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The Americans - S2 of the KGB spy drama - Keri Russell & Matthew Rhys - Wed on FX

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F

Freezasaurus

Member
-Pyromaniac- said:
I didn't think of it that way. That the innocent bystander that phillip shot is probably the same thing that happened with that other spy family. Someone came to kill the parents but the daugter was there and she got wiped out too.
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Well, they're very particular about witnesses in that kind of business.
 
C

Clevinger

Member
Didn't season 1 make a big deal about how rare married spies were? Didn't like that whole part of the ep, but everything else was good.
 
R

ReturnOfTheRAT

Member
FX is FEARLESS.

Season two starts with their next attempt to out Skinemax, Cinemax. Threesomes and now 69ing. Add in the absolute brutality of Philip again's the Iraqis and I just have to credit FX with getting their commercial sponsors to go along with this kind of sexual and brutal imagery.

I personally love how my expectations were played with going into this season. Paige snooping around on her parents had to be a throughline for this season. How many chances will she take? what will she find, etc. etc. Walking in your parents in a sexual position is awful
It has happened to me, so I share her disgust.
But then the show says, hold on, that's not where the tension will be this season. While having Paige spying on them and try to figure out her parents mysterious nature would be nice, we've seen that Elizabeth and Philip are very carefully about covering their tracks and what spy business they do at home. A story line with far more potential in season two of many, I hope is having Elizabeth and Philip all their attention to protecting their kids from the people who are tracking down Russian spies. I don't know if it's their own people. It could be part of American government. Maybe even a third party we haven't seen yet. Whatever the case, it's go time if you kids are in direct danger.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
I thought it was a pretty good premiere.

I actually don't mind the increased focus on the Jennings' kids. It's actually refreshing to see tween/teen kids who aren't total assholes on TV.

Was that really the first 69 scene in US television history like Sepinwall said? With Spartacus and True Blood and shows like that, surely it wasn't?

Chamber said:
Just had childhood flashbacks, thought I blocked those memories.
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You walked in on your parents 69ing?! Details man!

Chamber said:
I'm legit shook right now. Can't remember the last time that happened with a tv show.
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It was a gut punch for sure. I really didn't see it coming.
 
S

Sober

Member
RatskyWatsky said:
Was that really the first 69 scene in US television history like Sepinwall said? With Spartacus and True Blood and shows like that, surely it wasn't?
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I would think it's kinda hard to pull off on either of those shows because you have to go over the top with the sex scenes but trying to 69 is kinda explicit, so I don't blame them when they did it tonight and it seemed more sedate (also because it was not top/bottom and more sideways 69). My memory with TB isn't that great but no on Spartacus (though it might've had a pegging scene iirc).

This is a weird discussion to be having.
 
D

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
Lots of personal escalation tonight. Great stuff. I wonder if that son will report anything about seeing Phillip in the hallway.

RatskyWatsky said:
Was that really the first 69 scene in US television history like Sepinwall said? With Spartacus and True Blood and shows like that, surely it wasn't?
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Maaaaybe as the prominent focus, but I kinda doubt it.

I seem to recall Cronenberg being told that the 69 scene in A History of Violence was a first for a mainstream film, and that seemed surprising too.

Paige being traumatized during breakfast was hilarious.
 
H

Heshinsi

"playing" dumb? unpossible
ReturnOfTheRAT said:
FX is FEARLESS.

Season two starts with their next attempt to out Skinemax, Cinemax. Threesomes and now 69ing. Add in the absolute brutality of Philip again's the Iraqis and I just have to credit FX with getting their commercial sponsors to go along with this kind of sexual and brutal imagery.

I personally love how my expectations were played with going into this season. Paige snooping around on her parents had to be a throughline for this season. How many chances will she take? what will she find, etc. etc. Walking in your parents in a sexual position is awful
It has happened to me, so I share her disgust.
But then the show says, hold on, that's not where the tension will be this season. While having Paige spying on them and try to figure out her parents mysterious nature would be nice, we've seen that Elizabeth and Philip are very carefully about covering their tracks and what spy business they do at home. A story line with far more potential in season two of many, I hope is having Elizabeth and Philip all their attention to protecting their kids from the people who are tracking down Russian spies. I don't know if it's their own people. It could be part of American government. Maybe even a third party we haven't seen yet. Whatever the case, it's go time if you kids are in direct danger.
Click to expand...

Umm...they weren't speaking Arabic, they kept talking about Afghanistan, and when Philip left the place, there was an Afghani flag on the building. The rest of your post I agree with lol
 
T

TripOpt55

Member
So glad this is back. The premiere was quite good. Paige walking in on her parents and the ensuing breakfast was pretty hilarious.
 
S

shadyspace

Banned
Anybody else think the kids are actually pretty good actors as far as kid actors go? Like they run circles around Carl from the Walking Dead bare minimum.
 
D

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
I'd assume those two guys Phillip was dealing with were associated with the Mujahideen.

shadyspace said:
Anybody else think the kids are actually pretty good actors as far as kid actors go? Like they run circles around Carl from the Walking Dead bare minimum.
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Definitely. I've had no issues with them from the start, and was perfectly happy to hear they would be tying in more family stuff this season to their work complications.
 
