Author Topic: The Americans. Please use spoiler tags. (Read 44808 times)

Samie · « **Reply #80 on:** March 7, 2014, 04:55:26 pm »

Quote from: Vork+The Knights of Good on March 7, 2014, 02:27:06 am

I love this show. Another brilliant episode.

It is mate another good episode and that Nina what is she a double,double agent?.

Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #81 on:** March 7, 2014, 10:39:07 pm »

Quote from: Yiannis on March 7, 2014, 10:34:11 am

Yup. Maybe I'm just a sucker for spy/ cold war stuff but I'm sure is more than that. Two excellent lead actors that convince you with their acting and you give a fuck about them and more than good plot that evolves smartly.

They're truly phenomenal. Keri Russell has blown me away; I had no idea she was this good. Granted it's early, but the show is actually living up to the exceptional standards the first season set. I find it fascinating the issues they're confronted with regarding Paige and Henry.

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It seems untenable, this dichotomy between their love for their children and their loyalty to the motherland, but they're completely incapable of choosing between the two. And as the episodes pass the line between the two is continuing to blur. Paige is obviously getting closer and closer to discovering something about her parents. Philip was forced/chose to employ Henry as part of his disguise for the drop and it's clearly affecting him. Elizabeth's instincts as a spy seem to be bleeding into her family life, as she can no longer escape the understandable paranoia her hidden life brings even when she's just being mom. It's all brilliantly poised and I can't way to watch it unfold in the coming weeks.

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Quote from: Samie on March 7, 2014, 04:55:26 pm

It is mate another good episode and that Nina what is she a double,double agent?.

Yeah, how fascinating is she?! I guess technically she's a triple agent. Or is it, like you said, a double double agent? If so, best double double since In N' Out was opened.

The 5th Benitle · « **Reply #82 on:** March 12, 2014, 10:10:13 pm »

.

Spoiler

/spoiler]

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Pistolero · « **Reply #83 on:** March 12, 2014, 10:40:07 pm »

Two cracking episodes thus far...

Samie · « **Reply #84 on:** March 13, 2014, 10:56:50 pm »

Episode 3 another good one man that daughter she's going to find out something huge by the end of the current season.

Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #85 on:** March 13, 2014, 11:37:50 pm »

Thought it was brilliant. I feel redundant coming in here every week and stating how good it is, but it's true. One aspect that doesn't get mentioned a lot which I think is phenomenal is their use of music. It's quite limited, but I think that lends it even greater impact. "Games Without Frontiers" in the season finale last year was absolutely perfect. I didn't notice any music in the opening two episodes of this season, but they broke out some more Peter Gabriel last night to great effect. I can read subtext as well as anyone, Mr. Weisberg: Peter Gabriel was a Directorate S officer all along. Makes you look at Genesis in a whole different light.

Jehst1979 · « **Reply #86 on:** March 14, 2014, 01:10:24 pm »

An excellent show this, i always laugh when the Russians speak to each other, is it normal that they always say their full name when they talk about each other??... i presume it is, or is that a formal thing in Russian culture?

Yiannis · « **Reply #87 on:** March 15, 2014, 09:23:41 am »

Yeah it has to be. I've seen it in other occasions too.

Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #88 on:** March 22, 2014, 08:52:40 pm »

I thought Keri Russell was absolutely phenomenal this past episode. Outshone every other cast member which takes quite a bit of doing.

sideshowme · « **Reply #89 on:** March 23, 2014, 04:14:32 pm »

agree, vork, but the script was uncharacteristically clunky as all hell in places.

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a particular lowlight was:

"it's making me so... TENSE"

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Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #90 on:** March 23, 2014, 04:33:55 pm »

Quote from: sideshowme on March 23, 2014, 04:14:32 pm

agree, vork, but the script was uncharacteristically clunky as all hell in places.

Spoiler
a particular lowlight was:

"it's making me so... TENSE"
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Interesting. Didn't notice that myself, but I was probably too distracted thinking about Keri Russell throwing herself at me in one of her wigs.

Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #91 on:** March 28, 2014, 04:45:03 am »

Best episode of television I've seen in years. That was perfect from start to finish. I really didn't think this show could get better than what they offered us last season, but fuck me they've gone and done it.

Samie · « **Reply #92 on:** March 29, 2014, 12:15:08 am »

Yeah another great episode.

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it's interesting to see them involving other agencies now with Mossad in the last episode. Think they may play a big part in future episodes.

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sideshowme · « **Reply #93 on:** March 30, 2014, 03:45:11 am »

was a bit too soapy for me. not one of the better episodes this season.

