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[The Americans] - Espionage means never having to say "I'm sorry I didn't kill you."

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  • Inkstain82Inkstain82 Registered User regular
    Also, when did Oleg become the best character on the show? It happened so seamlessly.

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    edited April 2014
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    Something I hope about this show: when they get to their final season, Elizabeth needs to go back to Russia for some reason. Like, an informant they exfiltrated will only speak to her, something needs to be hand delivered with absolute urgency and she's the only one available, or something. And arriving back in Russia, her dreams about the Motherland are brutally crushed by line-ups for food, endemic corruption, poor living standards, etc. She sees her sister, sees how much better her life in America is, and decides 'fuck this, I'm defecting.'

    Didn't she already throw her lot in with the SDS? In the Sixties? With black students in the Hoover years? If so, she's seen lines for food, endemic corruption, collapsing living standards dominating the cities, plus a heroine epidemic for seasoning. I think she might be desensitized, but maybe I'm psychoanalyzing too much. Sometimes you just beat the shit out of people because you're told to.
    Inkstain82 wrote: »
    Also, when did Oleg become the best character on the show? It happened so seamlessly.

    Obviously, Claudia left, and Akady has not been knocked off (or made less often).

    Oleg is naturally the next best choice. He rubs shoulders with Akady, so the best character spread quick.

    Synthesis on
  • BubbyBubby Registered User regular
    Tonight's episode was fucking soul crushing. This is the best show on TV right now.

  • Rex BeaversRex Beavers Registered User regular
    I'll love you for real, Martha. Let me take you away from all this.

  • Inkstain82Inkstain82 Registered User regular
    I used to root for Martha to die because she was annoying. Now I want it out of mercy.

    They need to melt down all the emmys in existence to make a giant one for Matthew Rhys.

  • override367override367 ALL minions Registered User regular
    that was a pretty depressing episode

    I want them to find out that it wasn't their fault the sub blew up, it was the politicians rushing construction

  • electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
    So I just marathoned two seasons of this pretty much.

    It is amazing.

    But (S2 finale spoilers)
    Not sure I cared for the deathbed info-dump conclusion.[/spoilers]

  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    that was a pretty depressing episode

    I want them to find out that it wasn't their fault the sub blew up, it was the politicians rushing construction

    The characters all but say it was /communism that killed those kids.

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  • Captain TragedyCaptain Tragedy Registered User regular
    So I just marathoned two seasons of this pretty much.

    It is amazing.

    But (S2 finale spoilers)
    Not sure I cared for the deathbed info-dump conclusion.[/spoilers]

    Yeah, the death monologue was overlong almost to the point of parody and there should have been a better way to get that information out, but it was still a fantastic season.

  • SorceSorce Not ThereRegistered User regular
    Oh hey here's the S3 Promo Trailer.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSu2dpWBjfQ

    January 28th, Comrades.

    sig.gif
  • electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
    It is Jan. 30th.

    And goddamn.

  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    That was quite the episode.

    3x01
    Martha
    firing the gun has me going "Is this the final season? That's a 'were in the final season setup' scene.

    I could care less about FBI mans personal life, they could drop it all together after... mina(?) gets sent back.

    I get where his wife is coming from, but they play her off as just a gigantic jerk at almost every interaction. I think what sealed it was her running off to sleep with someone else, after getting high and mighty about communication issues being the problem.

    I didn't even recognize it was the fbi bossman in the street that she hit until he showed up in office with the broken nose. Whoops I pay attention(I'll blame it being 8 months since seeing an episode).

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  • Atlas in ChainsAtlas in Chains Registered User regular
    I just finished season 2 thanks to netflix. Random guess for season 3 based on a strange scene towards the end of 2.
    Martha is going to create an unwanted baby out of used condoms. "Clarke" might have to strangle her.


  • override367override367 ALL minions Registered User regular
    edited January 2015
    That was quite the episode.

    3x01
    Martha
    firing the gun has me going "Is this the final season? That's a 'were in the final season setup' scene.

    I could care less about FBI mans personal life, they could drop it all together after... mina(?) gets sent back.

    I get where his wife is coming from, but they play her off as just a gigantic jerk at almost every interaction. I think what sealed it was her running off to sleep with someone else, after getting high and mighty about communication issues being the problem.

    I didn't even recognize it was the fbi bossman in the street that she hit until he showed up in office with the broken nose. Whoops I pay attention(I'll blame it being 8 months since seeing an episode).

    there's no way in hell
    Nina stays gone this season

    override367 on
  • GONG-00GONG-00 Registered User regular
    That was quite the episode.

    3x01
    Martha
    firing the gun has me going "Is this the final season? That's a 'were in the final season setup' scene.

