http://www.avclub.com/article/the-pat-benatar-record-wouldnt-load-an-americans-m-200571
― Insane Prince of False Binaries (Gukbe), Tuesday, 24 December 2013 15:18 (ten years ago) link
9 episodes into season 1 and enjoying it a lot. I'm a real sucker for Cold War espionage stuff. It's predictable at times, and the protagonists with a double life thing may be a bit old hat by now. But it's extremely watchable and moreish, and the leads are both very good. I'm impressed by how they've almost entirely resisted the urge to do any 'LOL 80s' stuff, leg warmers and Phil Collins aside.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Thursday, 6 February 2014 15:37 (ten years ago) link
Hearing very good things from folk who've seen early S2 episodes.
― Simon H., Thursday, 6 February 2014 15:43 (ten years ago) link
I kinda wavered on this show during the first few episodes but by the end of season it managed to come together in an interesting way and now I'm really stoked for season 2
― iFrankenstein (latebloomer), Thursday, 6 February 2014 15:47 (ten years ago) link
i guess i didn't post on here before but I think this is one of the best shows on tv even if it is badly flawed in a lot of ways.
i really love that, at heart, it's just a show about how difficult it is to maintain an unconventional relationship when you have a family. great acting for most of the cast, leads especially.
― PSY talks The Nut Job (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 6 February 2014 16:00 (ten years ago) link
yeah this is great. looking forward to season 2.
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 6 February 2014 16:15 (ten years ago) link
I certainly prefer it to Homeland. Less ponderous, less pretension to being much more than a decent thriller, less Clare Danes.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Thursday, 6 February 2014 16:21 (ten years ago) link
Oh, so so so much better than Homeland. More visually interesting, less stupid plot-wise, more interesting thematically.
― Frederik B, Thursday, 6 February 2014 18:43 (ten years ago) link
Also: Tusk and Games Without Frontiers!
― Frederik B, Thursday, 6 February 2014 18:44 (ten years ago) link
I was afriad this was going to suck. But it's actually quite good.
― calstars, Friday, 14 February 2014 02:59 (ten years ago) link
Glad this is back
― sktsh, Saturday, 1 March 2014 17:04 (ten years ago) link
Solid opener, if not spectacular. Suffered slightly from me watching it sandwiched between two episodes of True Detective.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Saturday, 1 March 2014 17:06 (ten years ago) link
Anyhow the buzz is it goes from good to great this season, so I'm certainly still onboard.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Saturday, 1 March 2014 17:07 (ten years ago) link
Just finished watching it. I'm somewhat confused on what exactly happened at the amusement park and how it led to what happened at the hotel, but that's probably just on me. Solid return otherwise.
― Johnny Fever, Saturday, 1 March 2014 17:10 (ten years ago) link
It confused me a little too - I'm guessing it will be explained more later on.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Saturday, 1 March 2014 17:18 (ten years ago) link
I don't think Elizabeth and Phillip know who killed their friends?
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Saturday, 1 March 2014 17:19 (ten years ago) link
The "next time on the Americans" clip after the episode ended alluded that figuring out who killed them will be a plot line moving forward, with Claudia figuring into it.
― dan m, Saturday, 1 March 2014 19:52 (ten years ago) link
http://images.zap2it.com/assets/p9978323_b_h3_ab/the-millers.jpg
So the American mom on this CBS show is a Russian agent on FX. Hm.
― calstars, Sunday, 2 March 2014 01:05 (ten years ago) link
I just think it's cool that's there's no conflict there. She's a plausible link between the two shows. Oh wait, the FX show takes place 30 years ago.
― calstars, Sunday, 2 March 2014 01:10 (ten years ago) link
after what she saw, I'm surprised she came downstairs to breakfast this morning!
― have a nice blood (mh), Monday, 3 March 2014 03:46 (ten years ago) link
I struggled to see the point of this show for the 5-6 episodes, but it got a lot, lot better -- it has this nice combination of comfort food predicatability and playful "holy shit" moments.
If one thing drags it down, it's the contrivance of the original "FBI guy next door" storyline - like it's trying to shortcut into a Hank/Walter relationship without actually doing the groundwork. That FBI actor is pretty great, though - I hope they give him more to do than mope and randomly spaz out
― Chuck_Tatum, Monday, 3 March 2014 21:49 (ten years ago) link
How many layers deep is Nina? Double or Triple agent?
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 3 March 2014 21:51 (ten years ago) link
It's hard to say bc I don't think she was initially a spy per se, just an office worker. The term might be "re-doubled agent"?
― dan m, Monday, 3 March 2014 21:54 (ten years ago) link
Right, but is she just playing the FBI to the benefit of the Russians, or is she playing the FBI to play the Russians to help the FBI?
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 3 March 2014 21:58 (ten years ago) link
It seems like the former, haven't seen any indication of the latter. Maybe she can be turned again, though? Wouldn't put it past them.