C

Cornballer

Member
Ratings weren't great. Hopefully the time-shifting bump is huge.

- 'Americans' Season 2 premiere numbers come in soft

Some analysis from Josef Adalian:
So-so return for THE AMERICANS: 0.7 A18-49 and 1.9M viewers. Sharply down from S1 premiere, on par with S1 finale

Operative stat: S1 AMERICANS finale notched 1.7M viewers and 0.6 A18-49. So last night was UP from that.

But AMERICANS didn't make up ground it lost after last season's big premiere. The show bowed to 3.2M viewers and a 1.2 A18-49-- then fell.

Basically,S2 debut is no worse-- and actually a little better -- than where the show ended in May. But no big growth=a disappointment for FX
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It's certainly not time to hit the panic button, but this is something to keep an eye on.

EDIT: Also note:
HitFix said:
As FX SVP Public Relations John Solberg says in the "Americans" ratings release, "We fully expect 'The Americans' will be on our schedule for the next five years or more."

That quote is not legally binding.
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L

Linius

Member
Shit, that was one brutal season opener. Some pretty graphic headshots here and there, some sex stuff and a great balance with the family stuff surrounding it. I'm glad this show is back.
 
I

Incandenza

Banned
I liked the premiere but still feel like it's not really doing anything that you can't get anywhere else. The dialogue is solid, the pacing is good, the action is fun, but in every category there are other shows currently running that outclass it.
 
L

Linius

Member
Incandenza said:
I liked the premiere but still feel like it's not really doing anything that you can't get anywhere else. The dialogue is solid, the pacing is good, the action is fun, but in every category there are other shows currently running that outclass it.
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I wouldn't know a single show that you can really compare to this. The cold war spy setting is pretty unique as far as I know. It brings an interesting dynamic of work and family with it. And I still feel weird about who I'm rooting for. I like Beeman and I don't want him to be played by the KGB. But on the other hand I'm also rooting for the KGB family. I'm so conflicted :p
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Sober said:
I would think it's kinda hard to pull off on either of those shows because you have to go over the top with the sex scenes but trying to 69 is kinda explicit, so I don't blame them when they did it tonight and it seemed more sedate (also because it was not top/bottom and more sideways 69). My memory with TB isn't that great but no on Spartacus (though it might've had a pegging scene iirc).

This is a weird discussion to be having.
Click to expand...

I mean, as evidenced by last night's episode, there's a way to do it without being explicit, so it just strikes me as weird that we've never seen it before now.
 
I

Incandenza

Banned
Linius said:
I wouldn't know a single show that you can really compare to this. The cold war spy setting is pretty unique as far as I know. It brings an interesting dynamic of work and family with it. And I still feel weird about who I'm rooting for. I like Beeman and I don't want him to be played by the KGB. But on the other hand I'm also rooting for the KGB family. I'm so conflicted :p
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The spy setting is unique for sure, but fill in the blanks on this plot:

A seemingly normal ___(occupation)___ is secretly a _____(type of criminal)_____, and he’s doing it right under the nose of his _____(close relationship)_____, whose job is specifically to track down ____(same type of criminal)_____

and you've got the basic premise for The Americans, Hannibal, Breaking Bad, and Homeland. Now, Homeland is pretty shit, I'll grant you, but still, this show has gotta do some work to differentiate itself. Right now I think the period piece aspects and the exploration of marriage are its two best hopes for doing so.
 
A

Alpende

Member
I liked it. I thought Phillip would let the kid in the kitchen go but he blew his brains out. Of course I could have expected this but the show kind of makes you root for the family and the next moment they show the ruthlesness of the KGB. That's well done.

The kid actors are a plus too, they're not annoying and shitty at acting. I had my doubts at the beginning with the whole family stuff but if they keep it on the level they showed in the premiere, I have no issues with it.
 
M

metsallica

Member
I fell asleep with about 15 minutes left when this first aired (through no fault of the show, I was watching at 2AM) but did that "drift in and out of consciousness while rewinding the DVR" thing -- that we're all probably familiar with -- about 50 times. I figured I got most of the last quarter that way, or at least through osmosis, but when I sat down to finish the episode proper... WOW was I mistaken. It sure got dark and brutal there at the end, huh? Very solid premiere, happy to welcome the show back for some more solid intrigue. And wigs. Always wigs.
 
S

Saty

Member
Great opener.

Regarding the ratings, need to remember the opener of S1 was longer than an hour so a direct comparison may be less effective.
 
N

Net_Wrecker

Member
Man, I thought the few times they pushed the sexual scenes last season was pretty far for cable TV, but lol @ the season 2 opener. This show pushes harder than Sons of Anarchy. I can only imagine if it was an HBO show.....or Cinemax/Starz lawd

Anyway, that was a good start to the season. Stakes feel higher, tone feels more tense; here's hoping they keep it up.
 
R

Rehynn

Member
I'm not very familiar with how FX treats its shows, but is there a legitimate chance that they might cancel this one if the ratings are not good enough?

I really don't want this to happen, the Americans is probably my favorite show right now besides Mad Men:-(
 
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