    I could care less about FBI mans personal life, they could drop it all together after... mina(?) gets sent back.

    I get where his wife is coming from, but they play her off as just a gigantic jerk at almost every interaction. I think what sealed it was her running off to sleep with someone else, after getting high and mighty about communication issues being the problem.

    I didn't even recognize it was the fbi bossman in the street that she hit until he showed up in office with the broken nose. Whoops I pay attention(I'll blame it being 8 months since seeing an episode).

    there's no way in hell
    Nina stays gone this season
    I have not personally verified this, but I read that the actress was still in the title credits. Concerning the premiere, I quite enjoyed Paige's channel surfing telling the audience all it needs to know about her suitability as a potential second generation illegal.

    Black lives matter.
    Law and Order ≠ Justice
    ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
    Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
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  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    Paige
    Yeah, american teenagers don't give a shit about politics so it really fits. Theres zero way she would flip. Even the parents are like, holy shit, their power works all the time, and they can control the climate indoors. Every russian that visits does everything in their power to stay. There's solace already that by the time paige is out of college, the wall will have fallen, give or take.

    I think Martha could go the route Atlas is mentioning. I'd bet
    he would drug her so that she loses it.

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  • SorceSorce Not ThereRegistered User regular
    I laughed for a solid minute
    when Martha and Philip were taking a page from the Kama Sutra.

    sig.gif
  • HandgimpHandgimp R+L=J Family PhotoRegistered User regular
    So uh, that was
    quite the contortionist act
    .

    PwH4Ipj.jpg
  • BubbyBubby Registered User regular
    Second ep was kinda boring. I don't give a shit about Paige.

  • Kipling217Kipling217 Registered User regular
    Handgimp wrote: »
    So uh, that was
    quite the contortionist act
    .

    God, the noise alone made me nauseous.

    The sky was full of stars, every star an exploding ship. One of ours.
  • TheBlackWindTheBlackWind Registered User regular
    Oh god, I've been in hotels for work and didn't realize this was back. Noooooo. It's always so hard to catch up on Fx's stuff.

    PAD ID - 328,762,218
  • HandgimpHandgimp R+L=J Family PhotoRegistered User regular
    Oh god, I've been in hotels for work and didn't realize this was back. Noooooo. It's always so hard to catch up on Fx's stuff.

    Both episodes are on FX's website

    PwH4Ipj.jpg
  • BillyIdleBillyIdle What does "katana" mean? It means "Japanese sword."Registered User regular
    Well, that scene was painful to watch.

    PSN: BillyIdle_
  • scherbchenscherbchen Asgard (it is dead)Registered User regular
    BillyIdle wrote: »
    Well, that scene was painful to watch.

    really? I thought her bum looked amazing.

  • GONG-00GONG-00 Registered User regular
    scherbchen wrote: »
    BillyIdle wrote: »
    Well, that scene was painful to watch.

    really? I thought her bum looked amazing.

    Not that scene, the one where Paige finds Henry's Mrs. Beeman picture.

    Black lives matter.
    Law and Order ≠ Justice
    ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
    Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
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  • BillyIdleBillyIdle What does "katana" mean? It means "Japanese sword."Registered User regular
    No all of those scenes were hot as usual. I mean the one that dropped my jaw, and not in the good way. This show knows how to pull out the big scenes with tension.

    PSN: BillyIdle_
  • scherbchenscherbchen Asgard (it is dead)Registered User regular
    yeah I pretty much knew what was going to happen and just went out of the room for a minute.

    should have turned down the sound as well though.

  • zagdrobzagdrob Registered User regular
    BillyIdle wrote: »
    Well, that scene was painful to watch.

    I was expecting it to be really quick. Didn't realize it would be realistic and like four-five minutes long.

    As someone who has been in a similar situation, ouch.

    Still, I would think they would have a stash of drugs that included painkillers (and uppers and downers, etc).

  • Kipling217Kipling217 Registered User regular
    That scene highlighted the Americans strength of just being quiet and letting the actions of the characters do the talking.

    A lesser show would have them talk back and forth about how painful it was. Here it was just 5 minutes of intense action. Which incidentally was the most intimate scene I have seen in a long time.

    Henry's voice cracking when Paige found the picture of Mrs. Beeman was funny and so on the point.

    The sky was full of stars, every star an exploding ship. One of ours.
  • electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
    Man...this feels like it's all building to one of them planning to, or being ordered to, kill the other.

    Also so many setups from what Beeman said!
    "Tell that what they want to hear, over and over. People love hearing how right they are."

    Then you've got him looking at the defector. And then you've got the sudden mysterious connection that the CIA guy is suddenly sleeping with the director's daughter, just after the CIA almost got them.

