like that whole awkward dynamic between those two was just supposed to be enough for us to infer that they were mutually suspicious, but I agree, the FBI guy being that suspicious felt forced. I’m not asking for, like, a whole scene of expository dialogue, but I didn’t think they fleshed it out very well.
Also, FBI neighbor has a disproportionately hot wife. I can’t find the actor’s name because the IMDB page is half-assed, but he’s one of those “that guys.” His face looks like Ray Liotta and Edward James Olmos made a test-tube baby.
Noah Emmerich. And one of his colleagues is John Boy!!! Which I realize will get nothing but blank stares from about 80% of the readership of this blog.
I write it off as an FBI agent getting back from deep cover and being extra jaded. He probably broke into half the neighbors garages that week.
I agree this incident was EXTREMELY unlikely…..certainly this early in the series…would have worked better a few episodes later…..
Many Federal police guys have super-hot wives..
Lester, I had the exact same reaction to the “this season” trailer. I said “Richard Thomas!” out loud. (If he was in the pilot I missed it cause I watched off and on.) Glad to see he’s working after John Hamm took the Mercedes VO job from him.
@Duchess I think you hit the nail on the head. THat was exactly what I thought. He was undercover for so long he can’t turn it off.
@Observer dont forget this was the pilot. No time to dick around with pilots. Gotta let everyone know whats up as quick as you can.
They made mention of the car description that witnesses saw the kidnappers in. I just assumed he had read/heard that and figured he would go take a peek.
Phillip is really identifiable and I’m waiting for a real reason as to why Elizabeth really really likes the homeland. It’s done nothing but exile and rape her. Phillip has common sense: 2 beautiful children, a beautiful wife, in a great house.
I think she was using the “good KGB” agent line as an excuse to why she really wanted him dead. Going by the tape, it seems she misled Phillip into pursuing the wrong target to begin with.
I thought the tape showed how they found out about the guy they kidnapped. What makes you think it was someone different?
The dude in the car was talking about three million, the dude on the tape was talking about a hundred thousand. Maybe I mistook the scene.
I think the scene was he gets 100k for random talks but they paid him 3MM to defect. I am sure the 3MM to return him and defect was bullshit.
She has just done a better job of not being influenced by the West than her husband has. You see it in her little comments when Western history/culture come up. She absolutely hates it.
I’m willing to tune in a few more times, FX has shown that they can do no wrong in their 10-11 slot, and I think this won’t buck that trend.
Pretty solid first episode – but there is room for growth. Thought the Phil Collins scene was a little over the top (Why wouldnt they just go home and bang?). Also, the FBI agent already onto them is a little too forced, think they could have waited at least half a season to have Beeman catch on to his neighbors.
Keri Russell is clearly the best actor on the show, thought she did a stellar job being so cold and calculated (if that can be a compliment?)
Disposing of a dead rapist 30 seconds prior is a good starting point for a car bang
The neighbor FBI agent was deep undercover for five years, which has to be meaningful to the plot going forward. Part of me was wondering if they were going to set up the dynamic of us not knowing whether he is a double agent or not. Did he move there unawares, or there to watch them for the FBI, or there to watch them for the Russkies? It’s still possible they’ll go that way, but the ending of the episode made it seem the first option was the case.
The fact that an FBI agent investigating Russian spies just so happens to move across the street from two Russian spies was ridiculous. That and the fact that it looks like the two didn’t age a day in twenty years is tough to let slide.
But everything else was good. TUSK.
Also, In the Air Tonight was a piss-poor choice for that scene, given this already happened: [youtu.be]
Yeah the producers were apparently thinking of cutting the scene altogether because of Miami Vice
That song came out in 1981. And for people like me who are the age of the protagonists, we grew up on Miami Vice, and I think it was a gentle tug on nostalgia for us.
Plus the song was awkwardly edited with a long fade up merging the begining and the middle of the song instead of giving us the epic drum section.
A very well executed premier, particularly with the opening chase scene which was almost flawlessly done. I’ve already re-watched it twice and now I won’t get Tusk out of my head for the next few days. Such a perfect soundtrack selection.
Overall a great soundtrack for the entire episode with the exception of Phil Collins.
Well, cutting her hair short is now the 3rd most horrible thing that has happened to a Keri Russell character.
It’s a good show not quite great yet… The premier was interesting and I will definitely watch more…
I thought it was good, and I’ll definitely continue to watch, but it left me slightly wanting. I dunno, maybe I just bought a little too much into the whole “best show since Homeland debuted” hype I was reading from critics and such, so that I enjoyed it quite a bit but it didn’t quite knock me on my ass like maybe I was hoping / expecting. My wife asked me what I thought of it and I just went “It was…. good?” As I say, that may be just an issue of me managing my expectations.
And I agree on the FBI neighbor thing – I can’t believe that got out of the first draft stage. I would’ve much preferred them go in a more detailed cat and mouse espionage game, rather than “oh hey maybe the spies I’m trying to catch live across the street from me, I’ll go look!”
I agree… but I am more forgiving for the FBI thing I don’t see him as being on to them as much as I see a guy overly suspicious. We the viewer know he was right, but he doesn’t know he was right, he went over expecting to confirm what his gut was saying but ended up only confirming what his wife told him in the kitchen that he was being paranoid.
@Duchess – Fair point. If this throws him off the scent somewhat and forces him back to the drawing board, thus allowing for some more back and forth, then I’ll forgive it.
fbi neighbor is a hack move, but did you you see keri russell’s bare ass?