Messiah · « **Reply #94 on:** March 30, 2014, 08:32:52 am »

The lead characters are absolutely fantastic in this show. Keri Russell

RedSince86 · « **Reply #95 on:** March 30, 2014, 12:46:50 pm »

Fantastic tv show with great acting and writing and also worth watching for nina alone

sideshowme · « **Reply #96 on:** April 6, 2014, 02:34:49 am »

that was a decent ep, although a bit over-the-top on the passionless grunting.

The 5th Benitle · « **Reply #97 on:** April 6, 2014, 09:22:33 am »

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Spoiler

/spoiler]

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Messiah · « **Reply #98 on:** April 7, 2014, 04:43:11 am »

Keri Russell in that last ep

Jehst1979 · « **Reply #99 on:** April 17, 2014, 08:53:53 pm »

class show this... really enjoying season 2, up to episode 8 now... this thread is worth a bump

Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #100 on:** April 18, 2014, 08:30:53 pm »

Still think it's the best thing going on tv. Its consistency from week to week is pretty astounding. Noah Emmerich was, once again, fantastic in this week's episode and the scene with Lucia was just fucking captivating.

Yiannis · « **Reply #101 on:** April 19, 2014, 10:53:18 am »

Noah Emmerich ‏@NoahEmmerich Apr 17
and just got word we’re coming back for season 3. Ypa!
#TheAmericans

Yes!!

sideshowme · « **Reply #102 on:** April 20, 2014, 02:43:29 am »

decent episode, and credit to the kid henry (and the director) for an impressively restrained and understated emotional scene at the end there, when it would have been so easy to overdo it. could do with a haircut though.

Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #103 on:** April 21, 2014, 09:44:47 pm »

Quote from: Yiannis on April 19, 2014, 10:53:18 am

Noah Emmerich ‏@NoahEmmerich Apr 17
and just got word we’re coming back for season 3. Ypa!
#TheAmericans

Yes!!

Yeah, that's been nailed on for awhile now, but always good to see it's official.

Pistolero · « **Reply #104 on:** April 22, 2014, 04:53:28 pm »

Cracking series....the subtleties / subtext of episode 8 were a joy to watch...

delighted that its been renewed

Livo.85 · « **Reply #105 on:** April 24, 2014, 01:31:43 pm »

Just gets better & better. Best of the lot for me.

sideshowme · « **Reply #106 on:** April 25, 2014, 02:32:28 am »

excellent stuff with emo philip. the plot seems very dense though. i had to go back and look up a few characters to work out exactly what was going on.

one issue with it...

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what exactly did they think would happen, leaving a bloke tied up in the middle of nowhere like that? it seemed out of place in the last episode and the payoff this week didn't seem to work for that reason.

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Yiannis · « **Reply #107 on:** April 25, 2014, 09:44:22 am »

^^yeah spot on. Like they couldn't believe what had happened. Makes no sense really and I was surprised watching it. They'd be better off with not showing it at all.

Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #108 on:** April 25, 2014, 09:54:30 pm »

Quote from: sideshowme on April 25, 2014, 02:32:28 am

excellent stuff with emo philip. the plot seems very dense though. i had to go back and look up a few characters to work out exactly what was going on.

one issue with it...
Spoiler
what exactly did they think would happen, leaving a bloke tied up in the middle of nowhere like that? it seemed out of place in the last episode and the payoff this week didn't seem to work for that reason.
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Spoiler

Think that was the point, mate. It was a reflection on Philip's growing disgust/inability to cope with the person he's becoming and its inevitability. He's in the middle of a war with which he's growing more and more disillusioned, but he can't escape. Even when he tries to do, not the right thing, but we'll say the more humane thing and let the sanitation worker live, the result ends up the same (or, one could even argue, worse considering that a quick bullet would probably have been the preferred end for our poor sanitation worker).

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Personally, I thought that was a brilliant episode and Matthew Rhys' performance was a tour de force. Noah Emmerich wasn't half bad either. Breathtaking stuff from the Welshman, though.

sideshowme · « **Reply #109 on:** April 26, 2014, 12:03:53 am »

Quote from: Vork+The Knights of Good on April 25, 2014, 09:54:30 pm

Spoiler
Think that was the point, mate. It was a reflection on Philip's growing disgust/inability to cope with the person he's becoming and its inevitability. He's in the middle of a war with which he's growing more and more disillusioned, but he can't escape. Even when he tries to do, not the right thing, but we'll say the more humane thing and let the sanitation worker live, the result ends up the same (or, one could even argue, worse considering that a quick bullet would probably have been the preferred end for our poor sanitation worker).
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Personally, I thought that was a brilliant episode and Matthew Rhys' performance was a tour de force. Noah Emmerich wasn't half bad either. Breathtaking stuff from the Welshman, though.