  • HandgimpHandgimp R+L=J Family PhotoRegistered User regular
    God this show is so amazing. Get over to Hitfix and read Sepinwall's interviews with Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, and the producers.

    And yeah, that scene was more intimate than a lot of sex scenes.

    PwH4Ipj.jpg
  • BillyIdleBillyIdle What does "katana" mean? It means "Japanese sword."Registered User regular
    This last episode reminded me that I inherited the same record from my dad. Maybe I should give it a spin since it was what the youngsters loved at the time.

    PSN: BillyIdle_
  • jakobaggerjakobagger LO THY DREAD EMPIRE CHAOS IS RESTORED Registered User regular
    Just caught up on the two most recent episodes. Jesus christ this show just keeps the uncomfortable scenes coming, doesn't it.

  • SorceSorce Not ThereRegistered User regular
    edited February 2015
    Still loving the fact that Paige is rebelling by getting involved with Church.
    Show continues the trend of fucking with Philip's mental state, though. First Martha and her desire for kids, then Paige being Paige, and now having to recruit a girl in high school... damn.

    Sorce on
    sig.gif
  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    Showing that the "training" was no picnic for Phillip either was a nice touch. That awkward Ms. Beaman question at the table though. Uhg they are going to specifically make that a thing, aren't they :(

    I thought it would just be a "puberty lol" storyline.

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  • GONG-00GONG-00 Registered User regular
    Considering Phillip is exploiting a similar crush from the CIA head's daughter to get access, I feel that the ugh feeling is a price worth paying.

    Black lives matter.
    Law and Order ≠ Justice
    ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
    Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
    xu257gunns6e.png
  • GONG-00GONG-00 Registered User regular
    Jeebus...
    That was the second most disturbing death that I've seen on cable TV this week :(

    Black lives matter.
    Law and Order ≠ Justice
    ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
    Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
    xu257gunns6e.png
  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    GONG-00 wrote: »
    Jeebus...
    That was the second most disturbing death that I've seen on cable TV this week :(

    The Americans isn't just one of the best shows on TV--it's also one of the most educational. I think a lot of people born prior to the 1980s would remember, for example, the Afghan War and the Cold War context of it. It was certainly well publicized and constantly framed in a East vs. West context.

    On the other hand, just like the very strong animosity between American and India in the early 1970s (approaching on outright war more than once), I think a lot of people might have forgotten just how politicized the Anti-Apartheid movement was along Cold War lines. Everyone absolutely believed the African National Congress was a communist front, and there were reasons for that--but just as importantly, many people believed the S.A. National Party were genuinely good, Christian free-market anti-communists who were doing the right thing. Even if the ANC had real grievances, and even people who genuinely supported the struggle for racial equality in the United States.
    If you saw Jewish and/or Soviet partisans burning an SS anti-partisan commander alive with kerosene, you'd be right to realize just how fucked up that was too. Given what we know some of the government authorities did in South Africa in the pacification campaigns, it's honestly not that different.

    Since then, a lot of people--the modern ANC included--have tried to downplay the social democrat/communist origins of the anti-apartheid movement, along with lots of anti-colonial movements, as part of the reconciliation process and venerating the victor, and more cynically a white-washing of history that everyone is guilty of from time to time. A lot of people who celebrate heroes like Mandela might have no idea that just how much support the Soviet Union--for right or wrong reasons--gave the anti-apartheid forces right up to the end. Even Mandela conceded, "Everyone would say [South African] Communists were manipulating the ANC. In truth, were manipulating them too."

    For the Soviets (and the Soviet press) it was a black and white issue. No doubt the government had a hand in that, of course. Apartheid was bad, and capitalism was backing it, and the national liberation of South Africa was good, and communism was backing that. In that particular case, history happened to be "on their side." Of course, that was also the side that was much more likely to forgive corruption and political stagnation in the ANC after its victory as well.

  • Kipling217Kipling217 Registered User regular
    I think the hatred of the ANC was more an American thing, here in Europe they where much more popular at the time. Apartheid was hated and support for its opponents was much clearer. There where exceptions of course; Thatcher was a big fan of the National Party, but she was a special case.

    What we are seeing in the Americans is the period when American Mainstream came around to the fact that Apartheid was wrong and support for the Anti-Apartheid movement became popular.

    The sky was full of stars, every star an exploding ship. One of ours.
  • Captain MarcusCaptain Marcus now arrives the hour of actionRegistered User regular
    Kipling217 wrote: »
    What we are seeing in the Americans is the period when American Mainstream came around to the fact that Apartheid was wrong and support for the Anti-Apartheid movement became popular.

    If I remember right wasn't this (the 80s) also when the ANC renounced terrorism and stuck to non-violent stuff? They had a nasty habit of putting gasoline-filled tires around people's necks and lighting a match.

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