I was hoping they would have had her in a more felicity-esque wig as just a little Easter egg to folks
I have a feeling that the FBI neighbor ends up being a loose cannon who figures out they’re spies but is so out there that the Jennings’ get off at the end of the season.
Loved the premiere and loved that gif.
Felicity is cold blooded vs. Phil’s kinda conflicted is a great pairing that butts heads in the premiere and will eventually recur further down the story line. I don’t think the writing for Phil’s character was too unbelievable, he’s a secret spy who has come to love the family that he has made undercover and goes to crazy lengths to fight for it. Don’t check out my teenage daughter pedo, don’t think you’ll get away with raping my wife, don’t think I won’t know when you come sneaking into my garage FBI guy. Awwwww Yeeeeaaaaahhh. Expect Philip to get pissed when Keri Russel starts sleeping around too much for the KGB.
Keri Russell kicking that dudes head through a wall would make the beat anti-rape PSA you guys
Best***
Am I the only one who was wondering where the heck the kids were while mom and dad were beating the shit out of the Russian defector in the garage? And who was watching them when they left to go ditch the body and bang?
No, Wifey Wife made same observation. And I was like, see, so lets go the park and bang in the car, jeeze cut the cord already, the baby is almost 14 months.
I tweeted this while watching, but before the FBI guy came in the garage, he felt a lot like Hank from Breaking Bad.
I enjoyed it and glad you waited to today to post, as I didn’t watch until last night. Was tired after workaholics and didn’t want to watch another 90 minutes.
but, yeah, like so many others the fbi agent neighbor thing is kind of dumb. don’t make it that obvious in the pilot. i’ll see where they go though.
also, Zeitlin! I miss Terriers.
i loved the pilot. even the neighbor FBI agent. should create some great tension and suspense going forward, plus any excuse to have Noah Emmerich is fine by me
Homeboy in this looks like an adult version of James McAvoy.
Liked it, and I’m sure this has been mentioned but none of you follow me on twitter so I don’t read the comments unless it is a response to my own, but they could have held off on the world’s greatest FBI agent getting suspicious about who they are. Everything else was pretty alright.
really really enjoyed it. the actors seem like they all fit perfectly, and they all seem like “normal people” if that makes sense. the FBI agent living next door now makes it very interesting, and loved the scene with him and the main dude in the shadows with the gun. also, like everyone and their mothers said, keri russell kicking the dude into the wall GIF is needed.
A few things bothered me about it so far:
- The guy got head from Keri Russell and didn’t notice she was wearing a wig? That scene was obviously written by someone that has never gotten or given a blowjob.
- Since when is it ok to tell your new neighbors that you work counterintelligence for the FBI the first time you meet them?
- I’m kinda torn about the soundtrack, it’s good tunes, but it feels so forced and out of place in the show. LOOK, PERIOD MUSIC!!
- Being spies, you would think Keri Russell would have realized all she needed to do to get her “husband” to want to kill the dude in the trunk was tell him he raped her. He’s obviously willing to do anything to protect you and impress you.
Those few little things aside I did feel that it was a good show, and will continue to watch in the hopes that they clean it up a bit.
Didn’t notice or didn’t care? Spoken by someone who has gotten and wouldn’t care if her wig fell off and she was bald headed.
They were supposedly very close to cutting the Phil Collins from that one scene, but decided to leave it in at the last second, possibly due to Keri Russell having lobbied for keeping it.
Well I mean if he did notice shouldn’t he be at least moderately suspicious. Here’s a chick you just met randomly in a bar who seems to be overly interested in you working for the president and you notice she’s also wearing a wig, shouldn’t some red flags start popping up?
so what you’re really saying is that you’ve been blown before by a chick or a dude wearing a wig before
I’ll definitely stick with it. Keri Russel could get it any day of the week. Eastern European bitches are cold as ice, and I love it.
i took the In The Air Tonight bit as just a reference to the Miami Vice pilot, which was the perfect use of that song. plus, the use of Tusk was perfect too.
Loved it.
But Rhys seems like the love child of the vain doctor from Nip Tuck and the politician brother from Brotherhood.
dear lord I have forgotten about Brotherhood…Didn’t they try to run that on CBS and Showtime at the same time?
Pleasantly surprised. Thought it was really strong for a first episode. The show can be taken on god knows how many directions so it should be a good season.
Well… Margo Martindale is going to be making an appearance soon so my money is on it remaining good.
The problem is that 80% of America is too dumb to understand all the issues with the pilot. I have been rewatching old episodes of the xfiles, and it is just as bad from an FBI procedural standpoint.
From a music standpoint in the air tonight was the only song I thought as over the top.
I feel that if you’re watching a fictional show about law enforcement and you’re not willing to overlook “procedural” issues and suspend your disbelief a little bit, you’re going to continually be disappointed by most television shows and movies.
I really dug it, although I agree completely that there were some forced aspects, especially the FBI neighbor and his special intuition. Definitely gonna keep watching, anyway.
I wasn’t convinced with Russell as a badass spy so I skipped it, may go back and see it though based on the critique.
I dug it. I’ll give it a fair shake and see how it works out. Keri Russell’s character is colder than Siberia, and I appreciate that.Anyone willing to fingerbang some dudes asshole for the sake of a mission gets my respect.
That last sounds like it is straight out of Archer.
Which gives me the genius idea of an Americans/Archer cross over.
7/10 for the Pilot. Will keep watching.
Personally I hated it. Just thought it was crap all the way around. Plus I can’t take shows with rape scenes unless it’s legitimate rape. My body has a way of preventing me from watching those scenes.
I liked it. I was surprised to see John Boy Walton show up. Guess I probably just thought he was dead or retired from acting.