Spoiler

well, yeah, i got that point. but surely there would be easier ways for KGB agents to stow a captive than just leave him out in the open? the whole thing seemed a bit clunkily written to drive home the very point you mention.

the whole thing with the truck was a bit confusing too. at first i thought they went straight from the scene where they left him to the camp, which is why their only choices were to kill the guy or leave him there.

but presumably they'd have to take the truck and stow that somewhere while they got the fake IDs etc made up with the right names to get access. surely that argues even more for putting the guy somewhere out of the way? and was the sanitation company not concerned about a missing truck?

of course they're minor quibbles in a really very good series, but as a result they stand out like a sore thumb. agree about the stars though. brilliant performances all round.

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Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #110 on:** April 26, 2014, 12:49:58 am »

Quote from: sideshowme on April 26, 2014, 12:03:53 am

Spoiler
well, yeah, i got that point. but surely there would be easier ways for KGB agents to stow a captive than just leave him out in the open? the whole thing seemed a bit clunkily written to drive home the very point you mention.

the whole thing with the truck was a bit confusing too. at first i thought they went straight from the scene where they left him to the camp, which is why their only choices were to kill the guy or leave him there.

but presumably they'd have to take the truck and stow that somewhere while they got the fake IDs etc made up with the right names to get access. surely that argues even more for putting the guy somewhere out of the way? and was the sanitation company not concerned about a missing truck?

of course they're minor quibbles in a really very good series, but as a result they stand out like a sore thumb. agree about the stars though. brilliant performances all round.
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Spoiler

Out in the open? He was left in a secluded wooded area which they had specifically scouted. Phillip pointed out in last week's episode how nobody hikes there, so it was obviously remote and they were confident there was little chance of discovery (and they were correct). Where else could they have taken him? Their garage? The rezidentura? I'm not sure what else they could have done. Their choice was to either kill or secure him. The former was obviously the right call, but it was rendered moot by Phillip's internal conflict which had been exacerbated by the repatriation of the scientist and that excruciating drive to the boat.

Personally, I don't know enough about the operations of a sanitation company to answer confidently, but I'd imagine it's possible that each truck isn't monitored extensively on a day-to-day basis. Perhaps they just had to return it to wherever the fleet of trucks is housed overnight and then pick it up again after hours the next day. Who knows? I don't think the truck had to be missing, though. It certainly seems plausible that they'd be able to navigate that pitfall, though, considering the other operations they routinely pull off.

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sideshowme · « **Reply #111 on:** April 26, 2014, 01:52:47 am »

Quote from: Vork+The Knights of Good on April 26, 2014, 12:49:58 am

Spoiler
Out in the open? He was left in a secluded wooded area which they had specifically scouted. Phillip pointed out in last week's episode how nobody hikes there, so it was obviously remote and they were confident there was little chance of discovery (and they were correct). Where else could they have taken him? Their garage? The rezidentura? I'm not sure what else they could have done. Their choice was to either kill or secure him. The former was obviously the right call, but it was rendered moot by Phillip's internal conflict which had been exacerbated by the repatriation of the scientist and that excruciating drive to the boat.

Personally, I don't know enough about the operations of a sanitation company to answer confidently, but I'd imagine it's possible that each truck isn't monitored extensively on a day-to-day basis. Perhaps they just had to return it to wherever the fleet of trucks is housed overnight and then pick it up again after hours the next day. Who knows? I don't think the truck had to be missing, though. It certainly seems plausible that they'd be able to navigate that pitfall, though, considering the other operations they routinely pull off.
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Spoiler

not quite, and that's part of the reason why it felt so forced, the way philip had to specifically say "nobody hikes here."

and i'm not sure where they could have taken him, but there have to be better options than just leaving him there where they were hostages to fortune. and what would the plan have been afterwards even if he had survived? the guy would have had to be killed anyway, so the whole sequence was a longwinded, clunky way to make the point that philip is disillusioned with all the killing.

as i say, it's a minor quibble, but for a show that is generally so elegant, it felt like a real crunched gear change of a plot point.

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Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #112 on:** May 8, 2014, 08:53:38 pm »

Quote from: sideshowme on April 26, 2014, 01:52:47 am

Spoiler
not quite, and that's part of the reason why it felt so forced, the way philip had to specifically say "nobody hikes here."

and i'm not sure where they could have taken him, but there have to be better options than just leaving him there where they were hostages to fortune. and what would the plan have been afterwards even if he had survived? the guy would have had to be killed anyway, so the whole sequence was a longwinded, clunky way to make the point that philip is disillusioned with all the killing.

as i say, it's a minor quibble, but for a show that is generally so elegant, it felt like a real crunched gear change of a plot point.

