The Americans

[shapinglight]

So, a post about The Americans - IMO, one of the best TV series ever made. Up there with The Sopranos, The Wire, Breaking Bad - all those shows that are always mentioned when people talk about the third - ie. the current- golden age of American TV (only just found out it's called that

Comments

[brunettepet]

I need to do a re-watch before finishing The Americans up. My DVR died, eating most of season 4 and I've had a hard time finding time to get back to it. It really is a terrific show and I'm hoping to hook the mister when I start watching it again.

[shapinglight]

Yes, if it's been a while a re-watch is probably the best plan. I'd only ever watched it in more or less real-time before, which was great for the suspense and all, but semi-binge watching it as I've done this time has been great because you see how well the story hangs together over the full six seasons.

[lyrstzha]

That's pretty much how I feel about Paige and Henry, too. I'm pretty sure they were going to be okay, and I'm pretty sure Stan was going to watch out for Henry, at least. And I get stuck sometimes on Stan, who must have at some point reflected that most of the people he's really loved in his life have been Russian. I like to think that helped nuance his position on the Cold War. And maybe it was a reason to visit poor Oleg in prison, which I hope he did, especially since no one else could. Mostly I get stuck on Oleg too, though. What happened to him was awful, and he definitely deserved better.

[shapinglight]

And I get stuck sometimes on Stan, who must have at some point reflected that most of the people he's really loved in his life have been Russian.

Yes. I suppose you could conjecture that's why he seems not that disturbed (that we saw) by Philip's suggestion that Renee might be another illegal, which was left completely open. Perhaps Stan just thought, well, one more won't matter.

Actually, I don't really believe that myself. I think it's more likely that, with the best of intentions, Philip just destroyed Stan's relationship.

I hope he did visit Oleg in prison, if he was allowed. I also console myself with the thought that maybe Oleg's wife was able to travel to the US after the USSR ceased to exist and visit him herself - though I suppose the US would be pretty antsy about letting in the wife of a convicted spy, so maybe not.

[lyrstzha]

My head-canon about Renee: I think Stan thought about it, wrestled with it, and decided to ignore it. And then I think he wouldn't have been able to, as much as he tried. Not so much because he thought she might be a Russian agent, even, but because she hadn't confessed it to him herself. Then I expect there was either a breakup or a confrontation, but it would probably have been a breakup, because I don't think Stan would have wanted to instigate a confrontation that might force one of them to kill the other. But then, I always thought she was an agent, too.

[shapinglight]

I think you're probably right. That's pretty much Stan's mindset - say nothing and withdraw emotionally. That's what killed his relationship with Sandra.

But then, I always thought she was an agent, too.

Well, they certainly left it very ambiguous. The look on Renee's face when Stan drives off to talk to Henry (pretty much the last glimpse we have of her in the show) could be interpreted in a multitude of ways, from her being a KGB operative to her thinking, now we're going to have to look after that damn kid and I don't want to.

[rebcake]

I'll admit that I was flabbergasted when Paige got off the train. What was she thinking, if anything? Kids, I ask ya.

It's such a wonderful show. BTW, really, really enjoying Gentleman Jack.

[shapinglight]

I'll admit that I was flabbergasted when Paige got off the train. What was she thinking, if anything? Kids, I ask ya.

Maybe it really struck home to her that she would be completely lost in Russia and once more totally dependent on her parents? I don't know. Holly Taylor who played Paige thinks she got off the train because she couldn't bear the thought of Henry being all alone, but I don't know. They never seemed quite that close to me.

Glad you like Gentleman Jack. It is enormous fun, I think. :)

[ningloreth]

I must watch The Americans again! Is it on Prime? (Now that I've finally caved in and got Prime, everything good seems to be on Netflix).

I've never thought much about what will happen to everyone afterwards.

It was my head canon that Paige wasn't ready to quit on being a spy, because she'd always been looking for something bigger to be a part of. Quite how she'll survive, though, I don't know. Maybe Philip & Elizabeth can arrange something at their end. And I suppose the newly independent Russia will still need spies.

Henry, I think, will be OK physically but screwed up mentally.

I thought it was really interesting that Philip suspected Renee; I liked the insight that gave us into his strange world. He knew there must be others like himself, but had no contact with them except when control decided it was necessary. And, having made a friend, and having lost his faith in the cause, his concern was for Stan

[shapinglight]

I must watch The Americans again! Is it on Prime? (Now that I've finally caved in and got Prime, everything good seems to be on Netflix).

It is on Prime - all six seasons. :)

There's lots of other good stuff too, including Carnival Ros, Mrs Maisel and The Expanse - and probably other stuff I'm not aware of. It seems pretty limitless.

Re: Paige - I don't know if she did want to carry on as a spy, but it was telling that she went straight to Claudia's flat when she got back to Washington, so you never know.

Henry, I think, will be OK physically but screwed up mentally.Oh, for sure - though maybe not as badly screwed up as Paige