― dan m, Monday, 3 March 2014 22:07 (ten years ago) link
I hope they do something interesting with her, rather than just serve her back and forth between the two sides (then kill her off In the finale)
― Chuck_Tatum, Monday, 3 March 2014 22:33 (ten years ago) link
If one thing drags it down, it's the contrivance of the original "FBI guy next door" storyline - like it's trying to shortcut into a Hank/Walter relationship without actually doing the groundwork.
This irks me a bit as well.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Monday, 3 March 2014 22:34 (ten years ago) link
Right, it seemed part of the plan at first, then halfway through the season you're like "ok, I guess it is just a massive coincidence"
Incidentally, the actress playing Martha is totally nailing whatever the hell Martha is - can't wait till she finds out
― Chuck_Tatum, Monday, 3 March 2014 22:47 (ten years ago) link
Excellent casting for her. Perfect level of attractiveness for the character.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Monday, 3 March 2014 23:04 (ten years ago) link
I imdb'ed Stan's wife because she looked familiar. She's in four different shows at the same time (well, three now because I presume her run on Nashville is over).
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 3 March 2014 23:07 (ten years ago) link
I wasn't completely on board until the Reagan assassination attempt episode in the first season.
By the way, is anyone else who grew up during the show's timeframe finding world current events kind of nerve-wracking?
― have a nice blood (mh), Tuesday, 4 March 2014 01:20 (ten years ago) link
could you clarify? Not sure what you mean here.
― sarahell, Tuesday, 4 March 2014 01:25 (ten years ago) link
Russia invading Ukraine?
― have a nice blood (mh), Tuesday, 4 March 2014 01:38 (ten years ago) link
Nina went from spying on the soviets to spying on the FBI when she realized that stan killed vlad.
― jbn, Tuesday, 4 March 2014 01:43 (ten years ago) link
Re: growing up in the timeline, I've been looking forward to if/how they incorporate this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Able_Archer_83
― dan m, Tuesday, 4 March 2014 02:38 (ten years ago) link
V good acting across the board this episode. Particularly impressed with Paige.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Thursday, 13 March 2014 14:56 (ten years ago) link
ha my dad was involved w Able Archer
― Quinoa Phoenix (latebloomer), Friday, 14 March 2014 00:07 (ten years ago) link
For those here who remember the early 80s does the period detail hold up? Noticed a time-traveling 90s or 00s-era Pepsi machine in the background of one scene last week lol
― Quinoa Phoenix (latebloomer), Friday, 14 March 2014 00:13 (ten years ago) link
I didn't notice the Pepsi machine. I saw a post-81 car in one scene, but I can forgive.
― Johnny Fever, Friday, 14 March 2014 01:46 (ten years ago) link
I liked the subtle digital young-ifying of the two of them in the 1966-67 sequences. Also Philip's hair in the early '70s bit.
Oh, and clearly someone is a Peter Gabriel fan - that was the second episode to use one of his songs for the big dramatic montage.
Really impressed by the steady quality of this show. Season 1 ruled, and Season 2 has been fucking great so far.
― Humorist (horse) (誤訳侮辱), Friday, 14 March 2014 03:29 (ten years ago) link
s2 has been awesome so far. Very confident. Love the scoring in particular.
Walked past a used bookstore and noticed that showrunner Weisberg wrote a spy novel at some point. Anyone read it?
― Simon H., Friday, 14 March 2014 03:51 (ten years ago) link
http://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Spy-Novel-Joseph-Weisberg/dp/B005Q62MV8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394769087&sr=1-1&keywords=ordinary+spy
I liked the subtle digital young-ifying of the two of them in the 1966-67 sequences.
So subtle I didn't even notice!
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Friday, 14 March 2014 12:03 (ten years ago) link
This season has been so much more noirish and gritty than the last, it is that excellent right now I almost expect Orson Welles to show up at some point. They seem exhausted, decadent and since the murder of the other family completely losing their bearings as a faux family but completely on track as agents. Fantastic television.
― xelab, Thursday, 3 April 2014 21:19 (ten years ago) link
It's much better than Justified this go round, yes.
― We hugged with no names exchanged (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 3 April 2014 21:25 (ten years ago) link
Haven't seen this week's yet but the first 5 were excellent.
― Simon H., Thursday, 3 April 2014 21:33 (ten years ago) link
between the *spoilers* fractured roleplay sex and the young woman breaking down over committing her first murder, last nights episode really got to me. harrowing stuff.
― Clay, Thursday, 3 April 2014 21:35 (ten years ago) link
also I normally really couldn't give a shit about this sort of thing at all, but it's pretty adorable that Rhys and Russell are apparently an irl item now. d'awwww
― Simon H., Thursday, 3 April 2014 21:38 (ten years ago) link
Oh are they? cuet.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 3 April 2014 21:40 (ten years ago) link
Although I wonder if that particular scene last night happened before or after they consciously coupled.