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Spoiler

Sorry, really dropped the ball on our debate. I suppose we just disagree. I didn't find it clunky in the least. It seemed to me a perfectly natural (well, for covert KGB agents) quandary in which Phillip might find himself. His handling of the situation was certainly clunky, but I thought it fit nicely into the plot and Phillip's development over the season.

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Back to this week: this show is consistently outstanding to an absurd level. It continues to up the stakes with each episode. Only two more left in the season and events are finely poised. My only question regarding last night's episode:

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Does the Center's reach extend to Henry's school or was that the most conveniently timed class project ever? Or, perhaps, are Elizabeth and Phillip somehow pulling one over on their own son and convincing him he's got a report due that, in fact, doesn't exist? For Henry's sake I hope it's not the third alternative because that'd be some choice bullshit. Whatever the case, they sure seemed to have much less hesitation involving Henry in their spy games last night than they did in the season premiere.

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wz4jc3 · « **Reply #113 on:** May 13, 2014, 09:45:42 pm »

I enjoyed the first series, but I have found the second to be rather dull. I am currently three episodes behind and I'm thinking of binning it. Is it worth me persevering?

sideshowme · « **Reply #114 on:** May 14, 2014, 12:34:51 am »

Quote from: Vork+The Knights of Good on May 8, 2014, 08:53:38 pm

Spoiler
Does the Center's reach extend to Henry's school or was that the most conveniently timed class project ever? Or, perhaps, are Elizabeth and Phillip somehow pulling one over on their own son and convincing him he's got a report due that, in fact, doesn't exist? For Henry's sake I hope it's not the third alternative because that'd be some choice bullshit. Whatever the case, they sure seemed to have much less hesitation involving Henry in their spy games last night than they did in the season premiere.
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that puzzled me too. it wasn't set up, and when phillip mentioned it i assumed it was a blag to get talking to stan about his job... but there he was, asking questions. very weird.

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jason42 · « **Reply #115 on:** May 14, 2014, 01:26:16 am »

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The bit with the sanitation truck was explained. They nabbed the driver and then found out who his replacement would be if this driver was sick. They sorted out the fake IDs and they picked up the truck. The company would assume that the first driver had taken the truck and the replacement driver would still be on standby, completely unaware that someone was using his ID. Philip did not want to kill the driver nor did he want anyone killed in the camp.

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Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #116 on:** May 14, 2014, 03:09:52 am »

Quote from: wz4jc3 on May 13, 2014, 09:45:42 pm

I enjoyed the first series, but I have found the second to be rather dull. I am currently three episodes behind and I'm thinking of binning it. Is it worth me persevering?

I think it is, but then I think it's the best show on tv so I'm probably biased. I actually think this season has been a step up on last year which is saying something. There's not really a stark shift over the episodes you're behind, so if you haven't enjoyed it up until then I don't know if your opinion will change in catching up. Only a handful of episodes left to complete the season, though, so it's hardly an onerous commitment if you do choose to finish up the series.

wz4jc3 · « **Reply #117 on:** May 14, 2014, 07:19:42 am »

Quote from: Vork+The Knights of Good on May 14, 2014, 03:09:52 am

I think it is, but then I think it's the best show on tv so I'm probably biased. I actually think this season has been a step up on last year which is saying something. There's not really a stark shift over the episodes you're behind, so if you haven't enjoyed it up until then I don't know if your opinion will change in catching up. Only a handful of episodes left to complete the season, though, so it's hardly an onerous commitment if you do choose to finish up the series.

Ok, thanks for the info. I will stick with it for the rest of series. Thanks again.

Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #118 on:** May 19, 2014, 03:01:12 am »

Finally got to watch the penultimate episode. Thought it was brilliant and things are finely poised for the finale.

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The toupee line was simultaneously frightening and hilarious. Loved that. I'm utterly fascinated by the entire Nina storyline. So many different factors at play. It's engrossing.

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sideshowme · « **Reply #119 on:** May 19, 2014, 04:47:32 am »

Quote from: Vork+The Knights of Good on May 19, 2014, 03:01:12 am

Finally got to watch the penultimate episode. Thought it was brilliant and things are finely poised for the finale.

Spoiler
The toupee line was simultaneously frightening and hilarious. Loved that. I'm utterly fascinated by the entire Nina storyline. So many different factors at play. It's engrossing.
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agreed, but they're all engrossing in their way (apart from stan's home life, which is dull). i'm struggling to see where all the storylines will intersect though.

it occurred to me how great it is that even though philip/elizabeth and nina are on the same side, they never actually meet or even interact. the only things they have in common are 'the center', which doesn't really care about any of them, and the FBI (specifically stan), who cares about all three of them. twisted, but great.

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